Atlas Antarctic Feb 2023 Expedition Cruise - Experience

[VACruiser123]

This is a dead board so I figured I would put some content here. The Antarctic is a bucket list item for me as it is the last of the seven continents for me to visit. During the world gone mad days of 2020/21 we had a "steal deal" on Silversea that was about $5500 pp that ended up being cancelled due to the insanity. We took our refund and never looked back. I survey cruise deals on a regular basis and came across the Atlas "two for one" deal that came out to just over $4400 PP including taxes and fees. For an all inclusive expedition with continent landings and RT charter flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, it does not get cheaper than that from what I have seen. The fact that is on a new ship that is "lux" (near luxury?) and looks beautiful in pictures and has had people confirm that the World Navigator is as advertised in the case of the ship itself...that was all we needed to book.

We booked with an OTA and there were no issues at all with that process. I had a minor concern when I found out that Atlas was not open on the day (Sunday) that I called the OTA to get detailed quotes for differing cabin/occupancy options.  My thinking was that hopefully this was not a "teaser" rate that would not hold up but there was no issue at all with the quotes. There is no 3rd person occupancy availability and the single rate is double...so the same cost as two people less the taxes/fees for the missing person.

Anyway we pulled the trigger and made the booking. So far the process had been pretty much in line with every other cruise line we have dealt with baring a small exception. You have to create a "My Atlas" account and you need your "My Atlas" number in order to create the account...which we did not have since we are new to Atlas. This required a call to Atlas and they gave me the number...like I said MINOR hiccup and purely process related quibble that took a handful of minutes.

Anyway the process.

1. Inquired with OTA on Sunday and asked for options

2. Got the details on Tuesday - booked a 24 hr courtesy hold and confirmed the next day.

3. Received Charter flight details about 4 days later - they are direct and the BA to USH leg arrives at 6:10PM...so the cruise is not departing at 6:00PM like the brochure says...but since everyone is on the charter and then taken to the ship...it is a distinction without a difference in my book. The return flight to BA is a ~10:00am arriving at EZE around 1:30pm.

4. Register for your "My Atlas" account - using a number that is supposed to on your confirmation but was not in my case.

5. Put in all your personal details - this includes a scanned copy of your Passport and C19 idiot card as, for some reason, this is still a "vax required cruise"...Why? I have no idea.

6. It is in this "My Atlas" account where you will do your mini bar setup - each person gets a bottle of liquor in your room along with setups (no juice options online though). You also give them your Parka and mud boot sizing in this registration. The Parka is yours and the mud boots are loaned. (As an aside on mud boots - I wear/worn a couple of different brands and they are consistent in that they fit to size on the side of being slightly roomy - IMO if you are 1/2 size ALWAYS go UP to next full size with these boots - worst case they are a little large and you can wear thicker socks.

7. No information on a complimentary hotel night in BA so I am proceeding as if there is not one - we are flying in several days early anyway. ( I think this is another one of the changes from their original launch concept)

8. Charter flights from the USA are NOT part of the cruise for Atlas any longer - fine with me since I am an award mile user and piece together flights so that we are in lie flat business and not paying thousands and thousands of dollars.

 

I will try -no promises 😉 to give updates on how things progress for this trip. So far so good. Atlas, if they are trying to ID future improvements, can look to the website...it is not bad but it is a bit basic - though not unattractive (no sample menus for example) and the My Atlas chicken or the egg situation with using a My Atlas number that you don't have was a bit strange. I will emphasize that this is EARLY in the process but so far Atlas is squarely in line with other cruise lines I have dealt with...zero nightmares or large concerns.

 

EDIT - forgot to mention that the Charter flight bad limitation is ONE checked bad per passenger limited to 50lbs and ONE carry on.

This information is, of course, worth what you paid for it so take it all in and weight it as you desire.

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by VACruiser123
Added info

[scottsol]

The guy who signed me up for this board charged me a pretty penny for the service, so your reports better be up to snuff.

[kayakcove]

2 hours ago, VACruiser123 said:

Anyway we pulled the trigger and made the booking

When is your sailing? We heading out Friday for 11 nights on the Navigator January 30 sailing.

I jumped on this when they started their 2 for 1 approach to pricing.  There was a little bit of tease in the first pricing, which seems to have worked in getting bookings coming in.  Our cabin price has gone up $3800 for our cabin since early September. Same trip in 2024 is showing up as $10,000 higher per cabin. 

[VACruiser123]

2 hours ago, kayakcove said:

When is your sailing? ... 

