Preparing for Your Antarctica Cruise – Everything You Need to Know

Are you thinking about going on a cruise to Antarctica? This is no normal vacation. It takes time, money, and adequate preparation. But if you’re up for it, an Antarctica cruise is a dream vacation that you won’t soon forget.

The White Continent is a massive, frozen landmass inhabited only by birds and sea mammals. One of the only places in the world with no permanent human population.

For centuries people believed its icy white coast was the edge of the world. They really weren’t that far off. Antarctica is desolate and inhospitable. But it’s also stunningly beautiful, full of some of the most fascinating wildlife and landscapes you’ll ever see. For true adventurers, an Antarctica cruise is the trip of a lifetime. 

But while many dream of a visit to the bottom of the world, very few ever make it there. That’s due mainly to cost and logistical challenges. Those who do make it are rewarded with a travel experience like nothing else on this planet.

My wife and I cruised to Antarctica, South Georgia Island, and the Falkland Islands on our Honeymoon. In this post I’ll go over everything you need to know to plan and book a cruise to Antarctica. For more information about the cruise itself, check out my post What to Expect on the Journey to Antarctica.

I also won’t go into details about all the things you’ll see on this journey here. For detailed info on the actual things you’ll see and do at each destination see my individual posts on the locations:

• Discover the Falkland Islands 
• Fall in Love with King Penguins on a cruise to South Georgia Island
• Discover the White Continent on a cruise to Antarctica 

Note: this article contains affiliate links, which means that should you purchase something or get a quote through them I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps keep the site running with up to date information. I do not represent World Nomads or Booking.com. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy the product mentioned in this article.

Why should I go to Antarctica?

There are many incredible places to discover on this planet. From the mountains of Nepal to the endless Australian Outback, there is no shortage of magic to discover on earth.

So you might ask “then why should I go through so much effort to visit Antarctica?” And it is certainly a lot of effort and a lot of money to visit. It’s an unobtainable destination for the vast majority of people in the world. 

But for someone with the means to make the journey, a cruise to Antarctica is like nothing else you will ever do in your life. It is simply the most unique travel destination in the world. You don’t set foot on Antarctica and say “this reminds me of…” even if you’ve been to Greenland.

You haven’t seen rocky coastlines of snow-capped mountains full of penguins before. Nobody has. That’s what makes Antarctica so special. 

It’s also far more beautiful than you think. You might be imagining a flat desert of ice. But the Antarctic peninsula is rugged and real. Mountains come out of the sea as icebergs float along the shore. The beaches are busy with massive colonies of penguins who greet you with hollers as you step on the land. If you make it to the Falklands and South Georgia Island you will be greeted with even more fascinating landscapes and wildlife.  

How do I get to Antarctica?

There are no commercial flights to Antarctica. There are no ferries or buses or trains. You can’t drive there. There’s really only one way to get there as a tourist and that’s to book a cabin on a cruise to Antarctica.

Antarctic waters are highly regulated and you can’t just sail there yourself without special permission. So as a tourist, you’ll be booking an expedition with one of many Antarctic cruise operators.

The vast majority of people visit Antarctica by boat as part of an expedition with a licensed operator. It is possible to do an expedition that will fly you one way or both ways though.

The flight option is usually far more expensive but is good for someone not worried about money that doesn’t have a lot of time or for someone who has serious problems with sea sickness. Even if you fly, once you’re there you’ll be on a boat to get around from point to point. You can’t just wander freely around Antarctica.

Where does the Antarctica cruise leave from?

By far the most popular starting point for expeditions to Antarctica is Ushuaia, Argentina. There are expeditions that leave from Australia and New Zealand, but those journeys have endless days at sea just getting to Antarctica and are usually significantly longer overall. We are talking the difference of 4 days at sea just getting there vs two days at sea, each way. Plus they are far more expensive and you miss out on the option to go to South Georgia Island and the other various Antarctic islands south of Argentina.

Even for an Aussie or a Kiwi it is quicker and cheaper to just fly to Ushuaia. So I’m assuming you are going to start your adventure in Ushuaia.

