Antarctica cruise question

[saz25]

Hi

We are thinking of booking an Antarctica cruise for 2025 or 2026.

 

At this point I think we’d like to avoid sailing through the Drake Passage and to find a cruise line that starts and ends in/Antarctica. 
 

For example I see that the Silverseas Endeavor starts/ends in King George island.

 

Does anyone else know of others that do that? We’ve cruised south answer twice, so we feel there’s no need to repeat that.

 

Suggestions?

thanks in advance.

[kaisatsu]

You’re looking for the trips that are typically referred to as “Fly-Cruise” trip. Quark Expeditions also offers one, and I think I’ve seen some from other expedition companies before.

 

Keep in mind that the flights are even more weather-dependent than the rest of an Antarctic expedition, so there’s a chance of multi-day delays at either end. Be sure your travel to/from Punta Arenas has plenty of flexibility.

[saz25]

I was just hoping to save the 4 days on the Drake passage (2 days each way) when the real interesting part is Antarctica itself. We’ve already been to Ushuaia on other cruises as well as Bounos Aires and Uruguay, chili  etc.

[PerfectlyPerth]

Quark, Antarctica21, Lindblad, Chimu, Silverseas -  all offer Fly-Cruise itineraries. As mentioned above - there is a risk with flights being very much weather dependent so a good level of travel insurance and flexible flights home is needed. 
 

Personally I think the entire trip is interesting. Including the Drake Passage each way. So much birdlife to watch, and whales and icebergs. 

[2552phxcrzr]

On 3/4/2024 at 5:10 AM, saz25 said:

Hi

We are thinking of booking an Antarctica cruise for 2025 or 2026.

 

At this point I think we’d like to avoid sailing through the Drake Passage and to find a cruise line that starts and ends in/Antarctica. 
 

For example I see that the Silverseas Endeavor starts/ends in King George island.

 

Does anyone else know of others that do that? We’ve cruised south answer twice, so we feel there’s no need to repeat that.

 

Suggestions?

thanks in advance.

Friends of ours booked a fly-cruise on the Aurora and are down in the Antarctic now.  Their flight out had to be canceled and the ship had to come to Punta Arenas to pick them up.  So not only did they end up not avoiding the Drake, they lost a couple of days waiting for the ship to come and get them.  Those flights are very weather-dependent.

[saz25]

6 hours ago, 2552phxcrzr said:

Friends of ours booked a fly-cruise on the Aurora and are down in the Antarctic now.  Their flight out had to be canceled and the ship had to come to Punta Arenas to pick them up.  So not only did they end up not avoiding the Drake, they lost a couple of days waiting for the ship to come and get them.  Those flights are very weather-dependent.

I was loooking at the Silverseas cruise (Endevour ?) that starts and ends in King George island. I assume you have to take a flight to get there. True?

[2552phxcrzr]

25 minutes ago, saz25 said:

I was loooking at the Silverseas cruise (Endevour ?) that starts and ends in King George island. I assume you have to take a flight to get there. True?

True … if you do the cruise-fly.  We’ve been to the Antarctic twice on expedition vessels and would take the cruise across the Drake both ways rather than risk losing time waiting for the vessel to come and get us because the flight(s) got canceled.

Edited March 7 by 2552phxcrzr

[PerfectlyPerth]

2 hours ago, saz25 said:

I was loooking at the Silverseas cruise (Endevour ?) that starts and ends in King George island. I assume you have to take a flight to get there. True?

True. Astral travel & teleportation don't exist yet. 
 

If your sole reason for a fly-cruise is to gain more time on the peninsula then you need to weigh up the risks yourself in addition to comparing more itineraries with non fly-cruise ones. 

[grandma*knows*best]

I recently was on a Seabourn cruise to Antarctica and we got lucky; good weather through the Drake passage both ways. There is plenty to do on the ship during sea days. I would not choose the fly cruise.

[mlgb]

You don't have to spend a lot of time in the departure cities where most cruises begin. Most cruises will give you one night at a hotel there and the next day fly you down to the departure port such as Ushuaia. Then you have 2 days on the Drake each way.   

 

Booking late into the season (February) might get you more stable weather but there are no guarantees. Agree that there is plenty to do on the sea days. 

 

Package typically ends when they fly you back by charter to your departure city (usually Buenos Aires  or Santiago ChilE. You can leave the same night.

 

 

Edited March 7 by mlgb