How to cruise Antarctica in just one week
Whether you have six nights or a month, a cruise to the White Continent is guaranteed to be the trip of a lifetime. Here are two itineraries to consider.
The frozen wonderland of Antarctica is often a traveller’s last frontier and can seem daunting or even completely off-limits. Cruises explore just a small slice of the icy continent, from fly-sail quick trips to more challenging month-long odysseys.
The shortest itinerary is Silversea’s six-night Antarctica Bridge; the longest is Lindblad Expeditions’ 34-night Epic Antarctica: From the Peninsula to the Ross Sea and Beyond, departing from Dunedin, New Zealand.
The duration of an Antarctic cruise can make a massive difference to your experience. The most common voyage from Ushuaia, Argentina, to the Antarctic Peninsula lasts 10 or 11 days and focuses on key sites while minimising time spent at sea.
A week’s extension to South Georgia Island adds more sailing days but dramatically transforms it into the ultimate wilderness adventure. Sailing from New Zealand (and in the olden days, Hobart) takes even longer, venturing to seldom-seen islands and the western side of the continent.
A major difference between short and long cruises comes down to crossing the Drake Passage, which can take up to three days by sea or two hours by air.
These waters are notoriously rough (known as the Drake Shake) but sometimes it’s surprisingly smooth (the lucky Drake Lake). So, is skipping it the Drake Fake?
Conrad Combrink, Silversea’s senior vice-president of expeditions, destination and itinerary management, believes all approaches are valid and enjoyable.
“The luxury of choice is a key feature of our cruise line’s offering,” he says. “The Antarctica Bridge service expands our guests’ choices. Many will still choose to cross the epic Drake Passage, which is an unforgettable experience in itself, but Antarctica Bridge is perfect for time-conscious travellers, as it will immerse guests into the white continent in a shorter time frame.”
Silversea’s express option includes a private charter flight from Punta Arenas, Chile. The small plane lands at King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands, where Silver Endeavour awaits. After sailing overnight to the Antarctic Peninsula, it’s straight into the action with Zodiac rides, hiking and kayaking to see towering icebergs, snow-covered mountains, glaciers, penguins, elephant seals and swooping seabirds.
Although Silversea offers plenty of longer itineraries, the abridged version is popular among people with limited time, anxious sailors and those prone to seasickness.
When the ship is in sheltered harbours of the Antarctic Peninsula, the conditions are calmer, but every ship is equipped with seasickness solutions if your own pills and patches don’t do the trick.
At the other extreme is Lindblad’s record-breaker, which is not for the sickly or faint-hearted. This journey offers the opportunity to discover the seventh continent as very few people have, or ever will. This open-jaw itinerary, between Ushuaia and Dunedin, is the most in-depth commercially available Antarctic expedition on the market.
“While circumnavigating the bottom of the globe, guests can expect unprecedented access and exploration opportunities in four stunningly beautiful and diverse regions within the polar realm,” says Trey Byus, chief expedition officer, Lindblad Expeditions.
“Here, they’ll come face-to-face with the massive icebergs of the Antarctic Peninsula, cruise among ice untouched by humans in remote West Antarctica, and gape in wonder at the spectacular Ross Ice Shelf. By special permit, we will also explore the subantarctic islands of Australia and New Zealand, including UNESCO World Heritage sites like Macquarie Island, which is home to endemic royal penguins, gentoo and southern rockhopper penguins, and 100,000 pairs of king penguins.”
As its longest voyage in more than 50 years of Antarctic expeditions, the trip requires extra planning and supplies. But this is the most experienced polar company; Lindblad took the first group of non-scientific civilian travellers to the continent in 1966. A founding member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, the company literally helped write the rule book on safe operations in the region.
“On a far-reaching and remote expedition such as this, our contingency and emergency planning is of paramount importance and taken to a whole other level,” Byus says. “As the pioneering expedition cruise operator in Antarctica, we have an unrivalled, high degree of experience and expertise operating in the region, but we also work closely with other operators, governing bodies and various experts to develop plans for an extremely wide variety of scenarios. Putting these plans together and drilling on it has definitely required additional time of our already busy crew, but they, more than anyone, are aware of its importance.”
Guests as young as six and older than 90 have embarked on this one-of-a-kind adventure, which launched last year. American couples and groups are the main passengers, but it’s increasingly popular with solo travellers and “a notable number” are Australians and New Zealanders.
“This voyage is a true expedition in every sense of the word. For 35 days, our expert crew, including the most accomplished and recognised polar captains in the world – one of them even has a bay in Antarctica named after him – will navigate some of the most exciting but uncertain and unexplored waters, so a sense of adventure and wonder are a must for any guest booked,” Byus adds.
The Epic Antarctica itinerary is operated aboard the new National Geographic Endurance throughout the 2023-24 season and National Geographic Resolution in 2024-25. Both ships have 76 spacious cabins, two restaurants, a bar (with drinks included in fares), library, spa, gym, yoga studio, infinity-style outdoor hot tubs, saunas with ocean views, lecture room, photography workshop area, internet cafe, and sophisticated storage facilities to ensure salads will still be fresh on the last day. Services include a doctor, National Geographic photographer, video chronicler and complimentary laundry for passengers in higher category suites.
“Thirty-five days may seem like a daunting journey, but when guests aren’t paddling a kayak through the icy bays, walking on fast ice along the continent, cruising in a Zodiac amid towering icebergs, or completing an iconic rite of passage with the ‘polar plunge’, they can rest assured knowing they’ll be embarking in ultimate comfort aboard our two newest PC5 Category A ice-class vessels,” Byus says.
Lindblad offers another awe-inspiring experience on both ships: two transparent igloos on the top deck, where guests can sleep under the Antarctic sky. Located next to the hot tubs and near the saunas, the igloos are available on a first-come, first-served basis for no extra charge.
Longer cruises to the region start in North or South America but spend less time in the polar environment. Viking Cruises has two “longitudinal” sailings – moving north to south or south to north – between the Great Lakes and Antarctica over 65 days. Some round-the-world voyages visit Antarctica, while two lines offer “pole-to-pole” voyages that also venture to the Arctic Circle. Silversea’s 124-night Grand Pole to Pole Expedition aboard Silver Wind departs Puerto Williams, Chile, in February 2024, and Holland America Line’s 132-night Grand Voyage: Pole to Pole on Volendam sails roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale in January 2025.
IN THE KNOW
Silversea’s six-night Antarctica Bridge fly-cruise trip starts at $25,900 a person, twin-share, including private charter flights from Punta Arenas to King George Island, transfers, meals, drinks, excursions and wi-fi.
Lindblad Expeditions’ 34-night Epic Antarctica cruise starts at $US56,700 ($88,000) a person, twin-share, including transfers, meals, drinks, excursions and hotel accommodation in Dunedin and Ushuaia.
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