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If details are included, they usually list Paradise Bay (our favorite from our cruise) and Elephant Island. After a lot of research, a few pulled hairs, and one fantastic travel agent, we found a way. It consumed about 25% of our funds for the year, but hey – I’d spend that money all over again.
Holland America
Today I focus on how grateful I am to have been able to make this once-in-a-lifetime journey. And how lucky I was to be able to score such a great price with the help of Freestyle Adventure Travel. I’m stating the obvious when I say that luxury Antarctic cruise ships are, well, more luxurious.
Night Ushuaia RoundtripDetails
With fewer passengers, these outings last longer, allowing more time for passengers to explore, hike, photograph, or simply sit in contemplation. They also carry special gear and equipment such as kayaks, paddle boards, and special gear for camping overnight on mainland Antarctica. Yet despite their smaller footprint, expedition ships still offer a variety of cabins, ranging from triple shared rooms to spacious suites with private balconies. It was this category of Antarctic cruises that I eventually chose. Thus, if a cruise ship with 200 passengers makes a landing, they must either split the landings between two different locations or do consecutive landings with only 100 persons per trip. The more passengers, the less potential time each person will have to spend ashore walking among the seals and penguins.
Antarctica CruisesLast Minute Special Offers
If you book through Freestyle Adventure Travel, you’re covered – they include access to their free rental clothing for the duration of your cruise. Other travel agents and direct bookings may not include rental gear. If you need to rent gear, it can add up to $400 to the price of your trip. You will often find sales on cruises to Antarctica when you book early (like when itineraries are first released), during wave season (January-March), and around the holidays.
What else do I need to budget for?
Although rumors abound that you can arrive, book a cruise, and sail on the same day, I found that this is not possible. Cruise operators require a day to process passenger paperwork and required health insurance, so last-minute cruises must be booked a minimum of 48-hours in advance. This 22-day cruise combines some of the beauty of South America with a voyage to Antarctica. You’ll spend time cruising the Chilean Fjords, visiting interesting ports where you have a chance to get close to adorable penguins, and sailing the Antarctica Peninsula for 4 days. In mid-October I received an email from Freestyle announcing a 50% off sale. I was tempted to book a bed in a twin cabin with an obstructed view on a 12-day cruise aboard the 189-passenger Ocean Diamond for $5,848.
THE 8 BEST Celebrity Cruises to South America (with Prices) 2024 & 2025 on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 8 BEST Celebrity Cruises to South America (with Prices) 2024 & 2025 on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 21:55:57 GMT [source]
I know it’s a journey that will leave you in awe, just like it did me. Prices start at $13,350 per person and include accommodations in a suite with private butler, ocean transportation, entertainment and daily activities, gratuities, on-board meals, wines & spirits, and port charges. If this is more of the experience you wish to have during your voyage, then it may be worth the added cost. Below are my recommendations for the most affordable Antarctica expedition cruises.
Best for Environmentally Conscious Travellers: Hurtigruten Expeditions
Furthermore, Cruise Critic makes no guarantees for availability of prices advertised on our site. Listed prices may have blackout dates, qualifications or restrictions. Windproof and waterproof clothing, including a jacket and overpants, with plenty of warm layers are essential. Long underwear, socks, gloves and waterproof boots are highly recommended. Most cruise lines that disembark passengers in Antarctica will provide necessary gear, including thick outerwear.
TIME ZONE
While expedition ships aren’t built with accessibility in mind, the larger cruise ships are. These cruises to Antarctica are wheelchair accessible and offer an incredible experience. In fact, you can read more about how I visited Antarctica as a wheelchair user in my other post. At the conclusion of the cruise, I was so overwhelmed that I really didn’t know what to think of the experience. It was hard to wrap my brain around school-bus size whales swimming directly beneath my cabin balcony, or standing on a rocky beach, surrounded by a couple thousand curious penguins. During the ensuing months, the surreal nature of the voyage has faded.
We only get to live once, and we’re thrilled that our lives have included standing in Antarctica. Any time we travel, there are inherited risks and cruising to Antarctica is no exception. However, the captain and crew work hard to ensure everyone’s safety by taking necessary precautions such as changing the itinerary due to weather. Don’t let the news scare you and prevent you from taking this incredible trip. You may have heard in the news about ships getting damaged or people dying during a cruise to Antarctica and now wonder how safe this journey will be.
Albatros Expeditions is the polar expedition arm of the Denmark-based Albatros Travel conglomerate. The family-owned expedition company’s parent organization was founded by biologist Søren Rasmussen in 1986. Albatros started running Antarctic expeditions in 2017 and it has since become a leader in the industry. G Expeditions is the polar branch of G Adventures, a global travel company. Founded in 1990, by Bruce Poon Tip, the Canada-based G Adventures offers small-group excursions to some of the world’s most fascinating places.
Antarctic voyages on the Europa provide an incredible opportunity to journey to the White Continent and hone your sailing skills at the same time. The ship can accommodate only 48 guests, all of whom get to play an active role in sailing to and from Antarctica. With Silversea, you can opt to sail the Drake Passage from Ushuaia or you can hop on a quick 2-hour flight from Punta Arenas and meet your ship in Antarctica.
Currently, Albatros operates a fleet of two ships, including Ocean Atlantic and Ocean Victory, which can accommodate 186 to 199 guests. Ocean Victory’s equally luxurious sister ship, Ocean Albatros, is scheduled to sail in 2022. Polar Guidebook is part of numerous online communities for Antarctic travel, and we consistently see recommendations for Hurtigruten’s cruises – so clearly they’re doing something right. Want more of a taste of what an adventure to the Great White Continent would be like? Our free guidebook shows you what wildlife you might see, the places you might go, how to be a responsible traveler, gives you tips on what to pack and more. Trips to Antarctica directly support our foundation partner, WWF.
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