Is it possible to get discounts on the Minerva?

I've been interested in an Antartic cruise for quite a while, the main factor that's stopping me from going is price. I'd like to make this trip in 2010/2011 season, just wondering if the Minerva is ever discounted? If so, where do I check for this information?

Thanks.

I've been interested in an Antartic cruise for quite a while, the main factor that's stopping me from going is price. I'd like to make this trip in 2010/2011 season, just wondering if the Minerva is ever discounted? If so, where do I check for this information?

 

Thanks.

http://www.abercrombiekent.com/travel_specials/index.cfm?tdgf=5&cbc=Antarctica%20Special%20Offers if you are in the US, or http://www.swanhellenic.co.uk in the UK.

Cheers

Swan Hellenic will not sell to US customers unless they have an address in the UK. AK charges more than Swan prices converted to USD.

I found discounted prices at http://www.adventure-life.com/cruises/antarctica-cruises

You can save by asking for cruise only prices and booking your own hotel in BA and flights to Ushuaia.

There are at least 2 travel agencies in Australia with better prices than AK. Post your email address if you want details.

Thanks for the replies.

Dileep, my email address is jbaker1@live.ca I'd be interested in any information you can provide.

Thank you.

sent you email with a contact name. Check out http://www.cruisetraveller.com.au/page.php?subNum=40&pageNum=105

http://www.abercrombiekent.com/travel_specials/index.cfm?tdgf=5&cbc=Antarctica%20Special%20Offers if you are in the US, or www.swanhellenic.co.uk in the UK.

 

Cheers

AK is offering 25% off then NO single supplement :eek::eek::eek::eek:

$465/nt for 1 person

I've been interested in an Antartic cruise for quite a while, the main factor that's stopping me from going is price. I'd like to make this trip in 2010/2011 season, just wondering if the Minerva is ever discounted? If so, where do I check for this information?

 

Thanks.

Be aware that the Feb - April sailings have been cancelled due to a charter, which would leave you in the late 2010/11 season if you don't take a January 2010 cruise.

Cheers

There are at least 2 travel agencies in Australia with better prices than AK. Post your email address if you want details.

Yes please - bazzmuche at hotmail com.

AK is offering 25% off then NO single supplement :eek::eek::eek::eek:

 

$465/nt for 1 person

Sounds tempting.

Sounds tempting.

What dates, I am looking for 2011.

Check out www.expeditiontrips.com. You will have to become a member to access "Just Released Offers" in the yellow bar. They have many discounted cruises including the Minerva. I have used this company quite a few times and they are excellent.

I've been interested in an Antartic cruise for quite a while, the main factor that's stopping me from going is price. I'd like to make this trip in 2010/2011 season, just wondering if the Minerva is ever discounted? If so, where do I check for this information?

 

Thanks.

Check on A&K's (Abercrombie & Kent's) web site. They are offering 25% off and $1,000 off per person in certain categories (or maybe its the other way around). We went in February but paid full price as we booked two years in advance. It was the best customer service we have ever had, anywhere.

Note, A&K had/has what I'd call a "half charter". When we went North Americans had to book through them and others through the ship owner's Swan Hellinic (you can of course still use your own travel agent). Everyone was on the same charter flight and A&K hires the staff.

It was one of our all time favorite trips.

Swan Hellenic will not sell to US customers unless they have an address in the UK. AK charges more than Swan prices converted to USD.

I found discounted prices at http://www.adventure-life.com/cruises/antarctica-cruises

 

You can save by asking for cruise only prices and booking your own hotel in BA and flights to Ushuaia.

 

There are at least 2 travel agencies in Australia with better prices than AK. Post your email address if you want details.

Note that the day we went the only reasonable flight was chartered to Ushuaia (we boarded on a Sunday). And, to purchase a flight on another day was the exact same price but A&K offered so much more including a tour in BA (we didn't do), cocktail reception, tour and show and lunch prior to boarding. All transfers were included and they even paid our departure tax from BA and waited until our flight departed even though we booked our own international flight.

