Cruises from New Zealand to Antarctica

[Korimako]

Are there any cruise lines which go to the Antarctic and originate in New Zealand (or Australia)? We really don't want to have to fly all the way to South America to board.

Thanks

[MJC]

Your question made me curious.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=4404

 

https://www.affordabletours.com/cruises/d/port/antarctica/hobart-australia/?destination=5&sorter=3

 

https://vivaexpeditions.com/tours/antarctica/antarctica-from-new-zealand-australia

 

Edited December 25, 2021 by MJC

[cruising cockroach]

Doesn't do a round-trip but this one would be heck of an Antarctica cruise

 

Cruise From Dumont d’Urville to Mawson: retracing Heroic Age expeditions From Dunedin To Ushuaia - February 2023 | Ponant

[lissie]

We cruised with Heritage last summer - but not to Antarctica. They have 2 dates scheduled for this season - ex Invercargill Antarctic & Macquarie Island Voyage | Heritage Expeditions (heritage-expeditions.com) - its not a luxury cruise. Our cabins although comfortable were not ensuite.  However we had lots of specialists on board : geologists, ecologists, orthinologists  etc. Its rough old ride though in an ice-strengthened ship - take good meds with you. 

 

This was the trip report from our cruise with them - the ship is the same that goes to Antarctica 

 

Edited December 26, 2021 by lissie

[Aus Traveller]

22 hours ago, Korimako said:

Are there any cruise lines which go to the Antarctic and originate in New Zealand (or Australia)? We really don't want to have to fly all the way to South America to board.

Thanks

A major reason Antarctic cruises from Ushuaia (South America) are so popular is that it is the closest land to the Antarctic Peninsula. Some cruises include stops at the Falkland Islands and South Georgia (fantastic for wildlife).

 

From Aust or NZ it is a much longer journey to the Antarctic continent and it would be a different experience (mainly icebergs and ice) from ones that go to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia where the emphasis is on wildlife.

[Korimako]

 

 

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=4404

 

https://www.affordabletours.com/cruises/d/port/antarctica/hobart-australia/?destination=5&sorter=3

 

https://vivaexpeditions.com/tours/antarctica/antarctica-from-new-zealand-australia

 

I looked at these, but the only ones leaving from a NZ port are very expensive and we're neither of us active enough to do an expedition type cruise. We'd also not consider anything with shared facilities. We'd definitely be in the 'drive-by' category!!

Oh well, will have to cross that off my bucket list.

 

[Aus Traveller]

7 minutes ago, Korimako said:

I looked at these, but the only ones leaving from a NZ port are very expensive and we're neither of us active enough to do an expedition type cruise. We'd also not consider anything with shared facilities. We'd definitely be in the 'drive-by' category!!

Oh well, will have to cross that off my bucket list.

 

I went on a 21-night cruise from Ushuaia to the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica with Quark. I wanted to get close to the wildlife and we certainly did that. It was fantastic (and expensive), but I would not have been content with a drive-by. Although I researched the trip ahead of time, I found it to be quite strenuous. Except for the sea days, we did three landings on most days and were on the go from early in the morning. Getting into and out of the zodiacs wasn't easy at the start. We wore heavy clothing and heavy boots so walking a distance on land was tiring. Anyway, I loved it!

[lissie]

I'd agree - you need a certain level of fitness. My partner struggled a bit - particularly putting the boots on and off in fact I did too. In the end as we were only in southern NZ and it wasn't freezing we swapped boots  for water shoes which have good grip and  used them.  

 

You get quite good getting in and out of zodiacs after a day or 2 - the boots were much more of an issue for him