Cruises For some people, Antarctica exerts an irresistible power of attraction. Does the power of the white landscape stem from the sheer endless wilderness or the colonies of penguins ?
Everybody has their own reason for dreaming about the ultimate of continents. To travel there is to seek out adventure and to follow in the footsteps of explorers and scientists.

During the winter, the place is as good as closed to travellers. The edge of the pack-ice expands for miles into the ocean and the savagely low temperatures make visiting less than pleasant. Then you've got the dark days with almost no sunlight and you'll have gathered that Antarctica is not very people-friendly at this time of the year.
Spring and summer on the continent are milder. There is life around the coastline and the rim of pack-ice retreats.

This is the time for cruise ships to set sail and take their passengers on a voyage of discovery to a very special world. Most tourists visit Antarctica by ship.These are vessels that can withstand a storm and cut a way through the ice. This is the most comfortable way for travellers to get to know this land of extremes.
A number of different companies organise cruises.

Thirty of so tour operators are "Full member or Provisional members or Associate members" of IAATO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators).

This international organisation ensures that the trips organised by its members are in total harmony with the fragile nature of Antarctica. Selecting a cruise - and hence a tour operator - is a highly individual choice.

So it is important to ask as many questions as possible. The answers will help you to make your decision.

Below is a summarised list of some of the major elements that you need to take into consideration in talking with your cruise operator.

What sort of ship will you be sailing on?

Is it an ice-breaker or a reinforced ship?

Has the ship already made regular trips to Antarctica or is this an exception?

Make sure you know what is included in the price ! What taxes are included? What still has to be paid separately ? Some companies do not mention any taxes in their prices.

How many days will you actually spend in Antarctica ?
Read the programme carefully because a 14-day cruise sometimes includes various nights in somewhere like South America. South America is a much sought-after base to depart from and is the shortest route (2 days) to the Antarctic peninsula

How many passengers will you be travelling with?
The smallest ship making the run to Antarctica carries 38 passengers. The biggest has ten times that number. A simple rule: the smaller the better. In any event, the atmosphere aboard a smaller ship is more intimate. A ship with fewer than 100 passengers aboard is a good average.

More than 150 passengers is to be avoided ! This has nothing to do with too few seats in the ship's restaurant. Lectures are overcrowded, the specialised literature runs out and you can wait for ages to be taken to the mainland by Zodiac.
IAATO members apply a rule of never landing more than 100 visitors at the same time. Most of the scientific bases do not allow more than 80 visitors at any one time. And some historic sites are even restricted to 40.

Who are your fellow passengers ?
Some natural history associations buy up a number of cabins. The remaining places are given to tour operators. Different areas of interest can cause tension when thrown together.

What language is spoken on board the ship ?
Is the main language English? Are there any large groups which speak other languages?

Who is giving the lectures ? What scientists will there be on board ?
Ask to see the synopsis of a lecture. Lectures are much more interesting when the presenter is a gifted speaker. But all too often, it seems that famous scientists have great difficulty getting their message across to the public at large.
Is there a helicopter aboard the cruise ship?
Helicopters on board give the trip an added dimension. They are able to land anywhere so that people can visited areas that are inaccessible with the Zodiac. Helicopters can carry a maximum of 6 to 8 people, so we come back to our rule again: the smaller the ship the better. Helicopters can also be used for reconnaissance purposes, seeking out the easiest path through the pack-ice and restricting travelling time.

Is the cruise company a member of IAATO ?
If so, that gives you the reassurance that the trip to Antarctica will not cause any damage to the environment. Responsible tourism is essential if the fragile Antarctic ecology is to be protected. For this reason, IAATO has established a number of rules that all of its members have to adhere to.

In the second section, next page,
we will look at ten international organisations
that offer trips to Antarctica with some prices included
(click here)