Table Of Content
Weather at King George Island is very unpredictable, and with just one scheduled flight a day allowed, cancellations are very common. The Peninsula might look it’s ‘dirtiest’ though, with much of the ground snow melted. We’ve been travelling and working in Antarctica since 2017, first as photographers and content creators, then as tour guides taking our own groups to this beautiful part of the world. An Antarctic cruise means visiting a part of Earth that has remained largely unchanged since Aristotle first gave rise to the notion of Terra Australis, or the ”Land of the South”. Antarctica has two large indentations which are the Ross Sea and the Weddell Sea. The total surface of Antarctica is 14.2 Million square kilometres (about 5.5 million square miles) in summer.
What is it like travelling solo on a cruise to Antarctica?
Considered to be the pinnacle of best Antarctic tours is a trip that includes the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, often referred to as the ‘trio’. In all honesty, as amazing as Antarctica is, most people who visit South Georgia end up saying that this spectacular island is their real highlight of the trip. It’s known as one of the world’s greatest wildlife experiences, and has the price to match. Some Antarctica tours go to the eastern side of the Peninsula and enter the Weddell Sea, which promises a different experience again and is not often visited by travellers. If stepping foot on the Antarctic continent isn’t enough, you can become one of the 0.001% of the human population who will ever cross the fabled Antarctic Circle at 66ยบ southern latitude. Just because it’s the most common tour doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.
Antarctica Cruises & Tours
The length of Antarctica cruises vary quite a bit, with options ranging from a week right up to an entire month. Or get in touch with us for the best price possible with our current favourite operator, Quark Expeditions, even better than what they advertise to the public. And if you have some flexibility in your travel plans, there’s a big potential to lock in some remarkable last-minute deals. Smaller ships have much better manoeuvrability, which allows them to navigate through narrow channels and into tight bays to allow you to access Antarctica close up. Neither is better or worse, just something to consider based on your own style.
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Antarctica cruise reviews
You wander down the gangway, strap a harness and rope to you, and literally jump off a perfectly good (and warm) ship into the icy water. If you want the ultimate bragging rights after your trip to Antarctica make sure you don’t miss the polar plunge. For those that are on a super tight schedule or really, really don’t want to cross the Drake, you can fly down to join your cruise to Antarctica.
Crossing the Antarctic Circle
Our experienced Captain will continually monitor conditions to create the best possible itinerary for your adventure. You’ll spend an exciting 11 days busily exploring several of the many possible landing sites. Your adventure begins with an early morning flight to Ushuaia, where we'll meet your hybrid-powered expedition ship, specially designed for sustainable cruising in polar waters. This bustling port is the capital of Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego Province. Set against the magnificent backdrop of the Martial Glacier, Ushuaia vies for the title of the world’s southernmost city. Join your Expedition Team for ice-cruising activities, shore landings and fascinating lectures.
Hurtigruten Expeditions
With Antarctic regulations limiting landings to 100 people at a time, these ships only can land a small fraction of their passengers at any given time. Each of the ships has a polar class rating of PC 5 Category A (a notch above many Antarctica vessels), allowing them to travel through icy areas with ease. They're also loaded with observation areas for viewing the passing scenery. They carry kayaks, snowshoes and cross-country skis for polar exploring in addition to Zodiac boats for landings, and they have remotely operated vehicles -- just in case you want to see what's going on down below.
Itinerary
This line notably features late winter (Antarctica's late summer) sails -- a chance to see the region in a different season, with nesting penguins and returning whales. Let our experts take you deep into the heart of this majestic environment so it can get into yours. With no set itinerary in Antarctica, this voyage offers adventurous travellers the chance to experience Antarctica as it was meant to be – flowing with the wind, sea and ice, and taking the best opportunities Mother Nature provides. This voyage departs in the first half of the brief Antarctic summer, when sea ice is at its maximum – this offers us ample opportunities to explore in the icy wilderness of the last continent.
