Cruises Watch a Total Solar Eclipse Over Antarctica From a Brand-new Luxury Ship on This Once-in-a-lifetime Cruise When it comes to maiden voyages, Quark Expeditions' Ultramarine is upping the ante. By Cailey Rizzo Cailey Rizzo Instagram Twitter Website Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. She specializes in reporting on travel, culture, and the arts. She is currently based in Brooklyn. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on October 27, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Sure, it's very special to be aboard the maiden voyage of any cruise ship. But imagine if that cruise ship happened to be headed to Antarctica to view a total solar eclipse? Quark Expeditions is upping the game for the maiden voyage aboard its newest ship, the Ultramarine. When the ship sets sail later this year, its first guests will revel in not only being the first to sail the state-of-the art ship, but in experiencing one of the most dazzling natural phenomena on the planet while they do so. Courtesy of Quark Expeditions "After five years of dedicated work and considerable financial resources, we wanted the maiden voyage of this game-changing ship to be incredibly special," Andrew White, president of Quark Expeditions, said in a statement. "What our guests will experience in our Total Solar Eclipse voyage (Nov. 25 to Dec. 14) can never be recreated in this lifetime." Because a total solar eclipse won't happen again in Antarctica until the year 2039, this could truly be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Courtesy of Quark Expeditions Guests will enjoy the company of the world's top three eclipse experts — including National Geographic photographer Babak Tafreshi, NASA scientists Fred Espenak, and "American Eclipse" author David Baron — aboard the ship's maiden journey. Courtesy of Quark Expeditions The 20-day journey starts in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Guests explore the city before flying to Ushuaia, Argentina, where they'll board the Ultramarine. The ship will cross the Drake Passage and explore the South Shetland Islands before heading to Antarctica to view the eclipse. Ahead of the big day, guests can join presentations from the ship's experts about astronomy, meteorology, and other related topics. Courtesy of Quark Expeditions After experiencing totality, travelers still have a few more days at sea to enjoy destinations like the Falkland Islands before heading back to Ushuaia. The 20-day experience starts at $24,495 per person and includes tons of perks like a helicopter excursion, all Zodiac boat cruises, and all meals and lodging while on board. For more information or to request a quote, visit the Quark Expeditions website. Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure, currently based in Brooklyn. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or at caileyrizzo.com. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit