hbtraveler

Depending on the plan, T-Mobile will include unlimited data (4G or above) and texting plus 20 cents/minute phone in those 210+ countries for no additional cost above your plan cost. We have 2 lines on Magenta MAX 55+ and have used this feature quite a bit in our international travels with no issues.

We were in 5021 on one cruise and 5029 on another. No issues with noise or crowds at all. And having the stairs and elevator right there was often very convenient. The laundry room is on the port side, a bit further aft, if you want to be a bit closer to it.

Thanks. I appreciate all this detail. It does sound like you were traveling between places almost as much as you were at places.

If you have a chance, could you review this post extension trip? I probably would be interested in booking it when we get down that way in a year or two. Thanks!

A couple of questions. How was the Drake crossing? Were you able to get most of your planned activities completed or were there some that the weather/ice conditions prevented? Thanks.

They let our driver go right to the terminal.

I walked from the terminal to the roundabout, not realizing that there was a shuttle bus that took you from the terminal to the roundabout. I took the bus back to the terminal when I returned from my walk of the town. The terminal area (at least when we were there) wasn't very busy, so I wasn't worried about safety when I walked from the terminal to the front gate by the roundabout. The terminal building itself looked pretty new.

Looking at the Viking website, they have another cruise "Antarctic Adventure" which is 15 days, instead of the 13 days of your Antarctic Explorer cruise. The only difference I see is that there are 2 more days near Antarctica. Given the weather variably and its impact on landing opportunities, do you think that having 2 extra days down there would have made a big difference on your enjoyment of the cruise? Just trying to get a feel if it would make sense to spend the extra money for 2 more days. Thanks.

Thanks for doing this detailed trip report. Love all the pictures, too. Your pre and post cruise activities looked great. For the cruise itself, it sounded like it went reasonably well given some of the weather constraints. For someone taking this trip in the future, are there any things (good or bad) to highlight about visiting Antarctica on Viking that it would be good to know in advance. Thanks again!

FWIW, when we departed the ship on our cruise that finished in Istanbul and then took our 3-day post cruise extension to Cappadocia, no one inquired about our medicines at all. In fact, they didn't even ask to see the visa that we got for Turkey. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. As suggested above, ask Viking what they think. Maybe get a letter from your doctor to carry with you if needed.

When we had to get from Venice to Chioggia back in June (2022), the private car that our hotel arranged cost us 200 euros.

When we visited last June, we had a guided tour of the site for about 1.5 hours. We then had free time (around 1 hour, I think) which most people used at the museum. I believe that we were given tickets for museum entry. We found the guide was quite informative and the museum had a nice collection of artifacts.

Looking at the two itineraries, it seems the only difference is that you spend 2 more days in Antarctic waters. The trip down looks the same and the trip back also looks the same. Since the weather can be finicky, more days gives you more opportunities to get ashore if the weather doesn't cooperate. So, if you can afford it, it would seem the longer trip would be better. BTW, the map is deliberately vague, since the landing locations can vary from trip to trip.

Cruise Critic Chris, I'd be interested to hear about what the weather is like at this time of year in Antarctica, since this is probably when we would go. Hopefully the crossing is smooth both ways.

Got an email from Viking this morning that said: "Today we are pleased to announce that 2024 & 2025 departures of our most popular ocean voyages are now open for booking, making this the perfect time to start planning your next Mediterranean voyage, Hawaiian sojourn or Atlantic Coast journey. Our 2024 and 2025 seasons include several new itineraries, outlined below, that may be of interest to you. Many of these voyages will sell out, so reserve your preferred stateroom today with a deposit of just $25 and enjoy a special airfare offer. "