Journey - S.A. & Antarctica

[Susan-M]

Celebrity has posted their S.A. / Antarctica itineraries for Journey. I was hoping that this might be a good option for us to go to Antarctica but after seeing that the 18 day itinerary includes 6 port days and 11 sea/cruising days, I will have to keep searching as it doesn't appear that there is any opportunity to go ashore in Antarctica. The scenery will be beautiful; I'm sure the ship will be lovely, and prices seem reasonable for that length of cruise, but 11 sea days out of 18 and we would be 'climbing the walls.'

 

There are a number of smaller ships that cruise to Antarctica with zodiacs for shore excursions, which we will look more closely at, and save a trip on Journey or Quest for another destination.

[Sheik]

I totally agree with you!

[Rev22:17]

Susan,

 

Celebrity has posted their S.A. / Antarctica itineraries for Journey. I was hoping that this might be a good option for us to go to Antarctica but after seeing that the 18 day itinerary includes 6 port days and 11 sea/cruising days, I will have to keep searching as it doesn't appear that there is any opportunity to go ashore in Antarctica. The scenery will be beautiful; I'm sure the ship will be lovely, and prices seem reasonable for that length of cruise, but 11 sea days out of 18 and we would be 'climbing the walls.'

 

A lot of people think along those lines until they actually take a cruise with that much time at sea. In reality, cruise ships offer so much to do during the days at sea that nobody ever has time to be bored. On cruises with that many days at sea, you'll always find two or three guest lecturers with presentations on a variety of topics related to the destination and other topics of general interest. Also, you'll find many interesting activities for which shorter cruises simply do not have enough time.

 

There are a number of smaller ships that cruise to Antarctica with zodiacs for shore excursions, which we will look more closely at, and save a trip on Journey or Quest for another destination.

 

It's very unusual for a ship of this size to go to Antarctica and not provide opportunities to go ashore there, and I also would want to set foot on the continent if I'm going to spend the money to go there, even if for no other reason thatn to earn the "bragging rights" of having done so. Also, it would be fun to see penguins and other Antarctic flora and fauna in their natural environment --and apparently that's the rub. A lot of people share that desire, to the point where the number of visitors is now creating significant environmental concerns. In any case, it's likely that Celebirty is still working out the details of where and how passengers can go ashore and that there will be changes to the itinerary when those details are flushed out. thus, you might want to check back in a couple months for possible changes in Celebrity's itinerary.

 

Norm.

[Louise22]

I have been led to believe that in order to go ashore at different locations in Antarctica only 100 people are allowed off the ship at a time. It will probably be a once in a lifetime experience so do consider a smaller ship. I was there in February on the Clipper Adventurer and the only sea days - one there and one back - were crossing the Drake passage.

[Susan-M]

Susan,

A lot of people think along those lines until they actually take a cruise with that much time at sea. In reality, cruise ships offer so much to do during the days at sea that nobody ever has time to be bored.

Hi Norm: This will appeal to many people, but what my DH and I enjoy most about cruising are the destinations and the opportunity to spend time on land. A couple of sea/cruising days interspersed with mostly port days on a 12-14 day cruise is ideal for us. When we were in Alaska, I really enoyed our day of seeing the Hubbard Glacier from the ship, but to do it several days in a row, with no opportunity to step ashore, we would be bored and disappointed to be that close without actually stepping foot on Antarctica. In the Galapagos, had we only been able to cruise and view, it would not have been enough.

The guest lecturers are interesting, but I would rather be hearing it on shore with a naturalist.

There aren't very many shipboard activites that appeal to me, such as bingo, casino, trivia contests etc. I do enjoy the cooking demonstrations, but once a cruise is fine; we enjoy the evening entertainment and I have enjoyed some of the speakers but I have to admit that I look at most of this as "fillers" to stay occupied until we can go ashore again. This is the reason that we do more land than cruise vacations - but there are certain destinations that cruising has the advantage, and so far we have felt this way about the ones that we've taken - and thoroughly enjoyed them! With Antarctica, it's the only option and we are looking forward to it :)

It's very unusual for a ship of this size to go to Antarctica and not provide opportunities to go ashore there.

 

I've only looked at the 100-150 passenger boats and know that they go ashore via zodiac and/or helicopter. How do the bigger boats get people ashore on Antarctica?

