Transoceanic

Join one of our unique transoceanic expedition cruises on a journey of personal development. Choose a sailing with a focus solely on wellness or combine scientific discovery with wellness. Both offer a chance to step away from the pressures of daily life and dedicate some time to self-care and to learn something new.

Depending on which retreat you choose, you can detox your mind and body, indulge your passion for learning, connect with nature, and find a better life balance, away from all the distractions on land.

If you’re in need of a complete reset, our Holistic Wellness at Sea retreats, sailing from Buenos Aires to Cape Verde, or from Buenos Aires to Lisbon, are the perfect tonic. Our nine-day programme with leading health experts, will leave you feeling cleansed, renewed and rebalanced. You’ll practise yoga and tai chi, learn mantras and meditation techniques, enjoy nutritious meals and join wellbeing workshops.

Or you can nourish your mind and body on our Oceanography and Wellness cruise. Explore the cool waters of Nova Scotia, down the eastern seaboard, towards the tropical seas around Panama. Combining hands-on learning with self-care, this experience will appeal to marine enthusiasts and the curious, in need of ‘me time’. On this cruise, you’ll learn in-depth about the currents, their effect on climate and the marine ecosystems they support.

As you sail from coast to coast, you’ll experience nature uninterrupted. Our Expedition Team will point out bird and marine life along the way. Depending on your route, you might discover seabirds like gulls, frigatebirds and boobies. Look out for sea turtles in Caribbean waters, the incredible acrobatics of flying fish deep in the Atlantic, as well as pods of whales, dolphins and porpoises.

As part of our commitment to sustainability and marine conservation, we’ll explore some of the key environmental issues affecting our oceans and discuss what we can do about them. A deeper connection to nature can be a catalyst for greater individual awareness and positive action to protect the planet. You may engage in a range of inspiring activities where you can bond with nature. You can also take part in environmentally-focused initiatives like the Citizen Science projects.

Although you’ll have plenty of hands-on activities to choose from, your journey is also a chance for you to slow down, relax and reflect. Enjoy solitary pleasures like listening to the rhythms of the waves or finding awe in the movement of the clouds.

Experience the joy of observation. It’s a skill that requires presence, practice and patience. Choose between guided and unguided meditations, scanning for wildlife out on deck, or in microscope drawing workshops in the Science Center.

This “winged” sea creature blurs the line between bird and fish. Keep an eye on the ocean to see them skimming the water with their forked tails just under the surface, before leaping into the air, leaving predators far below them.

Dolphins are often sighted in various parts of the Atlantic Ocean. Look carefully to see these social sea mammals as they come to the surface, dramatically spewing water and air out of their blowholes and taking a breath. Seeing the spectacular twirls of a spinner dolphin or the smiling face of a bottlenose is sure to make your day.

Seabirds spend most of their lives at sea, feeding on small fish, crustacea and squid, and only come to land to breed. Look out for Masked Boobies following our ship in the hopes that a flying fish might break the surface and provide dinner! If the hunt is successful, you might spot a frigatebird close behind, ready to steal the boobies’ fresh catch.

Our Expedition team will lead workshops and lectures in oceanography and navigation. You can visit the bridge and get a ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at how our modern ship operates directly from our officers. You’ll also study the changes in the sea and the effect of ocean currents, like the Gulf Stream, in lectures and workshops.

Our instructors will lead daily yoga sessions centred on opening up and strengthening your body, helping you manage stress and live healthily. Furthermore, on the sailing from Argentina to Portugal, you’ll also learn how to centre yourself with tai chi practices that improve stability, flexibility and concentration.

Connecting with nature at sea is a powerful way to reconnect with yourself. Look forward to bird and sea life observations out on deck with our naturalists. You might catch sight of dolphins, flying fish and rare seabirds.

Our wellness area on MS Fridtjof Nansen sailing from Buenos Aires to Lisbon via Praia comes equipped with spa facilities where massage therapists will leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Aromatherapy with essential oils will set the right ambiance for each part of the day - stimulating oils in the morning, calming oils in the evening.

For the Argentina to Portugal transoceanic sailing, you’ll discover the benefits of natural ingredients and raw food in workshops with our chef and nutritional experts. Learn how to clear your body of toxins, the principles of a healthy, plant-based diet and how to use food as good medicine.

In meditation classes, you’ll use mindfulness and breathing techniques to facilitate being more present. You’ll also learn mantras to help release the mind, elevate your spirit and improve awareness and concentration.

Your expedition ship comes with a dedicated Science Center complete with an extensive library and advanced biological and geological microscopes. Expedition Team members will show you how to analyse seawater samples and explore the ocean’s hidden ecosystem.

Our range of Citizen Science initiatives will involve you in ongoing scientific research, giving you practical, hands-on experience. Projects may include taking seabird counts or whale spotting for Happywhale, a global whale-tracking project.

For both of the two cruises, you’ll be sailing with a handpicked team made up of health and wellness professionals and scientists. They’ll deliver lectures and workshops on topics including holistic wellness, meditation, and mindfulness. The cruise from Canada to Panama will have an added focus covering marine biology, astronomy and conservation while the cruise from Argentina to Portugal will feature nutritionists and massage therapists.