Antarctica
Destination Deals
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From
AU $21,835THE BIG ANTARCTIC ADVENTURE - Fly Cruise October 2019
Join G-Expedition on an Antarctic journey to the Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula in October 2019
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US $21,995FALKLANDS, SOUTH GEORGIA & ANTARCTICA - Hebridean Sky - 02Nov19
South Georgia home to tens of millions of breeding penguins, seals and seabirds....
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From
AU $19,995AN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION - Fly Cruise departs 7th Dec 2019
Wildlife, Wild lands in Wild Antarctica await you aboard Ponant`s Le Soleal in 2019
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From
AU $4,579CORAL PRINCESS - ANTARCTICA & CAPE HORN
BONUS CREDIT^ Cruise 16 nights with Coral Princess ex Buenos Aires to San Antonio
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AU $5,439CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR GETAWAY - CORAL PRINCESS
BONUS CREDIT^ Cruise & Stay 21 nights with Coral Princess ex Buenos Aires to Santiago (San Antonio) incl 4 star stay in Buenos Aires & Santiago PLUS 2 Tours
Antarctica is the last discovered continent where wildlife and nature exist without excessive pressures of man.
The dramatic mountains, glaciers, iceburgs and ocean provide a backdrop to the lives of the widlife who have adapted to living here. During the brief summer months of light, an astounding abundance of life returns to crowd the headlands and beaches. Many varieties of penguins and seals as well as a huge number of bird species can be seen during your visit. Watching whales is a great bonus.
The "heroic age" of Shackleton, Amundsen and others a hundred years ago opened Antarctica to the world.
Cruise types
There are two very different cruise types to Antarctica – firstly the larger cruise ships that visit here are restricted to scenic cruising through the area and generally include a visit to the region with longer cruises around the South American coast.
However the majority of cruises here are provided by smaller specialty ships that allow passengers to disembark onto the Antarctic islands and the continent itself. These ships tend to be sturdy expedition style ships and do not offer all the extras associated with modern cruise ships. These cruises are dedicated to the experience and feature experts in the region and the wild life who give lectures and lead shore excursions. Visits to the Islands are usually by Zodiac inflatables.
The contrasts in temperature are striking as summer in the Falklands and Ushuaia can sometimes be quite warm, while summertime in Antarctica hovers at the freezing mark.
Cruise seasons
Cruises here operate from October to March in the southern summer months when the days are longer - there are upto to 20 hours of daylight in high summer.
Main Ports
Larger cruise ships tend to depart either Valparaiso or Buenos Aires and include an Antarctic experience within their ‘round the horn’ cruise.
Specialty ships generally depart from Ushuaia, the most southerly city in the world located on Tierra del Fuego. These cruises often combine visits to Port Stanley in the Falklands with visits to uninhabited islands to enjoy the remarkable sea and bird life.
Weather
Weather in the sub Antarctic islands is cool but pleasant in the summer months but the temperature on the continent itself rarely gets above freezing. The nature of the area means that the weather can and does change quite quickly, so if you plan a cruise here take good note of the cruise lines advice on clothing. Again remember that island visits are by zodiac infaltables so you need to ensure you are properly dressed for these trips.
Ports of Interest
- Almirante Brown, Angentina
- Amanda Bay, Antarctica
- Antarctic Peninsula
- Arctowski, Antarctica
- Balleny Islands, Sub Antarctic Islands
- Bleaker Island, Falkland Islands
- Bouvet Island, Antarctica
- Bransfield Strait, Antarctica
- Cape Adare, East Antarctica
- Cape Hallett, Antarctica
- Carcass Island, West Falkland Islands
- Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica
- Coronation Island, Sub Antarctic Islands
- Crozet Islands, Sub Antarctic Islands
- Cuverville Island, Antarctica
- Davis Station, Antarctica
- Deception Island, Antarctica
- Drake Passage
- Dumont d'Urville Station, Antarctica
- Elephant Island, South Shetland Islands
- Esperanza Station, Antarctica
- Falkland Islands
- Grytviken, South Georgia
- Half Moon Island, South Shetland Islands
- Heard Island, Antarctica
- Hope Bay, Antarctica
- Jason Islands, Falklands
- Kerguelen Islands (Desolation Islands), South Indian Ocean
- King George Island, South Shetland Islands
- Lemaire Channel, Antarctica
- Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands
- Macquarie Island, Sub Antarctic Island
- McMurdo Sound, Antarctica
- Melchior Island, Antarctica
- Mertz Glacier, Antarctica
- Neumayer Channel, Antarctica
- New Harbour, Ross Sea
- New Island, West Falkland Islands
- Ninnis and Mertz Glaciers, Antarctica
- Oates Land Coast, Antarctica
- Palmer Station, Antarctica
- Paradise Bay, Cuverville Island
- Paulet Is, Antarctica
- Petermann Island, Antarctica
- Petrel Island, South Georgia
- Pleneau Island
- Port Lockroy, Antarctica
- Port Martin, Antarctica
- Port Stanley, Falkland Islands
- Possession Islands, Antarctica
- Ross Island, Antarctica
- Saunders Island, Falklands
- Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands
- South Georgia, South Atlantic Ocean
- South Orkney Islands, Southern Ocean
- South Sandwich Islands, South Georgia
- South Shetland Islands, Antarctica
- Steeple Jason Island, Falkland Islands
- Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica
- Volunteer Island, Falkland Islands
- Waterboat Point, Antarctic Peninsula
- West Point, Falkland Islands
- Zhongshan and Larsemann Hills, Antarctica