Merry Christmas

Tim and I would like to wish our friends and relatives a very Merry Christmas!

We returned from our trip on Sunday, December 20, 2025, after an awesome, but exhausting, few weeks of travel on land. We had no energy to decorate for Christmas, but I had thought to purchase a tiny tree from the Dollar Tree before we left in October. That had to suffice this year.

Our Little Christmas Tree

I did pull out the few ornaments I purchased during the trip, as well as the two that our wonderful driver Felipe gave to us as he dropped us off at the airport in Lima. Although I had no tree on which to hang them, unwrapping them brought back fond memories.

Ornaments from South America

My plan is to finish the blog posts for the last two days on Viking Octantis and then the posts for our five nights in Patagonia and our two weeks in Peru. I’m not promising how long it will take me to recreate this incredible journey, but I will get it done!

Day 48 – Gateway to Patagonia – El Calafate

Today’s itinerary was a full-day excursion to Los Glaciares National Park and the Perito Moreno Glacier, one of Argentina's most famous natural landmarks. It was a gorgeous day for a visit to this iconic feature.

Unfortunately, I had been fighting a cold for the last few days, and I felt even worse this morning. I therefore reluctantly decided to stay at the hotel and take it easy. I sent Tim on his way with the group and returned to bed. 

I slept until 10:00 am, when I made my way to the breakfast room for coffee and a light meal. I then quickly returned to our room, where I slept for most of the day.

Tim returned in the afternoon and later shared some of his photos of the vast glacier, which he saw from a series of catwalks as well as from Lake Argentino on a scenic cruise. I’m glad he had a good time.

Perito Moreno Glacier (lower left) Is Very Accessible from El Calafate (upper right)

A Gorgeous Day for a Visit to the Glacier

Perito Moreno Glacier from One of the Viewpoints

Tim at Perito Moreno Glacier

The Upper Viewpoint Provided a Wonderful Perspective of the "River of Ice"

While Tim joined some of the other guests for dinner at the hotel, I ordered pizza and flan from room service. Although I was sad to miss seeing the glacier, it was the right move for me. I needed to take care of myself, and I felt much better by evening.

Day 47 – Gateway to Patagonia – El Calafate

One of my favorite things during this cruise was opening the blackout shades each morning and seeing what was outside our window. The view was often jaw-dropping, as I’ve previously shown on many occasions. Today’s view was another one of those moments. 

As we awoke at the crack of dawn and prepared to disembark in Ushuaia, we were greeted by the most gorgeous sky. Ushuaia is not supposed to look like this, we have been told. It’s supposed to be cloudy, gray, or rainy. Not today, however! What a send-off for us!

What a View of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel from Our Window

A View of Ushuaia Under Bright Blue Skies

After a very early breakfast in the World Café, Tim and I said our final goodbyes and disembarked Viking Octantis at 7:20 am. We then joined about 30 other passengers for the next phase of our adventures in South America, a Viking post-cruise extension called “Gateway to Patagonia.” This extension, which includes five nights in Patagonia and Santiago, Chile, is described as follows:

Explore both the Chilean and Argentine sides of Patagonia, a region of singular beauty. Admire the rugged peaks of Torres del Paine National Park, the blue waters of Lake Argentino, the sweeping views from atop Calafate Balcony and one of the world’s only advancing glaciers, the vast Perito Moreno.

The bus dropped us off at the Ushuaia airport, which was surprisingly busy, and we boarded our Aerolíneas Argentinas flight to El Calafate, Argentina. Luckily, the flight was only one hour since my middle seat in Economy was so cramped. Tim and I have been so spoiled with Business class flights!

Getting Ready to Board Our Plane to El Calafate

I’m not sure what I was expecting when we arrived at the airport in El Calafate, but I was surprised by how warm it was. The landscape also surprised me. As we drove toward El Calafate, I only saw dry, windswept plains with very sparse vegetation. I soon learned that this huge desert landscape is characteristic of southern Patagonia. Every tree we saw as we neared the town had been planted. Our guide also pointed out the majestic, snowcapped Andes Mountains in the distance.

Southern Patagonia Landscape

Welcome to El Calafate

After arriving in El Calafate, we were taken to Estancia Huyliche for lunch and a tour. Estancias in Argentina are ranches on huge tracts of land, where sheep and cattle graze freely. Estancias date back to the early days of Spanish rule and are iconic symbols of Patagonian identity. Some, like this one, now welcome tourists, offering a glimpse into traditions that are being preserved for the future.

