How to travel to Antarctica

If you’re like me, you may have visualized Antarctica as something inaccessible to everyone but scientists and National Geographic. Until 2020, I had no idea that Antarctica had an option for tourism. 

It was during the early days of Coronavirus lockdowns that 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. I laughed at the little games played at research stations to get through the lonelier moments. The mountain terrains beneath piles of snow were unlike anything I’d ever seen. I was hooked. 

My research began the moment the documentary was over. I had so many questions, only some of which were answered in the documentary. All I knew is that I needed to find a way to get there in my lifetime, preferably before humans found a way to exploit such purity. 

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

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

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. Below follows all of the 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 off the coasts, such as the Falkland Islands or the Galapagos. 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. This should be considered when determining how many days you would like to dedicate to the continent. There will be no possibilities to leave the ship at this time. If you’re prone to seasickness like me you won’t be able to leave your room, especially if the waves are high. I learned this the hard way.

*A note on the Drake Passage*:

I have heard many travelers mention they will never visit Antarctica because of their fear of crossing this treacherous route. It is true that this region where the Atlantic, Pacific and Southern seas meet is home to the choppiest waters in the world. 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. This portion of the cruise may take up to 48 hours. 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. 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. While some people are satisfied with this, I knew that I wanted to be able to step foot on the mainland, to take in all of that raw beauty. This means a higher price point, but I found it worth the experience. Most cruise itineraries can be found online. Here you can see how many days will be spent in which regions.

One should also consider the amount of passengers the ship holds. 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. 

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)

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 literally 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.

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 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 in advance. What I’ve found to be consistent in this industry are fluctuations in pricing based on demand and the season. After doing the math, I discovered that an all inclusive cruise with a higher ticket price came out to actually be cheaper than a budget cruise with add-on prices for excursions, tips, etc. 

The price of this cruise 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. We even had the inclusion of a charter flight from Miami, Florida to Ushuaia, Argentina in our package. This was in addition to all meals, excursions and tips included in the price. (Later we found out that the tip for our private butler was not included, so we tipped her separately)

In my research, I learned that the cruise industry offers amazing deals to cabin crew members through third party agents. I am a flight attendant, which meant my husband and I were able to benefit from 75% off the ticket price. For this reason, we were able to choose a more expensive package. We were also able to get a second cabin for some 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 hope you have found this article helpful in planning a trip to Antarctica. I cannot say enough good things about this adventure. You can read a more personal account about this trip here: When Antarctica Changed My Life