Which Way to Antarctica?

[2552phxcrzr]

Those of us who have been on itineraries that visited the Falklands and South Georgia (in particular), will without a doubt chime in with, "yes, absolutely worth the additional sea days and time away from the peninsula." I know I would ... and am doing so. It was a difficult decision for us as well at the time, for the same reasons you're questioning it ... $$$s and time at the peninsula. Having been, we don't regret for a minute reducing our time in the peninsula region. We loved our time at the Peninsula, but for sheer variety of wildlife, SG can't be beat.

 

Our decision may have been made easier for two reasons: (1) we didn't really care about crossing the Circle, and (2) at the time those itineraries were only available at the end of the season (March). We knew without a shadow of a doubt that we wanted to go in January.

 

The question to answer is -- what is important to you and what can you do to optimize that. Only you can make the decision, and starting early to do your research will help you to make the right one for you.

[tupper10]

We went in mid January and according to our expedition leaders we were the only ship to make it that far south that year due the incredibly great weather we were having. We did not have time to do South Georgia but I would if have gone if I could. The Falklands didn't interest me as much. You must though take into account if anyone gets sea sick as the seas around South Georgia and going to Antarctica can be rough. Once you are in the peninsula the seas were fine. Being on a small expedition ship is not like being on a large cruise ship. As for the rooms we had a lower floor room with a window. You were not allowed on our ship to open your balcony doors due to the winds so other than having a better view when you are in your room i don't think it is worth it. I would get the cheapest room with a window since you are only in your room to sleep. We did 2 expeditions a day plus stopped many times to see wildlife so everyone was on deck. It is exhausting to even get dressed and undressed - put on your boots etc. Most ships also have lectures so you will be attending all of those that you can as the staff is very knowledgeable and you will learn about the geography, wildlife, scientific research going on at the various stations etc. We would go again in a minute. By the way we went with Silverseas and loved it.

[BORDER REIVER]

We went in mid January and according to our expedition leaders we were the only ship to make it that far south that year due the incredibly great weather we were having. We did not have time to do South Georgia but I would if have gone if I could. The Falklands didn't interest me as much. You must though take into account if anyone gets sea sick as the seas around South Georgia and going to Antarctica can be rough. Once you are in the peninsula the seas were fine. Being on a small expedition ship is not like being on a large cruise ship. As for the rooms we had a lower floor room with a window. You were not allowed on our ship to open your balcony doors due to the winds so other than having a better view when you are in your room i don't think it is worth it. I would get the cheapest room with a window since you are only in your room to sleep. We did 2 expeditions a day plus stopped many times to see wildlife so everyone was on deck. It is exhausting to even get dressed and undressed - put on your boots etc. Most ships also have lectures so you will be attending all of those that you can as the staff is very knowledgeable and you will learn about the geography, wildlife, scientific research going on at the various stations etc. We would go again in a minute. By the way we went with Silverseas and loved it.

 

Some good pointers there - especially the one about more rough sea days meaning more days feeling terrible - that's something I'm going to have to look into carefully

 

Thanks everybody

[digitl]

If we suddenly found ourselves with a bit more money, then Falklands / South Georgia would be an option.

We're off to Antarctica on the Fram on the 23rd (we'll be in Buenos Aires for three days before that and in Iguazu Falls afterwards). The itinerary is on Hurtigruten's site where you'll see that it includes South Georgia and the Falklands and that it isn't 'cheap'!

 

However, we've reduced the cost by booking our own flights (pretty much half that charged by Hurtigruten) and by booking an outside cabin on N deck. With so much going on outside, we'll only be using the cabin for sleeping and we only need a window for any unexpected sightings!

 

Remember too, if your Greenland trip was with Hurtigruten you're entitled to a repeat booking discount (5%? + 10% for early booking?) for any further trips and that means a significant saving on the Antarctica routes.

 

Anyone who intends visiting both the Arctic and Antarctic should perhaps factor in the size of the discount they would be entitled to in ££s on the second booking and book accordingly?

