Frequently Asked Questions
Why cruise to Antarctica?
Virtually everyone who visits Antarctica does so by cruise ship because:
- The distances involved are vast, with ocean crossings; the continental terrain is both harsh and protected, and the extremes of climate can be inhospitable.
- This is the most environmentally-friendly way to visit a pristine but delicate environment: the impact of footfall on the land is minimised, and there is no need for land-based tourist installations on the land, all rubbish gets taken away.
- The crew, lecturers and expedition leaders are highly qualified, enthusiastic and well-informed.
- All services (accommodation, meals, excursions, lectures) are provided on board, all are pre-paid except alcoholic drinks, tips, laundry, internet of phone services where provided) so you know what it will cost before you go.
- All our ships are members of the voluntary body AIITO, the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) which regulates among other things the permitted size of cruise ship, disposal of waste, and conduct at the landing sites in Antarctica
How do I choose an itinerary?
- The most frequent and popular itineraries are the 8-12 night trips which cross often stormy Drake Passage to visit the most accessible region of the continent around the Antarctic Peninsula. The peninsula is a slim finger of land and islands reaching out from the main continental mass towards southern Argentina. In addition to prolific wildlife you will see evidence of the human impact – derelict whaling stations, and research outposts.
- The shortest cruise visits the Antarctic Peninsula, and the South Shetland Islands.
- The Chilean Fly-cruise also follows a similar route, but you fly from Punta Arenas in Chile across Drake Passage avoiding a potential rough crossing.
- The itinerary Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetlands and the Antarctic Circle venture further south to cross the circle.
- The itinerary Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetlands and the Weddell Sea visits the eastern side of the peninsula to explore the iceberg-dotted waters and view the penguin rookeries on the islands. The Emperor Penguin Safari departures will have sight of the continent’s most magnificent wildlife highlight, visiting the colony of regal and statuesque emperor penguins on Snow Hill Island (Oct-Dec).
- If you have the time and budget, the longer trips which include the Falkland Islands and South Georgia are well-worth the investment. This is real land, with plant and flower life, a contrast to the never-ending empire of ice. The sheer number of penguins crowding out the beaches is in itself a wonder to behold and there are the manifestations of past and present human history and occupation here too. Port Stanley, capital of the Falklands is a quaint, very British-style town, while on South Georgia you can trace the progress of Victorian explorer Ernest Shackleton as he trekked to seek help for his stricken ship and crew.
- The Far Side of Antarctica itinerary is the ultimate exploration - a whopping 31 day adventure by ice breaker cruising from Port Stanley in the Falklands to Lyttelton, New Zealand.
How do I choose a ship?
- Many of the ships follow different itineraries at different times of the season, though the ice-breaker Kapitan Khlebnikov is the only one to penetrate deep into the Weddell Sea and make it to the far side of the continent.
- You will not be choosing your ship on the basis that the more luxurious the ship, the more expensive the holiday.
- The most important price factor is the itinerary, followed by the cabin type.
- If size is important to you, bear in mind that ships across the categories carry between 45 and over 300 paying passengers. The smallest ships, starting at around 50 guests, fall in the research ship category, while the expedition liners are naturally the largest.
- The level of service, quality of lecturers, expedition teams etc is of equal high quality across the range of the ships.
- Purpose built ships in the expedition cruise ship and expedition cruise liner categories tend to be less Spartan and have a few more facilities than the research ships.
When’s the best time to go?
Antarctic cruises only operate during the brief Antarctic summer, between late October and early March because:
- Cruising at this time of year ensures that there are long hours of daylight
- Temperatures are not as extreme as in winter
- The broken ice allows for navigation along the route
Most people are guided into choosing a date of departure by convenience, price, and what is to be seen there in terms of wildlife activity.
October-November (spring)
The start of the season: landing sites are pristine; Ice melts and breaks up; birds conduct mating rituals; elephant and fur seals set their territories; emperor penguins are found on the frozen Weddell Sea; flowers bloom on the Falklands Islands and South Georgia
December-January (high summer)
The longest daylight hours permit longer viewing time; light conditions are especially good for photography; penguin chicks hatch and fur seals are born in the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.
February and March (late summer)
Best chance of spotting whales; penguin chicks begin to fledge; fur seals increasingly numerous in the Antarctic Peninsula; snow algae adds a splash of colour to the landscape; spectacular sunrises and sunsets; the pack-ice breaks up and may allow deeper penetration of the Weddell Sea; there are fewer other cruise ships around.
What is there to see there?
Drake Passage
Up to 35 species of long-distance bird, expert gliders in the high winds, may accompany the ship; including giant petrels, Antarctic fulmars, black-browed and wandering albatrosses.
South Shetland Islands
Seabirds, such as penguins (chinstrap, gentoo, macaroni and Adélie), petrels, skuas, terns and shags); whales (humpback, minke and orca) and seals (elephant, fur and leopard) are much in evidence.