Estancia Huyliche is located at the foot of Huyliche Hill and offers expansive views of the Andes Mountains and Lake Argentino, Argentina’s largest freshwater lake. Horses roamed the ranch, and horseback riding is a popular activity. That was not on our agenda, but lunch was.

Estancia Huyliche 

We enjoyed a traditional lunch of empanadas and lentil stew, topped off by a fabulous dessert of pie topped with Calafate ice cream. This ice cream is made from the native Calafate berry, and it was delicious.

Our Tradition Lunch - Lentil Stew, Empanada, and Pie with Calafate Ice Cream

We then boarded a huge 6x4 vehicle for a ride up Huyliche Hill to the Balcony of El Calafate. We stopped at a natural viewpoint to take in the stunning panoramic views of the Andes Mountains, Lake Argentino, and the town of El Calafate. Our guide pointed out the fantastic rock formations and described the geological evolution of Southern Patagonia.

Climbing Huyliche Hill

Panoramic Views from atop the Balcony of El Calafate

We then returned to El Calafate where we checked into the Xelena Hotel. The curtains were drawn in our room, but once we figured out how to open them (I wasn't expecting a remote control), we were rewarded with a beautiful view of Lake Argentino.

Our Room at Xelena Hotel and the View from Our Window

Dinner was in the hotel dining room, and we were served a stew with guanaco, an animal related to the domesticated llama. The guanaco was lean and a little gamey, but the taste was fine. I forgot to get a photo of this dish, but I did remember to record the beautiful and delicious flan with dulce de leche we had for dessert. Tango dancers entertained us as we ended our meal.

Tango and Flan for Dessert

Day 46 – Ushuaia, Argentina

Tim and I slept soundly as Viking Octantis continued to sail through the Drake Passage. We passed Cape Horn early this morning, but I did not get up, since I had previously seen the Cape during the earlier part of the cruise. 

Today was our last full day on the ship, and I spent many hours seeking out my favorite members of the crew and Expedition Team. The Expedition Team is one of the things that sets Viking Expedition ships apart from Ocean ships, and these talented and amazing people were instrumental in making this cruise so exceptional for me.

A Few of My Favorite Expedition Team Members - Devi and Sara (upper left); Valeria and Jack
(upper right); Mira (lower left); and Olivia, Our Expedition Leader (lower right)

I continue to believe that the crew is the best part of Viking, and so many were extra special to Tim and me. Getting to know these people is one of the things that I enjoy about cruising with Viking, and I find that I typically relate more to the crew than to most of the other passengers. I’m not sure why that is, because I enjoyed interacting with many of the passengers. It’s telling, though, that I only took photos of the crew and Expedition Team members today, and not a single passenger.

Our Kind and Thoughtful Stateroom Steward Ron (top) and His Assistant Gerlie (bottom)

The Best Restaurant Team - Restaurant Manager Alfredo (top) and My Favorite Head Waiter
Nagesh (bottom)

A Few of Our Favorite Waiters - Kalvin and Thompson (top); Grace and Khyati (middle);
and Brian and Ralasha (bottom)

My Favorite Department - Guest Services - George and Ashley (top); Margie (middle);
and Sasa and Daria (bottom) 

Wrestling with the contents of our suitcases occupied much of my time, and I finally threw in the towel and accepted the reality that everything would not fit. I ended up donating a lot of items to the crew, including the extra suitcase, the two red parkas, and unopened toiletries, and I used compression bags to try and squeeze in everything else. Tim and I will wear our hiking boots and puffer jackets. Somehow, I managed to zip the cases closed and keep the weight at just under 50 pounds.

During our Final Briefing this afternoon, Expedition Leader Olivia provided a recap of this voyage and presented great maps of the third segment of our cruise, which was the one to Antarctica. I am also including another map that marks the places we visited on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Detailed Maps of Our Cruise from Ushuaia to the Falklands to South Georgia
to the Antarctic Peninsula and Back to Ushuaia

Our Stops on the Antarctic Peninsula

Since our cruise was comprised of three segments, I didn’t have a map of our entire cruise. However, after returning home, I found a great website, The Cruise Globe, which maps all cruises, and I’m including a screenshot of our voyage. I do love maps!

The Cruise Globe's Depiction of Our Entire Cruise

A Zoomed-In Version of the Map of Our Entire Cruise

At the Final Briefing, other team members summarized the science projects that had taken place and things we had learned. Our favorite presentation, however, was by Tony, who showed some of his incredible wildlife photographs.