[Susan-M]

I have been led to believe that in order to go ashore at different locations in Antarctica only 100 people are allowed off the ship at a time. It will probably be a once in a lifetime experience so do consider a smaller ship. I was there in February on the Clipper Adventurer and the only sea days - one there and one back - were crossing the Drake passage.

 

Hi Louise, How did you enjoy the Clipper Adventurer and what were you able to do on shore? We are looking at Quark which offers some on-shore activities - x-country skiing, overnight camping (my DH's idea of a good time!), kayaking & hiking.

[Louise22]

Hi, Susan - I very much enjoy the Adventurer. It was my third cruise on the ship to different parts of the world. However, it might not be what you have in mind as far as activities are concerned. There were long hikes for those who wished. We landed at Elephant Island, Deception Island, Paulet Island, Petermann Island, Paradise Island with other stops in between plus the Falkland Islands. There are some great trip reports on www.flyertalk.com. Go to the middle "Jump to Forums" and then click "Travel and Dining". Scroll down to the very bottom and select Antarctica. Because there have been no posts for a while select "Show Threads" for the last year. Should find anything you want to know there - a lot of good reading. Louise

[Susan-M]

Thanks Louise! - I'll check out the link.

[Rev22:17]

Susan-M,

 

I've only looked at the 100-150 passenger boats and know that they go ashore via zodiac and/or helicopter. How do the bigger boats get people ashore on Antarctica?

 

The larger ships probably call at a scientific research station where they can either moor at a pier or tender passengers ashore.

 

Norm.

[Susan-M]

Susan-M,

 

 

 

The larger ships probably call at a scientific research station where they can either moor at a pier or tender passengers ashore.

 

Norm.

 

But no indication of any Antarctica landings on Celebrity's itinerary .... as you mentioned earlier perhaps the details are still being worked out.

[greatam]

Due to the international Antarctica Treaty, only 100 people AT A TIME are allowed off the ship. Marco Polo is a very good example-400 pax ship, usually sold out. The day is divided up into 2 hour sections-100 people off the ship at a time. NOT much time for exploring for any group of pax.

 

I truly think these ships would be a waste of money for an Antarctica trip. No ice strenghtened hull (which is needed to get very far into the continent), larger than the Marco Polo (which already has problems loading and unloading all the pax and has been sited by the powers that be for having too many people on the Peninsula at one time). Other than a smaller ship, you would do just as well on HAL, Princess, Crystal, or any of the other "regular" cruiselines who "cruise" Antarctica.

 

If you truly want to be on land (and that was my only purpose when I went in 2005), look at one of the smaller ships that specializes in the Polar Regions. More expensive than the cruise ships. Corinthian II is the closest to true "cruise ship"-bedding, amenities, food. If you are going that far (and the airfare is NOT cheap), might as well see as much as possible.

 

You also must decide if you want research ship, expedition ship, or icebreaker.

 

I used this site to decide what I wanted (which turned out to be an Icebreaker-Semi Circumnavigation of Antarctica). I did not book with them-a company out of California was able to find me a room mate, so I save the single supplement.

 

http://www.polarcruises.com/index.htm

 

Long, expensive, truly once in a lifetime experience. But I sure saw Antarctica and am so very glad I went.

[Louise22]

There are quite a few other small ships which are true "cruise ships" which do the Antarctic and have ice-hardened hulls. The Adventurer is one - check out www.smallshipcruises.com. By the way, I was able to use my Alaska air miles (60,000) on American to fly from Seattle to Santiago and back from Buenos Aires. The tour price included the flights to and from Ushuaia.

[greatam]

There are quite a few other small ships which are true "cruise ships" which do the Antarctic and have ice-hardened hulls. The Adventurer is one - check out www.smallshipcruises.com. By the way, I was able to use my Alaska air miles (60,000) on American to fly from Seattle to Santiago and back from Buenos Aires. The tour price included the flights to and from Ushuaia.

 

You are correct about Adventurer. One of only TWO which are within the "luxury" cruise ship definition. A lot of the smaller "research" ships are very much like a college dorm-clean, functional, but certainly not luxurious in the vein of a cruise ship.

 

Then you have the expedition cruise ships. These ships are more cruise ship like. However, they generally only do the Antarctic Peninsula, maybe the Falklands and South Georgia. They generally don't get much further south than Port Lockroy.

