How to travel to Antarctica

If you’re like me, you may have visualized Antarctica as something inaccessible to everyone but scientists. How to travel to Antarctica was a question I never thought to ask. Until 2020, I had no idea that ordinary travelers could visit the world’s most remote continent.

During the early days of Coronavirus lockdowns, a friend introduced me to the documentary, Antarctica: A year on ice. I sat holed up in quarantine, Michigan’s gray, winter weather enveloping me like a blanket. The world had fully shut down to leisure travel and life felt stagnant. This documentary filmed at an American research center, helped me find freedom from the endless monotony of our new normal. My ache for adventure was momentarily satisfied as I was transported to the bottom of the world.

I ate up every detail as the camera panned over the stars in Antarctica’s winter skies. I marveled at interviews with scientists sharing the dangers and challenges of surviving extreme weather conditions. The winter games they play at research stations to get through the dark months were like peeking into an alien civilization. Powder-covered mountains were unlike anything I’d ever seen. I was hooked. My research began the moment the documentary was over.

Choosing your route:

Let me preface this with a warning that this will be an expensive vacation. Any of these options below, with the exception of the last one, will cost thousands of dollars. It is not something to take lightly when preparing a budget, but I believe the trip is 100% worth it.

There are 4 main ways to get to Antarctica

1. Take a cruise ($$$)
2. Book a charter (private, non-commercial) flight across the Drake Passage, then board a cruise ship ($$$$)
   • The up-side to this option is you avoid the lengthy commute and unsteadiness of crossing the Drake Passage by boat. 
3. Hire a private tour company ($$$$)
   • They do exist but aren’t common
4. Get a job at a research facility or cruise line operating to Antarctica ($)
   • May require a major lifestyle change and extensive job training. Requires perseverance.

The easiest option and most accessible to tourists is the first one: taking a cruise. This was my choice and the one from which I will share my experience. Here are the most important things to consider when researching Antarctic cruises.

Choosing a Cruise

There are a surprising number of cruise lines operating to Antarctica. Since my husband and I were traveling from North America, we looked specifically at cruises traveling from South America. The average, low budget cruise to Antarctica for approximately 7-10 days, starts at around $5-6,000 per person. This did not in all cases include excursions, monetary tips to the crew or gear. Please note that these ships do not charge their rate by the room, but per person.

If your priority is just visiting Antarctica, it is best to look for cruises starting as far south as possible to cut out unnecessary travel time. Many cruises to Antarctica include stops in South America or various islands, such as the Falkland Islands or South George Islands. On the western side of the world (the Americas), the best options depart from southern Chile or Argentina. Crossing the Drake Passage, the open sea between South America and Antarctica can take one and a half to two days each direction. Consider this when determining how many days you want to spend on the continent.

A note on the Drake Passage

Crossing this treacherous route can be an unnerving part of the experience. The Atlantic, Pacific and Southern seas meet is home to the choppiest waters in the world. If you’re prone to seasickness like me, you won’t be able to leave your room, especially if the waves are high. There is no land mass to provide any resistance between the cape horn of South America and the South Shetland islands of Antarctica.

Nevertheless, with modern day cruise ships, there is little danger in crossing this passage, only discomfort. Don’t let this be the reason you hesitate to book the trip. Plan ahead: take Dramamine (or any anti-nausea medication), stay hydrated, and avoid alcohol. Many cruises offer a variety of movie options and recorded lectures by the expedition staff, all found on your bedroom TV. 

Next in importance is determining what you consider to be traveling to Antarctica. Most cruise itineraries can be found online. Here you can see how many days will be spent in which regions. Some cruise ships only travel as far as the tip of the Antarctic peninsula, or even just north of this to the South Shetland Islands. I wanted to step foot on the mainland and take in all of that raw beauty. Traveling to the mainland comes with a higher price tag, but it’s worth the experience.

Inclusions

The price of our cruise on Silver Seas included a two-layered weatherproof jacket, a hat, an eco-friendly thermos that we got to keep, and special waterproof boots to borrow for landings, free of charge. These are included on most Antarctic cruises from all price points. A special addition in our package was a charter flight from Miami, Florida to Ushuaia, Argentina and back. Meals, excursions, and tips were also included in the price. (Later we found out that the tip for our private butler was not included, so we tipped her separately)

Check the maximum passenger occupancy for each cruise ship

The larger the ship, the less time you might be allowed off the boat for excursions. This is due to a rule of the Antarctic Treaty: no more than 100 passengers may disembark from the ship at any time. 

