Hurtigruten Fram Antarctica Cruise

[digitl]

1

The Polarcirkel and kayaking activities are usually announced during the briefings and you then sign up for them. However, the best advice is to ask at Reception early on on the trip and put your name down there if they will allow you to. If they are oversubscribed then additional activities are sometimes added if there is the opportunity and there may well be a waiting list.

 

2

I haven't used a smartphone down there, but it's only as cold as a UK winter (I haven't experienced and Aussie winter!), so you should be fine with the iPhone. If you are planning on sending the images home from the ship then you should be aware that a connection isn't guaranteed and, when there is one, it's often slooooow as everyone jumps on it.

 

3

Deck 3 midhships is quiet, aft and under the galley, I don't know. You will probably be tired enough to sleep through most noises!

 

4

The only optional excursion on South Georgia that we were offered was the Shackleton hike. The doctor will decide if you are fit enough but, even so, you should be aware that part of it is on scree and the nearest A&E is not a five minute drive away...

 

On the Falklands the only options were on East Falkland at Stanley and we took the Bluff Cove Lagoon tour which offers a good impression of the landscape, conversations with the local driver, views of cows standing in the sea eating kelp with penguins in the rookery behind you(!) and delicious complimentary refreshments at the on-site Sea Cabbage Cafe. Be warned: the cakes are beyond excellent...

 

5

You can ask. We always arrive a couple of days early to mitigate against any delays and get some sleep after the longhaul from the UK.

 

6

You can use the onboard computers but I carry a laptop and a spare laptop hard drive in an external case and back up to those in the cabin. I also take enough memory cards to ensure that I don't have to reuse them on the trip.

 

7

You check in with Hurtigruten at the hotel so you get to meet others in the queue or around the hotel.

 

8a

I wear fishermen's gloves (holes in the tips) and thicker gloves outside them. It only gets really cold on the fingers when the wind gets up.

 

8b

We have never been cold in the cabins. No doubt housekeeping will find you extra covers if you ask.

 

9

You can probably check your Buenos Aires - Iguazu flights once you're close to Ushuaia. As for printing boarding passes, we never have but the crew are seriously helpful!

 

We, like everyone else on our scheduled flight, had all of our luggage weighed when we were leaving Iguazu. Those who had booked through Hurtigruten were on the same flights and had the same experience. It's not as casual as the flight down to Ushuaia.

 

Hope that's helped.

 

Enjoy the trip!!!

[peterscot]

I won't duplicate digitl's excellent information, even if I could.... Just to say you can do your own thing in Stanley. It's about a 20 minute walk from the berth to the centre. Or about an hour's walk the other way to Gypsy Cove and penguins. There will be shuttle buses and taxis available too.

 

There are numerous excursions offered - Battlefield tours if you have any interest in the Falklands War, Town Walks, History and Culture, Nature walks around Gypsy Cove, and so on. I am a guide on some of them, and we usually get good feedback from Fram clients (and expedition staff).

[davwen81]

Thank you Digitl for your answers, great help as always.

 

Peterscot are these offered Onboard Fram or are these bookable privately??? Thanks for your help with suggestions as we are very interested in the walking tour and the Gypsy Cove nature walk.

Wendy

[digitl]

If you stay in or around Stanley then lunch in one of the pubs is thoroughly recommended!

[peterscot]

Wendy,

 

Both. Fram will sell them or you could book privately. However, I think the advantages of booking through Fram outweigh those of a private tour.

 

There are simply not enough guides to go round, and Fram will book theirs about a year ahead. Plus you will also get a specialist from the ship to accompany you.

 

In Stanley, try a pint of local micro-brewey, Falklands Beerworks, Rockhopper Ale in the Victory Bar.