Where We Be
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| Antarctica -- Map & Itinerary |
I've provided our overall itinerary below, along
with my minimalist packing list, since Antarctica
is such a tough destination for which to pack
(so many warm layers). We recommend renting
parkas in Ushuaia so you don't have to bring
such a bulky layer with you. At left is the map of
Antarpply's expected route from Ushuaia to the
South Shetland Islands to the Antarctic Penin-
sula and back, but be aware it can change on a
dime based on actual conditions.
No cruise to Antarctica is cheap, but there are
strategies to make it less expensive. We chose
a "budget" option to begin with (Antarpply isn't
exactly a household name), and it proved to be
a good answer for us. We liked the smaller ship,
the more intimate group of passengers, and the
terrific staff who spoke both English & Spanish.
The cruise was super-casual and fun. That said,
the smaller ship with no stabilizers made for a
rough Drake crossing in both directions, so that
is something to consider.
I've provided a few more trip notes at the
bottom of this page for any who are interested.
with my minimalist packing list, since Antarctica
is such a tough destination for which to pack
(so many warm layers). We recommend renting
parkas in Ushuaia so you don't have to bring
such a bulky layer with you. At left is the map of
Antarpply's expected route from Ushuaia to the
South Shetland Islands to the Antarctic Penin-
sula and back, but be aware it can change on a
dime based on actual conditions.
No cruise to Antarctica is cheap, but there are
strategies to make it less expensive. We chose
a "budget" option to begin with (Antarpply isn't
exactly a household name), and it proved to be
a good answer for us. We liked the smaller ship,
the more intimate group of passengers, and the
terrific staff who spoke both English & Spanish.
The cruise was super-casual and fun. That said,
the smaller ship with no stabilizers made for a
rough Drake crossing in both directions, so that
is something to consider.
I've provided a few more trip notes at the
bottom of this page for any who are interested.
We had a lot of young, enthusiastic people on our cruise, which we loved, and we doubt most of them
could have afforded it unless Antarpply put the cheapest cabins on firesale at the last minute (upgrading
us in the process, yea). This could be a great strategy if you find yourself in South America anyway and
have a lot of flexibility built into your schedule. Taking advantage of last-minute offers is probably your
best bet for scooping up a really amazing deal.
As you can see from our itinerary, this trip cost us around $21,000 all told for the two of us, including
airfare, hotels, and the cruise itself, which represented about $15,000 of the cost. Not cheap, but a similar
itinerary aboard a bigger-name expedition cruise line could easily have cost us double. This was one of
the rare trips for which we bought trip insurance (the other was for Botswana). Another thing we did for
peace of mind was build in some extra days in B.A. and Ushuaia in case one of our flights was delayed or
canceled -- because it would be really sad to miss your cruise's departure date.
In Buenos Aires, we exchanged $100 US for Argentinian pesos. Tips are preferred in cash, but just about
everything else is payable with a credit card -- even in Ushuaia. We paid for our last dinner in B.A. in cash
just to get through all our extra pesos. Speaking of B.A., a SUBE card is useful for getting around by
subway. We purchased ours at a "24 Horas" airport kiosk using a credit card. As of Dec 2024, the card itself
costs ARS 880 (0.88 cents) and each ride costs ~85 cents. You can use one card for two people. Max SUBE
capacity is ARS 9900 (~$10). We only needed one card for the two of us.
could have afforded it unless Antarpply put the cheapest cabins on firesale at the last minute (upgrading
us in the process, yea). This could be a great strategy if you find yourself in South America anyway and
have a lot of flexibility built into your schedule. Taking advantage of last-minute offers is probably your
best bet for scooping up a really amazing deal.
As you can see from our itinerary, this trip cost us around $21,000 all told for the two of us, including
airfare, hotels, and the cruise itself, which represented about $15,000 of the cost. Not cheap, but a similar
itinerary aboard a bigger-name expedition cruise line could easily have cost us double. This was one of
the rare trips for which we bought trip insurance (the other was for Botswana). Another thing we did for
peace of mind was build in some extra days in B.A. and Ushuaia in case one of our flights was delayed or
canceled -- because it would be really sad to miss your cruise's departure date.
In Buenos Aires, we exchanged $100 US for Argentinian pesos. Tips are preferred in cash, but just about
everything else is payable with a credit card -- even in Ushuaia. We paid for our last dinner in B.A. in cash
just to get through all our extra pesos. Speaking of B.A., a SUBE card is useful for getting around by
subway. We purchased ours at a "24 Horas" airport kiosk using a credit card. As of Dec 2024, the card itself
costs ARS 880 (0.88 cents) and each ride costs ~85 cents. You can use one card for two people. Max SUBE
capacity is ARS 9900 (~$10). We only needed one card for the two of us.
| A Few More Trip Notes |