Any advice on the 14-day Antarctica cruise on Infinity?

[OnTheJourney]

I also am sure an Antarctica trip that offers zodiac experiences is absolutely amazing. That is why I have been debating on various forms of visiting Antarctica now for probably over 10 years. I've researched Quark and many other companies that do expedition trips. They look great, but when this Celebrity trip came along, it just seemed a good fit for me budget-wise and also that it includes some of the SA ports. I considered flying over the Drake and cruising one way , all flying and no cruising over the Drake, Hurtigruten, the Fram...on and on. The X cruise may not be the 'up close and personal way' to experience the continent, but I think I'll be pleased. Actually, I think I'll just be overjoyed if I get through the whole thing with (hopefully) fairly calm crossings and no seasickness. Every time I think about how bad the conditions CAN get, I still entertain thoughts about maybe canceling this trip and instead opting for a nice, calm, river cruise! For now at least I'm bound and determined to stick with the Infinity trip. Once I see those zodiacs sailing around down there, though, I well might have some regrets. I know someone on the boards reported that same feeling once they actually got there. Oh well, noone gets to see and do everything that is available on this amazing (but unfortunately ailing) planet of ours. All that being said, I must admit that somehow the smaller expedition ships and zodiac exploration that goes with it does seem like the appropriate and best way to see Antarctica.

 

Actually, I am concerned about ANY ships being down there and depositing spent diesel fuel into those pristine waters...it can't be a good thing. Then again, all the thousands of flights taking place every day dispensing jet fuel into the atmosphere is not good either. Like I said...a severely ailing planet. I really should get up to see Glacier National Park before all the ice melts. At latest count about 25 ice sheets remain where there were once about 150 a century ago. Future generations might not have to worry about any chance of "Drake Rake" depending on continuing environmental changes.

Edited August 22, 2015 by three4rd

[aquafemme]

We were on the Infinity's first adventure to Antarctica....it was exciting to say the least.

Here is my trip report with full details as well as many photos. It is a very detailed account.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1146083

 

Thank you for that lovely review. I'm doing this cruise on Infinity and your story really gave me a sense of what the experience will be like. Despite some hiccups with the weather it sounds like you all had a great time. I'm really looking forward to this Infinity cruise (though hoping for less fog) and your review has added to the excitement I'm anticipating. I found your description of the cruise so interesting and informative I read it twice. Good job. Well done. :)

[brazilgirl]

Thank you for that lovely review. I'm doing this cruise on Infinity and your story really gave me a sense of what the experience will be like. Despite some hiccups with the weather it sounds like you all had a great time. I'm really looking forward to this Infinity cruise (though hoping for less fog) and your review has added to the excitement I'm anticipating. I found your description of the cruise so interesting and informative I read it twice. Good job. Well done. :)

 

 

Thank you for the kind words . We still talk about the cruise , the hiccups are part of our memories along with the amazing scenery. I know you will enjoy it and hope you have great weather and a bit less excitement . [emoji4]

 

 

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[donaldsc]

That's why DW and I are saving for NatGeo to Antarctica. To go all that way and not touch land would be a shame for me. It will take some time though.

 

I totally agree with you. To me, taking a drive by cruise through Antarctica is equivalent to touring London by cruising up and down the Thames w/o getting off the ship or taking a non-stop river cruise.

 

However, different strokes for different folks and if people did not want to go on drive by Antarctica cruises, the ships would go empty.

 

DON

[LuAnn]

I totally agree with you. To me, taking a drive by cruise through Antarctica is equivalent to touring London by cruising up and down the Thames w/o getting off the ship or taking a non-stop river cruise.

 

However, different strokes for different folks and if people did not want to go on drive by Antarctica cruises, the ships would go empty.

 

DON

 

Some of us are not young enough or fit enough at this point in our lives to do more than the "drive-by"!!!:cool: That was certainly the driving force in our decision to take the type of cruise we did!! BTW...we have been lucky enough to cruise up the Thames...and did get off the ship...and took a lovely holiday river cruise to Germany and was off the ship every day...but that is not the same as climbing into a zodiac and then climbing onto an island or an ice flow! As you say...different strokes for different folks...and sometimes that has to do with age and abilities!!! ;) LuAnn

[aquafemme]

Regarding this Argentina/Antartca cruise -- I know about the reciprocity fee for Argentina but was wondering if we need a visa or anything additional for Uraguay or the Falkland Islands?

[shipshape sam]

Regarding this Argentina/Antartca cruise -- I know about the reciprocity fee for Argentina but was wondering if we need a visa or anything additional for Uraguay or the Falkland Islands?

 

We were not required to have any additional documentation on our trip.

[JMG]

I am booked on the Feb. 2017 Antarctica trip on the Infinity!!!! Woo-hoo! Can't wait! I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders since I have been entertaining the idea of going to Antarctica on and off for probably the last 10 years, grappling with all the various options - big ship, small ship, fly / cruise options, etc. It has been high up on the bucket list for a long time. Now that I know HOW I'm getting there I can just concentrate on what is available in the way of excursions and so forth. Thanks so much to all who encouraged me to go! I really like the itinerary and the idea of getting to see a few places in South America as well. Now all I'll need is smooth sailing. But at least if things are not so good I was able to snag the last mid-ship room available - I'd much rather be there for any cruise than forward or aft. So if I have to spend a few days mostly in the room suffering from seasickness, so be it. A price to pay perhaps for being able to go to such an amazing place from what everyone has been telling me here.

