Antarctica questions

[randyjoan]

We have a deposit down on the Dec. 16 to Jan. 6 cruise to Antarctica, starting in Buenos Aires.  What do folks think about this trip? How difficult is the Drake Passage? And, is there anyone looking to join us in booking some excursions?

[Red Haired Lady]

48 minutes ago, randyjoan said:

We have a deposit down on the Dec. 16 to Jan. 6 cruise to Antarctica, starting in Buenos Aires.  What do folks think about this trip? How difficult is the Drake Passage? And, is there anyone looking to join us in booking some excursions?

This is the rollcall for your cruise. That would be a good place to find people wanting to share excursions. 

 

 

[RuthC]

Let's take care of the last question first: the place to find other passengers who might be interested in sharing an excursion is on your Roll Call, which is another forum on this site. 

As to what I think of this trip, I liked it enough to take it three times! Antarctica is a special place. I have been to a lot of cold weather places in this world, but Antarctica is unique. You will never be sorry you took the trip. 

The Drake Passage can be either the Drake Lake or the Drake Shake---you take your chances. And if you have a rough crossing, you also take the meds to make it easier, and remind yourself 'This, too, shall pass'. If it's rough on the way over, you forget all about it when you experience Antarctica. If it's rough on the way back, you know it won't last long, while you remember what you saw. 

Oh, and the rest of the ports aren't too shabby, either. Very interesting cultures, architecture, foods, sites. 

[REOVA]

Drake is uncertain. HAL cruises takes you on outer region of some beautiful areas but can be changed due to weather and ice. If you are looking for more in depth experience you may try a cruise line that has Polar class ships and offer kayaking or Zodiac boats to get on land. 

[randyjoan]

Thanks for the responses. Anything else we need to know about the cruise, the ship or recommended excursions? So you go through the Drake passage twice? I better bring a lot of patches! 

[randyjoan]

We're not looking for in-depth experiences, but just want to make sure we see enough of the continent.

[Roz]

What ship are you sailing?

[OlsSalt]

1 hour ago, randyjoan said:

We're not looking for in-depth experiences, but just want to make sure we see enough of the continent.

 

You will see only a very small part of the entire continent- the map shows you were you will be going. Mainly just an arm of the full continent and passage way through some of the adjacent islands. This is where the sailing will become serene as one is protected by land on two sides.  

 

I honestly do not even remember if the Drake was shaky or quiet because seeing what we did see of this down under continent eclipsed everything prior. You will take another passage up to the Falklands, or vice versa if you are coming down from the Falklands - also known for its rough seas on occasion too.

 

That said, it is a fabulous cruise and agree with prior posters, it is unlike anything you will see anywhere else. And penguins, penguins, penguins. One of the best HAL itineraries, and one many of us want to repeat again and again. Oh yes, and whales, whales, whales too...

 

The weather is too variable for any predictions. Some times full sun - almost 24 hours long, and other times misty with peaks are lost in the clouds. You made a good pick, but be sure you know this will be only a teaser to the rest of this immense continent which is expedition travel; not cruise ship travel.

[visagrunt]

If you're only going to do Antarctica once, I recommend considering whether a sail past is the way to do it.

There are plenty of operators of expedition ships doing cruises with landings on the white continent.  And while they are considerably more expensive than a larger ship, there is no substitute for setting foot on the seventh continent.

We did the Antarctic peninsula on Ponant in 2017 and it is the best travel experience we have ever bought.  And don't be put off by the "expedition" label.  The oldest passenger on our sailing was 91 and she was getting in and out of the zodiacs with the rest of us.

[randyjoan]

Thanks for the replies. Roz, we’re sailing on the Oosterdam, which I’ve seen mixed reviews.

[SightCRR]

Check on the Antarticia and also the South America ports boards. Lots of good info. Read a little about the drive by vs stand on tours until you get tired of them and skip them once you made your decision. sightcrr. 

[Gallivanter'sGal]

We sailed on the Seaborn Quest and were able to enjoy zodiac tours and landings.  I would highly recommend, if possible, to select a cruise where you actually get on the ice vs the drive by.

 

[RuthC]

16 hours ago, randyjoan said:

So you go through the Drake passage twice?

On the way over to Antarctica, then again on the way back. 

[ghstudio]

itineraries for Antarctic and Falkland cruises are general guidelines...not fixed.  50% of the ships never get into the Falklands due to weather......and you may find that your drake passage crossing is delayed a day or two.  Our crossing on Celebrity was delayed for a day due to extremely bad weather (the expedition ships were turning around) so we sailed the length of the beagle passage which wasn't even on our itinerary....crossed the next day in calm water.  I'm glad we went...not sorry we did a "drive by"..we saw enough penguins at other ports (yes, we did get to the Falklands).....In clear weather, it's beautiful...and interesting seeing icebergs and thinking about the Titanic.  The main reason go go is...to say you've been there or because you haven't been there.  That sounds harsh, but there are lots of incredibly beautiful areas to cruise that one should consider doing first....Norway, beagle channel, galapagos, iceland, halong bay....I could go on.  

