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Antarctica Cruises

by Alison Cole

Antarctica is one of the coldest places on earth. It is a scarcely populated continent with around 1,000 people in winter to over 30,000 in summer. Even though Antarctica is not an easy place to visit, large numbers of tourists visit the continent every year. These tourists usually go as a part of an organized expeditionary cruise, which is frequently guided by experts who are a mixture of seasoned seafarers, and ice or wildlife experts.

Most of the cruise trips to the Antarctica are for about 10 days to 3 weeks from port to port, though longer or shorter trips are possible. If you want, you can even arrange your own trip with other people by hiring a small vessel operator and running your own itinerary. The cost is negotiable, but $7,000 -$10,000 for a two-week cruise is a reasonable amount if you choose to travel in your own vessel. The cruise visits to Antarctica are generally concentrated at ice-free coastal zones over the Antarctic summer. In high summer, the five-month period from November to March, you can witness a 20+ hours of daylight.

Taking into consideration the climatic conditions of the continent, your choice of ship can make a big difference to your journey and experiences. First of all, Antarctic cruises aren't like the more well-known cruises to warmer climates, with discos and showbiz entertainment, though the larger the ship, the more likely there is to be entertainment provided. Rather, you will find on the cruise a number of well-informed and experienced cruise guides who will give lectures on a regular basis about various aspects of Antarctic history and natural history. There are certain rules laid down for the cruise entering the continent. One of the main rules that might impact on your visit is that only 100 passengers at any one time may land in any one place in Antarctica. If you are on a small ship of up to 100 passengers, then you get a chance to go ashore every time. Although, surprisingly, there are number of people who go to Antarctica even though they never get a chance to leave the ship, since the ship, being larger, offers fewer opportunities for landing. The choice, obviously, is yours.

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