Table Of Content
- Atlas Ocean Voyages Antarctica Cruise – Chiriguano Bay and Jugla Point
- How do I know where to go and what to do each day on board?
- American Cruise Lines Buys American Queen & Her 3 Former Fleetmates From Defunct American Queen Voyages
- Overall Opinion of Hurtigruten’s MS Fridtjof Nansen Expedition to Antarctica
Quark is also favored by those who prefer flying over the Drake to either save time with a shorter vacay or avoid seasickness concerns. Cruisers wanting bragging rights for crossing the Antarctic Circle -- many expeditions don't venture that far south -- or to see the rare king, or even rarer, Emperor penguins. All vessels provide kayaks and Zodiacs, and they possess ROVs (unoccupied remotely operated underwater vehicles) capable of reaching 1,000 feet (far beyond a diver's reach) to reveal vast stretches underwater.
Atlas Ocean Voyages Antarctica Cruise – Chiriguano Bay and Jugla Point
Below, we’ll share more detailed explanations about each operator and why they are unique. Drop us an anchor below to share your favorite adventures across the globe. When it comes to the ashore program, you don’t have to be wilderness explorers to enjoy the time on land. Yet, those who want to scale the rugged terrain will have the opportunity to do so as well.
How do I know where to go and what to do each day on board?
Added highlights include cruising Chilean fjords and ports of calls in Chile. Antarctica is at its most beautiful, but it also brings challenges for expedition teams due to weather, sea ice and snow density, meaning some landings might not be possible. Like Scenic Eclipse, Viking Octantis carries a submarine for underwater exploring, as well as kayaks. In a first for polar expedition cruise vessels, every cabin has floor-to-ceiling glass walls that slide partially open from the top to create a balcony-like feel.
THE 5 BEST Cruises from Buenos Aires to Antarctica (with Prices) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 5 BEST Cruises from Buenos Aires to Antarctica (with Prices) on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Tue, 24 Oct 2023 02:59:46 GMT [source]
American Cruise Lines Buys American Queen & Her 3 Former Fleetmates From Defunct American Queen Voyages
It’s known as one of the world’s greatest wildlife experiences, and has the price to match. If your flight to Antarctica is cancelled on one day, the company usually only has one more attempt to get their guests down there before they have to forfeit their spot for the next company’s charter. The most common itinerary to Antarctica is a trip to the Antarctic Peninsula, most often departing from the port of Ushuaia in Argentina, at the very southern tip of South America. Depending on your style, budget, interests and length of time available you’ll find some trips that are common (for good reason), and others that are very unique and only happen once every few years.
Atlas Ocean Voyages Antarctica Cruise – Cierva Cove and Charcot Bay/Tower Island
I don't know who Emily's parents thought were cruising with us aboard our ship, but it was certainly not overrun with sporty tech bros or outdoors enthusiasts accustomed to roughing it in the wilderness. On my first kayak outing in Damoy Point, I watched our first penguins of the trip cavorting on the rocky shores and occasionally diving smoothly into the sea. We did more floating than paddling, but I still enjoyed playing penguin paparazzi from the sea. In short, everything I needed to combat the harsh sun and dry air of Antarctica. I wanted to do it all — but I also wanted to linger on the aft Finse Terrace with its sunken fire pit seating and gaze out to sea, or walk laps along the outer promenade in the hopes of spotting whales or seabirds. Or, perhaps I just wanted to be lazy and spend more time in the Nordic Spa's gorgeous pool or reading a breezy novel, curled up on a sofa in The Living Room.
Inviting spaces
But one thing to keep in mind is that you’re not sailing to Antarctica in a little boat. You’re on a large expedition ship which is designed to handle much worse conditions than the Drake. These trips usually take around days, with 5-7 days spent on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula (the rest of the days are travelling over the Drake Passage), and no two trips are the same. Unveiled in 2019, this super-swanky, 228-passenger "discovery yacht" was the first oceangoing vessel for luxury purveyor Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours -- a brand better known for river cruises. All members — regardless of status — will enjoy a $250 onboard credit to use on incidentals. This family-owned company specializes in Arctic and Antarctic expeditions.