 

Hi! We are in PA also and I would love to do this cruise but the flights/flight time makes us tired before we even start. How did you resolve the issue of Getting There? How many days/flights are necessary? Thanks!

[az_tchr]

Lots of nonstops from Miami or Dallas. About 14 hours flight time from Dallas. You definitely want to get to BA at least 1 and maybe 2 days before the cruise. Flights from dallas are often overnight and most Argentines have dinner, a coke or two and go to sleep. Have done flight twice. VERY quiet both times.

[Turtles06]

Hi! We are in PA also and I would love to do this cruise but the flights/flight time makes us tired before we even start. How did you resolve the issue of Getting There? How many days/flights are necessary? Thanks!

 

Since you are in PA, I was about to tell you that United flies to BA non-stop from Newark, but I just checked and see that they no longer do so. What a bummer. From Newark, you'd have to change planes in Houston if you flew United. About 16 or so hours of travel time (according to United's web site). American Airlines flies non-stop from JFK to BA, not quite 11 hours of flight time.

 

These are long overnight flights. No question that they are tiring and, as advised above, it's good to fly in a few days early.

[Northern Aurora]

Hi! We are in PA also and I would love to do this cruise but the flights/flight time makes us tired before we even start. How did you resolve the issue of Getting There? How many days/flights are necessary? Thanks!

 

We live in the middle of Alaska so we fly to every cruise port, even when we have done Alaskan cruises. But I don't enjoy long haul flights and so we always take a break between flights.

 

We did a B2B2B series this past spring with the Antarctic cruise being the first leg. The final leg for us was the Valparaiso to Ft. Lauderdale itinerary. For this set of cruises we purchased round trip tickets from Fairbanks to Ft. Lauderdale, used a shuttle service to meet us at the Ft. Lauderdale airport and take us to our Miami hotel, and then three days later flew from Miami to Buenos Aires. We had purchased business class tickets for the American flight down to BA, and had a lovely surprise when AA upgraded us to first class on that nine hour flight.

 

We spent several days in BA before boarding the Infinity, and I simply fell in love with the city. We enjoyed the South American cruises so much that while we were still on the Infinity we booked the BA to Valparaiso and then through the canal back to Miami cruises for 2017.

[Chemistry Teach]

I saw your posting and we will be flying from Baltimore to Ft Lauderdale and then out of Miami to BA the next day. I was wondering if you could share the name of the company you used. Thank you so much!

[Northern Aurora]

I saw your posting and we will be flying from Baltimore to Ft Lauderdale and then out of Miami to BA the next day. I was wondering if you could share the name of the company you used. Thank you so much!

 

There are a number of threads about shuttle services on the Florida Departures Cruise Critic forum. We used GO! Airport Shuttle (http://www.goairportshuttle.com) and were pleased. The Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle was about ten or fifteen minutes early but the driver was already waiting for us at the baggage carousel. So nice to see him standing there will our names on his sign. Given the flight schedules out of Alaska we had flown out of Fairbanks at 1:30 AM, had a brief layover in Seattle and then onto Ft. Lauderdale. I don't sleep well on planes so it wonderful to be delivered directly to our Miami hotel. We actually will use their services next month as we again fly into Ft. Lauderdale but will be taking a flight to Barcelona from Miami several days later.

[aquafemme]

We were not required to have any additional documentation on our trip.

 

Great! Thank you for letting me know. :)

[GottaKnowWhen]

I've been reading about the Watts tour. 2.5 hours (one way if my research is correct) over rough road with no bathroom breaks does not sound like something DW and I would really want to sign up for! I'm sure it's all very adventurous and all, but I think I'll opt for something a bit more tame.

 

MicCanberra...thanks so much for all the advice and links!! Pira sounds really interesting....is this also a tour that you'd recommend booking so far ahead of time? I've never heard of booking any excursion 18 months in advance.

 

 

We were on Infinity in Feb. 2015. You can find my review here on CC someplace. We booked the trip in mid-December 2014 and thus had no opportunity for 18-month advance planning. Pira Tour "Walk With the Penguins" was 8 on a 10-point scale. Estancia tours' trip to Volunteer Point was a 9.99 on a 10-point scale. Including the box lunch prepared by the operator's mother. Very bumpy ride in the Land Rover to get to the site, advise you sit in the front passenger seat if you have "motion" issues. The Punto Tombo tour was a 4-5 on a 10-point scale. More penguins, but more like being in a massive zoo with hundreds of other people, a much less personal experience. Sea was a bit bumpy crossing the Drake Passage. Saw many penguins, seals whales etc during our Antarctic drive-by. I would do the trip again in a heartbeat, right after we see Panama Canal and Chile and Easter Island and Norwegian fijords and Alaska and the Galapagos...