We are on the Feb 21st 9 day sailing on World Navigator.

[GICNJC]

Thanks for sharing the valuable info.  We are booked on the 2024-01-15 sailing and had the same issue with finding the My Atlas numbers for myself and spouse.  There is a good 2+ hour video we saw on YouTube about a trip on Atlas.

We had been looking at National Geographic and Viking and because of the 2 for 1 chose Atlas,

This will be the 7th Continent for me as well.  We are hoping for good weather, Drake Lake, and one night sleeping on shore.

[VACruiser123]

9 hours ago, GICNJC said:

Thanks for sharing the valuable info.  We are booked on the 2024-01-15 sailing and had the same issue with finding the My Atlas numbers for myself and spouse.  There is a good 2+ hour video we saw on YouTube about a trip on Atlas.

We had been looking at National Geographic and Viking and because of the 2 for 1 chose Atlas,

This will be the 7th Continent for me as well.  We are hoping for good weather, Drake Lake, and one night sleeping on shore.

Congratulations on (shortly) having stood on the seven continents of the world...a rare feat and one I am anticipating next month. We think we will try for the camping as well and I have high hopes for this expedition but am trying to stay realistic. This is easily the most we have ever spent on a cruise but it is also the best value Antarctic cruise we have come across as well. I intend to try to focus on the latter vs the former. Safe travels.

[lynammb]

Hi everyone. We are on the Feb 10th 2023 sailing. So far everything has been fine from Atlas bar a small hiccup re bank charges on our transfer. We have filled in the details for the MyAtlas documents and have flights booked to arrive in Buenos Aires on 8th Feb. We are quite excited by the trip - it'll be our 7th continent as well - and hope that the Drake Passage crossing will not be too bad :-). IS anyone else on this sailing? I opened a thread for it a few days ago, but have not had any takers...

[mesa2]

Thank you for taking the time and effort to document ALL this! Very helpful. Please let this board know how it really goes! I am sailing in March 2023. Really appreciate ALL! 

[VACruiser123]

Update.

21 days out (20 depending on how you count it).

So far no more communication after getting our charter flight information by email from our TA. No communication directly from Atlas on the trip at this point. This is not necessarily a bad thing. But reading between the lines across many boards on this site...I think more than a few folks will be unsettled with this level of communication. I don't think that Atlas is going to be a "handholding" type of communication experience. If you are the type of customer that needs regular "countdown" communication from a company as validation of your trip...I don't think you will be in love with this precruise experience.

I think Atlas is going to be more of a skinny "what you need when you need it" type of approach to communication with you. I would keep that in mind and not be upset if you book with them and you are not getting all kinds of status and reminder communications from them. In addition the Atlas website has zero information about your booking. The My Atlas link just reopens the forms you already filled out (it does have a status bar showing completion of the steps)...again they are not big in delivering a customer epxerience of  giving you visual validation of your booking.

More to follow

[vicd1969]

I think I got my leather binder around 3 weeks before the cruise. You should get it within the coming week, it will have the charter information. You should also get an email from Atlas around the same time. I do agree that the pre-cruise experience is not the "hand-holding" experience some may expect at this price point. I also relied on a social media Atlas passengers group to get additional information or confirm news. For example, I got an email from my TA a couple of days before the cruise that the charter flight was going to USH two hours later, but the two other bookings from a different TA in my group didn't.  But the hand-holding does start once you arrive in person at the airport terminal. Also, I do recommend that you verify you're on the return passenger manifest. There was a mixup and two of my friends weren't put on it, but fortunately they got it resolved at the airport with the charter airline when we got back to Ushuaia a day early.

[Love.II.Cruise]

Confirm they have your correct address - we had moved and our docs went to the wrong address (even though we receive all their brochures at our new address).  

[Love.II.Cruise]

Okay - minus the misstep in address - they confirmed we would be home for a delivery.  We got this huge box and I didn't know what the heck it could be - surely not cruise docs!  All our cruise docs are supposed to be delivered to us electronically now tomorrow and we will get our luggage tags at port.  However, since we booked the Navigator Suite we got THIS!!!!!!!!

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by Love.II.Cruise
fixing photos

[Love.II.Cruise]

 

IMG_0071.HEICIMG_0072.HEICIMG_0070.HEIC

Edited February 7, 2023 by Love.II.Cruise

[VACruiser123]

17 hours ago, Love.II.Cruise said:

 

IMG_0071.HEIC 1.54 MB · 7 downloads IMG_0072.HEIC 2.59 MB · 2 downloads IMG_0070.HEIC 1.02 MB · 1 download

OK now THAT is pretty classy by a cruise line...I don't care who you are, you have to be impressed with that!

