18 Things You Didn't Know About Cruising to Antarctica

Antarctica is a dream destination for many travelers. It's unique and spectacularly beautiful, with amazing wildlife, towering mountains, and icebergs larger than many cruise ships. About 20,000 people visit the White Continent each year, with most arriving at the Antarctica Peninsula via cruise ship from South America. Despite its attraction, most people either have misconceptions or things they didn't know about Antarctica. If you are planning a cruise to Antarctica, it's good to start with some basic knowledge of Antarctic cruises.

Size Matters on an Antarctica Cruise

Linda Garrison

About 50 ships of all sizes visit Antarctic waters each year. These ships range in size from tiny expedition ships with less than 25 guests to traditional cruise ships with over 1000 guests. It's important to know that if a ship has more than 500 guests onboard, the signers of the Antarctic Treaty and members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators do not let those guests go ashore. Instead, they have an "Antarctic experience", which means they sail around the islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, allowing guests to see the continent and wildlife from the decks. One of these cruises can provide an excellent overview, but many who visit Antarctica want to step on the continent.

Although a tiny ship can provide an amazing experience, many expedition ships are very pricey but offer a once-in-a-lifetime voyage for those who can afford the best. The less expensive small ships might not be a good choice for those who are seasick-prone or who want to have more onboard amenities, better expedition leaders, and more variety in food. Ships with 300-450 guests are often less expensive but still offer excellent food and comfortable cabins and common areas.

 

For example, ships like the MS Misnatsol of Hurtigruten are an excellent Antarctica cruise alternative--not too big, not too small, and not as pricey as the smaller expedition ships. Although the Midnatsol carries less than 500 guests on its Antarctic cruises, it carries more than 500 cruise guests and many ferry passengers on its summer cruises of Norway's coast, so its space per guest is exceptional on Antarctic cruises. Since the Hurtigruten ship also carries ferry passengers and vehicles in the summer, it has large public areas and plenty of space to store kayaks and Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) for its winter expeditions. Its size makes the ship more stable than some of the other ships carrying less than 500 passengers. Since it's an ice class 1X ship, the Midnatsol is well-prepared to sail in Antarctic waters.