For example, imagine there are 200 people onboard your ship and the total time available for the landing is 2 hours. The treaty says only 100 people may disembark at one time. In order to allow all 200 people a chance on land, they must split the group into 2 groups of 100. This means you may only get to go on shore for 1 hour. If there is another ship docked in the same location at the same time that also has 200 passengers, the landings must be coordinated between ships. Now there are 400 passengers with a time frame of 2 hours. In this scenario each person is only allotted 30 minutes on land before being ushered back to the ship. 

Weather as a factor in getting off the ship

Now let’s add in another important element: the weather. Safe weather conditions are the only time passengers will be permitted off the boat. There are strict regulations to follow down at the bottom of the world. If someone is hurt, there is no hospital in the nearby vicinity. For severe cases, one must be air-lifted back to the nearest colonized continent, i.e. to Argentina. The costs are no laughing matter.

Let’s return to the example of 400 passengers docking in a small cove with a time span of 2 hours. Due to a bad snow storm, the first hour becomes unavailable for making a landing on shore. Now there is only 1 hour available. Assuming everyone would like to get off the boat, there is now only time for 15 minute slots for each group of people. Sudden weather changes can and often occur in Antarctica. Protocol is followed closely without exceptions. (Please note these examples are not exact representations and are only for clarification purposes)

Check the structure of the cruise ship

The next important consideration is the size of the ship. A smaller ship can fit into smaller coves, giving you a more unique and intimate experience, as well as more opportunities for landings. Many of the more budget friendly cruise ships hold a larger number of passengers, upwards of a few hundred. In some cases, these larger ships don’t allow you to get off the ship at all, but rather glimpse Antarctica from your balcony. 

An easy way to ensure your ship is ready to take you up close and personal with the continent is to see if the ship is equipped with ice breakers on the hull. This can be found with a quick google search. The more impenetrable the ship, the deeper south into colder temperatures and ice it is able to go. 

The ship I was on intentionally crashed into an ice shelf on Christmas day (on purpose), deep enough to wedge itself the length of half the ship. After the expedition team filed out with a rope, stomping on the ice sheet all around the point of exit, we were permitted to disembark. It was the most magical Christmas of my life. We played in the snow with hot chocolate and Baileys and a few penguins even wandered over to put on a show for us.

Seasonal Considerations

It is important to remember that cruise ships only operate in the summer months. In the southern hemisphere these are November through March. This is the time of endless summer, meaning the sun almost never fully sets. There are also different highlights to see, depending on the month. 

Early in the season there will still be huge chunks of sea ice and gigantic glaciers. More ice can mean more danger however, so the chances of getting on land might be lower. Late December is typically when the penguin babies begin to hatch. We were lucky enough to see newborns and larger babies at the end of December/early January. February and March are the warmest, which means a better chance of spotting whales and consistently better weather. I was surprised that we received a few sunny days at the end of December. But, alas, they do exist – even in the Antarctic!

Alternative option to pre-booking a cruise 

Have you found yourself in southern Argentina, suddenly day-dreaming over the impressive cruise ships docked in the port? 

No problem, there is a last minute option for the budget adventurer who may not care about the specifics of the trip. Some bloggers talk about showing up to the port of Ushuaia, Argentina and inquiring about last-minute discounted cruise tickets. Some travel companies sell their tickets at a reduced price to last-minute travelers in an effort to make a little extra money before the ship departs. The benefit is the price and exhilaration of not really knowing what to expect. The downside is having no control. A choice of which ship, its size and route are usually not possible to make.

This option is for someone with endless time (and patience) and who’s not particular about what they want to see or do. If you choose this option, make sure to inquire about additional costs: inclusive warm weather gear (boots and waterproofs), excursion possibilities, sea kayaking, which travel insurance is required and any mandatory tips that may pop up on your bill at the end of the trip. These operators often have many hidden fees. You may end up spending more than someone who booked in advance despite the sticker price.

Final Notes

My advice: do your research, keep an eye on deals, and do the math for every option for deciding. Prices fluctuate based on demand, season, fuel costs, and world events that can make travel more difficult or expensive. I find that the all-inclusive cruises have a higher up-front ticket price, but tend to be cheaper overall than a budget cruise. Budget cruises are like budget airlines. They rack up invisible costs for the excursions, tips, gear, etc. that can end up exceeding your budget by hundreds (or thousands) of dollars.

During my research, I learned that the cruise industry offers amazing deals to aviation cabin crew members through third party agents. As a flight attendant, my husband and I were able to benefit from 75% off the ticket price. We were also able to get a second cabin for some (non-aviation) friends at the same rate. I know this is not accessible to everyone, but it is an option if you work for an airline in the United States. For more information, please send me a personal request in the comments or through my contact page. 

I cannot say enough good things about this adventure. I share a more personal essay with details that will bring you right into the experience with me here: When Antarctica Changed My Life