 

The OP will have to decide whether the Antarctic Peninsula will suffice and whether expedition, research, small cruise ship, or big cruise ship will be the method of choice.

 

I know it took me over a year of research to find out what I REALLY wanted to do And the two things highest on my list were McMurdo Station and the Dry Valleys. I saw them both as well as a lot more. It truly was a trip of a lifetime.

[Louise22]

Sorry, I misunderstood - you didn't say "luxury" in your first post. However, there is one ship I would love to go on which is gorgeous and does Antarctica and that is the Orion. I think the National Geographic Endeavor must be a pretty nice ship too - it is used by Lindblad which is a pretty upscale tour company.

[XatSea]

From cruise news update:

 

NEW 12-DAY, AIR-INCLUSIVE ANTARCTICA EXPEDITION, PRICES STARTING AT $4,299, ADDED TO NORWEGIAN COASTAL VOYAGE SPRING SCHEDULE A new 12-day, air-inclusive Antarctica expedition cruise, priced at $4,299 to $5,999 per person, double -- combines the lively Argentinean city of the tango, Buenos Aires, with a five-day exploration of the White Continent. "Argentina & Antarctica," just added to Norwegian Coastal Voyage's 2007 schedule, has a departure date of February 28, 2007, and is the final sailing of the season for the 464-berth MS Nordkapp, rated Ice Class C and limited to 350 passengers. Included are round-trip flights between New York, Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, five-star hotel and breakfast in Buenos Aires, selected cabin category, all meals on board, naturalist guides, Antarctica shore landings - once or twice a day, orientation tours of Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, port charges and transfers. Add-on air is available from other US gateways; the higher rates are for suites. (Norwegian Coastal Voyage Inc., http://www.norwegiancoastalvoyage.us, December, 2006)

[amyr]

Louise - I was looking at the Orion website and the ship looked very familiar. Is it the sister to Celebrity Xpedition? It looked the same, albeit a little larger and nicer. Were they the two small ships that Renaissance had before they built the fleet that Journey came from?

 

I know Orion sails from Australia, and was hoping to book it in Febuary 2008 as a tack-on to a business trip DH is going on, but it's chartered for the month:( That business trip has ruined my tentative plans for Antarctica out of South America for the same time period, and I thought I'd found my solution. Oh well, back to the drawing board.

[Louise22]

I really don't know except that it went into service in 2003. Another ship that I am a big fan of and have done numerous trips on is the Clipper Odyssey. It is usually in that part of the world in February but I don't think the schedule is out for 2008. It is an Intrav ship. Just returned from a cruise from Brunei to Bali and the islands of Sulawesi and Komodo. Fantastic snorkeling - the best I have ever seen. The trip was on the Odyssey but leased for that cruise by Zegrahm.

[puntnose]

Hi All,

 

I have been on the Orion from Australia to Antarctica.

 

Heres the deal.

OK. It calls itself 5 star but essentially I'd call it 4 star, due to the lack of the big stuff like pools, shops and restaurants to choose from (they do have a sauna, gym and jacuzzi though) ...Its not "luxurious" but still VERY nice and is more than big enough comfotable enough for 180 passengers. But the ship isnt the reason most people would choose to go to Antarctica on this cruise.

 

It does cost quite a lot (minimum was around $10,000 per person for the cheapest room-a nice sized stateroom-including 5 star food and service...alcohol is extra).On this ship (due to where she sails from) you will spend at least 8-9 days at sea...up to 5 days at a time, in the VERY rough Southern Ocean with the very real risk of getting there and there being no WAY to land the Zodiacs.

 

There are two cruises (on this leg) to choose from. One sails each January and the other each Feb. The 15 day one leaves from Tasmania (Hobart) goes via some sub Antarctic Islands, to Antarctica ending in New Zealand (Christchurch) and the 20 day cruise does the reverse, but stays down there longer.

 

I reccommend saving the extra $5,000 to take the 20 day one as you WILL get to land more than once, you will see more, and you will truly feel satisfied that you have been on a real adventure.

