Cruise Lines for Antarctica

[priddiscats]

Sorry

It appears they have dropped The Falklands on that sailing date but the other cruises have The Falklands included

Still talking about different options to cruise to Antarctica

 

But, the Quest went to South Georgia instead; by far, a better choice than the Falklands. South Georgia was the highlight of the Dec. 20 cruise for everyone I spoke to. It beat out the Antarctic itself, because of its sheer beauty and abundance of wildlife. Be sure any cruise intinerary you choose includes a few days at South Georgia.

[TxPepper]

Just popping in to say hello and to ask a question....

 

Thank you for posting a very lively and informative discussion.

 

I am totally committed to tick Antarctica off my to-do list in 2015/2016. With that said, in addition to figuring out a ship....my next HUGE question is....what foot gear is recommended? I thought this would be a good thread to post the question as it seems that most of you have done this cruise multiple times.

 

I read on another thread that "muck boots" were rentable onboard the HV Fram. Any thoughts about these? Do other ships offer something similar when it comes to cold-weather gear?

 

Thanks in advance!!!

Edited January 24, 2015 by TxPepper
add info

[SarniaLo]

I read on another thread that "muck boots" were rentable onboard the HV Fram. Any thoughts about these?

They are awesome! ;) It's these boots (or a model pretty similar to that from the same manufacturer). They are exactly the type of shoes suitable for landings in Antarctica : warm, waterproof, and comfortable (even for the type of hikes you may take during landings).

 

I know Ponant also offers boot rentals, I will let the other speak about other companies. But if your company of choice offers boot rentals, they are so specific and well-adapted that I would go for the rental (unless you live in a area where you might have use for them during winter, then it might be worth buying a pair of your own, but as you can see they are bulky and heavy and will take a lot of place in your suitcase). I think for some companies the boot rental is included in the cruise price, for Fram you have to pay extra but it's not much and very well worth it.

 

These boots are for landings only. On board the ship, I use a pair of sturdy hiking shoes.

[digitl]

Another vote for Fram's Muck boots! They are warm and comfortable, provide a very good grip, you select your size (allow for two pairs of socks) from the onboard stock and the rental is good value. I wouldn't want to have to carry my own in my luggage.

 

Around the ship, inside and on deck, I wear trainers.

[PerfectlyPerth]

Quark supplies free MuckBoots (arctic sport model) for use during the voyage - and a free parka with a zip out fleece to keep.

 

Around the ship and outer decks etc I wear Keens hiking Mary Janes - easy to slip on for a sudden whale call, and they have good sturdy non slip tread on the sole.

[TxPepper]

Everyone....thank you for your replies regarding foot gear!

 

I've just made myself crazy....in a good sort of way I guess. I've just thrown another cruise line into the mix for consideration.

 

Mr. TxPepper and I just finished a cruise (this month) from Rio to Valparaíso +Falklands so that itch is scratched but it only further reinforced my desire to go to Antarctica (after having cruised through the Glacier Alley/Chilean fjords.)

 

So it's down to HV Fram, A&K/Le Boreal, and Quark (ship not yet determined but looking at the Expedition)...not necessarily in that order. NatGeo/Lindblad is in the mix...sort of. Briefly considered Silver Sea...but just too many people but it does cover parts of Chile that we didn't see earlier...and it seems to be a good value plus the obvious luxury component. Time to start a spreadsheet? :eek:

 

Smaller passenger count is preferred. I do like my creature comforts but this takes a lesser position on the priorities. Mr. TxPepper eats to live, I'm the foodie of the family....I win in this coin toss...so food counts. Not big drinkers so not an issue if wine/beer not included. Not too picky as to exact itinerary as long as we land (or have the potential as I know we are at the mercy of nature).

 

I guess it comes down to whose parka color I look best in. :D

[digitl]

Your Falklands itch may have been scratched but I suspect you only visited Stanley and East Falkland.

 

The expedition ships usually visit both East and West Falkland. Our West Falkland landings on MV Fram had us close up to Black Browed Albatros and Rockhopper penguins, with a couple of lovely sandwich and cake refreshment stops on the hikes over the islands!

