Embark on an epic Longitudinal World Cruise

One of the highlights of a Longitudinal World Cruise is sampling a wide range of cuisines. From the game-rich forests of Canada to the warm waters of the Caribbean, these diverse destinations offer a plentiful array of ingredients, cooking styles and culinary traditions. Here are eight favorite dishes that travelers may wish to try as they traverse the Western Hemisphere:

• Qaleralilaat (Greenland)
  This traditional Greenlandic halibut porridge is fatty, creamy and warm—the perfect complement to cold weather. It is often served with potatoes or flatbread.
• Tourtière (Quebec)
  Tourtière is a hearty and satisfying French-Canadian meat pie. In coastal areas, it is sometimes filled with fish, while pork, beef, rabbit or other wild game are more common inland. Although it is traditionally served at Christmastime, this savory dish is available year-round.
• Lobster Boil (Nova Scotia)
  An authentic Nova Scotian lobster boil is a lively, delightfully messy affair traditionally held outdoors. Fresh lobster is, of course, the star ingredient, accented only with butter, lemon or white vinegar.
• Jerk chicken (Jamaica)
  This famous Jamaican dish is bursting with flavor, thanks to its signature blend of spices and Scotch bonnet peppers. The chicken is marinated before being grilled over an open flame, giving the meat its characteristic smoky and spicy taste.
• Sancocho de Gallina (Panama)
  This rich, hearty stew features chicken simmered with starchy vegetables like potatoes, yuca or plantains, creating a savory broth. Its unique flavor comes from culantro, an herb that is slightly sweeter and stronger in flavor than cilantro.
• Ceviche (Peru)
  This classic Peruvian dish has become famous around the globe, but it is especially delicious when eaten in its birthplace. The traditional version consists of fresh fish marinated with limes and rocoto peppers. It is often served with onions, corn and sweet potatoes.
• Pastel de choclo (Chile)
  This traditional Chilean pie consists of ground beef, chicken, onions, olives and hard-boiled eggs. It is topped with a layer of corn batter then baked until golden. The combination of sweet and savory flavors makes this hearty dish a consistent favorite at family gatherings and special occasions.
• King crab (Argentina)
  Travelers to Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego have a unique opportunity to taste the wonderfully fresh king crab that comes from the region’s icy coastal waters. One of the most popular ways to order it is boiled—with no additional garnishes or sauces—so that the sweet, pure flavor can shine.

The Canadian city of Havre-Saint-Pierre is home to the Innucadie people, who have persevered despite a tumultuous history involving wars and relocation. Today, the Innucadie are a vital part of the Havre-Saint-Pierre community and the Minganie region of Quebec.

The history of the Innucadie begins with the Acadians, a group of French settlers who arrived in North America in the early 1600s. The first arrivals, led by explorer Samuel de Champlain, settled on Saint Croix Island, which today is on the border between Maine and New Brunswick. After a difficult first year where many died, the settlement moved to Port Royal on the coast of Nova Scotia. There, the community began to thrive.

The Acadians expanded their territory over the next century but clashed repeatedly with the British over land. The conflict came to a head during the French and Indian War (1755–1763). After the British emerged victorious, the Acadians were treated harshly and driven from their lands during a period known as the Le Grand Dérangement (The Great Upheaval).

Some of the displaced Acadians went south towards Louisiana, where their descendants would be known as Cajuns. Others found their way to Îles-de-la-Madeleine and later to what is now Havre-Saint-Pierre. Here, the Acadians encountered the Innu, the Indigenous people who inhabited the region for thousands of years. The Innu were welcoming and helped the Acadians survive the harsh northern winters and acclimate to their new surroundings. Instead of fighting over territory, the two cultures lived peacefully among each other. The ensuing decades saw the Acadian and Innu communities form strong bonds and fuse into one new culture, known as Innucadie.

The Innucadie preserved many of the Innu’s cherished traditions, such as storytelling and poetry, while Acadian heritage has also been kept alive, most notably in the local cuisine. The rich history of the Innucadie is recognized through various events throughout the year. For example, the Stories and Legends Festival invites artists and artisans from different communities to celebrate their heritage. Held each year in August, the festival features music, dancing and storytelling, providing a platform for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities to come together. The story of the Innucadie is one of resilience and a reminder of the importance of preserving our shared histories.

Antarctica is the most remote and mysterious continent on Earth. The immense sheet of ice covering nearly all of Antarctica’s polar desert surface represents around 90 percent of the world’s total ice volume. Antarctica is also home to sand dunes, a lake and an active volcano called Mt. Erebus, but they are buried by snow and ice. Only a limited number of flora and fauna can survive on land in the dry, barren conditions, most notably the continent’s lichen and penguins. Antarctica’s frigid seas, however, are teeming with life ranging from whales, seals and octopuses to sea spiders, bioluminescent swimming worms and miniature crustaceans. Since the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959, the continent has been preserved as a demilitarized zone and a haven for scientific research.

Today, there are 70 permanent research stations scattered across the continent of Antarctica. They are operated by researchers and scientists who represent 29 countries from across the globe and are the continent’s only human inhabitants. For hundreds of years, the scientific world has been drawn to the pristine and fascinating “White Continent” to study weather patterns, geology, paleontology, wildlife and more. Research performed in Antarctica has helped to highlight global issues like climate change, rising ocean levels and ozone layer depletion. The earliest explorers to this region—like Roald Amundsen and Ernest Shackleton, who lived and worked in wooden huts—would be amazed to see what a modern Antarctic research station looks like today.

The oldest existing research station in Antarctica is Orcadas Base, first established in 1903 on Laurie Island by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition. In 1904, it was transferred to the Argentine government. The building was little more than a dry stone cabin. This was the only permanent base in Antarctica until the British established Cape Geddes Station on Laurie Island in 1946. Later in 1962, the US built its McMurdo Research Station on Ross Island, the largest on the continent.

While the first Antarctic research stations were modest in scope, today they feature futuristic design and technology. For example, South Korea’s Jang Bogo Station in Terra Nova Bay is a massive, 3-winged structure. Constructed in 2014, the state-of-the-art base covers 47,985 sq ft. (4,458 sq m) and features an aerodynamic outer shell to resist the strong Antarctic winds.

India’s Bharati station, which opened in 2012, also features an innovative, modern design with an imaginative twist. The structure was built from 134 prefabricated shipping containers. Bharati’s research focuses on oceanographic studies and the phenomenon of continental break up. In 2020, Brazil opened Commandante Ferraz Station, a sleek 100-million-dollar facility. The base is built on the same site as the previous Brazilian station on King George Island.

While many individual countries have constructed research stations in Antarctica, the land is managed through a system of international cooperation, and no nation owns the continent. Few people will ever get to see these amazing Antarctic stations, but the research conducted here could benefit the Earth for generations to come.