ALSO, the included hotel BA is really for 2 nights if you check in after 3:00pm the first night, SO the additional $600.00 for the inter-country flight was well worth it. They take all of your luggage the evening before and give you boarding passes at the HOTEL. No issue with luggage restrictions on LAN from BA to Ushuaia and as they said "It's the same as in the US".

Hope you had a wonderful arctic cruise. How did the cruise and the ship compare with your antarctica cruise?

Have you had a chance to do a review of your arctic cruise?

sent you email with a contact name. Check out http://www.cruisetraveller.com.au/page.php?subNum=40&pageNum=105

Thanks for arranging for information to be provided.

Unfortunately, quotes for single supplements were only for the highest categories, but I'm still looking.

What dates, I am looking for 2011.

Much sooner, I hope.

Hope you had a wonderful arctic cruise. How did the cruise and the ship compare with your antarctica cruise?

 

Have you had a chance to do a review of your arctic cruise?

I haven't done any review as we just returned and I had to go back to work. The trip was good but we decided it would not make our top 10 list.

We preferred Minerva over PAII, although the PAII had nicer staterooms. Minerva is a larger ship (but with 199 passengers or less in Antarctica) and has a wrap-around deck, and small gym with the best location at the top of the ship. Overall the expedition staff was much better on Minerva (hired by Abercrombie & Kent) vs SilverSeas. The Food was also better on Minerva and we liked the fact there was a second restaurant/buffet and tea/coffee/hot chocolate was available 24/7 to get on your own. Basically there wasn't that much wildlife to see in the Arctic. We didn't see one whale in 10 days vs Antarctica where we saw them all the time. There also was no entertainment or anything to do in the evenings on the PAII. It was a very laid back trip.

Thanks for all the feedback and help.

Jade13, how strenous were the landings, I know they are ususally wet landing, how high was the water level. I`d been last year to the Galapagos, and the wet landings were supposed to be knee deep, in most cases they were knee deep, and waist deep in a few instances. Getting in and out of the Zodiac was very difficult.

How strenuous is the walking on shore?

By any chance do you have a trip report?

Thanks.

Thanks for all the feedback and help.

 

Jade13, how strenous were the landings, I know they are ususally wet landing, how high was the water level. I`d been last year to the Galapagos, and the wet landings were supposed to be knee deep, in most cases they were knee deep, and waist deep in a few instances. Getting in and out of the Zodiac was very difficult.

 

How strenuous is the walking on shore?

 

By any chance do you have a trip report?

 

Thanks.

SISer - You are asking about Antarctica vs the Arctic, correct? I just got back from the Arctic. If you consider the Arctic trip it was very easy and DH and I discussed I would post on CC that it would be fine for those age 80, etc. We never walked very far. I thought it was because of the Expedition staff but there is always concerns over Polar Bears. We had two Guides with us with loaded guns.

On Minerva and in Antarctica I would say we still did less walking than in than in the Galapagos (we went with Metropolitan Touring, the company who owns the Santa Cruz). In Antarctica we never did any landings that were more than knee deep. As is customary in Zodiacs, the correct way to get out is to swing your feet over the side of the zodiac. There are always guides to grab you and assist you to land. You can stay around the landing area or do longer walks. When we landed on the Antarctic Pennisula (most stops are on Islands and not the Pennisula) everyone tried to make it up the hill. The Minerva is a larger ship vs PAII so the stairs to board the zodiacs is longer. I would really say it is up to you whether you want to land and stay around the zodiacs (no problem as wildlife is everywhere) or take some walks. It sounds like your only issue was getting in/out of the zodiacs. I don't know who you used for Galapagos or which Islands you landed on which would have something to do with the type of landing sites.

Getting back into the zodiacs I just sat on the side and swung my legs over. If I recall, both companies (Minerva and PAII) had a step stool they placed in the water which helped getting in and out.

I haven't done any review as we just returned and I had to go back to work. The trip was good but we decided it would not make our top 10 list.

