Travel Answers

Hello,
I'll be in Ushuaia by the end of april 2013 with 2 friends of mine. My question is this one : How low can a price get when you are 3 people looking for literally the cheapest way to have the chance to see Antartica? We are 3 young backpackers, working on a boat going down there is also an option for us then!

I have two options with Quark Expeditions 1.Nov 4-13 Twin Window based on a double share. The rate is $6895 and with 15% off, for at $5860.75. ship -Sea Adventurer .Only 122 guests.

2.Dec 1-11 a triple for $4995.00 Ship- Ocean Diamond with 189 passengers. It is indeed difficult to choose. Please help me out. Thanks a million in advance Regards Raj

Hi everyone Happy New Year! I'm helpinmg some friends with advice about an Antarctic cruise. Of course I'll be checking cruise.com etc. but I wondered about your experiences... These friends, both seasoned travellers, want to cruise to Antarctica and land (with 98 other people, the legal limit I understand) to view the flora and fauna. She's into photography big-time! Which ships/companies have you used? What were the good and not so good aspects of your 'expedition'? I have plenty of literature ----it's your opinions that I'm after. Thanks.

Doing the Shackleton/Christmas cruise this year on MV FRAM. Would love to meet any other pax to compare packing notes, etc. and just to have friends on board! Uncertain how many layers to pack and don't have many as I winter in Panama. SO, wonder what experience others have renting layers in Ushuaia if it turns out to be really cold when we arrive. Won't need boots or jacket apparently provided. Happy to offer advice on Panama if anyone wants to travel by/way/of. It can sometimes be cheaper than direct from US or Canada. Also know a bit about Argentina.

I am hoping to do an Antarctica expedition next Dec,Jan or Feb. I have been reading various forums on the best types of ships ...affordable...best excursions...etc...I saw on a few sites that some people recommended going to Ushuaia and then trying to book on a ship at the last minute. A couple of people said they did it and got great discounts.... Does anyone have any experience with this? If so, is this advisable? If I were to do this last minute, what discount is usual? Also which ship would offer the Best Expedition Experience for the most affordable cost? I am less about all the amenities and more about the experience and learning about the area...wildlife...and taking photos. What time of year is the best time to get on a ship at the last minute AND see wildlife. I have been told Feb and early March...I was hoping to go in December but can go at any time. Any advice on traveling to Antarctica on a budget would be greatly appreciated(and I know this question will make many of you laugh out loud or at least smile!)... Thank you for any help.

I am looking for a female who wants to go to there on Nov 8, 2012. The trip costs >$8000 . My e mail address is kunchickun@aol.com

i have been told that using honorifics such as Sir and ma;am is dissrespectfull in antartica is the true or just someone pulling my legg

Hello, I'm so excited about my trip to Antarctica on 2/19 on Quark. Questions for those who've been there - 1. packing - is swimming suit needed? (I try to pack minimal). I read that some people had a chance to soak in some thermal hot springs after landing, how is the temperature of water? hot? luke warm? much colder? how about the few minutes of changing clothes - will that be really freezing cold? 2. sea sick - is Dramamine effective enough? Or definitely need much stronger ones by prescription such as an ear patch? (background: I think I will definitely get sea sick as I got sea sick even doing whale watching in Maui in late November and Dramamine worked well on my 2nd whale watching trip). How about the first day that is before reaching the Drake passage, still quite possible to get sea sickness? i.e. need to take the pill/patch before the sailing starts? 3. after landing - how much time do you have there? Do people have to hike far to some interesting spots, or can easily see a lot without much walking? Thank you very much.