Edited January 25, 2015 by digitl

[PerfectlyPerth]

 

So it's down to HV Fram, A&K/Le Boreal, and Quark (ship not yet determined but looking at the Expedition)...not necessarily in that order. NatGeo/Lindblad is in the mix...sort of. Briefly considered Silver Sea...but just too many people but it does cover parts of Chile that we didn't see earlier...and it seems to be a good value plus the obvious luxury component. Time to start a spreadsheet? :eek:

 

:D

 

The Expedition ship is a G ship - not A Quark one. Quarks fleet are listed here

http://www.quarkexpeditions.com/en/antarctic/expeditions/antarctic-explorer/ship-information

 

If you consider the Expedition - read this thread first.

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g1-i12337-k7971371-Gadventures_m_s_Expedition_Antarctic_Cruise_Cancellations-Antarctic_Adventures.html

 

A poster on Trip Advisor has already made a really good spreadsheet comparing all companies and ships here

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g1-i12337-k7979316-Trip_research_website-Antarctic_Adventures.html

[TxPepper]

Quarks fleet are listed here

http://www.quarkexpeditions.com/en/antarctic/expeditions/antarctic-explorer/ship-information

really good spreadsheet comparing all companies and ships here

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g1-i12337-k7979316-Trip_research_website-Antarctic_Adventures.html

 

PPerth....thank you so much for those helpful links. The spreadsheet gave me a nice bit of info in pretty concise manner. It put the Quark Sea Adventurer on my radar screen.

 

So now, I've decided the following:

1. The Antarctic Circle is square on my radar screen and number one priority. All ashore for this girl....just cruising-by won't cut it. :D Weather and conditions permitting of course.

2. Prefer mid-luxury level....or above...goes without saying. ;)

 

....and will need to go from South America.

Edited January 27, 2015 by TxPepper

[PerfectlyPerth]

PPerth....thank you so much for those helpful links. The spreadsheet gave me a nice bit of info in pretty concise manner. It put the Quark Sea Adventurer on my radar screen.

 

So now, I've decided the following:

1. The Antarctic Circle is square on my radar screen and number one priority. All ashore for this girl....just cruising-by won't cut it. :D Weather and conditions permitting of course.

2. Prefer mid-luxury level....or above...goes without saying. ;)

 

....and will need to go from South America.

 

Word from those who have done it several times now - dont set your heart on a specific landing or crossing goal. It sets you up for disappointment as you will have no control or say in whether that gets achieved and neither will anyone else on board. Its always in the lap of Mother Nature and the IceGods.

Pick your ship, pick your region, pick the longest voyage you can afford, include SGI and FI in the itinerary if you want the serious wow moments for wildlife. Pick Feb if you want serious wow moments for whales.

 

But dont pick an itinerary with a goal of landing at a specific place or crossing the invisible line.

[digitl]

Word from those who have done it several times now - dont set your heart on a specific landing or crossing goal. It sets you up for disappointment as you will have no control or say in whether that gets achieved and neither will anyone else on board. Its always in the lap of Mother Nature and the IceGods.

Pick your ship, pick your region, pick the longest voyage you can afford, include SGI and FI in the itinerary if you want the serious wow moments for wildlife. Pick Feb if you want serious wow moments for whales.

 

But dont pick an itinerary with a goal of landing at a specific place or crossing the invisible line.

 

Agree with every word!

 

The phrase 'We hope to...' is repeated several times every day!

[TxPepper]

PPerth and Digitl.....

 

Nothing wrong with being goal oriented right?! :D

 

Before starting my research/planning, I was blissfully unaware of having the goal of going to/below the Antarctic Circle. I was happy to settle for a stepping on to the peninsula. Now that I know the AC can be accomplished with favorable conditions, etc. etc., it's now in my sights.

 

During our SA cruise, the Captain kept saying, "If conditions are right....". We heard that over and over. So I'm used to hearing that mantra.

