Recommendations for Antarctica lines?

Morning coffee on the balcony??? At 28 F with a 15-20 knot wind..😩

As for the duration. Definitely suggest including the Falklands and South Georgia. I consider South Georgia one of the highlights of our trip.

Morning coffee on the balcony??? At 28 F with a 15-20 knot wind..😩

 

As for the duration. Definitely suggest including the Falklands and South Georgia. I consider South Georgia one of the highlights of our trip.

I've read reviews of people doing just that and enjoying it. Is that MCO in your nic referring to Orlando? That might explain it...:). We were brought up in cold winters.

Curious. How was SG different from the peninsula?

Morning coffee on a balcony? Your wife enjoys cold coffee?

Anyone we have seen sitting outside on deck, as opposed to actively looking out for wildlife, has found a sheltered spot and has been wrapped up in warm clothing with hats and gloves. The sheltered spot varies and depends on the wind and in which direction the ship is sailing. A balcony is fixed.

South Georgia, when we were there, had much less ice and snow on landings but huge colonies of King penguins (much larger than any colony of any species we saw on the peninsula, and Kings are not present on the peninsula), along with large numbers of elephant seals and fur seal pups. It is a very different experience and one, along with the Falklands, not to be missed if at all possible.

We also read several bad reviews about Ponant, and discussed them with a high end travel agent who has several clients on them to get her feedback.

She explained to us that Ponant is a French line, and has marketed to French nationals for many years, and that in the past several years they have been marketing to US clients, among others. Some of her clients have loved the line, and some of her clients have not loved the line. She likened it to Americans who travel abroad and prefer to stay in a Hilton or Four Seasons rather than the ones who prefer the small boutique hotel experience. Both wonderful to the right client, but to the wrong client can be a bad fit. Travelers who prefer the differences of a non-chain hotel experience will do better with Ponant.

She pointed out that Ponant will have more multi-national guests than several other lines, which some people love and some dislike.

As to the food, it is mostly high end French food, with smaller portions and fancy presentation, with meals taking a longer amount of time, in the French manner, and not as many choices per meal. This also does not suit everybody.

All of these issues sounded like a positive to me, so I went with it. But agree aren't for many.

She did say that with the changing of their marketing to US travelers, they had been making some adjustments onboard to be a better fit to Americans.

When I return, I will do a full and honest review, but that will not be for almost a year and a half from now.

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Morning coffee on the balcony??? At 28 F with a 15-20 knot wind..😩

 

As for the duration. Definitely suggest including the Falklands and South Georgia. I consider South Georgia one of the highlights of our trip.

Agree !!

LOL unless the ship is conveniently anchored in a small wind free bay and positioned specifically so that your balcony is protected at the exact time you want this - you will not be leisurely hanging out on the balcony having coffee. Hilarious ! Its not a Bahama's cruise.

And agree that you would be doing yourself a real disservice to skip FI and SGI. They are worth every cent and every second of your time.

Also check when is best for you. Late Jan and Feb more whales, penguins have chicks but elephant seals malting so they are pretty dormant. Nov or Dec lots of mating going on with associated activity. We did Jan in 2014. Best trip ever. We are back in Nov 2017.

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We have travelled to Antarctica and the Arctic four times and are returning to Antarctica once again later this year on Hurtigruten's Fram. She offers a really good compromise between size, cost and comfort. A cabin low down and midships is usually best for comfort and cost. We would never pay to sway!

 

In terms of a balcony, we would never use one. If you're on the lookout for wildlife then you need to be on deck to have the freedom to move from side to side and bow to stern. The only times were are in our cabin is when we are asleep, showering or changing.

 

The age range on each of our trips has been from 20s to 80s, with a single 'single figure' child on two of them. I'm not sure what the 'middle aged' have in common with each other that they don't with the rest of the population. We have always found attributes other than age to be relevant to our enjoyment.

 

You can find, and ask for, endless advice at https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g1-i12337-Antarctic_Adventures.html. Links at the top right of the page lead to FAQs on just about everything Antarctic trip related.

+1 on any of the Hurtigruten ships in Antarctica if you want to keep your costs down a bit but do not want the expedition experience. We did the trip on the Nordkapp a few years back and it was great. The only negative with the larger ships is that they are only allowed to put 100 passengers on land at a time so you will have to take turns and your time on land will be less than if you did it on a smaller ship.

This one looks like a good one to me as it also includes S. Georgia Island which we missed on our trip there - https://www.hurtigruten.us/destinations/antarctica/the-ultimate-expedition-to-antarctica-falklands-and-south-georgia/?tab=your%20ship

Totally agree on the balcony - you do not need a balcony. A total waste of money.

DON

+1 on any of the Hurtigruten ships in Antarctica if you want to keep your costs down a bit but do not want the expedition experience.

I don't understand this. You certainly do get the 'expedition experience' on Fram. We landed, for example, on Point Wild on our trip last December. Not many get to do that!

I don't understand this. You certainly do get the 'expedition experience' on Fram. We landed, for example, on Point Wild on our trip last December. Not many get to do that!