I am flying into Argentina on Feb 18 and plan to head down to Ushaia to do an Antarctic Exploration! I am by myself and trying to find the best deal. A few questions: Is the end of Feb a really popular time to go OR if i postponed booking a trip and went to Ushuaia a day before would it be possible to find a last minute deal on a 11-12 day trip? I heard good things about Quark expeditions. Has anyone done the Clipper adventure vs the Vavilov (quarkexpeditions.com/antarct.... Besides a gym/sauna and the ability to do kayaking trips, i cant find a big difference. Anyone know if it is cheaper to go directly through a company or find a tour operator? Thanks for the tips! jw

Hi, We're a couple travelling to south america next week, and we wish to start the trip with a cruise to antarctica. Since the prices are extremely high, we've waited until now to try and book one of the "last minute" deals. We have been offered a good deal for a cruise leaving Ushuaia on December 22th - less than half the usual price. the only catch is that they offer this deal for a group of four. If there is any other couple out there who might be interested (don't worry, we'll receive two seperate rooms :) ) - please drop me a line. Thanks! John

Hi, Has anyone gone on this boat recently? My agent is trying to steer me away from them and I wanted recent opinions. We aren't going for luxury, just a chance to see Antarctica without breaking the bank. I have found reviews online but none that recent. Many thanks, Ez Read more: World Travel Forum

I have just started planning a trip to Antarctica in Dec 2011 or Jan 2012. I would appreciate any advice regarding which travel agency to select and which vessel. I'm taking off from Tel Aviv

We are sailing on the Veendam this January and one stop is in Punta Arenas. There is an one day excursion in which you fly to Frei Airbase on King George Island, walk around a bit, take a zodiac to Ardley Island to see penguins, and return. Has anyone done this trip before? It is pricey. Was it worth it to you? Any advice re the gear to not take? What were your impressions? Would you do it again?

I am a professional photographer and looking for thoughts from other pro guys or serious hobbyiests 1. What camera to take is a huge question for me? I am taking 2 SLR bodies, a full and half frame. Deciding on lenses. My research says don't bother with telephoto lenses. All the lenses I have a 2.8 and am considering taking the 2x converter for the 200ml will this be enough or over kill as the research says? 2. Does it get over crowded around the viewing areas? 3. I as a rule use sandisc extreme? I ran out of card space last week on location (Virginia and Nth Carolina in the snow) and had to dig into some older smaller cards in my bag. I had a little trouble with the card (Ultra2). I assumed it was the age of the card...until it ran perfectly in L.A. the next day. Seemed to be the cold. The Extreme cards went well and I will probably get more 8gig cards for this trip, but before I do I was tossing up a better card over the extra cost. Any thoughts? 4. Weight restrictions: Did anyone go over on the hand luggage and are they really as fussy as they sound?(cameras account for a lot of weight that cannot be in the checked luggage). I would love to hear from anyone with experience Cheers D

My husband and I are going to Antarctica on the early Dec Le'Austral cruise....we are traveling on to Macchu Picchu. So...we would love to hear from anyone that has been ~in December or is going next December ~that has travelled on the LeBoreal. ~How you handled the high seas (please name the ship you were on) ~That has traveled with Tauck CHEERS

I received a list from Quark of all the items of clothing they recommend we bring and just started shopping for the things we don't already have on hand. A lot of it seems excessive. Can anyone say how cold it really feels when you're down there? We're from Minnesota, and from what I've read, Antarctica will be quite a bit warmer than home when we're there. It usually hovers around zero here in December/January and can dip as low as -20 with some regularity. I know if it gets to 30 above in the winter here, people start walking around in T-shirts. I don't typically wear half of what they're suggesting we bring and really don't get cold easily (don't even own a winter jacket, and leave the windows open in our house year-round). I obviously don't want to be miserable when we get there, but I also don't want to lug around a bunch of gear we don't really need - especially since we'll be traveling all over South America while we're down there, which requires quite a different packing list. I know everyone has a different idea of waht "cold" is, so it'd be really great to hear from someone who lives in a colder place. Maybe I'm way off and Antarctica cold feels a lot colder than Minnesota cold. Anyway, if anyone can give me the scoop, I'd appreciate it.

I will go to New Zealand in Feb,2011. I want to go to Antarctica from Lytleton Harbour or Bluff Harbour. Could anyone tell me which travel comany arrange the trip ? or how can I go? Thank you!!