 

Call it...expect the worst, hope for the best. ;)

[TxPepper]

Okay, or not...since I have seven days to make a decision...

 

I've narrowed my choices down to two:

Hurtigruten Fram, 14 Day, Polar Circle Expedition

Quark Ocean Endeavor, 14 Day, Crossing the Circle

 

~ They both depart about the same time.

~ Price per day works out to basically the same.

~ Both have crossing The Circle as the main goal.

 

+ points to Quark as the Endeavor is being refurbished so the 2015/2016 season will be on an updated ship.

- points to Hurtigruten for no refurbishment since its launch in 2007.

 

Anyone care to weight in? :D

 

Thanks in advance!!!

[SarniaLo]

I think MS Fram is due for some refurbishment in the spring, when the 2015 Antarctic season is over (but I can't find again where I read this info, so not 100% sure).

I don't think you can go wrong with any of these choices anyway (OK, not helping! ;) ).

[digitl]

On our 2012 trip we were told that Fram was due to be refurbished later that year and, like SarniaLo, my understanding is that she will be refurbished between seasons this year.

[TxPepper]

I think MS Fram is due for some refurbishment in the spring, when the 2015 Antarctic season is over (but I can't find again where I read this info, so not 100% sure). I don't think you can go wrong with any of these choices anyway (OK, not helping! ;) ).

 

Sarnia, digitl....

 

A phone call to Hurtigruten told me that the Fram is not scheduled for a refurb anytime soon. The reason is, "...it was just launched in 2007." Whaaat?!?

 

*drumroll please* I've just committed to the Quark Ocean Endeavor. Hopefully I made the right choice. :eek: :confused: :D Next job....get Mr. TxPepper enthused about this adventure. He wasn't so wild about going to Mongolia but he wound up enjoying the trip. To hear him talk about it, one would think it was his idea to go. lol Hopefully he will think the same about Antarctica.

 

In closing: Yellow really is not my color. :D

[PerfectlyPerth]

 

In closing: Yellow really is not my color. :D

 

Its nobodies colour ! I take my own purple one. Have a robe at home chock full of freebie yellow ones.

[digitl]

Sarnia, digitl....

 

A phone call to Hurtigruten told me that the Fram is not scheduled for a refurb anytime soon.

 

Ah, OK.

 

I can't remember where I read about an upcoming one, though it must have been on Cruise Critic or Trip Advisor. I do know that some changes were made after our 2012 cruise as the captain announced it on our trip, the last of the Antarctic season.

[kaisatsu]

PPerth and Digitl.....

 

Nothing wrong with being goal oriented right?! :D

 

Before starting my research/planning, I was blissfully unaware of having the goal of going to/below the Antarctic Circle. I was happy to settle for a stepping on to the peninsula. Now that I know the AC can be accomplished with favorable conditions, etc. etc., it's now in my sights.

Has anyone here done a Circle-crossing trip?

 

This was waaaaaay up on my list and probably my number-one choice for my return trip. Until I mentioned that to a friend who worked on one of the expedition staffs for a number of seasons. I pointed out that I have a penchant for geographic extremes and thought it sounded like a cool idea, but he did just about everything he could to steer me towards another trip. He said that from his experience, the Circle trips have a lot more sea days, because it becomes a full-on push to try to cover the distance and find a clear way through. Fewer landings or zodiac cruises, and mostly just a lot of time at sea.

 

It definitely colored my opinion a bit, but I'm curious to hear from people who've done it (and who didn't have 4-5 months of Antarctic experiences every year to compare it to)!

[digitl]

We crossed the Circle on Fram last year and our experience was very different from that of your friend.

 

The only 'sea days' were those crossing the Drake and on the others we usually* had two landings each day.

 

* Detaille Island had to be cancelled as the sea was too rough and, on the last day, Danco Island was the only landing in order to provide us with an extended stay and the opportunity to climb to the top and explore, something which we enjoyed.

Edited February 1, 2015 by digitl

[SarniaLo]

Has anyone here done a Circle-crossing trip?