[RSF Cruiser]

We're doing a Hurtigruten Norway trip in December 2012 to hopefully see the northern lights, and then get the discount for our Antarctica trip a few years later (well, to get the discount we have to go to Antarctica within three years). Norway in the winter on Hurtigruten is pretty inexpensive, and then we get a discount on an expensive trip.

 

So, if you are interested in the northern lights or just seeing beautiful Norway, you can save some money on your Antarctica trip by also going to Norway first.

[BORDER REIVER]

We're doing a Hurtigruten Norway trip in December 2012 to hopefully see the northern lights, and then get the discount for our Antarctica trip a few years later (well, to get the discount we have to go to Antarctica within three years). Norway in the winter on Hurtigruten is pretty inexpensive, and then we get a discount on an expensive trip.

 

So, if you are interested in the northern lights or just seeing beautiful Norway, you can save some money on your Antarctica trip by also going to Norway first.

There's been some spectacular Northern Lights displays in the UK recently, but we'd also like to check them out in Norway. We've worked out that they should still be visible in March and at that time of year there will be enough early evening light to see quite a lot of scenery if we take the full return journey from Bergen to Kirkenes and back. That will also keep it within the winter price range, which as you say is a lot cheaper.

I hadn't hought about the discount thing, but there's potentially an £700 - £900 saving to be made with the two discounts.

[digitl]

2012 is a solar maximum so, unless you want to wait another 11 years for the Northern Lights to be at their next potential best, this might be the one!

 

We did the 'Classic Northern Voyage' in February/March a couple of years ago, enjoyed it, and saw the Lights on three nights. We added on a ride on a sleigh, behind a dozen huskies, in the dark, in Tromso. Memorable to say the least. Late March may be a little later than optimum for the Lights and February/March has plenty of daylight for scenery watching.

 

We didn't do the southbound voyage as we thought it would be too repetitive. That may be the one to do in summer for the contrast, though I think southbound misses Geirangerfjord in the daylight which would be a disappointment.

 

As I suggested, the discount 'thing' is well worth bearing in mind!

[MJC]

Another vote for South Georgia. It is truly spectacular.

 

As for cabins, low and center trumps view, because if you have rough seas it makes a big difference. We had a rough crossing of the Drake and people in forward cabins didn't get any rest at all. In fact, one man fell and broke his nose, but he still said it was the best trip he'd ever taken.

[Sparky333]

I'll just second what some others said about the pluses of an inside cabin -- we had one on Fram last month and were not disappointed. We truly were only in our cabin to sleep and a window or balcony would not have added anything to our experience (or not much, not enough to pay more for). There is so much going on on the ship that I'd feel I was missing out if I was in my cabin.

 

Also, I need a room to be dark, dark, dark to sleep so the lack of a window was a plus in that regard.

 

For what it's worth!

[dileep]

We also opted for a low deck cabin with a picture window which allowed us to look out at 3 am and see that there were icebergs out there so we could jump out of bed and go upstairs. The level below us had port holes.

 

Agree that you do not spend much time in your cabin in Antarctica!

[ging466]

Hi

 

I've just seen a great itinerary on the Silver Explorer, Ushuaia to Cape Town in March 2013 - so I was really keen until I discovered that it doesn't actually go to the Peninsula, it spends a lot of days around South Georgia.

 

If I took this cruise, would I be lucking out by missing the Peninsula - would I still see glaciers & icebergs? Or do I really need to go to the Peninsula?

 

I'm a solo traveller and the single supplement is obscene for Antarctic cruises:(

 

All help appreciated.

 

Cheers

ging466

[2552phxcrzr]

That's a really tough one. Having been to both areas, a second trip that didn't include the peninsula would be more than satisfactory to me, although I do intend to someday return to the continent. If you have your heart set on stepping on the continent, you will be missing out on that experience. We saw more variety of wildlife in South Georgia from birds to penguins to fur seals and elephant seals; the only penguin species we didn't see until we got to the peninsula was the Adelie. The scenery was simply awe-inspiringly spectacular, and there were plenty of glaciers and icebergs (though there were more icebergs around the continent).

