cruise to antarctica

[PerfectlyPerth]

8 hours ago, Nitemare said:

When we went to Antarctica last year, we were told it's a 200 passenger limit for getting onto the continent, with no more than 100 at a time.

Our ship can carry 220 or so passengers, but they limit sales to 200 to reach these limits

 

Not entirely correct. 

 

From IAATO

 

WHAT ARE THE SIZES (PASSENGER CAPACITY) OF SHIPS TRAVELING TO ANTARCTICA?
IAATO membership includes organizers who operate:

• Small sailing or motor vessels (carrying less than 12 passengers and making landings);
• Expedition vessels carrying 13 - 500 passengers and making landings. Expedition vessels can be either Category 1 (13-200 passengers) or Category 2 (201-500), with the main difference being the number of sites available for landing. Category 1 vessels have a broader range of possible landing sites.
• Cruise-only vessels carrying more than 500 passengers and which are not making landings. The Membership Directory lists the member companies, describes their programs and provides contact details.

 

The '100 on land' rule is also dependent on the zone itself. I have personally been to many landing zones where there is a 10 person, or 50 person rule. 

 

The expedition operators use a good rotational system for those zones - particularly the historical huts. Having people out doing scenic zodiac cruises then swapping with landings. 

[PerfectlyPerth]

On 12/2/2019 at 5:47 AM, clo said:

My late father-in-law was still swimming five days a week at the Y when he was 90!

 

Indeed. Age is just a number. My grandfather had a double knee reconstruction at 98 because it was interfering with his skydiving landings!!

[Nitemare]

Thanks, PP, very interesting info.  Must have been for Category 1 landings.

 

do we know where Cat 2 landings are and which ships qualify?

[SarniaLo]

With more than 200 passengers some landing sites are off-limit so it's not completely wrong, landing options are restricted, but some sites are accessible for landings to ships between 200 and 500 passengers. Above 500 passengers it's no landings at all.

Edit : oops I've missed a whole page of reply so this has already been covered! 🙂

Edited December 3, 2019 by SarniaLo

[PerfectlyPerth]

On 12/3/2019 at 9:45 PM, Nitemare said:

Thanks, PP, very interesting info.  Must have been for Category 1 landings.

 

do we know where Cat 2 landings are and which ships qualify?

Its all covered in detail on the IAATO website. There are downloadable PDFs for every single landing zone on the continent and all Sub-Antarctic islands that outline the history, topography, permissions and restrictions for that zone. On my 4 trips there were always plenty of photocopies in the ship library for people to refer to or take as a souvenir.

 

Some of it is briefer detail is also on the IAATO phone app  https://iaato.org/documents/10157/1904961/IAATO+Polar+Guide+Antarctica+app+.pdf/0127be9b-52f8-436e-9718-7f2b855f0f7b

 

 

Edited December 7, 2019 by PerfectlyPerth

[Nitemare]

Thanks again, Perth!