Adventure and Expedition Cruises
by Roderick Eime, Cruise Weekly

Softies eh? I don't think so...

I get the impression some folk still think adventure cruising is just another way of sipping cocktails around the pool bar - at a premium price.

Those of you with a taste for the harder edge can do stuff to really get their attention at your next dinner party.

Some of the cruise companies will offer a range of activities with gold medal bragging rights like scuba diving, mountaineering, trekking, ice swimming and sea kayaking.

The easiest wet one is Pendulum Cove on Deception Island where a volcanic thermal vent keeps a small patch of water warm, but for some that's cheating.

Orion Expedition passengers do the "polar plunge" (pictured), an Antarctic Circle tradition in the subzero waters of the deep south while drinking a toast to King Neptune. Brrr!

Shore excursions like Greg Mortimer's Shackleton Crossing is a true heroic trek, following the great explorer's route across South Georgia - albeit at a more relaxed pace.

On the water, a sea kayak is one of the most intimate ways to experience the pristine environments at either end of the Earth and several operators now offer this.

Pitching a tent for one night ashore on the Antarctic continent is another way to get a taste of the privations endured a century ago. Captain Scott died in his tent, but you won't.

So, if you have a hankering for something outside your comfort zone, quiz your agent about the tough stuff.

You'll never forget it!

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