Atlantic Odyssey: Antarctica to Cape Verde

Board Plancius in Ushuaia during the afternoon and sail through the Beagle Channel. The 44-day combination begins here; no landing is scheduled after embarkation.

Continue across the Drake and pass the Antarctic Convergence, where cold north-flowing water meets warmer sub-Antarctic seas. Albatrosses, petrels and southern fulmars are possible; there is no scheduled landing.

Begin the official flexible Antarctic expedition window around the Melchior Islands and Schollaert Channel. Ice, weather, wildlife and site access determine the plan; no island, channel passage or landing is assigned or promised for this day.

Continue the flexible Peninsula program. Danco Island and Neko Harbour are source-listed possibilities for gentoo penguins, seals, glaciers, a Zodiac cruise or a landing. The expedition leader may choose different sites or no landing.

Paradise Bay is one possible setting for a Zodiac cruise and the chance to see humpback or minke whales. This remains part of the flexible expedition block; no Zodiac outing, landing or wildlife sighting is guaranteed.

If ice allows, the Lemaire Channel and Pléneau or Petermann islands are source-listed possibilities for Adélie penguins, blue-eyed shags, whales or leopard seals. They are options, not fixed calls or guaranteed sightings.

Complete the flexible Antarctic window. Port Lockroy, Jougla Point, Damoy Point, Wilhelmina Bay, the Guvernøren wreck and Charlotte Bay are alternatives that may be reordered, substituted or omitted. Optional diving or snorkeling applies only if booked and conditions permit; no activity or landing is guaranteed.

Start the northbound Drake Passage crossing with no scheduled landing. Watch for oceanic birds while Plancius follows the safest course toward South America.

Continue north across the Drake Passage. Albatrosses, petrels and other seabirds may accompany the ship, though sightings and sea conditions vary. The day remains entirely at sea.

Arrive in Ushuaia to complete the first voyage leg, then begin the next leg on the same calendar date. The continuation departs through the Beagle Channel; this turnaround is counted once in the official 44-day schedule.

Sail east toward South Georgia through open sub-Antarctic waters. Lectures and time on deck frame the passage; there is no scheduled landing.

Continue the grouped three-day passage toward South Georgia and cross the Antarctic Convergence. Albatrosses, petrels, Cape petrels and southern fulmars are possible, but wildlife sightings are not guaranteed.

Complete the grouped passage toward South Georgia through the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. The day remains at sea and the arrival plan depends on weather and local conditions.

Begin the official flexible South Georgia window. Salisbury Plain, St. Andrews Bay, Gold Harbour, Grytviken, Cooper Bay and Moltke Harbour are source-listed possibilities; no site, landing or wildlife encounter is fixed to this day.

Continue the flexible South Georgia program. King penguin rookeries, historic whaling sites, Shackleton's grave and Zodiac activities may be considered, but the expedition leader may reorder, replace or omit sites according to conditions and permissions.

Complete the flexible South Georgia window. Possible visits remain subject to weather, wildlife, swell, site availability and permits; no landing or animal encounter is guaranteed.

Leave South Georgia and begin a five-day west-wind passage across the South Atlantic. Oceanic seabirds may follow the ship, but the day has no scheduled landing.

Continue through the South Atlantic westerlies. Albatrosses and petrels are possible from deck, while lectures and observation time shape this full day at sea.

Sail northwest across open ocean. Weather and sea state govern the course, and wildlife sightings remain opportunistic rather than guaranteed.

Continue the grouped passage through remote South Atlantic waters. The day remains at sea, with expedition presentations and deck watches as conditions allow.

Complete the five-day passage while approaching the waters of Gough Island. Any following day's approach depends on weather and sea conditions; no landing is scheduled today.

Plan to approach Gough Island for a possible Zodiac cruise in Quest Bay if weather permits. Northern rockhopper penguins and sub-Antarctic fur seals may be seen, but neither the approach, Zodiac cruise nor wildlife sighting is guaranteed.

Begin the official flexible Tristan da Cunha window. The settlement on the main island, Seal Bay or Sandy Point are source-listed possibilities, not fixed calls or promised landings.

Continue the Tristan da Cunha window. Main-island alternatives may be reordered or omitted according to wind, swell, safety and permissions; no landing or bird sighting is guaranteed.

Nightingale and Inaccessible islands are intended possibilities within the flexible Tristan block. They are not assigned landings, and the expedition leader may change the plan for safety or weather.

Use the final Tristan day within a program that reserves two days for bad weather. Oceanwide reports that adverse weather has cancelled 35% of Tristan da Cunha landings since these voyages began in 1998, so no landing is promised.

Leave the Tristan da Cunha area and begin four subtropical days at sea toward Saint Helena. The route passes through warmer waters with no scheduled landing.

Continue north through subtropical South Atlantic waters. Seabirds and dolphins are possible from deck, but encounters depend on conditions and are never guaranteed.

Sail onward across open ocean toward Saint Helena. Lectures and deck observation continue as weather allows; the day remains entirely at sea.

Complete the four-day subtropical passage and approach Saint Helena. The timing and next day's program depend on weather, port access and local arrangements.

Begin the flexible Saint Helena window around Jamestown. Local culture, endemic birds, Longwood House, Jacob's Ladder and snorkeling are source-listed possibilities, not a fixed daily program or guaranteed set of activities.

Continue the flexible Saint Helena program. Activities may be reordered or omitted, and optional disembarkation to fly home depends on flight availability and separate arrangements.

Complete the second voyage leg and begin the final leg on the same calendar date at Saint Helena. Plancius departs Jamestown for Praia in the evening; the turnaround is counted once in the official 44-day schedule.

Sail north from Saint Helena along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Weather-permitting stargazing is possible from deck, but there is no scheduled landing or guaranteed celestial viewing.

Continue along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge through open ocean. Stargazing remains weather-dependent, while lectures and deck watches accompany the passage.

Begin the grouped five-day equator-crossing passage. Migrating Arctic terns and long-tailed skuas are possible as Plancius heads north, but wildlife sightings are not guaranteed.

Continue north across the tropical Atlantic. The day remains at sea, with birdwatching and weather-permitting stargazing as possibilities rather than fixed activities.

Sail onward through remote equatorial waters. Lectures and observation time continue as conditions allow; there is no scheduled landing.

Continue the grouped ocean passage toward Cape Verde. Sea state and weather determine the precise course, and any wildlife encounter remains opportunistic.

Complete the five-day equator-crossing passage. The Pole Star may become visible if skies are clear, but celestial and wildlife observations are not guaranteed.

Begin the two-day sail-by toward Ilhéus do Rombo and São Filipe on Fogo. Birdwatching is possible from the ship, but this is not a landing and no bird sighting is guaranteed.

Continue the sail-by toward Ilhéus do Rombo and Fogo before sailing for Praia. No landing is scheduled, and route details and birdlife depend on weather and sea conditions.

Arrive in Praia on Santiago Island and disembark after breakfast. The expedition ends here. Cidade Velha and other Praia sights are post-voyage suggestions, not included expedition calls or arrangements.