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It’s a common misconception that you’ll pay less if you book directly with an operator. In fact we’d go so far as to say you’re more likely to pay less when booking with a specialist agent who has access to the entire expedition cruise market and can compare all prices and deals available. But for the exact same cruise, there is no cost benefit to booking direct as you’ll pay exactly the same whether you book directly or through an agent because the prices of Antarctic voyages are set. Besides, many ship operators don’t actually accept direct bookings. With the exception of Basecamp itineraries which include a whole host of activities in with the price of your cruise, the ever-popular polar ‘adventure options’ are more often than not not included in the quoted fares.
Best Antarctica cruise ships: 11 stylish expedition vessels exploring the White Continent
While you can't embark on an expedition to the world's seventh continent alone, you can travel solo on a group tour to Antarctica. Antarctica isn't owned by one single country, instead governed internationally through the Antarctic Treaty system signed in 1959 by 12 countries who had sent scientists to Antarctica during and around that time. These countries included Argentina, Australia, France, Japan, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Antarctica Cruise Cost Varies by Ship
For those short on time, when considering cheaper, shorter cruises, just be mindful that sailing days will take up a larger proportion of your time in Antarctica and limit your time enjoying excursions. For example, on a classic Antarctica itinerary of 10/11-days, 4 of those could well be spent crossing the Drake Passage getting to and from the Antarctic Peninsula, meaning a possible 3 or 4 days of landings in Antarctica. To an extent, where you sail from will also dictate where you sail to, but even if you’ve decided upon your departure point, there are a wealth of itineraries to choose from that vary in length from anywhere between 5 – 35 days. As you can imagine, the longer and farther you sail, the more operating costs (fuel, provisions, crew, etc.) will be incurred and passed on to you. For example, flying to Ushuaia from the US will set you back somewhere in the region of USD$1,200 – USD$1,600, from Europe between USD$1,500 – USD$2,000, and from Africa between USD$900 – USD$1,500.
Hurtigruten Expeditions
Airfares depend upon your departure city; the cost can vary daily, so watch the pricing (better yet, have an app do it for you) until you find a reasonable fare. Just impartial, expert advice from the leading Polar cruise agent. When exploring Antarctic travel options, there are four key variables that will affect the cost of your trip.
Weddell Sea Cruises
Start the day at Mandara Spa, where you can revive, refresh and recharge. Enjoy delicious dining, from Irish pub classics at O'Sheehan's to classic hibachi at Teppanyaki. Experience the tranquillity of vast panoramas and sail among the sublime frozen icescapes of Antarctica, as we pass between icebergs, close to calving glaciers, and past huge ice floes in the Southern Ocean.
The perception that the cost of a flight to Antarctica is more expensive than the cost of a cruise to Antarctica holds true. This has made flying to Antarctica more cost-effective and provided greater choice. 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. But since this was a once in a lifetime trip to Antarctica, I decided to splurge.
South Georgia, Antarctica and Falklands Explorer
But finding discounts doesn't always require waiting around in Ushuaia. Cruise lines sometimes offer discounts of a few thousand dollars to fill empty cabins several weeks in advance of departure, and they'll advertise such sales online. You may also find discounted expeditions like the one mentioned above by the new yacht-style cruise line, Atlas Ocean Voyages.
Just bear in mind that, despite how expensive you may perceive a polar adventure to be, we’ve never had anyone return from Antarctica who didn’t think that it was well worth the investment. Eating and drinking in Antarctica is done aboard your expedition ship, with all meals provided for the duration of your journey. Tea and coffee, as well as soft drinks and juices, are ready to greet you when you come back from a shore landing and at meal times, while alcoholic beverages are also available, but for an additional price.
Cruise News Update: Soaked Cabin, Stowaway, Water Hike - Cruise Hive
Cruise News Update: Soaked Cabin, Stowaway, Water Hike.
Posted: Sat, 30 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Most cruises fall into the mid-range price category and will cost $8,000 to $15,000 per person. These are typically seasoned expedition vessels with many years’ experience plying polar waters. A variety of cabins and onboard comforts, from simple to upscale, will satisfy most travelers. Amenities such as gyms, libraries, lecture rooms and comfortable lounges create an atmosphere familiar to experienced small ship cruisers. Expedition crew and onboard programs are a highlight, meals are delicious and off-vessel activities are extensive. You do not have to sacrifice comfort for price on a mid-range cruise.
With this budget you’ll get a solid vessel, up-close explorations, great guides and the trip of a lifetime. You will sleep soundly knowing your expedition cruise was worth every penny. Both of these vessels sail with a maximum of 500 passengers when operating in Antarctica, which is on the high side for an Antarctic-based vessel.
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. These Lindblad Expeditions ships may be my favorite all-around picks for an Antarctica cruise. Sailing since July and November 2021, respectively, National Geographic Endurance and National Geographic Resolution each are designed to hold no more than 126 passengers -- a notably low number that allows for an intimate experience when exploring the White Continent. Tourists have been visiting Antarctica in small numbers since 1966, when adventure tour pioneer Lars-Eric Lindblad led a small group of "citizen scientists" to the Antarctic Peninsula on a chartered Argentine navy ship. But for many of the 56 years since then, a trip to Antarctica has meant a sailing on a relatively spartan vessel.
In summer, big storms are rare, but if one comes through the temperature could drop to 17°F (-8°C ). Read more about why austral summer is the best time to visit Antarctica. The average temperature throughout the year is about -57°C, with the minimum temperature being -130°F (-90°C) during the winter season. The price of an Antarctica cruise can vary significantly, depending on factors such as the Antarctica cruise’s duration, cabin type, and specific itinerary. I've sailed on nearly all of these new vessels, in many cases in polar regions, and have been consistently amazed by just how much of an upgrade they really are. Deception Island is a mountainous, horseshoe-shaped destination located off the coast of Antarctica in the South Shetland Islands.
Be moved by penguins tenderly caring for their precious eggs, and fiercely defending their nests on Cuverville Island. Watch cataracts of ice tumble into clear blue ocean on a hike over the active glaciers of Neko Harbour. Experience the Antarctica of old at historic huts such as Damoy Point, lovingly restored and open to all. 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.
This heavy price tag is due to the remoteness of Antarctica and how difficult it is to get there, as well as the limited supply of tour operators able to facilitate expeditions to the area. Antarctic voyages are surprisingly popular with solo travelers, and it’s not uncommon to find 20% or more of passengers on board traveling alone. Even better news is that there is an option to travel solo without increasing Antarctica cruise costs at all, as almost all operators give the option to share a cabin with a fellow solo traveler of the same sex. You simply choose which type of cabin you want and the ship operator then pairs you up.
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. Lindblad was the original pioneer of tourist trips to Antarctica, and it has years of experience in the region that has helped shape the way it designed these nearly identical vessels, both specifically built for polar travel. Nowhere on Earth feels as remote as Antarctica, yet the wildlife here is abundant and spectacular.
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. 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. Named after famous Norwegian polar explorers, the ships are the cruise industry's first to run on electric hybrid engines. This not only saves fuel but also allows for noiseless operation in sensitive polar areas where silence can make all the difference (near a penguin rookery, for instance, or a calving glacier).
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