 

I also must mention that while the Sub Antarctic islands have no ice on them, there is LOTS of birdlife, penguins and seals to get right up close to and make friends with. These Islands look like "Jurrassic Park" with amazing plant and tree life covering them ...no, no one lives there, but scientists do stay there for months at a time at research stations. These little Islands are also heavily protected by Laws by (on board) Customs Inspectors and a Park Ranger to protect the ecosystems from ANY damage (from man... again ). Youd be amazed at the dumb things some people tried to do...one lady tried to take FRUIT for a snack onto one of the islands and CRIED when she got into trouble...("ok, Im sorry...you can go and introduce some diseases to kill of the pengiuns and other wildlife then":( )

 

Of the five or six (or seven) stops scheduled, (on the 15 day cruise), only three were possible..one was in antactica itself at Cape Denison and the other two were on Sub Antarctic Islands. So there was a general feeling that we were very lucky to get to set foot on Land in Antarctica at all (covered in Ice...but still land) as there are so many variables of weather and mother nature in general.

 

On the way there, noone got bored as we had to be "educated" re how, why and what to do once we got there. Orion hires a team of experts to give lectures on their field of expertise (eg Birds>Pengiuns< Ice< Photography< an Author who had written a book about Mawsons Hut and scientists who had lived there for one year>All were Antarctic experts.

 

As far as other 'entertainment' goes, There is a Fine Dining restaurant which also holds buffets at breakfast/lunch time. The food was excellent and abundant.

 

On Orion being the size it is, there are only two areas in which to hold live entertainment. One is a little Bar at the front of the ship, plus there is a lounge-type Bar area that doubles as a Dance Bar til late. Movies are also shown each night in the lecture Hall.

 

We were very lucky to have sailing with us, a wonderfully talented husband and wife Musical 'team' (Kim and Lyn) from Melbourne, Australia, who seemed to be able to do anything. They performed together and individually at different times during the long days to keep us entertained (if we so desired). She was an excellent solo pianist/vocalist and he a talented guitarist/vocalis. They entertained us in the afternoons, during cocktails, at Parties AND after dinner til late every night. We thought (for a nano-second) it may get a bit tedious with no other choices but amazingly they somehow made each night totally different.

 

The Music on this cruise was something special. These two were a Jazz combo one night, a Country and Western Duo the next, and a Rock and Roll or 30's and 40's Dance Band the next! They backed the Crew Show and held a Guest Talent Quest. Also, when it got too rough to dance, they held little concerts. They would dim the lighting and make the room all cosy changing the entire feel of the room, turning it into a lounge bar. We would gather around them requesting songs til WE were exhausted and realised we would never stump them! I dont remember them repeating a song unless we asked them to! I have never seen anyone like them before or since and Orion must have paid them a fortune for all the work they did! As regular cruisers know, you usually never see the ship musicians in the daylight hours, but these two seemed to be always around chatting and socialising wth the guests and helping us in and out of our gear. PLUS they ran Trivia and other conpetitions every day! We were told they shared the usual tiny crew cabin and were together 24/7! I imagined they would be at home in any venue or ship in the world.

 

Anyway, back to the expedition. Everyone who wanted to get off the ship did, and all got to see millions of penguins (ok movie time...think 'Happy Feet' millions...they arent yet endangered:)) seals up close and whales etc...but I think a lot of people were far too seasick to appreciate it at that stage (after about four days at sea).

 

Seeing your first Iceberg is amazing, but NOTHING prepares you for the first sight of "Antarctica proper". There was not ONE person who wasnt speechless and awed at that first sight. You cannot imagine the scale of Antarctica, nor can you even guess at how Shackleton and Mawson even got here in the firs place without all the space age technology our Captain had to rely on!

 

Apart from the fact we reached Antarctia at 3am, NO ONE was alseep ...it was impossible. The ship, while having a steel hull, is not an icebreaker and has to dodge and thump into LOTS of ice to nudge it out of the way (no, not "Titanic" sized bergs...this IS like a movie review:D !). The pack ice gets thicker and thikcer the closer you get to Antarctica and the ship literally carves its way through it...

 

Once you get there, Cape Denison (where Mawsons Hut is) surprisingly opens up into an actual Bay and the ship can drop anchor not far from land.

 

You then have to get off the ship and onto the Zodiacs from a kind of "door" at the side of the ship. Its far too hard to get off at the back sun deck (where you would if you were in tropical waters) in this sea. This process can take a while, and can be a very daunting experience. You have to TOTALLY depend on three or four (trained) people to get you physically into and out of the Zodiac. The weather...or rather the wind, can change in a split second and a LOT depends on the onboard weather experts reading weather maps as to the times you can get off and back onto the ship. There was usually about a 2-3 hour 'kind-of calm' in the middle of the day.