Wanna go to Antarctica. Does anybody know www.tundratravel.com? They have good deals, but don't know them. Thanks.

How concerned should I be about Drake's Passage? I have heard it can be calm or a nightmare. A friend knows someone whose ship was hit by a rogue wave. And of course I know of the sinking of the one ship. Is there any time of year when the sea there is calmer? We are thinking Feb or March 2012 for our trip to Antarctica. Thank you for any info.

I heared some time ago that tourism in Antarctica was going to be banned or restricted to help preserve the local environment. Is anyone able to tell me if that is correct, or give me any further information about it?

We're heading to Antarctica in December and our flights are all booked - including three legs of the trip through Aerolineas (BA to Ushuaia, Ushuaia to Iguazu and Iguazu to BA for our connection home). They are the only airline offering flights that fit our schedule exactly, so that's why we went with them. However, they have already chanbged our flight times twice now and we've been reading a lot about their reliability problems. Just how bad are they? We're arriving in Ushuaia on the 19th and our cruise takes off on the 20th - should we be worried about missing our trip or should that give us enough of a cushion? Thanks!

I want to buy an Antarctica shot glass - any ideas?? My daughter collects shot glasses and was in Antarctica a year ago and forgot to buy one. I want to surprise her.

My son and I are going to do a long ago planned travel to the Patagonia. We are traveling there on July 2010. Are there going to be some? in that case, where? Our warmest thanks in advance. Ana y Ernesto, from Mexico City.

Hey all! I'm looking into going to Antarctica, but before i make any big decisions, thought i should see what you all might suggest. Well basically, i've been looking at different operator websites, most of which follow the guidelines set by IAATO or similar, like their own company policies. My main interest in Antarctica is experiencing the wildlife and environment, and i was wondering how much these guidelines may interfere? I understand that they are enforced for a reason, but im worried it my ruin the holiday! Any thoughts from those who have been would be great!! Cheers :)

I would like to go to Antarctica at about Dec-2010. I need to decide either book the ship ticket in advance, or go to Ushuaia first, then waiting for a cheaper ticket. To book in advance, it costs about USD4000. I believe I may get much more cheaper (eg. USD3000) if I stay in Ushuaia and wait/search day by day. (I have plenty of time, but not much money...) Can any one tell me the fact that, is it fessible to stay in Ushuaia in order to get the cheaper ship ticket? or it is better to book in advance? Really thanks for your valuable reply, thanks.

I’ll be in Antarctica coming February and worry very much about the camera batteries when taking photos outside. Info on the web from past travelers, mention that batteries last much less, but nobody describes specifically about how serious is the impact. Anybody has any good idea about that? Let’s say, if batteries last half than normal, or what… Many thanks Nikos

HI, I am on a Quark Classic cruise on 20 November. Can anyone advise me as to a good brand of thermal. I have looked at 'subzero' and 'winter silks'. Also, as I will inevitably be ill on the Drake crossing, can anyone suggest a effective sea sickness tablet? Thanks

I am planning to go to Antarctica in December 09. After reading a lot of blogs, I have decided to go on the MV Ushuaia, (Mainly due to the cheaper fares) I know they had some problems in the past, but the more recent reports all seem to say they are over those problems. I realize that some ships can just have a bad cruise, when I took a dive trip in the Galapagos Islands we had to rescue some passengers on another boat, so I dont want to make my decision based on one bad trip (when they were new). But I would love to hear from anyone who has been on that ship recently, that would be very helpful. Any other tips would be welcomed as well. Thanks Tess

Hi: Wife and I are sailing on the ms Fram to the Antarctic on December 13, 2009 from Ushuaia. We are on a Vantage Tour and will be in Buenos Aires(Dec 10 to 12) prior to the sailing on the 13th from Ushuaia. Interested in chatting with other folks who are going on the same trip. Also others who did the same trip last year to get their comments of the ship and landings.

Looking for others who will be on that voyage to discuss preparations. Thanks