I see on another thread that you have finally made up your mind about another trip, but just in case, my first trip to Antarctica was the "Circle crossing attempt" on MS Fram in 2009 and my experience is very similar to digitl (so totally different from what you friend says). We had sea days for the Drake crossing and then we cruised down the Peninsula with one to two landings a day depending on weather/ice conditions, so it wasn't rushed at all. Longer distances were covered during the night, when needed (for instance, we went round Adelaide Island during the night to arrive in Marguerite Bay early morning).

And anyway, time spend cruising along the Peninsula (between landings) cannot really be call "sea time" as you are always surrounded in breathtaking landscape.

 

We were advised at the beginning of the trip that the Circle was a "maybe". I chose this trip because it allowed for more days in Antarctica, not particularly for the landmark (although I'm now very proud of my certificate, to be honest! ;)).

[digitl]

...Marguerite Bay...

 

Stunningly beautiful!!

 

And even more-so at ripple level, under a blue sky, on an hour-long Polarcirkel cruise with the First Officer at the helm!!

[PerfectlyPerth]

Has anyone here done a Circle-crossing trip?

 

This was waaaaaay up on my list and probably my number-one choice for my return trip. Until I mentioned that to a friend who worked on one of the expedition staffs for a number of seasons. I pointed out that I have a penchant for geographic extremes and thought it sounded like a cool idea, but he did just about everything he could to steer me towards another trip. He said that from his experience, the Circle trips have a lot more sea days, because it becomes a full-on push to try to cover the distance and find a clear way through. Fewer landings or zodiac cruises, and mostly just a lot of time at sea.

 

It definitely colored my opinion a bit, but I'm curious to hear from people who've done it (and who didn't have 4-5 months of Antarctic experiences every year to compare it to)!

 

I have lost count of my circle crossings to be honest.

First trip we were cutting through solid ice way down in the Weddell "Sea". We were having daily landings because the sea was solid so we just walked straight off the ship onto it.

 

Second trip was East Antarctica below Aus and we bounced above and below the line every day or two for weeks - sometimes in open sea and sometimes in solid ice.

 

Last year was the more traditional one down the west side of the peninsula. Certainly no "sea days" on that side of the peninsula - some days we did a miminum of 2 landings and other days 4 (before breakfast and after dinner).

 

Who did you friend work for ? If his company focused more on the crossing than the daily activities - then I would suggest not travelling with his team !

 

The at sea days are during the Drake crossing, and if including FI and SGI - then the days between then are full sea days.

 

But as has been discussed here by plenty of people - sea days are by no means dull. Consider being surrounded by 800 Fin whales for hours ? or witnessing a team of Orcas drowning and devouring a Minke. Or the incredible sight of Albatross and Petrels swooping round the ship for hours and hours - never landing.

And if you want to be indoors - then you have all the experts on board providing educational and fascinating lectures on a huge variety of topics.

[kaisatsu]

Glad to know that the Crossing is not out of the question! :)

 

Perhaps his opinion was a bit biased, because he was a specialized member of the expedition staff. So his official role was more relevant during longer, more-involved landings. (While we're all probably happy to watch the scenery from the ship, he would have been stuck in unrelated side roles during those times. No one wants to feel like their job is less important!)

[digitl]

Glad to know that the Crossing is not out of the question! :)

 

Perhaps his opinion was a bit biased, because he was a specialized member of the expedition staff. So his official role was more relevant during longer, more-involved landings. (While we're all probably happy to watch the scenery from the ship, he would have been stuck in unrelated side roles during those times. No one wants to feel like their job is less important!)

 

There is no difference between a 'Peninsular trip' and a 'Circle trip' other than the fact that you cross an invisible line on the planet. Landings are the same: just as frequent, just as long/short, just as involved/simple (though nothing is 'simple' in the Antarctic). Whenever we were ashore we couldn't tell if we were above or below the Circle. Only the crew and my GPS could say.

 

I cannot imagine what might make your friend's role less relevant or make him feel unloved.