The seemingly unstoppable rise in the popularity of cruising had previously passed me by, and it was with some trepidation that I approached my first one. Seasickness. Cabin fever. Buffet fatigue. These were all legitimate concerns.

To a confirmed landlubber such as myself, The Spirit of Adventure certainly had the appearance of a cruise ship, and as we left Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands, the drinks reception in the fourth-deck lounge certainly felt like something I’d always imagined that one would do on a cruise. Apparently, though, I was labouring under a misapprehension.

“This is not a cruise,” said Captain Frank Allica, a straight-talking Aussie and former Naval Officer, a warning to anyone thinking this was going to be all cocktails and lazy games of shuffleboard. “This is an expedition. The Antarctic is a dangerous place if it is not treated with respect.” 

Well, that’s me told.

The expedition had begun three days earlier in Buenos Aires, but I’d flown into Port Stanley to meet the ship, the military history and penguin colonies proving unexpectedly diverting.

As a child of the 1980s, my impressions of the Falklands were somewhat bleak, but tourism is thriving. Eating home made game pie at the Sea Cabbage Café at Bluff Cove, baby penguins nudging curiously at my feet, was definitely an early expedition highlight.

There would be no land for a couple of days as we – The Spirit was carrying around 180 passengers – set a course for the Antarctic Peninsula, some 750 nautical miles due south of the Falklands, through the Bransfield Strait and past the South Shetland Islands.

With nothing but grey seas for 48 hours, it was a good opportunity to get to know the ship. Specialising in exploratory journeys, The Spirit has the feeling of a large luxury yacht, the cabins much more spacious than the cramped cubbyholes I’d expected.

Delicious daily menus were offered at the gourmet lunch buffet and fine dining restaurant, which had formal and informal dinners. As I sat in the bar enjoying the nightly entertainment, from quizzes to live music, an expedition was the last thing it felt like.

By day, onboard wildlife and geographical guides presented daily lectures and briefing sessions so that we could make the most of our time on land when we arrived.

On the second evening, some crockery-shaking waves reminded us of Captain Allica’s warning, my respect going out not only to the captain and his crew, but also the cheery waiters still managing to serve soup without any spillages.

The captain’s wake up call came early the next morning, informing us that we’d made it to the Peninsula, and our first stop of Waterboat Point (a Chilean research station – the Antarctic is governed by an international treaty). As looked out, I was genuinely overcome by the beauty of the landscape.

Ice floes, snowy mountains and a flat, intensely blue ocean surrounded us, with just the odd waterbound penguin and gangs of seabirds nosily flapping past the decks.

The immediate urge to explore was quickly catered for. The ship employs four Zodiacs –small inflatable craft that serve as landing vessels, and groups are taken ashore in strict rotation (Antarctic Treaty environmental agreements mean that only a certain number of people can be ashore at any one time). In the Antarctic summer temperatures are around zero, though with our standard issue jackets and rain pants, we were well equipped for any sudden changes.  

As we disembarked, we were welcomed by the ship’s exploration expert Dr Beau Riffenburgh, who reminded us of the protocols and how to behave around the wildlife. Gentoo penguins squawked about their fluffy newborn chicks, and seals sunbathed at the edge of the water, everything so close that it felt like a 3-D nature documentary.

After an hour’s exploration, groups were whisked back, to be taken out again in the afternoon at nearby Paradise Harbour with its huge ice cliffs and icebergs that shone blue in the sunlight, a school of Minke whales passing by nonchalantly. The cliffs and icebergs demanded respect, too, as they could upend or collapse at any second and the Zodiac drivers steered well away from danger.

This was to be the pattern of things as The Spirit wended its way down the Peninsula. In between ports, usually just tens of miles apart, the decks were busy with whale and dolphin watchers, and some 80 species of bird were eventually logged.

Port Lockroy is a rocky British research base the other side of the Lemair Channel from Paradise Harbour. As we landed, the snow blew in horizontally, its three British Antarctic Survey-employed residents cosy inside a shelter that doubles as the world’s most southerly Royal Mail office (complete with red post box). Postcards were duly bought and dispatched.

From there, we sailed south through Atlantic Sound (aka Iceberg Alley), a 30 mile stretch with the most incredible weather-sculpted icebergs, serene and impassive, and giving off amazing colours as the light refracted.

Next stop was the jagged terrain of Paulet Island, home to a 250,000-strong colony of Gentoo and Adelie penguins, with breeding pairs and chicks as far as you could see. Such were the numbers, that at times you imagined if only the penguins organised themselves, they could overwhelm us all and make off with our cameras and camcorders.

Back on board, I spoke to fellow guest Margot Wilson, 62, a three-cruise veteran form West Sussex. She rated The Spirit of Adventure as “absolutely fabulous”, and said that “Travelling on my own, I love the informal atmosphere and all the lectures – I feel like I’m learning new things every day.”

The ship drew up to Deception Island, where we were told we could go swimming - not as dangerous as it sounds as the waters within the bay are heated by geothermal springs.
After the briefing, we waited to see if the weather would allow us to sail into the bay, the entrance being a narrow passage that required skilful navigation, even in calm conditions.

However, the winds stirred up and the snow came down in flurries, and with an apology for the conditions and the “confused sea”, Captain Allica decided not to risk it (there had been a couple of recent cruise ship groundings) and we reluctantly turned around.

The nature of the region – as is explained carefully to anyone booking - means that many parts of the expedition are improvised around the weather. It’s disappointing, but safety is paramount, and as we sailed back north the 580-ish nautical miles to our final port of Ushuaia at the tip of Tierra del Fuego, Captain Allica made sure to take in highlights including Cape Horn and the Magellan Straits.

My introduction to cruising had turned out to be an introduction to expeditions, no bad thing really, and definitely more memorable than sunbathing and shuffleboard.

For information on Spirit of Adventure cruises and to book online visit www.spiritofadventure.co.uk or call 0800 300432 for a brochure.

Forthcoming cruises include: Voyage to the Far North, 14 nights, departing July 2, prices from £1,936; Dragons and Temples, 25 nights to the Far East, departing December 13, prices from £4,475. All prices include insurance and cancellation cover, all meals, entertainment and gratuities on board, a choice of excursions and free wine with lunch and dinner.

For information on tourism in the Falklands Island go to www.visitorfalklands.com