Travel agent is easier?

[Saffy2yrs]

I booked my first ever cruise (princess to alaska) myself, and it was easy and fun.  For Antarctica, should I go through an 'expedition' focused travel agent?  I am not asking for recommendations, just want to know other's preferences.    If Yes, why/with examples, also if No, please give examples.

 

 

[PerfectlyPerth]

My personal preference is to book direct with the expedition company themselves. They own and operate the vessels and employ the expedition team and know the region like the back of their hand. I have never seen any need to involve a third party agent (who has likely never set foot in Antarctica) in the equation. I have been 4 times with two companies.

 

The Antarctica forum on Trip Advisor has a FAQ list that includes the names of every Expedition company and most of the charter companies (a charter company is one who will charter part or or a whole vessel for a specific expedition).

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowForum-g1-i12337-Antarctic_Adventures.html

[kaisatsu]

I booked my first Antarctic expedition through a cruise agent I’d worked with before, and I regretted it. If you have the time and interest, I definitely recommend researching it yourself.

 

If you do end up going with a travel agent, I would suggest going with a company that specifically targets polar expeditions. There are a lot of nuances that an agent is unlikely to be aware of unless they have quite a bit of experience in the region.