We spent a couple of weeks researching Antarctica cruises – specifically the luxury cruise lines. Ultimately, we booked the Viking Antarctic Explorer onboard the Octantis. We booked on the last day of the Autumn sale (September 30) for a December 9 departure!  The booking said that they had one cabin left at the lower cabin class, “Nordic Balcony (N2)”.  So, we grabbed it – no time for down payments, no time for second guessing – payment due in full and it was nearly time to get flights booked and medical clearances completed!

Even though we had booked the most inexpensive cabin level, we did not receive an assignment until the week of travel, but it was the top level of the Deluxe Nordic Balcony (DN1) on level 4 (which was really nice!!).

Kelli and I are both expert (some might say obsessive) researchers and while there are a lot of YouTube videos about the Drake Passage and some that tour the Octantis or Polaris ships (they are identical), and the Facebook group for Viking Expedition Antarctica was super useful, I did not see a comprehensive article about the entire expedition experience…so here goes!

Table of Contents

This is a long one so use this handy Table of Contents if you are looking for something specific!

Booking Flights

I have sailed with Viking twice previously – used Viking air once, and planned my own air travel the other.  I prefer to do it myself.  BUT, I am a frequent flyer with airline status.  If you are not particular about a particular airline or just plain don’t want to do the planning, Viking Air is a great option, and they will take care of the details.  This option ensures that if anything goes wrong (missed flights, delays), they will take care of getting you back on track.

Departure

For this expedition, you book your flight into Buenos Aires (EZE) and Viking charters a flight from Buenos Aires (AEP) to Ushuaia.  I do recommend coming in more than one day early.  There are very few flights from the US to Buenos Aires each day and this is typically not the best weather, so delays are not uncommon.  For instance, our Viking charter flight left BA on Tuesday, December 9.  I left Denver on Sunday, December 7, transited through Houston on a redeye and arrived in BA on Monday morning, December 8.

All went well but looking back, I would have come in one day earlier – more than a couple of passengers had luggage that did not make it to the ship.

Return

On the return trip, you absolutely can plan to leave the night that you disembark the ship.  Viking booked the charter from Ushuaia into EZE, so we did not have to leave the airport prior to our return to the States.  But we had about 8 hours in the airport which was not fun.  However, the US airline desks don’t open until 3 or 4 hours before flight time so you may be waiting outside of security for hours before being able to check your bags in.  For whatever reason, the Delta line was obscenely long but our United one was very quick!

Once you check your bags, the security and immigration lines are exceedingly long and hot (Argentinian summer)!  It took close to 1.5 hours to get through.

Medical Exam and Insurance

Viking requires that all guests traveling to Antarctica submit a Medical Assessment and have your doctor complete a Health Evaluation form 30 days before departure.  In lieu of your own doctor, you can use the Viking sponsored Vikand service.  Kelli used her own doctor, I used Vikand.  Both were easy and completed quickly.

Viking also “strongly recommends that every guest purchase travel insurance”.  Insurance means both travel insurance for trip delays, interruptions, and cancelations.  After all, this trip is a very large expense.  Insurance also means medical and evacuation insurance due to the remote and extreme conditions.  If there were a true medical emergency that required helicopter transportation, that expense could be astronomical.

I had enough trip coverage through my credit card, so I opted not to purchase additional.  The medical and evacuation insurance is really up to you and your peace of mind.  I did purchase it because I found an inexpensive policy that covered up to $250,000 of evacuation through Squaremouth.com.  Other advice we received says that a helicopter rescue would be so extreme and unlikely that it is not worth it.

Packing

The most intimidating part, right?  This was truly the most discussed, and probably most searched question we had.  What to pack?  Antarctica is not as cold as you might think; our daytime temperatures, in early December, were 31-37° F and most days were sunny. Also, the ship is quite warm. Looking back now, this is our hindsight recommendation.