 

We preferred Minerva over PAII, although the PAII had nicer staterooms. Minerva is a larger ship (but with 199 passengers or less in Antarctica) and has a wrap-around deck, and small gym with the best location at the top of the ship. Overall the expedition staff was much better on Minerva (hired by Abercrombie & Kent) vs SilverSeas. The Food was also better on Minerva and we liked the fact there was a second restaurant/buffet and tea/coffee/hot chocolate was available 24/7 to get on your own. Basically there wasn't that much wildlife to see in the Arctic. We didn't see one whale in 10 days vs Antarctica where we saw them all the time. There also was no entertainment or anything to do in the evenings on the PAII. It was a very laid back trip.

Thanks so much for your comments. Sorry you didn't see much wildlife, which is the main attraction, on your trip. I had heard it was better to visit the Arctic before a visit to Antarctica, because the latter is so spectacular. However, I was surprised the trip didn't make your top 10 list.

I was also surprised that there was no entertainment/activities at night. Guess they must think everyone is too exhausted by the expedition activities during the day. Did they have landings every day?

Did Minerva have activities/entertainment at night?

Wonder how long you'll be home before you'll be planning your next trip, as there are lots of good bargains around? :)

Jade 13, thanks for the reply.

Yes, I'm asking about Antartica.

Never been to the Arctic by sea, I've been to the Arctic circle by land and the Galapagos, I appreciate your comparission of Antartica and the Galapagos excursions.

I'd been on the MV Legend in the Galapagos. The guides and ship crew were excellent. We did want to travel on a larger ship and had considered the Santa Cruz also.

I was there last April, we had rough seas which is why we had so much difficulty getting in and out of zodiacs, there were no step stools like you decribe, and even if the ship had step stool onboard the seas were too rough to use them. The crew would try and hold the zodiac so passengers could get in (this was always more difficult than getting out) and some passenger simply couldn't cope. The crew were there to assist you, but they had to contend with sea conditions. Their job was not easy. The zodiacs keep moving because of the rough seas which made the task almost impossible at times. Sometimes, the crew would anticipate a large wave coming onshore and have to move the zodiac away from shore, as people were trying to get in. I kid you not. One day the sea was so rough, we couldn't walk on the ship. Alot of people fell and hurt themselves, onboard, getting in/out of zodiacs and onshore.

As far as landing sites are concerned, most were beaches, there were one or two landing sites where there were concreate steps. We'd been to the following islands- Bartolome, Isabella, Ferandina (my favourite), Santiago, Rabida and Santa Cruz.

We spend along time debating if we should take a 7 night cruise or 4 night cruise since realistically we won't go back to the Galapagos, we choose the 4 night cruise, I'm glad we didn't opt for the 7 night cruise.

Having said all of this, I should add I'm so glad to have visited the Galapagos, it was a wonderful travel experience.

How are the cabins on the Minerva? Are they tiny, or a adequate size?

Were most of the expeditions repetitive or did you see different things at each landing. I remember in the Galapagos our group were sick of seeing iguanas, and some people even told the guide, they weren't going to walk to see any more iguanas?

Thank you.

Thanks for all the feedback and help.

 

Jade13, how strenous were the landings, I know they are ususally wet landing, how high was the water level. I`d been last year to the Galapagos, and the wet landings were supposed to be knee deep, in most cases they were knee deep, and waist deep in a few instances. Getting in and out of the Zodiac was very difficult.

 

How strenuous is the walking on shore?

 

By any chance do you have a trip report?

 

Thanks.

SISer,I have been to Galapagos in March and Antarctica in January. In Galapagos, I remember that getting off and on the ship into/from the zodiacs was often quite difficult. We had to time the waves and often ended up being hoisted by two strong men. Once we got to shore, it was not so difficult getting in and out of the zodiacs. In Antarctica, it was usually easy to get in and out of the zodiacs because the water around the Antarctic Peninsula was calm. The crew pulled the zodiacs right up to the shore and I don't think the water ever came up over my boots. We were even able to kayak with no fears of waves tossing us over. The only rough seas we had were when we crossed the Drake Passage. Catherine

Jade 13, thanks for the reply.

I remember in the Galapagos our group were sick of seeing iguanas, and some people even told the guide, they weren't going to walk to see any more iguanas?

 

Thank you.

Oh wow, we would never get sick of seeing an Iguana as we have one for a pet! We hope to go back as we did not make it to Fernandina Island as they had been a volcanic eruption the month before.