Antarctica Travel: Aurora Expeditions - How to Choose an Antarctic Cruise

When planning your Antarctica travel adventure, bear in mind that the only way to get to Antarctica is by ship. Choosing the right tour operator and ship can make all the difference to your Antarctica travel experience; it all depends on what you are looking for.

Our Recommended Tour Company
Aurora Expeditions, a Sydney based company, offer Antarctica tours departing Hobart & Argentina to Antarctica throughout the entire season to ensure you have the experience of a lifetime.

For more specific details on Antarctica cruises, contact Aurora Expeditions at their website and use their free 'Ask and Expert' service to ask any questions you may have and register for their E-News to enjoy exclusive special offers, exciting competitions, helpful travel tips and other news from their destinations.

What kind of Antarctic travel suits you?
You should first ask yourself what kind of Antarctic travel best suits your style. There are more than 30 cruise ships working in Antarctica, with vessels ranging from 50 passenger, ice strengthened, ‘expedition-style’ ships, to ocean liners which carry up to 3000 passengers.

Small Ships offer flexibility
Often smaller Antarctica travel expedition-style ships will have more flexible itineraries, and the expedition leader can choose to alter course on trips to Antarctica to take maximum advantage of the weather or opportunities for wildlife viewing.

Making landings in Antarctica
With smaller cruise ships of 100 passengers or less, you are likely to have more Zodiac landings on Antarctica trips, usually two to three per day. Larger ships generally do not make as many landings and some do not land at all as they are restricted in the places they can reach.

Industry Guidelines for trave to Antarctica
The International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO), an industry group that sets guidelines for safe and environmentally sound travel to Antarctica, limits tourists at any single landing site to 100. This means if you are travelling on an Antarctic cruise ship with more than 100 passengers, you may miss out on some landings or have to wait your turn. If you actually want to set foot on the Antarctic continent you should consider travelling on a small cruise ship, which will allow you a much more intimate and immersive Antarctic travel experience.

What kind of facilities should I expect?
Larger ships can have When you travel to Antarctica you can expect to find that the larger luxury cruise ships are usually equipped with all the features of a floating hotel: restaurants, bars, gymnasium, swimming pools and entertainment. Smaller ‘expedition-style’ ships tend to be a little more basic with more emphasis on education and close-up wildlife encounters, rather than the style of accommodation.

How do I decide which company to travel with?
Other factors to consider and to ask your Antarctic cruise operator, are how many days you will actually spend in Antarctica; what is included in the price; how many times you will get off the ship; whether there are enough Zodiacs (rubber inflatable boats) available to accommodate all passengers; the experience of the staff and crew; and whether the company is a member of IAATO.

Does it matter what kind of staff run the trip?
Experienced staff that shares their knowledge can make a huge difference to the enjoyment of your Antarctica vacation. The quality and experience of expedition leaders is important, as they will make most of the decisions about changes to itineraries and landings during your Antarctica trip. For safety reasons, a crew experienced in navigating Polar Regions is essential.

Other factors to consider
Finally, when selecting an Antarctica trip, it is important to ask about the atmosphere and culture on board the ship. Whether you plan to party all night, or prefer a quieter more contemplative Antarctica travel experience – you need to make sure you select the right ship to suit your style and personal comfort level.