A Final Recap by the Expedition Team

Thank You and Goodbye from the Expedition Team

In the World Café this evening, Chef Beni presented his interpretation of an American Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey and pumpkin pie were very good, but the traditional side dishes either missed the mark or were missing entirely. Oh well, you can’t win them all!

Viking Octantis docked in Ushuaia tonight, and we will have one last night on board before disembarking tomorrow morning. I’m just not ready to leave!

Throughout the cruise, I kept in touch by text with a friend I had met on the World Cruise. I sent her photos from time to time (she refuses to look at blogs, even mine!), and we discussed how amazing this cruise had been and how this one compared to our World Cruise.

Was this cruise even better than the World Cruise, she wondered. Each cruise was a “trip of a lifetime,” and I feel privileged to have experienced both. This cruise let me encounter a world that most people never see, one that is majestic, pristine, and yet so fragile. Both cruises exposed me to places, sights, cultures, wildlife, and people that I never imagined I would ever encounter. Each adventure was special in its own way, and I can’t pick which one was “best.”

Day 45 – Sailing the Drake Passage

Throughout the night and all day today, Viking Octantis sailed the infamous Drake Passage, where the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans meet. The Drake Passage is the primary route between the Antarctic Peninsula and Ushuaia, Argentina, where we were headed, and it can be one of the most treacherous voyages for ships to make.

The famously rough seas, massive waves, and powerful winds have earned the Drake Passage the nickname “Drake Shake.” Sometimes, however, conditions can be surprisingly smooth and calm, thus the nickname "Drake Lake." Our incredible luck with the weather continued, and Tim and I awoke to the Drake Lake.

Yes, It's Official! - It's the Drake LAKE Today!

The Infamous Drake Passage Was Very Calm Today

Although the red parkas and puffer jackets that we received were ours to keep, the waterproof pants and rubber boots we wore were loaners, and they needed to be returned so they could be cleaned by the Expedition Team for the next group of passengers. Seeing our boots lined up in the hallway this morning was a sad reminder that our cruise was coming to an end.

All the Boots Lined Up, Ready to be Collected by the Expedition Team

My mood improved when Tim and I went to the World Café where we feasted on the Lobster and Crab Roll Lunch. That was a nice treat.

Lobster and Crab Roll Station

It should be no surprise when I say that packing is one of my least favorite chores, and I spent most of the afternoon trying to fit things into our suitcases. We had always planned to leave one suitcase behind, since it had originally held our hiking boots, extra toiletries, and other items that we consumed during the cruise. I figured that everything else would fit in our two larger checked bags. NOT! Now what? I decided I’d figure that out tomorrow!

I was more than ready for a nice diversion, so Tim and I joined fellow past World Cruisers from Viking Neptune and Viking Sky at a cocktail reception in the afternoon. Although we knew the passengers from the Sky, which was our World Cruise, it was nice to meet those who had sailed the previous year.

Past World Cruisers Cocktail Reception

We knew for certain that the end of the cruise was approaching when we attended the Viking Farewell Reception. Captain Jorgen led us down memory lane with a summary of the highlights of our cruise before he and the Senior Officers led us in a farewell toast.

Captain Jorgen (far right) and the Senior Officers

Although I knew what was coming next, I was still surprised when Captain Jorgen began to sing and joined Entertainment Manager Arianna in a duet. That, of course, led to welcoming the crew onto the stage to a rousing standing ovation. It was a perfect way to say, “thank you” and “farewell.”

The Singing Captain, Arianna, and the Viking Octantis Crew

Happy Holidays!

Day 44 – Danco Island, Antarctica

After the most extraordinary weather yesterday, it only seemed fair that I would wake up this morning to fog, snow, and colder temperatures, much more typical of Antarctica. Viking Octantis was already anchored in the Errera Channel for excursions to Danco Island to see its rookeries of Gentoo penguins. Danco Island is characterized by a wide, flat cobbled beach that rises to the island’s ice-covered summit, and I could already see guests climbing the hill.

Passengers Climbing the Hill in the Fog on Danco Island

The fact that I was nursing a sore throat, plus the weather, made me decide to cancel my planned zodiac landing. Since Tim and I will be in South America for another three weeks, I figured I’d play it safe. Staying on the ship seemed to be my best option for today, and Tim decided to cancel his excursion, as well.

There was a great view of the island from our stateroom, and I could even see some of the penguins. On the hills, the penguin highways were especially distinct. Penguin highways are natural pathways that are created over time as countless penguins use the same routes, packing the snow into smooth, icy trails that make their journeys easier.

The Kayakers Had Great Views of the Penguins

The Black Lines Are Penguin Highways

Icebergs and sea ice floated by the ship, and some of the shapes were very cool to see.