You’ll most likely fly through Buenos Aires and then Ushuaia is about a 3.5 hour flight south from there. At 54.8 degrees south, Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world. There are a few settlements further south in Chile, but nothing that could be considered a city or even a town. 

Ushuaia City

Ushuaia itself is a bit underwhelming. There really isn’t that much to do in the city so I recommend planning to arrive only two days in advance if you have your expedition booked already. I say two days because that allows for some flexibility if your flight gets cancelled or delayed due to weather.

The weather is pretty awful down at the bottom of the world, so it’s good to have some flexibility in that sense. You don’t want your cruise to embark without you!

If all goes well and you get there in time you will be able to spend a day exploring Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire National Park). It’s not nearly as nice as Torres del Paine in Chile, but there are some cool things to do in the park, which I won’t get into here. From town you can easily take a taxi to get there and explore on foot.

Ushuaia has plenty of restaurants and lots of outdoor gear shops. This is your last chance to get anything before the cruise and luckily you can find anything you’ll need in town at the various stores.

Walk around the city and if you’re lucky you’ll get a clear day so you can actually see the mountains behind you. It’s cold most of the year – even in summer – so don’t expect to be strolling around in shorts and a T-shirt. 

Where to stay in Ushuaia

There are a lot of accommodation options in Ushuaia. See some options below.

Expedition Operators

There are various companies that offer cruises to Antarctica. All of them are reputable, experienced, and will offer you a vacation you will never forget. There is, on average, one ship leaving the port each day for a new cruise. Who you end up cruising with will most likely depend on your travel dates more than your choice of outfitters.

We ended up on a cruise with Oceanwide Expeditions on a ship called the Ortelius and found them to be an awesome company. But I’m sure the others are just as good. 

Instead of shopping around various websites, what I highly recommend doing is getting in touch with Sarah at Freestyle Adventure Travel. They are a travel agency that focuses solely on Arctic and Antarctic cruises. Their head office is in Ushuaia and Sarah and her staff are incredibly helpful and super friendly.

The best part is you don’t hire them. They get commission from the cruise operators so you don’t pay them anything. They really make it feel like they’re working for you and you only though!

To get a good idea of the different cruise options have a look around the Freestyle website. They clearly list out all the cruises, the itineraries, and the costs. 

Size of the ship

One important thing to note here is that you should consider the size of the boat when booking your trip. Most ships take about 100 passengers but some can handle more. Bigger is not better in this case, though.

There are limits to how many people can set foot on land at once, and it’s usually around 100 people, not including staff. So if you’re on one of the larger cruises, you will have less time on land as you’ll have to split time with other passengers. Or you might not even be able to go ashore at every stop. It depends on the operator. 

Our cruise had 101 passengers and there was always at least one person who didn’t want to go on land so we got the full amount of time at each landing. I highly recommend making sure the cruise you book has no more than about 120 passengers.  

Which Antarctica Cruise Should I Do?

There are actually more options for your Antarctic cruise than you might think. By far the most popular route is straight to Antarctica and back, known as the “classic” Antarctica cruise. The majority of people that have been to Antarctica did it this way.

The second most common route is the cruise to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island and then Antarctica, which makes a triangle across the Southern Ocean. This is the option we went with. 

There are a few other routes that will take you deeper into Antarctica, and some that don’t even reach the mainland. I’ve given a brief description of what each cruise consists of below for the two most popular options. For a detailed itinerary, see the Freestyle website I mentioned earlier. 

Classic Antarctica and back

Most cruises go straight to the Antarctic Peninsula and back to Ushuaia in 10-11 days. The cruise will depart late afternoon and you’ll make your first landing on the morning of the fourth day. Crossing the Drake Passage from Argentina to Antarctica takes a solid two days. Most classic Antarctica cruises allow for four days on land at various locations. 

A lot of what happens on your cruise is dependent on the weather, but some of the main sites you might stop at are Neko Harbor, Paradise Harbor, Wilhelmina Bay, Lemaire Channel, Penola Channel, Deception Island and Neumayer Channel.

You’ll also probably spend some time at the South Shetland Islands, just north of the Peninsula. Everywhere you stop will be full of penguins and beautifully white mountains.

