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Celebrity Infinity to Antarctica - What type of Footwear?


holidaygirl32
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Hi We are sailing to Antarctica February 2016 on Infinity , 10 sea days & 4 landings, 2 by tender. Not sure if we need walking shoes, snow boots or muck boots as we are hoping to see lots of penguins. Definitely needed snow boots on deck & land when we went to Arctic a few years ago. Appreciate any help!

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Is this your itinerary ?

http://www.celebritycruises.com/cruises/cruise-package-IN14F072?packageid=IN14F072&dest=SAMER&shipCode=IN&shipName=Celebrity-Infinity&applyCriteria=false&sailDate=1170205&cabincls=BALCONY#overview/overview%3Fpackageid=IN14F072&sailDate=1170205

 

The large cruise liners do not do (and indeed are not permitted to do) any landings in Antarctica - your itinerary will be a "drive by" style. If you want a voyage that includes landings in Antarctica proper - you will need to book on an expedition ship. More info on them in this forum and the Trip Advisor Antarctica Adventures forum.

 

Your only landing - weather permitting - will be Port Stanley in Falkland Islands. You can wear normal shoes or hiking boots there. All the roads are paved and the points to view the penguins are via boardwalks unless you take a tour out to another location - but even then waterproof hiking boots are suffice.

 

If you do a penguin tour from Ushuaia - there are two types. Pira Tours will transport you to the actual island where the penguins live - they are the only company with a permit to land on the island itself. You will need decent waterproof hiking boots and depending on the weather that day - waterproof clothing. I have done the tour in torrential rain and warm sun.

Other tour companies can go to the island via catamaran and they basically butt up against the shore and you look and photograph from on board the boat - not permitted to land.

For a catamaran trip you need good warm windproof jacket as the wind can really whip up out there.

 

On the decks of your ship while in sub antarctic waters - the most you will need are shoes or boots with good non slip treaded soles. Like basic sports sneakers or hiking boots - nothing special.

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That's great, thanks for the info. We have booked a tour with Patrick Watts to Volunteer Point in Stanley & still trying to book with Pira tours for Ushuai but can't get a response, despite several emails!.

 

At least I know what to pack now.:)

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Hi We are sailing to Antarctica February 2016 on Infinity , 10 sea days & 4 landings, 2 by tender. Not sure if we need walking shoes, snow boots or muck boots as we are hoping to see lots of penguins. Definitely needed snow boots on deck & land when we went to Arctic a few years ago. Appreciate any help!

 

As PerfectlyPerth has pointed out, you won't be landing in Antarctica from Infinity. If that was your intention you may wish to see if you can cancel and rebook on an expedition ship.

 

Walking amongst penguins on the continent, and sailing into some of the nooks and crannies is very different from the large ship experience...

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Pira's summer tours would have stopped by now and their winter tours are 3-4 days long so a lot of their office staff may actually be out on the road with clients. From memory there are only 2 people in the main office and one in the pier booth.

 

A skype phone call may be easier during their working hours - mornings or after siesta time in mid afternoon.

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If the Patrick Watts tour is to Volunteer Point, it is mostly off road over bumpy and boggy ground. You might not need to get out the car en route, but if you do, I would suggest good boots. At the penguins, you will get guano on your boots. Enjoy!

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We have booked a tour with Patrick Watts to Volunteer Point in Stanley & still trying to book with Pira tours for Ushuai but can't get a response, despite several emails!.

 

I used Patrick Watts to Volunteer Point, Port Stanley and had a great experience. The off-roading in 4-wheel drive vehicles were great fun and added to the experience. If you have a bad back though, this type of trip may be a bit problematic as it can be very, very bumpy and jarring. The snack they serve is marginal (sandwich...not sure of the filling, chips...wasn't wild about the flavor, juice box...wish it had been a bottle of water, and a candy bar...or was it fruit? hmmm) but if you're hungry...it's better than nothing. :p. I would use his organization again.

 

It rained beyond buckets and was very windy and cold on our trip (January 2014) With that said, I wish I would have had rain pants, but if you have at least a thigh-length rain coat, it should serve the purpose. I was warm enough up top (light down jacket, pullover micro-fleece, light wool sweater, t-shirt and a too-short rain jacket), jeans and wool socks with waterproof trekking shoes finished my outfit. It was so windy, umbrellas were useless.

 

One of the ladies of our group wore socks with Keen sandals. She was trying to pack light. :D

 

There will be poo, lots of it by February. And poo smell. :D

 

Please feel free to email if you have any questions. Have fun!!!!

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Hi We are sailing to Antarctica February 2016 on Infinity , 10 sea days & 4 landings, 2 by tender. Not sure if we need walking shoes, snow boots or muck boots as we are hoping to see lots of penguins. Definitely needed snow boots on deck & land when we went to Arctic a few years ago. Appreciate any help!

 

We used the Infinity to go from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires in 2004. Where in Antarctica would the Tender be landing? On my Antarctica cruise in 2009 we used Zodiacs and only had one landing on the Antarctic continent at Brown Landing. All the other landings were on Antarctic Islands. We did two landings a day weather permitting.

One should be able to see Penguins from the Infinity with binoculars if the ship finds a rookery. You said four landings--where would the landings be and were two done with Zodiacs. Only 100 people can be on an Antarctic island at a time. A Zodiac holds about 10 people. Do the math and ask Celebrity. Also what is the alternate program if weather does not allow you to cross the Drake passage. I flew across the Drake when I did Antarctica. The ship for the Antarctic cruise was the Professor Multinovskiy 50 passenger max, but we had only 25.

Edited by scapel
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We used the Infinity to go from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires in 2004. Where in Antarctica would the Tender be landing? On my Antarctica cruise in 2009 we used Zodiacs and only had one landing on the Antarctic continent at Brown Landing. All the other landings were on Antarctic Islands. We did two landings a day weather permitting.

One should be able to see Penguins from the Infinity with binoculars if the ship finds a rookery. You said four landings--where would the landings be and were two done with Zodiacs. Only 100 people can be on an Antarctic island at a time. A Zodiac holds about 10 people. Do the math and ask Celebrity. Also what is the alternate program if weather does not allow you to cross the Drake passage. I flew across the Drake when I did Antarctica. The ship for the Antarctic cruise was the Professor Multinovskiy 50 passenger max, but we had only 25.

 

The "landings" referred to in the Infinity itinerary are in the Falklands - not in Antarctica. The large cruise ships do not have permits to even attempt landings in Antarctica-proper.

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