[Hlitner]

We assume the OP is aware of the various restrictions (many of them quite new) on large non-expedition ships when they get near Antarctica.  I say "near" because what HAL does is commonly called a "drive by cruise" because the ship is not permitted to go to a lot of best places in the region.  Many lines (i.e. Viking, Seabourn, Hurtigruten, Ponent, etc) have so-called "Exploration Ships" that are designed for the polar regions (most meet the Polar 6 standards) which allow them to get deeper into the Antarctic region and conduct excursions ashore (usually done via Zodiac craft).  

 

As to the Drake Passage, it can be calm or it can be brutal.  Just this past winter a brand new exploration ship (Viking Cruises) was hit by a rogue wave which smashed the windows of several cabins and killed a passenger.  And this was a new ship that met the international standards for those waters.  None of the HAL vessels come near meeting the required Polar 6 standards.  

 

But for those who cannot afford the high cost, or handle the physical requirements, a drive-by cruise is the only other option.

 

Hank

[BSinPNS]

We thoroughly enjoyed our Antarctic cruise on the Oosterdam this past January.  We spent four days in Antarctica and were within a few thousand yards of the expedition ships like the Viking Octanus which was involved in the incident in the Drake Passage mentioned by Hank.  One must remember that the O-dam is three times (GWT) larger than the expedition ships.  While we cannot claim we walked on the continent, we certainly had a wonderful experience.  Instead on boarding a zodiac to climb ashore, we visited penguins in Punta Arenas, Ushuaia, Port Stanley, and Puerto Madryn.  We would highly recommend a visit with Magellanic penguins at the El Pedral Estancia.  It's a private excursion that can be located on Google.  One of our fellow passengers created several YouTube videos on the trip including this one in Antarctica.  Bob 

 

[alyssamma]

5 hours ago, Gallivanter'sGal said:

We sailed on the Seaborn Quest and were able to enjoy zodiac tours and landings.  I would highly recommend, if possible, to select a cruise where you actually get on the ice vs the drive by.

 

Can you give specifics of why you say this? I am.looking at one of these cruises and don't care about seeing the penguins in Antarctica...am happy to see them elsewhere if at all. I really just care about scenery.

 

I haven't heard any specifics of why an expedition is better than a drive by...other than seeing penguins which you can see elsewhere.

 

At one time I wondered if a drive by would be considered as actually being there, but then I thought about taking a drive through Montana where I spent 4 days looking at the scenery, but slept and showered in the car (lol, say it is an RV). I would certainly consider myself as having been to Montana in that case.

[rafinmd]

10 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

Can you give specifics of why you say this? I am.looking at one of these cruises and don't care about seeing the penguins in Antarctica...am happy to see them elsewhere if at all. I really just care about scenery.

 

I haven't heard any specifics of why an expedition is better than a drive by...other than seeing penguins which you can see elsewhere.

 

At one time I wondered if a drive by would be considered as actually being there, but then I thought about taking a drive through Montana where I spent 4 days looking at the scenery, but slept and showered in the car (lol, say it is an RV). I would certainly consider myself as having been to Montana in that case.

I think there is a distinction.  In Montana I'm quite sure at some point you got out of the RV, perhaps for groceries or gas.  I think at least at that point you truly set foot in Montana.  While on Amtrak's Empire Builder I used the same logic with a fellow passenger who had never been to North Dakota.  I said she could claim it for sure if she stepped off at the service stop in Minot, even to stretch her legs she could then for sure claim being in North Dakota.

 

A couple of other distinctions.  Suppose sailed into New York, spent a night in a hotel, and then boarded a cruise to Bermuda.  Could you claim North America?  Did you actually set foot on North America or just on the Island of Manhattan?  Similarly, most Antarctic expedition cruises make landings on islands just off the coast of the continent.  I sailed an very small expedition ship in 1997 and made several landings but only one of them was on the actual continent and it was very icy and treacherous.  I would not do it today, but I can actually claim I have been on all 7 continents.  How far are you willing to go on bragging rights and how important are they to you?  I'm glad I did it ONCE but absolutely loved my 2 subsequent drive by cruises and saw a lot of great wildlife.

 

Roy

[OlsSalt]

We came close to returning to this area on a SilverSea Expedition ship - mainly to get to South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha on a repositioning back to Capetown.

 

Quite frankly the extra work, cleaning protocols and required clothing for "landings" did not sound like a good trade-off for being able to say one put their foot on the ground on this continent. The intimacy of the scenery on "drive-by" was equally rewarding. Rather than waiting for your turn on the Zodiac, and never knowing if/when you might be suddenly called back to the mother ship due to weather. 

 

However, getting to South Georgia, as we are Shakleton fans, is till out there on our wish list. Just not near the top any longer due to cost and difficulties.  Constantly changing "covid protocols" made the decision for us, so we ended up cancelling that Silver Sea expedition cruise.

 

Makes no sense to demean someone as "not being able to afford" an expedition cruise, when in fact it is perfectly good decision to visit this area only on a comfortable drive-by.