We made a total of 6 landings during the cruise, including Portal Point, Neko Harbour, Damoy Point, Joule Point, Port Lockroy, and Mikkelson Harbour. Our cabin was on Deck 7, which was extremely convenient as we were next to the dining room, spa, gym, and main lounge. I booked with SoFe because I was looking for a group of women to travel with. While that didn’t really happen (since we ended up as a very small group traveling with Intrepid and there were no activities together), I still had a great time aboard the Ocean Endeavour. It was certainly an adventure, and the only reason I didn’t miss my cruise down to Antarctica was that I’d planned to arrive several days early. I’d recommend the same, especially since flights down to southern South America from the U.S. are generally only once per day.
How Long Should You Book to Visit Antarctica?
While almost all Antarctic cruises offer shore landings and Zodiac cruises as standard, there’s a whole bunch of optional activities for those eager to try something different down in the continent. On the other hand, luxury cruises offer plush accommodations, gourmet dining, spa services, and even onboard entertainment. Scenic is an old hand in the luxury river cruise industry, they have since branched out into polar tours and are doing an amazing job at it with their beautiful ships and brilliant expedition team. Most notable is The Hangar, an enclosed marina that allows passengers to transfer to small Zodiac boats for landings while still in the protected interior of the ship.
Itinerary
My travel companion, Emily, is not a fan of extreme temperatures, so she chose to float in the spa's heated pool, complete with bubbles at one end. She also had a jaw-dropping view from the floor-to-ceiling glass windows lining one edge of the pool. Still, I couldn't resist continuing my "Where's Whale-do?" games from inside the ship's gorgeous (and complimentary) Nordic spa.
When you’re heading down to the Antarctic region on an expedition cruise ship there’s quite a few activities that you can do. One of the most famous names in polar travel, Hurtigruten, hailing from Norway and originally started as a ferry company, offers excellent budget-friendly trips to the Antarctic and Arctic. Aurora has a small fleet of luxury ships and a fantastic team of seasoned expedition guides, so travellers are in good hands. On the downside, the helicopter pad and hangars eat up a lot of space on the vessel's top deck, as do the suites along the vessel's sharply sloping front. The combination leaves less available room for observation areas. The result is a ship with less outdoor space for viewing scenery than is typical for small vessels operating polar trips.
Yes, there are still other options in the region that offer a comparable experience from the likes of Viking, Silversea, and others. Currently, the cruise line’s 2-for-1 offering is one of the best values for cruising in the region. So, now is the time to begin planning that 2024 or 2025 bucket list cruise.
Demand and fuel prices have contributed to this increase, but the shared cabins are still a lot cheaper than if one were to book a single room, which is currently going for $10,000+ on Intrepid. Overall, the trip proved to be as physically and financially draining as people warned, and there were disappointments along the way due to Antarctica's wild weather. For those with unlimited budgets who long to see Antarctica while traveling in the lap of luxury (think pampering butlers) and in spacious accommodations, Scenic’s entry-level suites begin at 344-square-feet.
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.
World Navigator Ship Review - Atlas Ocean Voyages - Cruise Critic
World Navigator Ship Review - Atlas Ocean Voyages.
Posted: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:12:17 GMT [source]
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 66º southern latitude. Visibility needs to be very clear down there and the right direction of wind for the pilots to land safely. If they don’t think they can land safely, they don’t depart Chile. Weather at King George Island is very unpredictable, and with just one scheduled flight a day allowed, cancellations are very common. Many people are worried about the Drake Passage, which is understandable – it has the reputation for being the roughest sea in the world. The Peninsula might look it’s ‘dirtiest’ though, with much of the ground snow melted.
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