EXPEDITION CRUISE


T


he realisation that I’ve reached peak polar bear encounters dawns on me three days into my seven-day Spitsbergen sailing, when expedition leader Bertie interrupts mÞ lÕnVh Ìo invoÀm mi Ìh>Ì oÕÀ wvÌh bear has just put in an appearance. For a moment, I fear for the walrus I spotted minutes earlier, recalling our wÀÃÌ `>Þ] Ühin q hoÕÀà >vÌiÀ Ã>ilin} oÕÌ ov on}Þi>ÀLÞin] ÜhiVh ià Ìhi ÃÌ>ÀÌin} >n` wniÃhin} «oinÌ voÀ oÕÀ VÀÕiÃi q Üi Ü>ÌVhi` in >Üi >à > Li>À feasted on the bloodied carcass of a Li>À`i` Ãi>l] «>ÕÃin} oVV>Ãion>llÞ Ìo n>« niÝÌ Ìo hiÀ ÌinÞ VÕL° The bear, like the other creatures Üi ëoÌ] ià non«lÕÃÃi` LÞ oÕÀ presence. The 102-cabin Ultramarine, ÜhiVh ÃiÌ Ã>il on iÌà wÀÃÌ ƂÀVÌiV VÀÕiÃi in late 2021, is one of the quietest iÝ«i`iÌion Ãhi«Ã >Ì Ãi>° Ƃ``iÌion>llÞ] staff avoid making announcements oÛiÀ Ìhi />nnoÞ Ühin Üil`livi iÃ


ni>ÀLÞ°


v i̽à l>Ìi >Ì ni}hÌ] ÌhiÞ½ll


Ìili«honi in`iÛi`Õ>l V>Linð Þ wÀÃÌ «ol>À Li>À >l>Àm V>ll V>mi on Ìhi wÀÃÌ iÛinin}] >vÌiÀ ÜhiVh ÌhÀiÜ on mÞ «>Àk> >n` `>Ãhi` Ìo the top deck to gawp at the huge Li>À loÕn}in} on > `iÃÌ>nÌ iVi yoi° o}-ÃÌ>n`>À` Ü>ki-Õ« V>llà ÃÕ``inlÞ seemed rather boring. +Õ>Àk Ý«i`iÌioný niÜiÃÌ Ãhi«


offers a lavish take on traditional expedition vessels. Unexpected «iÀkà inVlÕ`i Ìhi Õn`iÀyooÀ hi>Ìin} in mÞ L>ÌhÀoom >n` Ìhi ni}hÌlÞ turndown service (standard in all cabins), which includes chocolates on the pillow and a menagerie of towel animals. Ultramarine looks and feels inVÀi`iLlÞ lÕÝÕÀioÕÃ] >lÌhoÕ}h ÌhiÀi½Ã no `oÕLÌ i̽à Liin LÕilÌ ÜiÌh ƂÀVÌiV iÝ«loÀiÀà in min`° ƂÀi>à ÃÕVh >à Ìhi ÌÜo ¼Ài>`Þ Àoomý] ÜhiÀi «>ÃÃin}iÀà don their expedition gear, offer much more room to manoeuvre than


66


ASPIRE DECEMBER 2022


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