Falkland Islands and South Georgia Island

This is the gold standard for Antarctica cruises. The expedition is considerably longer, usually 19-21 days, and thus considerably more expensive. Antarctica will be your last stop on this cruise.

You won’t actually get as deep into the White Continent as you do on the standard Antarctic cruise, but you’ll see more of the islands. You will still get to set foot on the mainland and cruise down the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, basking in the beauty of the mountains and icebergs. 

As part of this tour you get to spend two days on the Falkland Islands, an isolated British territory 200 miles off the coast of southern Argentina. With a population of nearly 3,400 people, it’s the only place with permanent human habitation you’ll stop by.

But not to worry, outside of the town of Stanley you won’t really see people. Just penguins. Thousands and thousands of penguins. On top of the penguins, the islands themselves are beautiful and lined with hidden beaches. It’s a super neat place to visit and one of the least visited inhabited places in the world!

It’s an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, so technically it’s not a country. But many people count it on their list of countries since it’s self-governing. 

The crown jewel of this cruise is the incredible South Georgia Island. This is what you are paying for. It’s a heck of a journey to get there, but it is totally worth it. It’s like landing right into a National Geographic documentary.

Millions of penguins and seals call this island home. Mountains come right out of the sea and rise nearly 10,000 feet in the air. Glacier melt off turns fjords bright blue. There is nothing else like it on the planet.

As part of your cruise you will get to spend four days on this unique island. Anyone who’s ever done this cruise will tell you that South Georgia was better than Antarctica itself. 

My Recommendation

If you have enough money to go to Antarctica I think it’s worth it to splurge for the cruise to South Georgia. You won’t regret it at all and you’ll leave with memories worth more than any material possession. 

Expected Costs on the Antarctica Cruise

OK now let’s talk about what this is going to cost you. This will probably be the most expensive vacation you will ever take by far. Well that is, unless you plan on going to the North Pole one day. An overwater bungalow in Tahiti will seem affordable after this trip.

The price of your trip to Antarctica can cost anywhere from $4,000-$35,000 per person depending on which tour and which room you book. The typical visitor will pay between $4,000-$9,000 for the classic Antarctica cruise and $10,000-$18,000 for the South Georgia cruise.

Room Types

Before we talk about costs you have to understand the difference in the room types. The costs vary greatly depending on which type of room you are booking. Different ships offer different types of rooms, but I’ve tried to summarize the standard choices below. 

• 4-person or 3-person shared room: Most operators will offer a shared room option. It’s the cheapest rate and you will share this room with other random people. Even if you have a group of 4, it’s not guaranteed you’ll all be assigned the same room.
• Twin room: All operators will offer a private 2-person room. This is the most common room type. Prices within this category can also vary based on how spacious the room is and if there is a full window or just a porthole. 
• Suites: All operators offer a “suite” or “superior” option. These will be considerably pricier than the standard rooms but also considerably nicer and more comfortable.  

We stayed in a standard twin room on the Ortilius and it was very basic. We had a porthole window and two separate twin beds. There was a small desk and a wardrobe next to a little bathroom. There was not much room to spread out. That being said, it is one of the oldest ships and many ships these days have been upgraded and offer far more comfortable options. 

The way we looked at it was that we didn’t do the cruise to stay in luxury. We wanted the cheapest possible option while still having a private room. On the other hand, you do spend a lot of time in your cabin so I fully understand the argument to book a nice room. If you have the money, by all means book the more spacious room!  

Classic Antarctica Cruise

The classic cruise starts at about $5,000 per person for a shared room. If you’re looking for a private room you’re looking at more like $7,000 per person. The most expensive suites can reach upwards of $15,000 depending on the ship. 

South Georgia Cruise

The cruise to South Georgia is considerably pricier. Shared rooms start at about $12,500 per person and a private room will run you at least $15,000 per person. Suites can cost as much as a new Lexus.

Camping

Some cruises offer the opportunity to camp one night on land in Antarctica (for a substantial additional fee). My cruise did not, but some people get the chance to do it. Check with your operator if they offer this unique opportunity.  