The expedition experience is small (<100 passenger) ships generally w/o stabilizers. Limited on board amenities. More time on land than with the Fram.

I do agree that a Point Wild landing was really cool but I was referring to the ship experience.

DON

The expedition experience is small (<100 passenger) ships generally w/o stabilizers. Limited on board amenities. More time on land than with the Fram.

 

I do agree that a Point Wild landing was really cool but I was referring to the ship experience.

 

DON

You're describing a 'roughing-it-on-a-small-ship' experience rather than an 'expedition' experience. I can assure you, after all the days we have spent on Fram, both in the Arctic and the Antarctic, including beyond both the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle, Fram provides an excellent 'expedition' experience.

Fram was built for polar expedition trips and is very different from Nordkapp.

As for time on landings, we have never felt rushed or short changed. We have had plenty of time and have generally done two landings each day. When not on a landing we have had lots to see, watch and do on deck.

We also did Hurtigruten, on the Nordnorge. She is a sister to the Fram and we picked it for two reasons.

One was the cost factor.

And two was that I wanted to cross the Drake Passage in something larger than a 100 pax ship.

That said, we had a great trip and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

The expedition experience is small (<100 passenger) ships generally w/o stabilizers. Limited on board amenities. More time on land than with the Fram.

 

I do agree that a Point Wild landing was really cool but I was referring to the ship experience.

 

DON

The only ships without stabelisers are the icebreakers and there are no longer any tourism icebreakers operating in Antarctica. All the ice strengthened ships have stabelisers.

And what amenities are you referring to ? No one is going down there to listen to bands or watch dancing girls. All the entertainment is right there outside.

The only ships without stabelisers are the icebreakers and there are no longer any tourism icebreakers operating in Antarctica. All the ice strengthened ships have stabelisers.

 

And what amenities are you referring to ? No one is going down there to listen to bands or watch dancing girls. All the entertainment is right there outside.

I agree w you on the fact that most people who are going a landing type Antarctica trip are not there for the "amenities". However, if you read CC much, there are people who go to expedition type locations but still can not do w/o the shows, dancing girls or a choice of 8 dining venues.

I did the Antarctica on the Nordkapp once and would go back again in a heartbeat

DON

Nordkapp is ridiculously big for the region. The sooner those larger ones are banned the better in my opinion.

I will stick with the under 100 passengers ice strengthened vessels for my expeditions. My first two were on the icebreaker that has relocated to the north now. All have perfectly good amenities - great food, great service, comfy rooms, great lectures and experts on board. Utterly no requirement for dancing girls !! I am too busy out on the deck watching mother nature do her thing.

Nordkapp is the same size as Fram and was doing similar trips for Hurtigruten with about 200 passengers, before Fram was built. I think PP you are thinking of Midnatsol who is now doing trips with about 400 passengers on board (and if this is indeed the ship you are thinking of, I agree with you it's too big).

FWIW, I thought Fram was too big.

She's a very comfortable ship (and extremely accessible), but I think I'll downsize back to ~100 or less for our next trip.

Yes I think any of the 200 plus are just ridiculously big for the region.

Technically I think any of the 100 plus are too big too !

I have been berthed opposite the Fram several times and it was easily 4 times larger than the vessels I was on.

My husband and I sailed from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula (only had about 11 days available to us) with Poseidon on the Spirit in Jan. 2016 and had a great time.

They carry just over 100 passengers which we felt was the perfect size (as all the ships are only permitted to land 100 at a time) and the Spirit offers a number of rooms with balconies... we had one which we absolutely used everyday... not lounging out there with cocktails but certainly to grab photos and watch the scenes go by. The food was excellent and the staff and lectures were great. We would go back to Antarctica again in a heartbeat and recommend Poseidon for the both the price and the experience we had.

The Spirit was a good mix of comfort and explorer type vessel and the passengers ranged in age from early 20s to late 60s. We made out first landing on the continent on my husband's 50th birthday!

My husband and I sailed from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula (only had about 11 days available to us) with Poseidon on the Spirit in Jan. 2016 and had a great time.

 

Great to hear that you had a good time. We're traveling on the Spirit with Poseidon in fall 2017 to The Falklands and South Georgia Island. Although all of our travels have been special, the polar regions continue to attract us.

Bob

Great to hear that you had a good time. We're traveling on the Spirit with Poseidon in fall 2017 to The Falklands and South Georgia Island. Although all of our travels have been special, the polar regions continue to attract us.

 

Bob

We feel the same about the polar regions and know we will be back in either Antarctica and/or the Arctic in the near future... Hope you enjoy your time on the Sea Spirit!

Just back from an Antarctic Circle crossing on Fram...

For those of you who prefer "smaller" ships, we sighted 5 different sailboats north of the Circle. None south.

For my wife an I, not ardent explorers anymore in our 70s but experienced global travelers and cruisers, and with 30 years in the US Navy circling the world, Fram's size was perfect for the expedition. It was safe, rode well in rough seas, and offered the same twice-daily excursions ashore. The observation room was impressive and comfortable and offered quick access to a multitude of outside venues for wildlife spotting. The naturalists were from many walks of life and experiences which enhanced our education. The excursion equipment was exactly what was required - muck boots and jackets provided. In all, a most impressive "cruise." Kudos to Hurtigruten and the crews (navigation, naturalist and hotel) of Fram.