I Love the Shapes of Icebergs

After the Expedition Team returned to Danco Island after lunch, it appeared that they extended the trail all the way to the top of the hill. Even if I had gone ashore, there is no way I would have made it that far.

A Few People Made It All the Way to the Top of the Hill

Danco Island was our last of four landings in Antarctica, and it was time for Viking Octantis to make its way from the inland channel to the open sea and the Drake Passage. Once again, the scenery as we left was spectacular. The big question for tomorrow - will we encounter the Drake Lake or the Drake Shake? Stay tuned.

The Sun Came Out as We Passed More Icebergs on Our Way toward the Drake Passage

Day 43 – Brown Station, Antarctica

Today was an extraordinary one in every way imaginable, and it may well be my favorite day of this amazing cruise. The day began, as always, when I opened the blinds and my jaw nearly dropped. Not only did I see the most dramatic, glaciated mountains surrounding our ship, but I witnessed the brightest, bluest sky in memory.

Viking Octantis was anchored in Paradise Bay, which is the most apt description I’ve heard. Paradise Bay is one of Antarctica's wonders, a frozen landscape that is frequented by whales and penguins. We were here not only for the beauty of the landscape, but also for a landing at Brown Station, an Argentine Antarctic base and scientific research station.

Before Tim and I landed at Brown Station, however, we embarked on an SOB excursion around the bay. I was entranced by the glassy, mirror-like water and blue sky that created double images of the mountains and glaciers. Our pilot maneuvered our vessel around the icebergs and sea ice, and he ventured as close to shore as possible to see the penguin colonies.

Mirrored Images in Paradise Bay

Gorgeous Glaciers and Towering Ice Cliffs

Gentoo Penguins

Viking Octantis Was Dwarfed by the Towering, Glaciated Mountains

After an hour’s break, Tim and I boarded our zodiac for a landing on the rocky point at Brown Station. Exiting and later re-entering the zodiac was a bit more challenging here, but we made it.

Brown Station

A Rather Challenging Landing at Brown Station

The Expedition Team had planted a flag of Antarctica on shore, and everyone lined up for photo ops.

Tim and Sarah in Antarctica

Viking Antarctic Expedition

There were lots of Gentoo penguins at the station, and we were even able to see one penguin walk down the penguin highway. How cute!

Gentoo Penguins and a Walk on the Penguin Highway

After a less-than-graceful entry into the zodiac, we made it back to Viking Octantis to prepare for our early departure. It should come as no surprise that the scenery during the sail-away was gorgeous.

Viking Octantis Looked So Beautiful in Paradise Bay

Sailing Away from Paradise Bay

We were not finished for the day. In fact, additional destinations awaited us. The first was a stop at Port Lockroy, one of Antarctica’s most iconic locations. Historically, Port Lockroy was a British research station, but it is managed today by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. It features the world's most southerly operating post office in the world.

Port Lockroy

Representatives from the station gave a talk about living and working in Antarctica, as well as the activities of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. The Trust protects and preserves six historic bases along the Antarctic Peninsula, as well as the Endurance shipwreck. These bases, built between the 1940s and 1970s, are considered the missing link between the Heroic Era structures of Scott and Shackleton and the modern-day scientific stations.

The Projects of the Nonprofit UK Antarctic Heritage Trust

The souvenir shop that the Trust set up on our ship did a booming business, and the line snaked around Deck 2 for more than an hour. One of the offerings was the Port Lockroy seal, and some guests stamped their passports. I didn’t stamp my passport, but I did donate 10£ for the seal on a postcard.

Port Lockroy, Antarctica

Another surprise of the day awaited us at dinner in the World Café, where Executive Chef Beni and his team presented an Argentinian feast. Tim and I indulged in everything including empanadas, chimichurri steak, chorizo, and tiger shrimp. The food was so good that I even went back for seconds. This was one of my favorite dinners of the cruise.

An Argentinian Feast

Our day began with the incredible beauty of Paradise Bay and ended with a scenic transit through the equally stunning Lemaire Channel. As we made our way through this narrow passage, we gazed up at the towering cliffs and glaciers that reflected in the mirror-like water. Lemaire Channel is one of the most photographed spots on the continent and has earned the nickname "Kodak Alley." The channel certainly lived up to that reputation tonight.

The Lemaire Channel

Thank You, Captain Jorgen, for This Amazing Transit

Nearing the End of the Lemaire Channel

The View As We Turned Around to Retrace Our Route through the Channel