Is it really worth it!?

It’s a lot of money. It’s more money than the vast majority of the world makes in an entire year. If you can afford a trip to Antarctica you most likely have a successful career and can be thankful you have this unique opportunity. So if you have the money I can say without a doubt that it is totally worth it!

However, if you live paycheck to paycheck or make below the median annual American income, I would not recommend spending your money on an adventure like this. 

There are a lot of things you can do with $20,000 (that’s what we paid in total for two of us) but no material possession will leave you as rich as Antarctic and South Georgian memories, at least in my opinion. Everyone we met on the trip said it was the best travel memory they’ve ever had and no one we met regretted their decision to spend so much money.

A lot of your money also goes to preserving the pristine environment of the Antarctic waters. If you’re an avid traveler, it’s truly the best travel experience you can have with your money.

Should I do the longer journey to South Georgia Island?

The answer to this question is a resounding YES. If you have the time and the money YES YES YES! There is nothing quite like South Georgia Island. And the Falklands are pretty damn cool themselves. 

You might think you’ll see big penguins in Antarctica, but emperor penguins don’t really live on the peninsula, so you will not see them.

The second largest species of penguins – the king penguin – also does not live in Antarctica (though sometimes they venture to the northern Antarctic islands). These are the penguins you have seen in nature documentaries and they only live on sub-Antarctic islands like South Georgia and the Falklands. For the best wildlife experience you will want to visit South Georgia!

Last Minute Deals for Antarctica Cruises

Now for some good news about the cost of the trip: you don’t actually have to pay the full price for the cruise! There are caveats to this, of course, but a very popular way to visit Antarctica is to wait to book a last-minute deal. In order to do this you must have flexible travel dates. 

How last minute deals work

Cruises to Antarctica hardly ever sell out. The typical boats can take about 120-130 passengers, sometimes more. When an operator has availability in the weeks before embarkation, they usually offer specials to try to get them filled. Often this means 25%-35% off and sometimes even 50% off. When a tour costs $10,000, 25% is a HUGE discount.

A great way to get informed about these discounts is to join the Freestyle Adventure Travel mailing list. They send out emails whenever last minute deals are announced.

But an even better way to be informed is to be in communication with Sarah at Freestyle directly, as I mentioned earlier. If a last-minute deal becomes available that meets your desires – that you’ve presumably already shared with her – she will email you personally with the details. 

This happened to us when I got an email from Sarah 3 days before our wedding day. Oceanwide Expeditions was offering a deal on their South Georgia cruise leaving about two weeks later. We booked it right away. The offer was $9,990 per person for a private twin room. This literally saved us $10,000 on our honeymoon. 

Flexibility

The secret to the last-minute deal is flexibility in your travel schedule. If you can’t be flexible – whether that’s due to your work schedule or whatever else – and need to go on certain dates then you will have to book in advance. Depending on how advanced your planning is though, sometimes operators offer discounts if you book over a year in advance. 

If you have flexibility on when you can travel, the benefits can be significant. In my opinion it’s worth buying your flight at the last minute in order to save thousands on the cruise. Sure, flights get pricier closer to the travel date, but the chances your flight goes up $5,000 is slim to none (unless you’re flying business class).

If you have a general idea of when you want to go – say January for example – you can inform your employer that you plan on taking 3-4 weeks off around January you just do not know exactly when yet. If that’s not something you have the luxury of doing, then booking ahead is your only option.

How we managed our flexible schedule

We had flexibility in another sense. Our honeymoon was 8 weeks through Patagonia including the Antarctica cruise. We had a one way flight to Ushuaia and an 8-week window to find a last-minute cruise.

We ended up finding our deal 9 days before our flight to Argentina. But we were prepared to fly to Ushuaia without a cruise booked. Cruises leave every day and we knew we would find something within our budget of $10,000 per person.

If the best deal would have come two weeks later we simply would have flown out of Ushuaia to El Calafate or Puntas Arenas and did some hiking around Patagonia before returning to Ushuaia. We would not have stayed two weeks in Ushuaia. We had the luxury of time because we were between jobs and moving from New Zealand to the Netherlands at the time. 