Linanbob2, My husband and I were on the Seabourn Quest's January Antarctica cruise, and I think it would be a great fit for the criteria you listed. We especially liked that the itinerary included the Falkland Islands and southern South America and that we could embark in Buenos Aires rather than having to fly to Ushuaia. The expedition experience was incredibly well-run and top-notch. We never felt rushed to leave a landing. We also loved having a balcony and used it daily for taking pictures and taking in the scenery or in-the-moment wildlife sightings.

Here is a link to the review I posted on Cruise Critic, which will give you more details on the ship experience:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=567050

You also might find my blogs on the cruise helpful. I've just posted the first day in Antarctica:

http://www.themodernpostcard.com/antarctica-day-1-half-moon-island-chinstrap-penguins/

Best of luck with your planning! Whatever you decide, I can assure you that it will be one of your trips of a lifetime. Antarctica is an incredibly special place, and as my husband keeps saying, "We will never top this one!"

Mary

Travel Blog: http://www.themodernpostcard.com

You won't be roughing it if you chose Silversea Explorer or Cloud.

We just booked this 15-night on the Silversea Cloud. Hope we didn't make too big of a mistake.

Lots of balconies available for the OP's wife. Yes it is frigid, but is a photographer and didn't want glass between him and the subject on short notice.

http://www.silversea.com/destinations/antarctica-cruise/ushuaia-to-ushuaia-1829/?fycref=row1

Although the ship will hold 260 after the August 2017 retrofit, they limit to 100 in Antarctica so that groups of 100 go ashore, while the other 100 sightsee in the zodiacs, then swap places.

We just booked this 15-night on the Silversea Cloud. Hope we didn't make too big of a mistake.

Lots of balconies available for the OP's wife. Yes it is frigid, but is a photographer and didn't want glass between him and the subject on short notice.

 

http://www.silversea.com/destinations/antarctica-cruise/ushuaia-to-ushuaia-1829/?fycref=row1

 

Although the ship will hold 260 after the August 2017 retrofit, they limit to 200 in Antarctica so that groups of 100 go ashore, while the other 100 sightsee in the zodiacs, then swap places.

Oops, typo already, I meant limit of 200 pax onboard.

I have recently returned from 15 days aboard Ponant's Le Soléal cruising to Antarctica and South Georgia (Ushaia to Montevideo).

I would strongly encourage selecting an itinerary that includes South Georgia. The local environment is significantly different from the Antarctic peninsula, as is the wildlife. You will not see King penguins in Antarctica (mostly Gentoos and Chinstraps there), but the beaches on South Georgia will present hundreds of thousands of them. The whaling station at Grytviken, including the grave site of Ernest Shackleton--is not to be missed.

I would not hesitate to recommend Ponant for such a voyage. They have been cruising to Antarctica for over a decade, and have a wealth of experience with the seas, and ships specially designed for polar exploration voyages. Yes, the line is french--but the english language skills of the crew are all very good. Passengers are divided into four colour groups for zodiac tours and landings, which are primarily based on language. You will be in zodiacs with people who speak the same language, and the naturists will provide information in that language.

The quality of the naturists cannot be overstated. Our team of twelve included ornithologists, marine biologists (with specialisations including plankton, pinnipeds and cetaceans), historians, and a climatologist. One of our fellow passengers was Claude Lorius (the French glaciologist who is primarily responsible for our understanding of paleo-atmospheric conditions uncovered through glacial core sampling). Every day we had a review/briefing from our expedition leader, and there was at least one lecture daily on subjects related to Antarctica, the South Orkneys and South Georgia.

Our party of seven included one person with a gluten intolerance, whose dietary needs were met readily every night, with no delay to the rest of the table. The dining room staff provided us with our own table which was ours for the duration of the cruise. There were three "Gala" evenings aboard, but being an expedition cruise there was nary a tie in sight, other than the officers.

Cabins are small, but very cleverly laid out, with adequate storage. The separate WC is well thought out, and the shower provides excellent heat and no delay for hot water. The window panel allows a person showering or at the sink the ability to see the horizon to avoid motion sickness.

The Drake was pretty rough during our voyage. The doctor dispensed both pills and patches on demand, charging only the dispensary costs. Only passengers who presented illness had to pay the consultation fee (very reasonable by american standards) and only once, even for repeat visits.

The Ponant vessels have oversized stabilizers and it shows. While there was significant lifting and settling due to the large swell (generally in excess of 6m), roll was imperceptible, and there was not significant pitching.

The parkas provided by the line are excellent, and a worthwhile keepsake of the voyage if you live (or plan on travelling to) wintry climes. Boots provided for the duration of the expedition activities are excellent.

The average age of cruisers was north of 50--given the length and cost of the cruise (approx. $10K USD per person), this is not surprising. The youngest was 29, the oldest 91.