Antarctic Expedition Ship

The biggest difference in Antarctic tourism is that Antarctica only provides a very small number of top-notch luxury accommodations for the rich, and the vast majority of tourists have to rely on ships to stay on board.

In the earliest travels to Antarctica, most of the research ships released a small number of beds for non-researchers. Since then, in order to meet the needs of tourists, the number of cruise ships converted from decommissioned research ships or built specifically for polar expeditions, commonly known as expedition ships, has increased day by day.

The safety of polar navigation is the primary consideration for these expedition ships. With the emergence of new ships, facilities are improving with each passing day, and the price gap is also getting wider and wider.

Due to Antarctic geography, climate, IAATO regulations and other factors, the travel seasons and the places where you can go ashore are restricted. Therefore, most of the itineraries of each expedition ship are not far apart. They are mainly single-island, double-island, three-island or crossing the Antarctic Circle itineraries starting from Argentina or Chile. A few are itineraries starting from New Zealand and crossing the Ross Sea to land in Antarctica.

Therefore, the first step to go to Antarctica is to find an expedition ship itinerary that meets your needs and abilities (financial resources, time, activities or facilities, etc.).

1. Characteristics of expedition ships

The hardware and software of expedition ships are slightly different from those of ordinary cruise ships. Generally speaking, cruise ships emphasize the choice of accommodation, dining and entertainment facilities or activities, while expedition ships focus on the experience and safety of adventure activities.

(1) Hardware

1. Ship structure and classification

Passenger ships suitable for polar navigation are often called expedition ships /vessels because they must cross drift ice or thin ice, and some can even be icebreakers.

Expedition ships can be divided into seven classes according to Polar Class ( PC , or ice-breaking coefficient), ranging from PC 1, which can operate in all waters of the polar region all year round, to PC 7, which is only suitable for operation on thin ice in summer and autumn; or According to ice class , it is divided into 1A Super, 1A, IB, IC, ID and other levels.

These grades are related to ship structure, hull design, steel plate thickness, etc. Currently, most common commercial exploration ships are PC 6 (=1A Super).

2.Passenger capacity

According to the Antarctic Convention, only ships carrying less than 500 passengers can berth in Antarctica. Only one ship can be berthed at each location, and no more than 100 tourists can be disembarked at a time .

Based on economic interests and the number of people aboard, most of the high-end or luxury-class expedition ships sailing to Antarctica currently carry 198 passengers, while most conventional or research ship-modified expedition ships carry less than 100 passengers. Tourists in the former can be divided into two groups to take turns to disembark, while in the latter all tourists can disembark at the same time.

3. Facilities

In the early years, the expedition ships were converted from decommissioned research ships. The accommodation, dining and facilities were simple. Some cabins even had no windows or shared bathrooms. As Antarctic tourism has gained more attention, the number of expedition ships has gradually increased, and the facilities have become increasingly luxurious.

Expedition ships are similar to ordinary cruise ships, with accommodation, dining and entertainment facilities. Most expedition ships have swimming pools, spas or saunas, gyms, bars, saloons, shops and lecture halls, etc., but there are no casinos, electronic amusement areas, children's amusement areas or theaters.

The expedition ship is equipped with a mud room , which stores the coats, boots and life jackets required by tourists for landing. There is a shoe cleaning machine at the entrance and exit to clean the trouser legs and boots of tourists returning to the ship. In order to meet the needs of cruising and landing, in addition to tender boats (lifeboats), there are also rubber boats , and higher-end expedition ships even have helicopters .

In addition, the expedition ship does not dock or anchor when anchored in Antarctica. Instead, it fixes its position through a satellite positioning system so that it can move quickly in case of emergency.

4. Spare parts

Expedition ships all use reusable and environmentally friendly items , such as using glass bottles for drinking water and not providing packaged water; using napkins instead of paper towels in restaurants, etc. In addition, the hand soap, shower gel or shampoo used in the bathroom are all environmentally friendly raw materials.

(2) Software

Different from ordinary cruise ships, expedition ships have an expedition team and provide lectures during the cruise or during breaks, rather than entertainment programs or social activities.

1. Expedition

The expedition team is led by an experienced captain and consists of team members from different countries with different expertise. After training and assessment, they are proficient in language and expression skills. Its main tasks are pre-trip exploration, landing ecological explanations and on-board briefings, and ensuring the safety of tourists and compliance with Antarctic tourism regulations during cruise or landing.