[Love.II.Cruise]

7 hours ago, VACruiser123 said:

OK now THAT is pretty classy by a cruise line...I don't care who you are, you have to be impressed with that!

We agree!  We get on the ship in a week and we already feel so spoiled!!!  We can't wait for this cruise. 🥰

[VACruiser123]

Well,

We fly to SA in less than a week and since I have not gotten anything from Atlas I called my TA...The TA called Atlas and they said that "nope we will not be sending anything"...because I booked inside the 60 day window or... something. The TA assured me that I am on the manifest booking that they have access too and Atlas assured the TA that all we do is show up to the check in counter for the charter flight from EZE on the 21st. I am not a needy traveler by any means...but to me this is unsat. Is it really so hard to print off some official looking stuff on their letterhead and throw it in the mail??? How about a "we are really excited that you will be on our expedition" email??? Instead...bupkis...nada. This to me is the first misstep in this process. Our group is actually going all the way to SA with nothing more than a Travel Agency confirmation email that we are on this cruise and zero ways to pull up any information on the Atlas website to "prove" that we are on the trip...WOW

 

And yes we are using a well known and reputable OTA...the TA has been all I expect.

[JER/MPR]

We are looking forward to your post cruise thoughts.  Have a wonderful trip.

Edited February 12, 2023 by JER/MPR
already answered

[oktwirlermom]

WE recently returned from our Atlas Cruise and absolutely loved it

A few things I wish I knew beforehand

The Argentinian peso is not stable and there is an "official" exchange rate and a "blue" exchange rate.  Check with your credit card to see what they use.  Most of the stores will take US dollars and most of the ones near the port in Ushiuia posted their exchange rates (which ranged from 200 to 340 pesos per dollar, "official" rate was 187)

you can take liquids through security for domestic flights in Argentina , and there are no drinking fountains at the airport.  Fill up your water bottle before you leave the ship.

you can take a personal bag and a carryon on the charter flight, they didn't weigh our backpacks, but did weigh all the roller bags.  One couple with camera equipment was told their  roller bag was too heavy, so they took out a zoom lens and put it in their backpack and were able to take everything on the plane.

 

Cruise itself was wonderful.  you need to be flexible as weather conditions can change.  We were in the last group on the first day and some brush ice moved into the landing site, so we got a zodiak tour instead, but there were several landings that we were able to do, so all is well.

[Host Jazzbeau]

We just got back from a three-week trip to Argentina and Chile.  We were able to do everything we wanted in Argentina without ever getting a peso – our credit cards were accepted everywhere and gave us a 333 pesos per dollar exchange rate [plus 2% cashback and a month float].  In Chile we got by until the last day, when the only nearby baño demanded 500 Chilean pesos to pee – the only nearby ATM charged a 8,500 peso fee on top of the 5,000 peso withdrawal [but Schwab will refund the fee].  Now I have 4,000 Chilean pesos I can't use...

[sippican]

I just had clients return from the voyage last week. We chose Atlas over Viking for the pricing. They were excellent to work with from my standpoint, although it is complicated to work around their preferred vendor. Your personal ta can provide extra perks so if considering them, use a familiar ta if you have one. I have not heard back from my friends, but from the photos, look like they had a fantastic trip. (Other than airline snags which seem to be global)  I myself was booked on the Viking sailing that was cancelled due to the rogue wave incident. I requested a refund to decide whether to book with Atlas instead. I am wondering about their excursion offerings since those are the highlight. I know Viking offers more, all included; Special Ops boat, kayaking, sub. Also, comparing the actual number of activities for the duration of the cruise.

 

[agreene]

I just returned  and  LOVED it. The food was the best that I have ever had on a ship.  Service was wonderful and the expedition team was top notch.  World Traveller is absolutely beautiful with elegant blue and teal designer touches.  Everything went very smooth.  Drake was not too bad but I took patch and Dramamine and no nausea!  My biggest gripe is the internet which is the worst that I have had traveling and I’ve been just about everywhere.  I do not know if that is Atlas fault because I am not sure what other satellite alternatives are available in that area.  Do not expect much in entertainment.  Piano player, crew band and cruise director did their best but don’t expect larger ship options.   Zodiac landings were a little more difficult than I expected because there are many rocks that make balance difficult,  Getting on them is easy.  The expedition team is there to help with it all.  We saw lots of whales , orcas ,  LOADS of penguins, other birds and different types of seals,  The continent is beautiful!  

