Setting Sail to the End of Earth, Antartica on Celebrity Eclipse

 

Taken from our Sunset Balcony Upgrade.

Deck 14 Bar was a favourite hang-out.

Embarking on an epic journey to Antarctica, Darren and I were in for a whirlwind of surprises and unforgettable experiences. The anticipation soared as my bid for an upgrade to the Sunset Balcony suite on the Celebrity Eclipse was accepted just two weeks before our flight to Buenos Aires. A delightful surprise to Darren on his birthday, this gift set the tone for the adventure ahead.

Our path to Buenos Aires was paved with unexpected luxuries when an Air Canada programming glitch secured us Business-class tickets at an Economy price. Nestled in lie-flat beds within our private pods, we soared above the clouds for over 14 hours, making Darren's birthday celebration truly extraordinary.

Arriving in Buenos Aires, we revelled in the city's vibrant past during a half-day walking tour with our friends. The beauty of the city was juxtaposed with the challenges it faced—graffiti-laden streets, the impact of the economic downturn, and a noticeable increase in homelessness. An unfortunate incident, the snatching of my gold chain during the tour enraged me but couldn't dampen my spirits for too long. We embraced the changes in Buenos Aires, once hailed as the Paris of South America.

Exploring the famous cemetery where Eva Peron rests, we encountered the rich history, though now marked by a fee for entry and signs of wear and tear on the crypts. Many of the crypts had been broken into which leads me to believe that the homeless in Buenos Aires are quite desperate. The Rock Bar, situated across from our Dazzler by Wyndham Hotel in Recoleta, offered a unique and gritty experience. The hotel backed onto the cemetery's outer wall and we had a good view from our tiny balcony.

Sail day brought unexpected challenges as we were rerouted due to storm damage to the original pier. Despite a trying three-hour check-in process in the South American sun, once aboard the Celebrity Eclipse, we were treated to luxury and strange-looking views of the vast ocean. The transition from the brown river silt deposits in the ocean near Buenos Aires to the deep blue expanse further out at sea was a visual metaphor for leaving behind challenges and sailing into the boundless beauty of Antarctica.

Our adventure, though marked by unexpected twists, became a tapestry of unique and enriching experiences. From upgrades to confronting the evolving landscape of Buenos Aires, every moment added to the richness of our journey to the southernmost continent.