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As you know, if you've been reading my pages, WE traveled to Antarctica on the M/V Ushuaia. It was a wonderful ship and a great choice.During our visit to the peninsula, we actually crossed paths with another expedition ship, The "Sea Spirit". I thought I'd post a couple of photos in case someone out there is considering this ship and would like another look.From our decks, it looked like a nice ship.
The M/V Ushuaia is not a luxury vessel. She's comfortable, the staff is friendly and warm, and you'll be well taken care of. But if you are looking for "crystal glasses at dinner, six ballrooms, orchestras, duel steamship rounds being carved at dinner, a bar stocked with thousands of rare wines, etc", this is not your ship. BUT, if you want a solid and dependable ship with an experienced crew, an outfit that will insure that you have both an enjoyable and SAFE trip to and through what are dangerous waters, you can't do any better than the Ushuaia and its parent company, Antarpply.The ship was originally built for the United States agency NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration), and later refurbished to accommodate a maximum of 84 passengers in 41 comfortable twin cabins and suites. The ice-strengthened polar vessel USHUAIA is very well appointed and provides ample deck space...
We traveled to Antarctica with Antarpply Expeditions. We'd originally zeroed in on the M/V Ushuaia as a ship that we'd want to know more about. Additionally, the itineraries were what we were looking for. A number of travel companies sold space for this ship, and over the period that we were researching, I eventually learned that Antarpply actually OWNED the ship. So, I figured that we should work directly with the owners. Also about that time, I "met" Ute Hohn-Bowen, the president and CEO of Antarpply. Her caring attitude, her willingness to patiently answer all of our questions and basically to meet our needs for so large of a decision, well..... it told me we had the right company. BTW, if you'd like to know more about Antarpply, please contact Ute directly at ute@antarpply.com. BE SURE TO DROP MY NAME AS RECOMMENDING HER AND ANTARPPLY. She and I became friends and we really do see...
TThe last class is the Luxury Expedition ShipsThis is a supper soft posh cruise ships with hardened hulls for ice but still a luxury cruise vessel with all the goodies you know the has 5**** stuff like fresh flowers in Antarctica, gleaming brass, polished wood and works of original art.. These are the big one with almost 200 on board. The have 15 to 20 Zodiacs on board to get you to the shore of Antartica Corinthian II Explorer II The cheapest in this class is $7,095 for 12 days.
Every summer, the Coast Guard moves this breaker south to clear out the path to McMurdo. It is critical to the winter operations at McMurdo. Only one cargo ship arrives here each year, keeping the station running during winter.
Getting to Antarctica is a challenging venture.All Antarctica cruises originate in Ushuaia, Argentina, Terra del Fuego due to calmer waters. Since I live in Texas, I flew to Miami where I connected on the Brazilian airline TAM to Sao Paulo then to Buenos Aires where I connected on the Aerolinas Argentinas flight to Ushuaia, Argentina at the tip of the Tierra del Fuego. The Latin America airlines usually provide superior in flight service comared to the U.S. airlines and I feel safer on them from a terrorism standpoint. The return route is the same from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires to Sao Paulo to Miami to Houston. Most people add a stayover in Ushuaia or Buenos Aires or Patagonia.
We used Oceanwide Expeditions for the trip. They have specialized expedition staff that were expert in the history, geology and wildlife of Antarctica. When we were crossing Drake's Passage they organized 1 hour lecture sessions on various topics that were well presented, informative, engaging as well as entertaining. The company is clearly very safety and environmentally-conscious. Their attention to the safety of the passengers was paramount at all times and their concerns for the protection of Antarctica and its wildlife was evident through their actions, behaviours and lectures.The ship was clean, the rooms were comfortable, the food was excellent - keep in mind it is an expedition and not a cruise! The crew was also very friendly and professional, allowing passengers to freely the visit the bridge at any time. With about 100 or so passengers, the ship is small enough to allow...
Hi,I travelled with Aerolineas when I went to Antartcica. At the time they were having strikes and not all flights were gettng out. My friend and I about a month before we left decided to move our flight from BA to Ushuaia back a day and have 2days in Ushuaia - it was a very good idea!!!!!!!. there were several passengers who missed to crusise to Antarctica because of cancelled flights - even though the boat waited til 2am the next morning to allow people to get there. I would move your flight back to give yourself an extra day breathing room. There is not a lot to do in Ushuaia but if I had missed the boat I would have cried.
We just came back from a trip to Antartica and I recommend you to book in advance via Internet but as a last minute fare. We did this with the travel agency Ushuaia Turismo in Ushuaia (Av. Gobernador Paz 865). They have a fantastic service, are very reliable and Daniela, one of the owner, is extremely helpful. She answered all our questions in perfect english via email instantly before we booked and also after before the travel started. They have connections to different ships and they can recommend you the best tours. Some ships can be booked as a last minute offer 10 days before the departure, some are even earlier (we booked last minute for approx. half of the regular fare in November 2009 for a trip in January 2010). We were on the ship Vavilov with the tour operator Peregrine and had the best journey in our lifetime. When we arrived in Ushuaia we saw some last minute offers so you...
I spent 8 days on the Fram, a Hurtigruten ship. Cabins were compact but comfortable, and shore excursions were very well organized. Although there were 260 passengers, we all got ashore on each landing, usually 2 sites per day. They use Polar Cirkel boats for landings--you sit inside them on a wooden bench instead of up on the rubber tube like the Zodiacs.I booked with Vantage Travel, because it was the cheapest Antarctic cruise I had seen. A group tour like this is worth considering. I paid about $5300, which included airfare from the U.S. (Miami) and 3 days in Buenos Aires in addition to the cruise. (The trip could also be booked without airfare, for less money.) When I looked at the Hurtigruten website, the cruise alone cost more. Tour companies sometimes get very good deals.
Reviews and photos of Antarctica attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Antarctica sightseeing.
Q: Hello, I'm so excited about my trip to Antarctica on 2/19 on Quark. Questions for those who've been there - 1. packing -...
A: There is a tiny place on Deception Island, where the ground is so hot that you can dig out a hole and let the sea-water in that will allow you to take a bath in hot...
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