A 12-day voyage aboard a true icebreaker comes with submersibles, heli-skiing—and now your own professional film crew to capture every awestruck moment.
It began with guests bringing high-spec cameras and long lenses with them. (Some even knew how to use them.) Then they started ditching the kit and bringing an actual photographer instead. That seems almost quaint now, as a new niche of pro film crews are accompanying travelers on the most exclusive jaunts, equipment in hand to discreetly capture each moment, ensuring it’s truly unforgettable. This must-have addition has emerged in the wake of a wider shift in the demands of the most adventurous travelers, says Robb Report Travel Master Christopher Wilmot-Sitwell of Cazenove + Loyd—he describes that change as from “status-driven tourism to story-rich experiences." Of his core clients’ needs, he says, “It’s no longer just about where they go, but how they remember, capture, and share it." And such a band of documentarians is key to this exclusive Vault experience, one that will allow anyone to indulge their inner David Attenborough.
The 12-night trip, for up to a dozen people, centers on a voyage into world’s final, true wilderness: the Antarctic. “It’s on the edge of the earth," Wilmot-Sitwell explains. “And the first moment you see the towering icebergs and untouched landscape, in complete silence, is the most jaw-dropping." Accessing that snowy Eden, though, typically involves a commercial vessel, with 100 or so other travelers—most charters have neither the toy garage nor the icebreaking capacity to venture down in privacy. Legend is an exception, a boat you can sail into such uncharted waters. It’s a remarkable vessel: The ultra-strong hull makes it a Class 1 Icebreaker, a rarity among charter-friendly boats, and its nimble size—just 254 feet—means it can also access hard-to-reach spots that larger craft must avoid. Its garage is stuffed with every toy essential to making the most of Antarctica’s terrain: a submarine, a helideck, Seabobs, and snowmobiles, among others. The onboard setup is world-class; a cinema room, a gym, and a Balinese-style spa are at your disposal, as well as fine-dining-level cuisine.
Sailing on your own ship like this, says Wilmot-Sitwell, turns you into “the director of your own expedition," where you can respond in a moment to anything you see. “If you spot whales or want extra time with a penguin colony, you can change course on a whim," he says. Take a heliskiing trip to the Danco Coast and Graham Land, with icebergs drifting below, cinematic and dramatic both, or hit the long verticals of the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf near the Weddell Sea. That onboard submersible can roam Marguerite Bay to hunt for bioluminescent plankton, sponges, and even Antarctic krill swarms. Or venture near the Larsen Ice Shelf, where the underwater formations are so dramatic that it’s likened to a frozen cathedral.
Legend is crewed by 28 experienced staffers, as seasoned in safety as in science. Indeed, there are scientific personnel rostered onboard, with whom you can choose to collaborate on wildlife-monitoring studies or glacial mapping. One standout: the chance to sit on the deck at night, staring up at the eerily clear skies free from any light pollution, and observe the constellations with the assistance of an on-staff astrophysicist. “Being so far south means you get access to southern constellations and celestial objects that are completely invisible, or only barely skim the horizon, anywhere further north," such as the Coalsack Nebula and the dwarf galaxies of the Magellanic Clouds, marvels Wilmot-Sitwell.
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience you won’t want to forget—exactly why there’s that pro-grade crew on hand to make this trip unique. They will not only capture your every adventure, like dropping from the heli to hit the virgin slopes below, but will also photograph penguins courting and nesting on the likes of Cuverville Island, as well as the silence of descending into the surreal, submarine seascape of the waters below the floes. The array of creatures varies throughout the season, which runs roughly from October to March. Early on, says Wilmot-Sitwell, you’ll see pristine snow and ice and plenty of penguins. By January, expect lots of penguin chicks before predators and whales become prominent for the last two months as the snow and ice begins to soften and melt.
The cameramen and women rostered to your trip will film footage and then edit it to create a personal nature documentary after your return home. “Travelers can stay fully present while still preserving cinematic-quality memories," Wilmot-Sitwell adds. “It transforms a fleeting experience into a timeless, visual story." Just be warned: Once you’ve traveled with a crew like this, you’ll never want to leave home alone again. From $1 million
From the article by Mark Ellwood