Bottoms

• Slacks/jeans (3)
• Joggers, (1-2)
• Wool or thermal base layer (1)
• Leggings (varying weights to also be used as base layers), (2)

Tops

• Shirts/pullovers (4)
• Cardigans/puffer vest (2)
• Base layers, various weights (3)

Misc

• Pajamas
• Swimsuit (1)
• Sneakers
• Slippers
• Dress shoes
• Underwear/socks/wool socks (4)

Outerwear

• Hats (2)
• Gaiters (2)
• Gloves (at least 1 weatherproof but 2 is best). Ski type, not full rubber waterproof

There are caveats.  Neither of us ever wore more than one base layer plus our Viking-provided pants and jacket.  We met people that wore 4 layers and I cannot imagine that.  I promise you, we were never cold.  Ever.  There were days during landings that you will get warm.  Most zodiac cruises, you will not need gloves (of course that depends on weather).  You can do laundry, and you should!

Other

• Minimal toiletries – Viking provides shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, sunscreen, lip balm
• Hydration packets and a water bottle – I live in Colorado and thought I was acclimated to dry, arid atmosphere but we were constantly parched.  Uncomfortably so.  It was weird!  We kept poor Yoshua busy just stocking our room water (Viking provides filtered water in reusable bottles).

What we brought that we did not need

Outdoor boots (we thought the deck might have snow/ice at some point), waterproof bag (we saw this recommended a lot), more than one hoodie/sweatshirt (hoodies are too bulky to wear under the puffer jacket and parka), rain jacket.

We had read that the ship is warm and that you might want a short-sleeved shirt.  We never found it to be warm enough for that.

The other thing to note is that the ship is much more casual than you would expect.  We were quite surprised by some of the outfits.  Even at the premium restaurants.

Buenos Aires

Arrival

If you have opted for the Viking transportation option, they will have plenty of greeters and signs at the airport directing you to buses.  If you are on your own, the best option is to book private transfer through a third-party travel site like Trip Advisor or Viator.  Taxis and Ubers can be scammy coming from the airport, although Ubers are great in town!

If you are arriving just one day before the Viking charter, they will have likely booked you at the Hilton or the Intercontinental.  Both are great options – safe, walkable neighborhoods with concierge desks to help with dinner and entertainment reservations.  If you have extra days on your own, make sure you have booked refundable reservations if you are intent on staying in the same hotel that Viking has booked.  They have been known to switch people around up until the last day and you may find yourself moving hotels.

Accommodations

Upon arrival at the hotel, there will be a Viking welcome desk where you will check in and receive your instructions for leaving luggage outside your hotel door that night, luggage tags, and bus assignment for the next morning’s pickup.  First pickup is around 3:45 am!  There will also be a banquet room with coffee, juice, water, and pastries for those not able to check into their room (typically not available until 3:00 or later) and those that do not want to explore the city.

We had pre-booked a food tour through one of the Buenos Aires neighborhoods using Viator and it was wonderful!  But got back around 9:00 pm which was the time luggage was due to be outside of your hotel room.  Which brings me to another tip, make sure you plan to have travel-sized toiletries, hair products and a toothbrush that you can take in your carry-on (plus anything else you might need before you can access your luggage onboard Octantis around 2:00 pm the next day).  And yes, it is weird to leave luggage outside of your very public hotel door but that is what they do.

Other Helpful Info

The biggest inconvenience we encountered was access to cash (Buenos Aires pesos).  We shouldn’t have needed any except for tips – and most will take US dollars if that is all you have.  Credit cards are widely accepted but for whatever reason, the card readers do not read our metal cards (AMEX Platinum, Capital One Venture X, etc.).  I assume normal plastic cards are fine.  I would normally not recommend the airport currency exchange offices but in this case, just getting a few dollars might be peace of mind.

Ushuaia

Charter Flight

That 3:00 am wake-up call comes early!  When you arrive downstairs, there will be coffee/tea and a light breakfast available while you wait for your bus group to be called.  It is a fairly short drive to the airport, and they will hand out boarding passes at this time.  We were disappointed to see that we were in row 40!

Since it is a domestic flight, the security is easy, and it seems you are allowed to take larger liquids (water bottles).