The captain of the expedition team on the ship I took was a Frenchman. The 12 team members came from North America, South America, Europe and Oceania. There was only one from Asia, a girl from Beijing.

2. Speech

Expedition ships mostly provide Antarctic-related knowledge or landing briefings during cruises or breaks. They occasionally have side programs or exchanges, which are usually small in scale and short in duration.

The expedition ship I boarded provided briefings and feedback before and after the cruise or landing. I also gave more than ten lectures, including: Antarctic Convention, IAATO, politics, history, climate, ocean, ecology, animals, icebergs, research, photography and other topics. , and broadcast two documentaries related to Antarctica. A small number of speeches are subject to IAATO regulations and must be delivered to tourists, and they must be present and report in person; some can be watched live in their own cabins. Each lecture usually lasts from 1 to 1.5 hours, but questions are frequently asked and often exceed the scheduled time.

2. Antarctic expedition ship itinerary

The itineraries of Antarctic expedition ships mainly depart from Argentina or Chile in South America, and a few depart from New Zealand. They usually land on the Antarctic Peninsula, surrounding islands, the Antarctic continent or the sub-Antarctic region.

Frequent landing places for trips starting from South America include: 1. The northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula: not an island, but a strip of land extending from the Antarctic continent to the Southern Ocean; 2. South Shetland Islands: The Antarctic island closest to the South American continent; 3. South of the Antarctic Circle : southward across the Antarctic Circle at 66°34′S; 4. Falkland Islands : British territory; 5. South Georgia Island ). The last two are located in the subantarctic and are not within the Antarctic range of 60° south latitude.

There are single-island , double-island and three-island itineraries departing from South America. The single island is usually the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula or the South Shetland Islands; the three islands refer to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula. As for double islands, they are more often a combination of the Antarctic Peninsula and other islands. In addition, there is a trip southward across the Antarctic Circle .

Since there are airports in the South Shetland Islands, South Georgia Island and the Falkland Islands, there are also Fly Cruise or Air Cruise itineraries departing from Puerto Williams in Chile , which can save sailing time. And save yourself the discomfort of crossing the Drake Passage.

Most single-island itineraries take less than 10 days, while crossing the Antarctic Circle takes more than 11 days. Three-island itineraries usually take more than 15 days, and some even take more than 20 days. If you use a machine plus a ship, it can be reduced by 2-3 days.

The journey across the Ross Sea from New Zealand is less frequent and takes longer, usually more than 20 days, but is closer to the center of the Antarctic continent (south of 70° south latitude).

3. Search for Antarctic expedition ship itinerary

Since Antarctic-related books or online articles are rare and mostly outdated, the best way to learn about Antarctic tourism and itineraries is Google.

If you search " Antarctica " on Google, many advertisements for Antarctic tour groups from Taiwanese or Chinese travel agencies will appear. You can get a preliminary understanding of the tour dates, itineraries and costs of Antarctic tours.

Most Antarctic tours organized by Taiwanese travel agencies depart from Taipei, and a few of them gather in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. These Antarctic tours are accompanied by a Taiwanese (or Chinese-speaking) leader, who usually joins the shipping company's itinerary in Buenos Aires or Ushuaia. Unless the ship is chartered, the common language on board is English, but most of them have one or two staff members who are proficient in Chinese.

If you search Google for " Antarctica " or " Polar " and add " expedition ", " cruise " or " ship ", the official website of the shipping company or travel agency, etc. will appear. . Although it is an English website, it can be translated into Chinese using the web page translation function .

1. Shipping company official website

The official website of the shipping company will provide information about its ships, including ship floor plan, passenger capacity, cabin type, cabin configuration and area, catering and various facilities or activities, itinerary, date and price, etc., and list the charges. , free or complimentary items.

The above picture is taken from the official website of Atlas Ocean Voyages.

The picture above is taken from the Atlas official website, which shows the floor plan of World Voyager.

2.Travel agency official website

Through the above search methods, you will also find travel agencies that handle Antarctic tours outside of Taiwan (usually the United States). The following are screenshots of the official websites of two travel agencies, Cruise Norway and Adventure Life. The latter has been translated into Chinese using the web page translation function.

