Maritime Masters:
EXPEDITION ANTARCTICA
Maritime Masters: Expedition Antarctica is an immersive docuseries that follows the crew of Scenic Eclipse, The World’s First Discovery Yacht and her world-class crew, on an unforgettable journey as she navigates from the port of San Diego, USA, to the intense ice-cold waters of the final frontier… Antarctica.
A first for the yacht. With 200 paying guests, together they travel from the relatively safe warm seas of San Diego (USA) to Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica, before reaching the intense ice-cold waters of the Chilean Fjords and Argentina in preparation for the ultimate expedition to safely explore the final frontier… Antarctica.
On any nautical voyage, ego must be set aside and risk must be continually assessed. Especially on a journey as extreme as this route to Antarctica. Discovery is the driver, but guest safety is paramount. The best in the industry know this. The best in the industry live and breathe this. And that is why this crew are among a select few known as Maritime Masters.
Series Concept & Characters
The concept of ‘Maritime Masters: Expedition Antarctica’ is to give viewers intimate, unprecedented access into what it takes for Scenic Eclipse, The World’s First Discovery Yacht, to operate day in and day out.
Developed as a repeatable TV format each season will focus on an expedition to a new destination, presenting new travel wonders and challenges for the crew/cast. From the Arctic, to The Mediterranean, Indonesia, Australia, Central America, and Japan just to name a few. The possibilities are endless for ongoing seasons.
The series follows 3 core pillars and characters from onboard the ship; Navigation, Discovery, and Culinary.
The series was documented across 3 cruise itineraries (60 days in total), with up to 200 paying guests, from September to December 2022.
Navigation - 200 crew. 200 discerning guests. Their lives are in the seasoned hands of Captain Erwan Le Rouzic, as he leads all 400 souls on a new journey. Captain Erwan and his team of 30+ different nationalities work 24/7 to fulfill their promise of groundbreaking experiences whilst putting the safety of their guests at the forefront of everything they do.
Easier said than done when category 4 hurricanes, extreme seas, severe winds and isolated locations must be navigated. Due to Mother Nature’s unpredictability, strict international maritime laws and the intense conditions of the freezing polar region, this journey is anything but smooth sailing for the crew… not that the guests will ever know.
Discovery - With ‘discovery’ embedded into the ship’s ethos, setting a benchmark in ultra-luxury cruising is not just about onboard; it’s, about how to maintain that level of premium travel experiences off the ship as well. Jason Flesher, Expeditions Operations Director leads the Discovery program’s two helicopters, one submersible and a fleet of zodiacs that run on delivering the in-depth exploration.
Jason’s team of 30+ discovery crew onboard are the best of the best in their field, from scientists, glaciologists, ornithologists, marine biologists and historians. Known as the rockstars of the ship the discovery team take guests beyond the horizon and safely into the unknown.
Culinary - Director of Food and Beverage, and Top Chef, Chef Tom Goetter, leads the world-class onboard culinary and hotel experience. Tom and his team of over 80 in the main galley work 24/7 to maintain culinary excellence in remote locations like Antarctica.
With ten diverse dining experiences, and innovative bars and lounges, it is no small feat, and Maritime Masters captures all the drama in the galley.
Engineering & Technology
Each episode of the series features an in-depth engineering story highlighting key technological innovation onboard Scenic Eclipse.
Dundas Media worked closely with the ship’s design and engineering team, using CAD files to develop custom high-quality CGI to bring these stories to life. From the ship’s Azipod propulsion system and ice-rated hull, which enables her to travel deep into polar regions, to her sustainability design and functionality. Each engineering story was integrated into the authentic narrative of the docuseries.
Production & Delivery
In partnership with Warner Brothers Discovery, ‘Maritime Masters: Expedition Antarctica’ will air across Discovery Channel in up to 120 countries from May 2023.
The series was pre-produced for 6 months, with 60 days of production filming on the ship across 3 individual cruises, from San Diego to Antarctica, with paying guests. Post-production for the series ran for 6 months.
Delivery assets include 10x 30min episodes, 5x 60 min episodes, 80 short form (30 - 60 second) assets, 30 promos and over 100 high-quality photos capture from the production.