Our charter flight on JetSmart was fairly full and as we made our way back to row 40.  Our initial disappointment at being so far back soon turned, because those last 3 rows were the only ones not full.  It was nice to be able to spread out a little and have the middle seat open.  They served a boxed breakfast/lunch.

Onboard Experience

Now this is where we had to laugh…you know the average age of the Viking guest is not young…and this is not to be disrespectful of our elders, but…the line for the restrooms!!  From the moment the seatbelt sign went off, there was a line at the front and back restroom for the whole flight (depending on where the flight attendant service cart was).  Sometimes it was 7 or 8 people deep, just standing in the aisles.  It was truly comical.

This went on longer than it should have, we were on our final approach and past the point where the US FAA rules would have required everyone to be in their seats with seatbelts fastened, and the last few people were still standing!

The lady across from us kept looking at us and throwing up her hands like, “what the hell is going on here?”.  We were cracking up!  The flight attendants did finally make the last man sit down in the back row where he was waiting.  It was crazy!

Ushuaia Arrival

Flying into Ushuaia was gorgeous!  The mountains and islands of Tierra del Fuego were so picturesque.  Everything at the airport was super easy, just pick up your luggage and you will be directed onto a bus which will take you through town to the docks.

Ushuaia was much bigger than I was anticipating.  I expected a small port town of a few streets, but it is a decent sized city of over 82,000 people!  There are hotels and resorts, restaurants, breweries, and shopping.

Embarkation

Upon arrival at the ship, you will check in with passports and boarding passes and receive your key cards.  You will immediately be directed to the safety briefing, complete with champagne (or juice).  You will likely not be able to go to your cabin yet, but lunch will be open in the World Café or take the time to look around the ship (many people left their backpacks/carry-ons in the Guest Services area) or go into Ushuaia for some shopping and sightseeing.  There are plenty of Antarctica souvenirs and crafts. Apparently, you can stop at the Tourist Information Office and get your passport stamped, which is fun!

When the rooms are available there will be an announcement – I think they told us it would be 2:00 and it was closer to 1:00.  We arrived in our room to start unpacking and our room steward, Yoshua, stopped by to introduce himself and give us the rundown of the room and amenities.  You’ll learn how to work the warming closet and the Nordic “balcony” window.  He was wonderful throughout the entire voyage!  Also, already hanging in the room were the pre-ordered Viking-provided waterproof pants and expedition parkas plus our life jackets.  We had the chance to try those on to make sure they fit – Yoshua would exchange anything that did not.

Drake Passage

One of the most frequently asked questions: Did you get the Drake Lake (calm waters) or the Drake Shake (rough waters)?  We got the Drake Lake in both directions!  Luckily.  This doesn’t mean that it is perfectly calm sailing, you will still stagger around a little bit so be sure to always “keep one hand for yourself and one for the ship”. It is helpful to note that on the sailing down to Antarctica, the a good part of the Passage is overnight – so nice! On the way back to Ushuaia, it is during the day, which makes for a long day onboard.

I am highly susceptible to motion sickness, and I did perfectly with the ear patches (prescription).  But over the counter meds seemed to work just fine for most.  They do have some meds available onboard if needed.  They also have ginger chews which help quite a bit!

Onboard Restaurants and Bars

Pre-voyage, you were given the opportunity to book a limited number of reservations at the alternative restaurants (The Restaurant and Manfredi’s) – the number was dependent on your cabin class.  Once on board, you will be able to book more if there is availability.  We were able to eat at The Restaurant twice and Manfredi’s three times.  Of the two, we really preferred Manfredi’s – the steak and the chicken parm were both delicious and Kelli loved the Spaghetti Bolognese.  The Restaurant was hit or miss, honestly.  Some dishes were fantastic and some were just ok.  On my previous Viking Ocean voyage, the Restaurant was outstanding, so I was a little surprised by this.

World Cafe

The World Café is excellent for such a large and diverse buffet.  It really is hard to believe they pull that together for 3 meals a day, every day.  There are standards at every meal plus rotating, themed specialties by night.  At dinner, the sushi and fresh seafood bar are always good!  Another favorite is the grill – everything from Tomahawk steaks to filets and lobster tails with Caesar salad to burgers.  And there is always a line for Gelato!  Breakfast and lunch were consistently good – there is just so much variety that you can always find something that hits the spot.

