Day 5 – December 30, 2025
At Sea
(Day 3 on the ship)
Today marked our second full day at sea as we continued cruising along the Argentine coast on our way to Puerto Madryn—and we’re really settling into ship life now.
Our morning started early with fruit and yogurt delivered to the room around 7 am, enjoyed alongside coffee while easing into the day. Around 8 am, we headed to Compass Rose for breakfast. I ordered oatmeal loaded with nuts, grains, cranberries, cinnamon, and a splash of maple syrup. It was excellent… and also way more than I needed—especially since I may have enjoyed a pain au chocolat beforehand. 😄 John went with the breakfast burrito special and gave it a solid thumbs-up.
After breakfast, we made our way to the Constellation Theater for a mandatory Antarctic briefing. All passengers are required to attend, and it covered the important do’s and don’ts for when we reach the region. Once that wrapped up, we headed back to the room. I changed and went for a walk on the upper-deck track followed by some time in the gym, while John returned to the theater for a Future Voyages presentation highlighting upcoming trips. We regrouped afterward, switched roles—John headed to the gym, and I worked on the blog.
Lunch was once again at the Pool Grill. John repeated his favorite shrimp and jalapeño brochette and sampled the Tex-Mex buffet, while I went with peel-and-eat shrimp and a turkey wrap. Afterward, we wandered up to the top deck and tried out the pickle ball court. It was too windy for actual pickle balls, so we improvised with paddles and a tennis ball. Neither of us has ever played pickle ball, so it was more entertaining than skillful—but fun nonetheless!
We headed back down for a quick espresso at Coffee Connection, then returned to the room to shower and get ready for the evening.
Canapés were delivered to our room, and the four of us—Catherine, Scott, John, and I—snacked while sharing a bottle of champagne that had been waiting for us since boarding. A lovely pre-dinner moment.
At 6:45 pm, we met in the Observation Lounge for a pre-dinner drink before heading to Chartreuse, the ship’s French specialty restaurant. The menu here doesn’t change, reservations are required, and it’s absolutely worth it. Our waitress, Monique, was fantastic.
I started with the mushroom velouté with truffle and garlic confit—hands down the best I’ve ever had—followed by seared scallops with chorizo, butternut squash spaghetti, and Champigny sauce. John began with Alaskan king crab rolls served with daikon radish, chartreuse-infused melon juice, and EVOO, then also chose the scallops for his main. For dessert, we both enjoyed the crispy apple tart with vanilla ice cream, paired with a fortified wine made especially for Chartreuse. The food, service, and overall experience were exceptional.
Monique asked about our plans for New Year’s Eve dinner, and when we told her we were booked at Compass Rose, she suggested we return to Chartreuse instead for a quieter, more intimate experience. We happily agreed—and now have an 8 pm reservation for tomorrow night.
We skipped a nightcap this evening since we have an early start tomorrow for our first excursion in Puerto Madryn, Argentina.
Another wonderful day at sea—relaxed, delicious, and full of little moments that make this trip so special. 🚢✨
