Antarctic

[CruiseDazzled]

1. What are all your reasons for wanting to go to Antarctica?
2. What does Antarctica personally mean to you?
3. Would you go again? Why?
4. Did you learn anything about yourself after visiting Antarctica?
Thank-you for your replies.

[KY-traveler]

I went to Antarctica 12/03 and would go again in a heartbeat. The scenery was awesome! My reason for going? I want to set foot on all the continents and I've always wanted to see the "Crystal Continent." I sailed on a converted Russian research ship. The Grigoriy Mikheev. With only 45 passengers and a crew of 23, it was the best "cruise" I've been on.
The one thing I learned about myself was that I can get seasick. I grew up on the shores of Lake Erie and spent a lot of time in rough waters, and sailed a large cruise ship around a hurricane, and never once got sick. But crossing the Drake Passage did me in. Antactica is the only place in the world that is non-political and not spoiled by human visitation. All visitors to this continent are told about the Antarctic treaty and how to "leave footprints and take pictures" only.
If you have an opportunity to take a cruise to this continent, don't pass it up. It will be an adventure you will never forget. But, take a cruise on a small ship that will let you explore the sites on shore.

[motherchic]

my son, age 19, just got back from 7 months in antarctica. When he was a boy scout his leader told him stories about his brother that worked their thru the science station run by Ratheon corp. Ryan asked if he could defer college for a year and try to go there. Well he was hired to work as a mechanics helper and he flew into Christ Church New Zealand. From there he took a cargo plane into McMurdo Sound. He arrived during their first winter fly in . The temp was minus 60. A week later the temp was 100 below zero.His letters and pictures have been wonderful. We just picked him up from the airport yesterday...he has grown up....

[Bill S]

1. I have always wanted to see/visit Antarctica since reading about explorers and scientist who spent time there. After all, it is still a continent that is populated by humans only for scientific research reasons, and I don't personally know any one else who has been there.

2. It made me appreciate how fragile our environment is and how important it is to keep Antarctica free from commercial exploration/development. It is absolutely pristine.

3. Would I go again? If I could afford it again, absolutely. It is so majestic and stunningly beautiful---not at all what I expected.

4. No, I can't say that I learned anything significant about myself. However, the visit heightened my appreciation for natural vistas, untouched/unmarred by humans. I enjoyed the tranquility of Antarctica, at least during the Antarctic summer. I'm sure it is quite a different place during it's winter. I likened it to Alaska, times 100. I am enjoying very much the photos we took down there.

In closing, I would recommend Antarctica to anyone-it was the absolute highlight of the best cruise we have ever taken.

Bill S
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[kadao]

KY traveler - My parents have also sailed on the Grigoriy Mikheev. They would definatly do it again. Something interesting: they said in some places the snow is pink (because the penguins eat shrimp, so their poop is pink - it looks like pink snow!) [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

NCL SEA 6/19
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Sapphire Princess 6/11
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[KY-traveler]

kadao,
when did they go? I left port 12/09/03