The above picture is taken from the official website of Cruise Norway travel agency.

The picture above is taken from the Antarctic itinerary from New Zealand on the official website of Adventure Life travel agency , and has been translated into Chinese using the web translation function.

3. Polar travel price comparison platform

There are very few travel agencies that specialize in representing polar expedition ships, such as Polartour, which only has itineraries to the North and South Pole and has a large selection of expedition ships. On its official website, you can search based on price, trip length, sailing mode (aircraft + boat or boat), type of expedition ship (traditional, high-end or luxury), ship size and other conditions.

The picture above is taken from the official website of Polartour travel agency, which specializes in travel to the North and South Poles.

4. Antarctic itinerary on the cruise price comparison platform

General cruise price comparison platforms also have Antarctic travel itineraries, but they are mainly popular itineraries. Some have cruise itineraries that carry more than 500 passengers and are limited to sailing in the Southern Ocean but not allowed to land.

When searching, you can select conditions such as itinerary days, date range, departure or arrival port, shipping company, ship class, selling price, etc. Some platforms will sort the results in order according to the selected conditions for easy comparison. ]

The picture above is taken from the Antarctica Cruise webpage under the Vacations To Go price comparison platform. You can click on the list header on this page to reorder it.

In addition to Vacations to Go as shown above, commonly used cruise price comparison platforms include CruiseDirect , iCruise , Cruise.com , etc.

5. Inquiry and quotation

Most of the above official websites or platforms will ask viewers to leave personal requirements (such as departure period, days, number of people, itinerary, etc.) and personal information (such as name, email or WhatsApp, phone number, age, etc.), or provide official contact information ( email or WhatsApp, etc.).

After searching and comparing prices, I wrote to several shipping companies and travel agencies, asking them to quote a solo Antarctic itinerary that would depart in January 2024 and return before mid-February. One of the travel agencies responded the fastest, listing several prices that fit within the sailing schedule range and offered prices for a single person occupying a double cabin or sharing a double, triple or quadruple cabin.

After that, I received quotes from shipping companies or other travel agencies one after another, which were slightly higher than the amount quoted by this travel agency. However, the travel agency responded quickly and answered all my questions. It also agreed to hold the quotation and payment deadline until the end of the year so that I could find a companion.

According to the experiences shared by netizens on the Antarctic Facebook community: when you order on the official website of the shipping company, you are more likely to get an upgrade and more guaranteed; when you order at a travel agency, you are more likely to get better discounts or it is easier to change your itinerary. The above sharing by netizens is for reference only. As for the actual situation, due to limited personal experience, I will not comment.

4. Expedition ship billing method

Since Antarctic travel prices vary widely, if you learn more about its billing structure and items, you may be able to find an itinerary that meets your needs or abilities.

I divide general cruise charges into three categories: mandatory charges, semi-mandatory charges and non-mandatory charges.

(1) Mandatory fees

1. Cruise fare : usually includes the cost of cabins, meals, entertainment facilities or activities, etc. It varies according to the expedition ship class (traditional, premium or luxury), the number of cabins (one to four people) and the cabin class (inner cabin, outer cabin, balcony cabin, suite, etc.). Cruise ships are the same as hotels in that they charge per room , that is, if one person occupies a two-person cabin, he or she will still be charged for the two-person cabin.

2. Taxes : Passengers have to pay port taxes, fuel surcharges and other taxes calculated on a per-capita basis (the same concept as the airport tax surcharged on air tickets).

3. Travel insurance premium : In the event of a medical emergency or accident during a sea voyage or polar expedition, helicopter rescue will be required. Tourists must purchase travel insurance, and the claim amount must be sufficient to cover all possible medical and assistance expenses .
   Some shipping companies will take out insurance on behalf of tourists, and the premium is included in the ship fare ; others will be insured by tourists themselves , and the policy must be sent to the shipping company for review before boarding the ship.
   Insurance companies in Taiwan may not be able to provide full coverage for cruise travel departing from non-Taiwan, so some people also take out insurance from overseas insurance companies.

(2) Semi-mandatory fees

Semi-mandatory fees mainly refer to tips . Shipping companies usually provide suggested tip amounts (for example: 15-20 euros per person per night, not based on the room, but based on the person).

