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If no last minute cruises are available during the time you are booked into a hotel, it can be challenging, if not impossible, to extend your stay. In recent years, however, the popularity of Air B&B properties in Ushuaia has provided more flexibility for those willing to take their chances on a last-minute walk-on cruise. But I needed to be on Easter Island by New Year’s Eve, so this was not a viable option for me.
Outdoor activities
Err on the side of caution and plump for reputable brands, especially if you’re planning to reuse it in the Arctic! Shops in situ in remote locations tend to have higher prices, so buying at home—especially during end of winter season sales—is more cost effective. The larger your group, the greater the total cost, although the per person price may drop slightly when you consider the potential 5% discount sometimes afforded to groups of 8 or more people, or to children if you’re traveling with family. Increasingly more intrepid families are heading to Antarctica, and some ships are becoming more family-friendly both in terms of the activities provided and the cost to go.
Ship
I tasted alcohol-based concoctions that were new to me and had great wine with dinner and sometimes lunch. All beverages were included except for a few brands of very premium alcohol. Snacks and beverages were available throughout the day and evening. The M/S Plancius is a very nice clean ship with comfortable beds. I was impressed that they cleaned the windows many times during the voyage so that you always had a clear view from inside.
Go with the global leader in expeditions to Antarctica
Just unveiled in early 2022, Viking Octantis is fast-growing Viking's first-ever expedition cruise ship, and it boasts some unusual features that make it one of the best cruise ships for exploring Antarctica. 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. 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.
Night Antarctic Peninsula DiscoveryDetails
The most expensive time to travel is during high season from mid-December through the end of February. In general travelers can save about 20% by traveling in the shoulder seasons. Modern design with stabilizers and even X-BOW® technology can make a smoother (less rough) voyage. Newer, more efficient engines travel faster, shortening the time to cross the Drake Passage or other rough seas.
If you actually want to get off the ship, you can find deals like the current fares offered by premier cruise line Atlas Ocean Voyages. Starting at approximately $4,000 per person, double occupancy, you can book an all-inclusive 9-night expedition. This fare includes a luxurious ocean-view stateroom on a beautiful new yacht-style ship, all meals and beverages, top-notch amenities and up-close (15 feet away or more) encounters with the local wildlife. There's really only one sure-fire way to travel to Antarctica on a major budget, and that's by booking a sail-by cruise. As the name implies, these itineraries don't actually make port in Antarctica but just do scenic cruising around the islands of the Palmer Archipelago.
For instance, Viking has a four-night Easter Island pre-Antarctic cruise from $3,499 per person, and a post five-night Gateway to Patagonia from $3,999 per person. Pricing usually includes hotels, many meals, guided tours and regional flights. Believe it or not, Antarctica itineraries range from one day to more than a month. The shortest visit entails a two-hour flight from Punta Arenas, Chile, to King George Island, followed by a five-hour tour and a flight back to Chile, all on the same day. The latter is a 35-day cruise from New Zealand, which is beyond the scope of this article. Other than those two outliers, the most common itineraries for Antarctic cruises leaving from Ushuaia or Punta Arenas range from seven to 10 days in length.
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The average cost of Antarctic cruises is $600 per day per person, with the average cruise package being $10,000 per person, based on double occupancy. Put in plain English, that means if you want a cabin all to yourself, the average price will be $20,000. And this price is usually exclusive of flights and accommodations before and after the cruise. I’m going to show you how to shave thousands of dollars off the average price. Luxury ships will include this in the price and it’s yours to keep.
My favorite was the Russian, complete with vodka, but I also enjoyed the wine tasting and the cart of French pastries in the observatory lounge for a Belgian waffle teatime. Personnel at the various bars made an effort to learn your tastes. Often, I had my morning post-breakfast expresso in the observatory lounge and my diet coke in the 5th floor lounge.
Travel off-peak.Another good idea is to consider departures outside of the popular peak period from December to January. You'll be more likely to find favorable offers at these times of lower demand, particularly in November and March. Bear in mind there is a slightly higher risk of less favorable weather at these times, and some of your onshore experiences will be different.
In any case, enjoyment is very much subjective in the eye of the beholder (the person holding the binoculars—you!). Camping is one of the least expensive adventure options available, setting you back a mere USD$150 – USD$300. Cheaper still, snowshoeing can cost up to USD$200 per person, although it is typically included. At a similar price point, paddle-boarding costs around USD$200 – USD$300, however, not every operator offers this option. In general, cabins found on lower decks of a ship, such as those closer to the waterline with small porthole windows, or indeed those on the interior of a ship with no windows at all, are the least expensive. Another benefit of being lower on the ship is less rocking when rough seas are encountered—perhaps an important consideration for those susceptible to sea sickness.
Having experienced a helicopter excursion from the vessel, I can say that it's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Like Scenic river ships, Scenic Eclipse is a high-end vessel with all-suite accommodations (and we're talking real suites, with separate living rooms), butler service for all and a wide range of onboard dining options including a sushi restaurant. It has a whiskey bar stocked with more than 110 whiskies and other high-end liquors, plus a spa and a yoga studio. Built tough for polar exploring (it has a PC 6 rating, one notch below the Lindblad vessels), it also is designed to be upscale with elegant, 1940s-influenced decor, such pampering touches as a L'Occitane spa (the first at sea) and butler service in the top cabins. 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.
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). All members — regardless of status — will enjoy a $250 onboard credit to use on incidentals. Each vessel has two glass-walled "igloos" on its top deck where passengers can spend the night under the stars.
Before leaving for your voyage, please make sure anything you bring that may come into contact with the environment (clothes, equipment, etc.) is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. We ask that you do not sit, kneel, or lay down during our landings. You will receive a document with further information after booking.
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