 

 

[AweighToSea]

On 2/14/2023 at 11:59 AM, Host Jazzbeau said:

We just got back from a three-week trip to Argentina and Chile.  We were able to do everything we wanted in Argentina without ever getting a peso – our credit cards were accepted everywhere and gave us a 333 pesos per dollar exchange rate [plus 2% cashback and a month float].  In Chile we got by until the last day, when the only nearby baño demanded 500 Chilean pesos to pee – the only nearby ATM charged a 8,500 peso fee on top of the 5,000 peso withdrawal [but Schwab will refund the fee].  Now I have 4,000 Chilean pesos I can't use...

$13,500 CLP peso for a wee (pun intended) break; CAD$23 for two down the drain. I wonder if a US$10 would have interested the attendant to put the $1000 CLP in the hat on your behalf.

 

Thanks for confirming the broad acceptance of credit cards as I have been coming across conflicting info on that. How did you deal with small purchases such as a bottle of water, paying a taxi or avoiding the problem of your now famous Chilean pee break in Buenos Aries?

[aimee0715]

I am so pleased to read the reports that people have been pleased with their trips on Atlas. We went to South Georgia and Antarctica with Albatros Expeditions in November of 2021 (solar eclipse trip) and we docked next to Atlas in Ushuaia. The ship looked beautiful.   We are booked on a solar eclipse cruise on Atlas in 2024.  At the time we booked it (over a year ago), the reviews of Atlas were not great.  I was giving them the benefit of the doubt due to being new and Covid and all that went along with that and sounds like they have improved.  I would love to get one of those cute suitcases but I bet we won't since this trip is a charter.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

Sorry folks, you can't discuss travel agents on Cruise Critic.

[VACruiser123]

Well we are home. The trip was excellent! I will say that Atlas delivered as advertised pretty much across the board. We had a rough passage across the Drake and an even worse return (worst of the season by far according to crew)...even had a gust of 92 knots! and some swells above 20ft. That said the ship handled it well...it was not seriously uncomfortable believe it or not...a little hard to get a deep sleep but otherwise well worth the discomfort to see the great white continent.

The ship is easily the most beautiful and well appointed we have ever been on...well surpassing the Seabourn Odyssey which had been our previous bar to beat. The expedition team is excellent and we did make two continental landings in addition to South Shetland and peninsula island landings.

The food itself is really good with a few hiccups...the proteins,  especially the beef is generally way under seasoned...trying to salt it after being cooked  is the WRONG answer...it results in a higher sodium load without creating the flavor that properly seasoned meat will develop while cooking. Having said that, Atlas is NOT cutting corners on the food budget and we had loads of fresh fruit AND actual fresh squeezed OJ the entire trip and if you are a coffee nut, there are at least three proper commercial espresso machines on the ship...so points there for sure in the food budget category. The dinner menus were not all to my liking but it is purely due to taste ( I can't stand lamb or fish...and when oh when will this dark chocolate craze finally die). The breakfast and lunch buffets actually flow better and are generally more pleasant than the dinner sittings are at this point. IMO, the biggest current improvement is for Atlas to figure out the dinner service flow...it is not quite there yet. BUT the staff were wonderful and friendly so I would say it adds up as a minor quibble as it is offset by their good attitudes.

The housekeeping was excellent with two services a day and the rooms were outstanding. We came with two 28" suitcases and carryons and were easily able to put all our stuff away in the closet. I have no idea what people would possibly be bringing on a ship where they do not have enough space. There is MORE space in this closet than main line balcony staterooms.

 

The entertainment consists of lectures/presentations by the expedition team, a pianist, and a couple of singing renditions by the cruise director. The crew talent show and auction/raffle was a fun event as well. You don't show up on a 400' ship and expect to have a lot of entertainment...if you do...well

 

I would say that the antarctic is a MUST do if you have the financial means and your health. Atlas at the current pricing to me is as much a no brainer as it gets. It is an excellent experience...is it a "luxury" line like Seabourn, Silversea, or the like? Well, maybe not today, not overall, but they are really close...and they may well get there since they have the ships...they are over the top beauties and where they fall short is imminently fixable with more time to figure out what works best on these ships. If Atlas makes it, and I think they will, they will be commanding much higher fares in the future...and getting them.