Albatros Expeditions has closed out a successful 2021-2022 Antarctica season, with the Ocean Victory arriving back in Ushuaia earlier this week.

The company said in a press release it was the only operator in the region to complete a full and uninterrupted season.

“The support from the industry and our passengers has been overwhelming, and it was extremely satisfying that we had the chance to help our partners to get revenue after some lean years,” the operate said in a statement. “Of course it was not without difficulties and complications, but with our team’s hard work and determination, we have managed the sudden changes that Covid-19 has forced on our industry in the past six months.

“We could not have completed the season without our Handling Team’s seamless communication with the customers, our Expedition Team’s tireless work onboard, who, besides their regular responsibilities, conducted thousands of Covid-19 tests, and our partner CMI, who catered around the unique circumstances. The extra, specifically trained expedition crew aboard allowed us to offer the best practice protocols and prove that cruise travel is still possible even in the midst of a pandemic.”

The company did admit it had positive Covid-19 cases aboard the Ocean Victory.

“We managed to keep it on a level that did not require quarantining our vessel. By applying strict safety protocols, isolating, and keeping the risk of further infections to a minimum, we did not have to cancel any of our departures,” the company said. “By imposing rules about vaccinations, quarantining through the Drake Passage, wearing face masks, and limiting the size of passenger groups, we could confine the risks while still guaranteeing the comfort and satisfaction of our passengers.”

We sincerely hope the worst is now behind us, and there will be no examples of expedition companies being forced to end their season early because of the pandemic.

An Arctic season follows this summer on the Ocean Atlantic while the company continues its expansion in 2023 with the introduction of the Ocean Albatros next May.