Feel the spray of water from the blow of a humpback whale on a Zodiac safari in Wilhelmina Bay. Wonder at awe-inspiring scenery on a ship cruise through the Lemaire Channel. Watch city-sized tabular icebergs drift silently past the ship in the Antarctic Sound.
The ‘Trio’ – Antarctica, South Georgia and Falkland Islands
Equipped with ice breaking capabilities, it's able to sail to polar areas that most other polar cruise vessels can't reach. Note that, currently, its Antarctica sailings are being mostly marketed by Ponant itself, which means they may draw mostly French-speaking travelers. Scenic Eclipse also was the first Antarctica-bound cruise vessel to boast helicopters to take passengers on epic (and pricey) Antarctica excursions -- and it has a submarine for underwater exploring, too. Having experienced a helicopter excursion from the vessel, I can say that it's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For that reason, I am partial to the older but more intimate Hurtigruten polar vessel Fram, which carries just 200 passengers when operating in Antarctica.
Situated off the coast of Antarctica, Elephant Island is named after the elephant seals that populate it and due to the island being shaped like an elephant head. Rugged mountains, glistening sheets of ice and unique wildlife add to the mystique of this remote destination. Despite its seemingly unforgiving, yet hauntingly beautiful landscape, legions of tuxedoed-looking penguins waddle across the rocky terrain while giant elephant seals lounge on its shores.
You'll learn how to make your visit as safe and as low-impact as possible, and about the Citizen Science projects you can join. After a briefing from your Expedition Team, you’ll have time to settle into your cabin and explore the comforts and amenities on board. Why not consider arriving a few days early to see all this vibrant city has to offer, or explore the region with our optional Pre-Programme. The safety of our guests, our employees, and the communities we visit is our top priority.
The cost of an Antarctica cruise largely depends on the departure date, how long the cruise goes for, and the type of cabin you book on the ship but most cruises start from USD$4,500. Exploration didn't stop there though with a total of 17 major expeditions launched in the following years from 10 different countries, the last one being Ernest Shackleton's last ill-fated voyage in 1917. Antarctica was formed around 35 million years ago and remained undiscovered until around 1820 when Russian explorers spotted the mainland. However, this may have only been the first documented discovery of Antarctica, as it's believed that Pacific Islanders may have reached the white continent in 650 AD.
An HX trip includes everything from daily excursions and activities to our onboard Science Centre, meals, gratuities, drinks and more. Viking Octantis is designed to carry 378 passengers, which is on the high side for Antarctica cruise ships. Like Hurtigruten's Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen, it isn't able to land all or even most of its passengers at once in Antarctica. A pioneer in polar travel, Ponant has a long tradition of operating voyages to Antarctica, and this series of ship was specially designed for such trips. They all are hardy (with 1C ice class ratings from Lloyd's Register) but also stylish, with contemporary interiors and comfortable rooms.
Like Holland America, Princess has a long history of providing non-expedition, yet stunningly beautiful cruises to its guests in Alaska. That fact translates to expectations of a high-quality experience in Antarctica, therefore a high value for the price paid. Most Antarctic cruises begin and end in South American ports like Ushuaia or Buenos Aires. It’s truly an adventure, so approach it that way and you’ll enjoy the trip no matter where your ship ends up. Named after the first man to cross Antarctica and to reach the South Pole, MS Roald Amundsen leads the way towards an even more sustainable way of travelling. It serves as a comfortable base camp at sea – bringing adventurers from all over the world to the most spectacular destinations in the most sustainable way.
From mighty tabular icebergs in the Weddell Sea to far-flung shores south of the Antarctic Circle, every day brings jaw-dropping scenery, unforgettable landscapes, and incredible wildlife encounters. Get up close to whales, sea lions, elephant seals, and vibrant colonies of seabirds and penguins on numerous Zodiac excursions and landings, visit research stations, and immerse yourself in a true Antarctic adventure. In the Science Centre, at the heart of the ship, you’ll discover more about the places you sail to and listen to talks by the Expedition Team.
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