Antarctic Peninsula
Scenery: Snow-clad mountains along a skinny ridge. The peninsula’s deeply indented western coast is sprinkled with hundreds of off-shore islands. The eastern coast is flanked by the ice-laden Weddell Sea.
Wildlife: An important breeding and feeding ground for chinstrap, gentoo and Adélie penguins; skuas, Antarctic terns, shags, kelp gulls, petrels and fulmars abound. You may also see leopard, fur, crab-eater, and elephant seals; humpback, minke and orca whales.
History: the region was explored by scientific expeditions and whalers in the 19th and early 20th centuries, there are abandoned huts and bases scattered around the peninsula and islands .
Weddell Sea
Scenery: Choked with ice and difficult to negotiate, it is little-visited by cruise ships. Incredible views of huge tabular icebergs.
Wildlife: The highlight is the colony of emperor penguins at Snow Hill Island but you will also spot leopard seals and Adélie penguins. NB: Not all cruises will actually stop at Snow Hill Island.
History: Shackleton’s Endurance was wrecked here and other ships have also been crushed by the ice.
Falkland Islands
Scenery: Two main treeless islands, generally hilly, covered in windswept grasslands – bleakly beautiful. Scores of tiny uninhabited islets.
Wildlife: 65 species of birds breed here including penguins, albatrosses, petrels and over 30 of land-feeding birds. The coasts are frequented by sealions, fur seals, and elephant seals while the harbours host whales, dolphins and spectacled porpoises.
History: The population of about 2,500 people, mostly native-born but strongly allied to Britain, lives mostly in the 1950s style town of Port Stanley; the rest scattered around the rural hinterland, or Camp, are involved in sheep rearing. Vestiges of the 1982 war following the invasion by Argentina are evident throughout.
South Georgia
Scenery: Sharp, rugged mountain peaks, ravaged by glaciations, creating a wild landscape.
Wildlife: King, gentoo, macaroni, Adélie, chin-strap, Magallenic and rockhopper penguins may be spotted here. Other birds include petrels, sheathbills, albatrosses. Elephant seals and over a million fur seals breed on the beaches.
History: Initially visited by hunters seeking seal skins, the island became the centre of the whaling industry in the 20th century, and the islands are dotted with whaling stations.
Ross Sea and ice shelf (eastern Antarctica)
Scenery: The immense, awe-inspiring Ross Sea was the main gateway for the early explorers but now is little visited by cruise ships. The Ross Ice Shelf, where landings sometimes possible by helicopter, calves massive icebergs into the water.
Wildlife: The big highlights here are the colonies of emperor penguins, the largest of the species, usually present from October to early December.
History: here is the largest heritage of the heroic Era of Exploration, with many intriguing historic huts, including Scott’s at Cape Evans and Shackleton’s at Cape Royde.
What else can I do when I'm there?
How much will it cost?
You’ll be paying between £2,500 per person (for a Classic Antarctica Itinerary, sharing a triple cabin with shared facilities on an expedition ship such as the Orlova, in the low season) and over £25,000 per person (in a suite on ice-breaker Kapitan Khlebnikov on a special 21-day itinerary including South Georgia and the Falklands ending in Santiago). The few cruises ending in the Antipodes (the Far Side) are of course even pricier.
Prices vary according to:
- When you travel - cruises at the beginning and end of the season (November and March) are cheaper.
- Your itinerary - the longer 3 week itineraries are substantially more expensive than the shorter 9-10 day ones. The Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetlands itinerary is the most economical, the Antarctica Peninsula, South Georgia and the Falklands 18-day trip will cost approximately twice as much.
- Your ship - the more basic, Russian-owned research ships such as Professor Molchanov, are actually similar in price to the expedition cruise liners over the same itinerary, depending on cabin type.
- Your cabin - many ships offer accommodation ranging from triple cabins with shared facilities to suites, which may be almost double the price of the former.
- Any optional 'adventure' activities you may select, such as kayaking and trekking, available on several of the research ships and expeditionary ships.
Is there a single supplement?
Almost all the vessels we feature welcome "willing shares" as a matter of course, meaning that if you're travelling alone and are happy to share a cabin with another person of the same sex you won't have to pay a single supplement. Two boats, Fram and Ushuaia, can confirm willing shares on a case-by-case basis: we can enquire on your behalf. Of course, if you want to have your own cabin it's usually possible to organise this and a supplement is payable.
Will I have to pay a fuel supplement?
Polar cruise companies set their tariffs 18-24 months before cruises depart making them particularly vulnerable to fluctuating oil prices. Some boat operators reserve the right to surcharge your cruise at any time before departure if oil prices remain high or rise further. Typically, a fuel supplement ranges between £15 and £30 per person per day. A few boat operators do not surcharge and we will be happy to advise you in more detail during the booking process. Journey Latin America will not pass on any fuel supplements within 30 days of the start of your cruise or expeditions. .
How do I make a booking?
Please call us and speak to one of our experts, many of whom have travelled to Antarctica. We ask you to read our booking process, which contains important information about the way we handle bookings for polar cruises.