[SightCRR]

Since you are asking about O-dam look at the archives of the web cam. Find the dates and then go along with the ship. You can rotate, zoom and move it all kinds of ways. They were in Stanley FI on 26 Jan 23.    Webcam Holland America Line - Oosterdam - PANOMAX 360°

sightcrr

[alyssamma]

7 hours ago, rafinmd said:

I think there is a distinction.  In Montana I'm quite sure at some point you got out of the RV, perhaps for groceries or gas.  I think at least at that point you truly set foot in Montana.  While on Amtrak's Empire Builder I used the same logic with a fellow passenger who had never been to North Dakota.  I said she could claim it for sure if she stepped off at the service stop in Minot, even to stretch her legs she could then for sure claim being in North Dakota.

 

A couple of other distinctions.  Suppose sailed into New York, spent a night in a hotel, and then boarded a cruise to Bermuda.  Could you claim North America?  Did you actually set foot on North America or just on the Island of Manhattan?  Similarly, most Antarctic expedition cruises make landings on islands just off the coast of the continent.  I sailed an very small expedition ship in 1997 and made several landings but only one of them was on the actual continent and it was very icy and treacherous.  I would not do it today, but I can actually claim I have been on all 7 continents.  How far are you willing to go on bragging rights and how important are they to you?  I'm glad I did it ONCE but absolutely loved my 2 subsequent drive by cruises and saw a lot of great wildlife.

 

Roy

So, my real Q was OTHER than bragging rights is there much of a difference?

 

And I specifically made my car an RV so I wouldn't have to get out. We stocked up on potato chips and pop tarts before hitting the border so didn't need to get out, lol.

 

I have done either yet (drive by or expedition) so really am not qualified to speak...but I think for me personally I'll consider it done.

 

I think your NY example would be better if you, for instance, sailed up he Hudson from NYC into Canada and then out to Bermuda. I think I'd say you'd been to North America in that case.

 

Too late to edit my original reply...but add to this a helicopter ride over the grand canyon. I think that would count as visiting it.

[Ride-The-Waves]

6 hours ago, alyssamma said:

So, my real Q was OTHER than bragging rights is there much of a difference?

 

And I specifically made my car an RV so I wouldn't have to get out. We stocked up on potato chips and pop tarts before hitting the border so didn't need to get out, lol.

 

I have done either yet (drive by or expedition) so really am not qualified to speak...but I think for me personally I'll consider it done.

 

I think your NY example would be better if you, for instance, sailed up he Hudson from NYC into Canada and then out to Bermuda. I think I'd say you'd been to North America in that case.

 

Too late to edit my original reply...but add to this a helicopter ride over the grand canyon. I think that would count as visiting it.

My spouse's favorite analogy : as her parents drove Manhattan in the 1950s: "Look out the rear window to experience the Empire State Building."  NO - a driveway in NOT the same as experiencing Antarctica on land.  We did it on Hurtigruten Fram with landings south of the Antarctic Circle.  If you are spending the coin to get there, spend a few more and do landings.  We did 12 in different locations, ranging from rocky or volcanic ash to mooring pier side at a station.  Another good analogy: seeing a tulip in a flower pot and visiting Keukenhof in April.

Edited May 22, 2023 by Ride-The-Waves

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

My spouse's favorite analogy : as her parents drove Manhattan in the 1950s: "Look out the rear window to experience the Empire State Building."  NO - a driveway in NOT the same as experiencing Antarctica on land.  We did it on Hurtigruten Fram with landings south of the Antarctic Circle.  If you are spending the coin to get there, spend a few more and do landings.  We did 12 in different locations, ranging from rocky or volcanic ash to mooring pier side at a station.  Another good analogy: seeing a tulip in a flower pot and visiting Keukenhof in April.

These are the analogies I hear all the time, but it isn't really the same. It's comparing a very quick sight to spending more time looking.

 

My examples are helicopter over the grand canyon, cruising the Hudson from NYC to Canada, or taking 4 days and driving through Montana. None of these are remotely like looking out a back window.or seeing a single flower.

 

So you are saying in the above examples, you have NOT been to the grand canyon, not visited the continent of north America, and not visited the state of Montana?

 

And, to be clear, this has nothing to do with money. I think @olsalt said it best above. I'm really going these for scenery only. And since I have no desire to go to Australia, I'll never got all 7 continents

Edited May 22, 2023 by alyssamma

[rafinmd]

I think you will be fine on the Oosterdam.

 

Roy

[Gallivanter'sGal]

I say to each their own!  For us, the zodiac rides and walking among the penguins, seals, etc was amazing.  Once we were in the zodiac and a leopard seal popped his head out of the water a mere inches from the side of the boat and just stayed there for several minutes observing us...he was so close we could have reached over and touched him (but we wanted to keep our body parts intact so didn't of course).  We were so close to the penguins that we were able to see their eggs/babies and watch them fend off the attacks from the predator birds wanting to steal the eggs/chicks.  We observed cool standoffs on the "penguin highways" that could not be seen from a ship or in a zoo.  We stopped at two research stations and were able to speak with the soldiers assigned there to learn about living in the isolation of these Antarctica stations.  Was the cruising scenery spectacular?  Yes it was.  Was it amazing to be up close and personal with the wildlife and terrain? Yes it was.  Would I do it again?  Yes I would.