Four months out of the year—from November through February,
when the climate is between 30 and 50 degrees—
Cruising Antarctica is meant for seasoned cruisers, says
Stephen Rodoquino, president of The International Traveler based in
"The region is for the well-traveled, high-income-bracket traveler," he says. "They are adventurers—looking to go places where no man has gone before."
A Destination for Veteran Cruisers
"Lines have gone there over the years," says
Rodoquino, "but with the great boom in cruising, people are looking for
new places to go. The
Some 98 percent of
A Selection of Ships
An Antarctica cruise can be experienced on its own or, more
typically, as part of a larger
Regent Seven Seas offers an Antarctica-specific program roundtrip from Ushuaia on its expedition-built ship, Explorer II.
The 11-, 14- and 16-night voyages begin in November and run through February. Special fares begin at $9,395 per person, which includes roundtrip airfare and exploration gear.
Perhaps the line most equipped to service
"
Although Rodoquino says booking at least a year out is necessary to secure availability, Fridsberg notes that space is still available with Norwegian Coastal Voyage for this season's sailings.
Other expedition lines travel agents can take a look at include Hapag-Lloyd, which offers 15- to 20-day itineraries roundtrip from Ushuaia, which start at just a shade under $9,000 per person.
Lindblad Expeditions has 15- and 25-day itineraries on its National Geographic Endeavor ship, operated through a collaboration with the National Geographic Society, which provides photographers and experts on each sailing.