Last Minute Antarctica Cruise

[TravellingMan]

I want to visit Antarctica, however I cannot afford the big $$$. I heard that it's possible to wait at Ushuaia for cruise liners that are not full, and purchase a last minute ticket on the cruise for half price.

 

Has anyone heard about this? Anyone done this? I will be there next week and would really appreciate all suggestions.

[kitty9]

I've never heard of that being allowed. You might want to call the cruise line you're thinking of and find out if that's possible. There may be problems doing something like that because of Homeland Security rules and problems with Immigration.

 

Also, those South America cruises book far in advance and have huge waiting lists, so finding any ship that's got empty space will be difficult, at best. I know the Celebrity SA cruises have been sold out for quite some time as are Crystal's, Seabourn's and Silversea's.

 

 

And finally, none of the mass market cruise lines actually visit Antarctica, they just cruise Drake's Passage. To actually stop in Antarctica you have to go with one of those special expedition boats which hold less than 100 passengers and have special hulls that handle ice. Even those are fully booked months in advance.

[greatam]

I want to visit Antarctica, however I cannot afford the big $$$. I heard that it's possible to wait at Ushuaia for cruise liners that are not full, and purchase a last minute ticket on the cruise for half price.

 

Has anyone heard about this? Anyone done this? I will be there next week and would really appreciate all suggestions.

 

Check out some of the expedition companies which go to Antarctica. A google search-Antarctica + tours or ships or something will turn up a wealth of options. They sometimes have last minute space at a discount, especially if you are willing to share space. Lots of solo travelers want to go to Antarctica and the expedition companies do a lot of "room mate" matching. And last minute, shared cabin space IS sold at a discount. Here is a link to an email I got a couple days ago-http://www.expeditiontrips.com/deals/deals.asp

 

As Kitty9 stated, you will not be allowed to board a typical cruise ship out of a foreign country, if you are an American citizen. And if you really want to see Antarctica, I sure wouldn't do it on a typical cruise ship. A drive-by trip at best.

 

Don't forget that airfare to Ushuaia will be pretty darn expensive if you book it as a direct flight. Best option is to fly to a large South American hub city (Buenos Aires, Rio, Santiago or Lima) and book one of the local airlines on a cheapie, RT ticket. Or from BA you can do a combination overland/ferry to save some money. Good luck and enjoy!!!!

[TravellingMan]

Thanks for the response Greatam and Kitty9. I did further google based research and have got the timetable for all the possible expedition cruises out of Ushuhia. Most have availability during that time. You were right, the price of a non-stop flight from BA to USH is quite expensive. :eek:

 

I got a response from the Tourist Board in Ushuhia and they said that the travel agents in Ushuhia will be ONLY selling last minute deals. So I have decided to roll the dice and go for it. Will let you folks know how it turns out.

[Jane110]

Good luck. Look forward to hearing that you had some success and went to see Antartica.

 

Keep us posted.

 

Safe travels,

Jane