Tips are usually placed anonymously in an envelope and given to the staff before disembarking. Although they will not be opened and viewed in person, they should be paid based on the performance of the staff. Some tourists will also tip privately to specific housekeepers, restaurants or room service staff who are serious and kind.

(3) Optional fees

Optional expenses refer to drinks, meals, wifi, shore activities or SPA, etc., which may not be required by everyone .

1. Drinks : Free tea, coffee, cola and other soft drinks are usually provided, but alcoholic drinks, freshly brewed coffee, freshly made juice, etc. must be paid for at your own expense.

2. Catering : Large cruise ships usually have more than one restaurant. You can choose your own restaurant, but some restaurants must be paid for at your own expense.

3. WiFi : There is no Internet signal outside the sea, so we must rely on artificial satellites to transmit information. Some cruise ships or expedition ships provide a small amount of WiFi per room, while others do not. If necessary, you can purchase it at your own expense, but it is not expensive.

4. Shore activities : In addition to cruising and landing, expedition ships usually provide polar activities such as snow camping , canoeing or diving . Some are free and some are at your own expense.

5. Accommodation, sightseeing and charter flights before and after boarding : Some shipping companies provide one-night accommodation and local sightseeing before (or after) the meeting point (e.g. Buenos Aires) or embarkation port (e.g. Ushuaia) , or charter flights and transfers to and from the embarkation port from the assembly point.

6. SPA : Some cruise ships provide massage and facial services at their own expense.

(4) Package itinerary

Some expedition ship itineraries will include semi-mandatory or non-mandatory items and become a package itinerary , such as: tips, drinks, restaurants, limited wifi, ashore activities, etc. for free; some add a waterproof warm jacket (Parka), chartered flight to and from or before departure One night accommodation or sightseeing etc. The package items of each shipping company are quite different, so they are referred to as single-person package discount prices for the convenience of subsequent explanation.

Therefore, the selling price (table price) of the expedition ship mostly refers to the single price for two people occupying a double cabin (if it is a quadruple cabin, four people occupy a quadruple cabin). It may be:

Single person selling price = double cabin boat fee / 2 + single person tax , that is, only mandatory fees are calculated, tips must be given separately, and non-mandatory items must be paid for by yourself. or,

Single person package price = Double cabin boat fee/2 + single person tax + single person package discount price .

Since the billing methods or package contents provided by shipping companies vary greatly, you should learn more about their coverage when searching for itineraries and prices.

(5) Charges for solo tourists

If there are no single cabins, most shipping companies (or travel agencies) will help arrange solo travelers of the same gender in the same cabin (two, three or four-person cabins) to reduce the burden on tourists.

If you do not want to share the cabin with others, you must pay the full cabin fare plus single person tax, or add the discounted single package price. After adding these fees, the price of a double cabin for a solo traveler may be 1.2 to 1.8 times the price of a single person or a package (a travel agency directly quotes all itineraries at the price of a single package x 1.5 ).

In short, expedition ships are based on the number of days, travel period (peak season or not), sailing mode (whether by plane + boat), ship class (star rating, or according to traditional, high-end and luxury classes), and the number of people in the cabin (two, three or four people). ), cabin type (inner cabin, outer cabin, balcony cabin or suite, etc.), package content, ordering time (early birds, last minute), age (Senior), etc., the price difference is quite large.

Compared with Taiwan travel agencies, Antarctic tours often cost 700,000 or even more than 1 million. If you find a ship to place an order by yourself, buy your own air tickets and go to the meeting point or port to meet the shipping company, it is still much more economical.

Based on the current itinerary inquiry for the 2025 Antarctic tourist season, itineraries starting from Argentina or Chile range from US$5,000 to more than US$20,000 per person, and those starting from New Zealand cost more than US$20,000.

As the departure time approaches, if the sales situation is not good, the shipping company may release the late bird price early; however, the late bird price is more suitable for tourists who have flexible time and do not need to arrange a vacation in advance. In addition, some self-guided travelers in South America will go to Ushuaia during the tourist season and wait for the shipping company to release cheaper cabins a few days before departure, but they are hard to come by.

Finally, I hope this article will help readers understand: the characteristics of the hardware and software of the expedition ship, how to search for the itinerary and charges of the Antarctic expedition ship, and the billing method of the expedition ship, so as to serve as a reference for traveling to Antarctica.