 

I'd want at least 4-5 days in SG on whatever itinerary goes there ... maybe even more with Silver Expedition because they have more people to land. That means that they would have to visit fewer places to give everyone a landing chance at each spot or have to keep the landings shorter to get to more places. (I speak from our Arctic experience aboard the Silver Explorer, and our Antarctic experience aboard a 48 pax ship.) I'd also want a lot of landings, not just zodiac cruises and ship's cruises (nice as those are).

 

If you haven't looked at photos of what SG has to offer because it wasn't on your radar, I highly encourage you to do so. Mine are here ... (Voyage Days 7-11).

[Sparky333]

Part of my reason for visiting Antarctica is wanting to reach all 7 continents so for that alone I wouldn't have chosen an itinerary that didn't go to the peninsula. But having been now I can say that those landings were so incredible that I still wouldn't choose an itinerary that didn't include that region and the opportunity to land and climb around. Only my opinion but it seems a shame to be so close but not actually walk on the continent.

[ging466]

If you haven't looked at photos of what SG has to offer because it wasn't on your radar, I highly encourage you to do so. Mine are here ... (Voyage Days 7-11).

 

Wonderful pics! Were u really up close and personal with those seals or did u use zoom?

 

Cheers

ging466

[ging466]

Part of my reason for visiting Antarctica is wanting to reach all 7 continents so for that alone I wouldn't have chosen an itinerary that didn't go to the peninsula. But having been now I can say that those landings were so incredible that I still wouldn't choose an itinerary that didn't include that region and the opportunity to land and climb around. Only my opinion but it seems a shame to be so close but not actually walk on the continent.

 

I've been to all continents except Antarctica but that isn't really important to me. Since the cruises are so expensive for a single person, my cruise just to South Georgia may be the next best thing.

 

Thankx for your advice.

 

Cheers

ging466

[PerfectlyPerth]

I've been to all continents except Antarctica but that isn't really important to me. Since the cruises are so expensive for a single person, my cruise just to South Georgia may be the next best thing.

 

Thankx for your advice.

 

Cheers

ging466

 

I guess it comes down to what you personally want to experience. For me Sth Georgia was about the history first and foremost - being a big Shackleton fan. The creatures came second. But when you are there standing amongst 25000 of them (or 4 times that) - its pretty unbeatable.

 

If your trip is about "Antarctica" then obviously its preferable to actually go to Antarctica. If its about wildlife then its hard to beat Sth Georgia.

 

The Ocean Nova has single cabins - not sure if you have had a look at the prices for them.

 

I have lived alone by choice for 20 years so I did have to seriously adapt myself to sharing a double cabin on my last two trips (particularly since they werent short and sweet trips - they were a month each). I knew there was no way on this planet I would tolerate a triple cabin so I budgetted for the double all along.

 

If you do decide to go for a double one thing I would recommend - in the same way we all try to separate work from life - separate room mate from everything else ! If you decide to be "buddies" then you are basically stuck with each other 24/7.

 

I made sure I was in different helicopter/zodiac groups to my roomie, I ate in a different dining room etc. We barely saw each other which enabled us to not be sick of each other.

 

Dont let the cabin sharing put you off. The actual stats for Antarctica travel are far higher in the solo folk. On my last trip 63 out of 89 were solo's and only 4 of them were in a cabin of their own - all the rest were sharing. Some were on their 15th to 20th trips and always shared with a stranger.

[simonpjd]

We have booked the MS Bremen run by Hapag Lloyd for our Antarctic adventure. Booked through Noble Caledonia so price includes everything - that does not make it cheap!

We are doing the Falklands, Sth Georgia then a week in Antarctica going wherever they think will be good.

Am so excited already even though the trip is not until Jan 2014.

[2552phxcrzr]

We have booked the MS Bremen run by Hapag Lloyd for our Antarctic adventure. Booked through Noble Caledonia so price includes everything - that does not make it cheap!

We are doing the Falklands, Sth Georgia then a week in Antarctica going wherever they think will be good.

Am so excited already even though the trip is not until Jan 2014.

 

We did a similar itinerary with Quark in 2007 --- you are going to love it.