 

You have to stay with your guides (of course) and cant just wander off, as it is VERY protected environmentally these days...and there are VERY large fines for doing anything stupid (leaving ANYTHING behind for example carries a HUGE tens of $1000's fine).

 

The beauty of the place...the ice,the rugged alien landscape, the inhospitable weather conditions and the fact man cant get down there and ruin it (yet) means it has the purest air on the planet (you would truly get dizzy if you were from LA or New York) The whiteness of the ice is almost blinding and you need dark glasses to even look at it in sunlight.

 

The vibrance of the colours in the sky will shock you when you first see what mother nature can turn on without any interference from us!. It is indescribable. The colours, the different constantly changing hues against the brightest blue sky and white, white ice, are incredible...almost unbelievable and you do really feel as if you are on another...very Alien..Planet. You also feel VERY far from civilizartion (if you like that feeling which I do). No picture I have ever seen or taken can capure what it is really like in real life...and THAT, my friends is why it is so expensive...but I will endeavor to load some up if anyone wants to see them.

 

We hit at least two blizzards (I like rough sea, and dont suffer from sea sickness, but i was pretty darn sick of the sea I can tell you). You have to actually sit on the floor...literally...to put underwear and sox on, plus layers and layers of clothes you need (it is way below freezing with a wind chiill factor of -70 degrees) if you intend to step outside onto the deck anytime during the cruise...and you cannot, go down there and stay inside trust me!

 

So I would suggest if you are used to the gorgeous luxury and want more of the same, this ship isnt for you. You don't need to be young but you do, need to be relatively fit and healthy. 50 people were turned away (due to the required medical exam ). You also have to be prepared for your whole cruise to be suddenly rescheduled because of weather and sea conditons.

 

The ship only holds about 180 passenger (and in answer to the earlier person who said only 100 can get off at once...not quite right, but it does take a LOT of time getting people on and off in lots of ten). You are required to wear thick coats, boots and ski pants (which by the way were all included in the price and you get to keep them) with thermals underneath, a balaclava and gloves etc..

 

And if that wasnt enough of an effort the onboard Ranger and Customs make sure NO ONE steps onto the ice without disinfecting boots iin a bath of disinfectant (which is to stop any of our hideous human diseases ruining the whole ecosystem, so it has to be done)

 

It is for those who can afford it and want something different or are looking for adventure (think 'Kokoda Trail' type advenutre ...extreme with very comfortable accomodation to retire to each night)

 

May I also suggest that IF you REALLY want to see Antarctica (and feel it) in all its glory...there is no other way to go, but from Australia. On other ships, you dont get to experience the Southern Ocean at its majestic finest, or see most of the amzing places man has managed to (kind of) conquer. Mawsons Hut is like a frozen piece of time. Even clothes, tins of food and newspapers are still all down there as the explorers left them and are still intact.

 

The reason you can only go during Jan/Feb is because its too wild, cold and dark any other time.

 

There is 24 hours daylight at that time iof the year. The sun doesnt set, it just kind of scoots along the Horizon changing the sky to brilliant Orange, Hottest Pinks, Purples and Yellows for 4 hours a day.

 

The Icebergs are SO huge. One took us ALL DAY to get around at 178km long and 9km wide (!) They are the whitesst white with brilliant turquoise,similar to the colour of the tropical sea mixed with purples, azures and greens) at their bases and in "caves".

 

The sea isnt rough once you are there and its like oil...the ship glides along silently through it, and every now and the dead silence is broken by the sound of an iceberg scraping along the side of the ship, or the loud crackling of the Icebergs....it sounds like LOUD ice cubes being dropped into water.

 

Orion isnt like any other cruise and shouldnt be compared with them either. The Phillipino staff are amazing (considering they come from a tropical climate). The Captain was German (His young good looks defied the fact this was his 80th voyage to Antarctica!) The rest of the Crew was like a meeting at the United Nations with all countries represented.

 

I hope that helps any of you wondering what its like and/or who may be bored with 'regular' cruising or looking for adventure.

 

It is a REAL expedition with all its uncertainty (well, kind of, you are never in real danger unless you do something stupid)...or you may get knocked on the head by something in your room that's getting flung around by the wild seas while you are trying to put your socks on in the southrn Ocean haha :o

Heres the website, go take a look www.orioncruises.com.au