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EXPEDITION TO ANTARCTICA with Richard Dawkins
January 15–26, 2025

Aboard Swan Hellenic’s 152-Guest Expedition Cruise Ship Vega

Dear Friends,

Visiting Antarctica is almost like stepping back in time, to an era when the world was new. There are no human sounds, only the wild cries of birds, seals, and whales echoing across a vast expanse of land and sea.

During the long days of the austral summer you will explore the Antarctic Peninsula and the islands that line its coast. You will have endless opportunities to observe seals, whales and seabirds in their natural habitat, to witness hillsides and shorelines teeming with penguins, and to cruise through the blue Antarctic waters while admiring the dramatic play of light on icebergs, glaciers, and towering mountains.

map of the route

Click route map to enlarge

During this voyage, you will be joined by scientist Richard Dawkins and our onboard expedition team of naturalists who will bring their experience and expertise to bear in a series of lectures and discussions.

Your vessel for this journey will be a state-of-the-art expedition ship, Swan Hellenic’s Vega, designed specifically for polar exploration. The ship’s limited guest capacity, advanced technical and mechanical systems, and experienced officers and crew, make it the vessel of choice for exploring Antarctica in safety and comfort.

We hope you will join Richard Dawkins and the Skeptics Society on this once-in-a-lifetime travel adventure.

Warm regards,
Dr. Michael Shermer

Executive Director, Skeptics Society

8% of your cruise fee will be a tax-deductible donation to The Skeptics Society — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Distinguished Guest Lecturer

Richard Dawkins

Richard Dawkins is one of the world’s most respected scientists, writers and thinkers. His books on science have significantly impacted his own field of evolutionary biology, and his critiques of religion, culminating in his best-selling book The God Delusion, have made him a leading advocate for secularism and evidence-based thinking. From 1995 to 2008 Richard Dawkins was the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. He is an internationally best-selling author. Among his books are The Ancestor’s Tale, The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, Climbing Mount Improbable, Unweaving the Rainbow, A Devil’s Chaplain, The God Delusion, The Greatest Show on Earth, The Magic of Reality, An Appetite for Wonder, Outgrowing God, and Flights of Fancy. Dawkins is a Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Royal Society of Literature. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the 1990 Michael Faraday Award of the Royal Society, the 1994 Nakayama Prize, the 1997 International Cosmos Prize for Achievement in Human Science, the Kistler Prize in 2001, the Shakespeare Prize in 2005, the 2006 Lewis Thomas Prize for Writing about Science, and he was named Author of the Year at the 2007 Galaxy British book Awards. His around-the- world speaking tour is the focus of a 2013 documentary The Unbelievers which also features appearances by Woody Allen, Stephen Colbert, Cameron Diaz, Ian McEwan, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Hawking, Eddie Izzard, Bill Pullman, and Sarah Silverman. Dawkins was named the top “World Thinker” by a 2013 Prospect Magazine poll of 10,000 readers from over 100 countries. He coined the term “meme” in his book The Selfish Gene, a term that has gained significant prominence in the online world. In 2006 he founded the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science to promote a more scientifically literate and secular world. His American foundation merged with the Center for Inquiry in 2016 with the mission to foster a secular society based on reason, science, freedom of inquiry and humanist values.

Swan Hellenic’s Luxurious Expedition Ship Vega

Built in Finland and launched in July 2022, Swan Hellenic’s Vega is a new-generation expedition cruise ship. Although at 10,250 tons the ship is large enough to accommodate more than 250 passengers, Vega will accommodate a maximum of 152 guests in 76 spacious staterooms and balcony suites. The low guest density results in one of the most generous indoor and outdoor spaceto- guest ratios among cruise ships.

Featuring the latest advances in technology and engineering, Vega is among the world’s first environmentally responsible ships. Equipped with hybrid engines and a unique water filtration system, Vega leaves a minimal footprint. For cruising in Polar regions, the ship meets the stringent requirements of the new Polar Code with its high PC5 Category A ice-strengthened hull and other advanced features. A computer-controlled Dynamic Positioning System allows the ship to maintain position without anchoring. Operated by a complement of 120 experienced European officers and international crew members, Vega will carry a fleet of Zodiacs, versatile landing boats, and kayaks. Powerful stabilizers provide a smooth ride.

Vega’s interior spaces exude sophisticated elegance, with most rooms opening to panoramic views of the sea. All staterooms and suites face outside and are equipped with private facilities, climate control, TV, Wi-Fi and USB connections, and other amenities. Of the ship’s 76 staterooms, 60 have balconies. Public areas include a spacious observation lounge equipped with state-of- the-art facilities for lectures and presentations; a club lounge; a restaurant that accommodates all guests at one seating; an outdoor café/bar that surrounds the heated swimming pool; a wellness area with gym, spa, and sauna with an adjoining outdoor jacuzzi; library; beauty salon; and an infirmary that is attended by a fulltime doctor and nurse. The ship also features expansive open-deck areas. Two elevators connect all decks. Attentive service is provided on a 24-hour basis. The outstanding cuisine is complemented by fine wines at lunch and dinner.

Itinerary, Cabin Rates, Inclusions

For a detailed, day-to-day itinerary, cabin rates, and inclusions, please download and share with family and friends the complete 8-page Expedition Brochure (PDF):

Download the complete Expedition Brochure

FOR RESERVATIONS & INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THALASSA JOURNEYS AT:

1-866-633-3611

OR EMAIL reservations@thalassajourneys.com

IMPORTANT! This expedition must be booked through Thalassa Journeys. Please do not book through your own travel agent.

Loyalty Reward Program

Travel on this cruise program and enjoy savings of $400 to $900 per person on your next voyage with the Skeptics Society and Thalassa Journeys aboard a Swan Hellenic ship. Savings are determined by the stateroom category booked and is applicable when you reserve your trip within 30 days of the completion date of Expedition to Antarctica with Richard Dawkins. This saving cannot be combined with other offers and is subject to change.

Savings for Solo Travellers

A limited number of cabins are available for single occupants in Category D at 120% of the per-person, double occupancy rate, and in Categories C, B, and A at 150% of the per-person, double occupancy rate.

THALASSA JOURNEYS
1-866-633-3611
Reservation with Colin Church: reservations@thalassajourneys.com
406–8815 Conroy-Windermere Rd.
Orlando, FL, 32835

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