Antarctica Cruise

[menzies]

Anyone done one and/or the research and is willing to share? Here or PM.

I am quite surprised by the number of options out there which are increasing as new specialty ships are brought on line.

Quark, Linblad, Silversea, Viking, Crystal, Seabourn, Ponant etc. etc.

We are looking at this coming fall/spring season (Nov-March).

One of the biggest challenges is working out overall cost as some are all inclusive and look expensive but others are where you pay as you go and can be just as expensive or more so.

 

[FlyWright]

I know my boat's not up to the task. Doubt if many here are.

Might I suggest https://www.cruisecritic.com/cruiseto/cruiseitineraries.cfm?port=54.

 

[menzies]

I know my boat's not up to the task. Doubt if many here are.

Might I suggest https://www.cruisecritic.com/cruiseto/cruiseitineraries.cfm?port=54.

Click on the first one that comes up!

 

[twistedtree]

We went in 2010, and loved it. The wildlife and scenery are second to none. We went with Linblad/Nat Geo and highly recommend. The staff of naturalists, historians, and photographers added hugely for us. Those are our interests, so it was a good fit. Open bridge which was great, and the captain had charted more of Antarctica than anyone else.

If you go, make every effort to do the loop including the Falklands, So Georgia, and of course the Antarctic peninsula. I think So Georgia was our favorite.

If it’s any indication or measure, of the passengers on the trip, a good third of them were on their 2nd, 3rd, up to 7th trip there. It’s easy to get hooked.

 

[menzies]

We went in 2010, and loved it. The wildlife and scenery are second to none. We went with Linblad/Nat Geo and highly recommend. The staff of naturalists, historians, and photographers added hugely for us. Those are our interests, so it was a good fit. Open bridge which was great, and the captain had charted more of Antarctica than anyone else.

If you go, make every effort to do the loop including the Falklands, So Georgia, and of course the Antarctic peninsula. I think So Georgia was our favorite.

If it’s any indication or measure, of the passengers on the trip, a good third of them were on their 2nd, 3rd, up to 7th trip there. It’s easy to get hooked.

Thanks. Yes, we want to include the Falklands for a number of reasons.

Did you research any of the others or go with recommendations for Linblad that you received?

 

[Alaskaflyer]

Lindblad/Nat Geo is the way to go IMO. I personally know some of the naturalists/guides that rotate on those sailings - who are either retired National Park Service Ranger-Naturalists, or still work as such in the northern hemisphere summer - and they are all top notch, and though I don't know as much about other Lindblad voyaging aspects on their Antarctic expeditions, I am familiar with their Alaskan ops and those are "a cut above."

 

[twistedtree]

Thanks. Yes, we want to include the Falklands for a number of reasons.

Did you research any of the others or go with recommendations for Linblad that you received?

There were few choices when we went, and Lindblad had overwhelming positive reports. So it was a no-brainer. We have been on two trips with them and it would take a lot of convincing to get me to go with anyone else.


We went on a Rhine river trip a few years ago with Crystal who I gather are sort of the premier line. The food and services were great, but it was a completely different experience. There was no narration or history lesson along the way, and there is just a tiny bit of history in that area, I'm told . Basically a first class cocktail cruise. We were quite disappointed in the fit for our interests. After a day or two, we armed ourselves with my Navionics ipad charts, Mr Google, and conducted our own turn-by-turn tour.


In contrast, Nat Geo/Lindblad is for people who want to engage in what you are visiting, not look at it while sipping a cocktail, or touring a vinyard or castle. Get on your boots, jump in the Zodiac, splash your way to shore, fend off the killer Fir Seals, and go for a hike. All in a 40 knot gale. What's not to like?


And I'll tell you, there is nothing like being on a beach in the middle of a colony of half a million king penguins