I realize most people can’t take an 8-week holiday. In order to do the cruise to South Georgia, 3 weeks is the absolute minimum. 4 weeks is more realistic.

For many Americans, this is simply not possible if you work full time. Even for many Europeans 4 weeks off outside the summer months can be tough. Most people we met were either retired or between jobs at the time. This is a perfect trip to make if you are changing jobs and have the money! 

Antarctica Trip Preparation

There are some things you need to do in order to prepare for a journey to Antarctica. It’s not like going on a cruise to the Bahamas. You are visiting some of the most inhospitable places on the planet and you need to be prepared and know what to expect.

What to pack

Let’s start with what you don’t have to bring. A water-proof heavy parka jacket and rubber boots will be provided for you by the expedition operator. Every time you go ashore you’ll need these two things. 

Now let’s look at some of the things you’ll need to bring:

• Waterproof pants: This is of vital importance. You need reliable waterproof pants that you will wear over some other pants every time you go ashore. You will get wet many times on the trip and you want to remain warm and comfortable. Wet pants can be uncomfortable or even dangerous in cold weather. 
• Long underwear or cotton lining trousers: You will also want a warm layer of pants that are more on the tight side to be your inner layer. I wore a layer of inner pants under my jeans with strong waterproof pants on the outside. 
• Standard rain jacket: there will times you’ll want to shed that heavy parka but you’ll still need a waterproof layer
• Fleece/sweatshirt
• Thick socks
• Beanie
• Light waterproof gloves
• Warm waterproof gloves 
• Sunglasses and sunscreen: Don’t be fooled by the cold, the sun can be brutal when reflecting off the ice
• Backpack or daypack: Ideally waterproof

The theme here is waterproof. You will often be walking on ice or other wet terrain. You might fall in the water getting off the boat. It will probably rain at some point. On the zodiacs it often gets wet too as the seas are choppy.

Zodiacs are the small inflatable rafts that take you to the beaches, as there are no cruise ports in Antarctica or any of the islands you’ll stop at. I found the wettest I got was on the zodiacs, where the sea water would splash in. I was very thankful to have good waterproof pants on those rides.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is required to be allowed on the trip. Requirements can vary based on the operator, so check with your expedition operator before purchasing. At the least you’ll need emergency medical evacuation. 

We use World Nomads when we travel internationally. Word Nomads provides coverage to travelers in over 100 countries and Antarctica. You can search for a coverage plan using the link below.

Outlet converters

You’ll need standard European outlet adaptors, as most of the ships are from Europe. It would be a good idea to bring a universal adaptor, though.

Connectivity

Prepare to be disconnected from the rest of the world for the entirety of your cruise. While connectivity has improved over the years, on my cruise internet was only available on a slow satellite connection (think dial-up speeds) for a hefty price.

Some people used it to send email updates to their families but most people never bothered. We didn’t bother. It was the longest I’ve ever gone without internet – 17 days – as an adult and it was super nice. In today’s digital age, you’d be surprised how refreshing it is to totally be offline for 2-3 weeks.

You need to make sure your family and friends know where you are in case anyone tries to get a hold of you. If there is an emergency, you can always purchase the internet to send emails, which is about the maximum the bandwidth can handle. 

The Drake Passage

The Drake Passage is the body of water between Ushuaia and the Antarctic Peninsula. It is known for being incredibly rough. Think Deadliest Catch on Discovery Channel rough. Many people have trouble with sea sickness as they cruise the Drake. If you have ever had trouble with seasickness you should talk to your doctor before the trip and bring some medication. 

We were lucky and had beautifully calm days sailing the Drake. It was probably the calmest water we had the entire cruise. This is not normal though, so prepare for choppy waters.  

Antarctica Cruise – Frequently Asked Questions

Preparing for the Cruise to Antarctica – Final Word 

It might seem daunting after reading through all of this, but I assure you it will all be worth it. There’s just nothing else on the planet quite like Antarctica and I am sure you are going to love it. Now that you’re prepared let’s check out what to expect on the journey!