My standout dishes were Tom Kha Gai soup and Carrot soup!  There are limited snacks available during off-meal times and coffee/tea is always available.  Just an observation, the fountain Coke is flatter than we are used to (everywhere in Argentina, not just onboard), so stick to cans if you have a preference.

Aquavit Terrace

The Aquavit Terrace is the bright, pretty bar at the back of the World Café.  There are some dining tables, but it also overlooks the small pool and pool deck with lounge chairs.  We spent one sunny afternoon out on deck with mimosas, just watching the icebergs float by.  In fact, our mimosa-in-hand, fully bundled sunbathing started quite a trend.  Soon the deck chairs were full, and you’d swear it was the tropics!

Mamsen’s

If you miss breakfast in the World Café and need a little something, next door is Mamsen’s.  Mamsen’s is a Norwegian themed buffet with pastries and a few savory dishes.  Breakfast is open until 10:30 am.

The Living Room

The Living Room is located between Mamsen’s and the Explorer’s Lounge on Deck 5.  This small bar is a great place to grab a drink or a coffee and hang around – lots of seating along the windows, and a lot of games and books.

The Explorer’s Lounge

The Explorer’s Lounge is THE gathering place.  The seating (on levels 4 and 5) primarily faces gorgeous views and are the best places on the ship to just sit and watch out the bow (front).  The bar staff is so friendly, they remember everyone and it is a great atmosphere.  The drinks are fantastic.  The nightly entertainment is truly impressive – so much talent.  We did purchase the Silver Spirits package; the price is just so reasonable.

The Hide

The Hide is the “hidden” space in the bow on level 1.  It is absolutely beautiful, easily one of our favorite spots.  It does not have a bar but in the evenings the crew does Expedition Diaries from here and there is a drink cart.  This activity was one of our most enjoyable of the trip – we loved the intimate feel of the room and the stories told by the expedition crew.  The Hide is also where (if you are not feeling too motion sick) you might want to be while crossing the Drake – you get the full effect of the waves including the dramatic crashing over the windows.

The Excursions

Sign up in advance for everything you possibly can!  But then don’t stress about what you cannot get!  We could not get a kayak excursion in advance but were able to sign up once on board.  Just check in with Guest Services early and often to get put on waiting lists.  You should have no problem getting a second SOB, additional zodiac cruises, or kayaks.

The landings are amazing.  All of them.  How often do you get to walk amongst the penguins?  Antarctica has many rules to follow but nothing was strenuous.  Getting in and out of the zodiac might seem intimidating the first time but it is quite easy and the expedition crew is fantastic; they are there to help.  The landings require your waterproof boots to be hosed down (sanitized) and then you step through the boot wash (like a car wash for boots) upon return to the ship,

Zodiac Cruises

The zodiac cruises themselves are wonderful.  The benefit to these is the visibility in all directions and the ability to get very close to icebergs, bergy bits (that is the official term!) and other formations.  The expedition guides are so knowledgeable and tell the best stories! You will also take the zodiacs to landing locations and to transfer to kayaks and the submarine.

Special Ops Boats (SOBs)

The SOBs are fast and fun.  Due to the size and speed, you will be listening to the guide through the QuietVox headset.  This activity is definitely the easiest to board for those with mobility limitations.  It is also the coldest due to the speed and the ability to go further from the ship.

Kayaks

The kayaking was fun and a beautiful way to see some interesting sights.  You transfer in and out of the kayaks from a zodiac, so you are on the water.  The kayaks are definitely challenging to get out of and back in the zodiac.  If you want to kayak, there is training and a physical test that you must attend.  For the kayak, you are provided with a dry suit, you will not wear the Viking-provided pants/jackets/boots.  This is the only time you will show up to Deck A without being fully dressed out.

Submersible/Submarine

We did not do this but spoke to many who did. It is $500 per person and after seeing the photos and hearing the experiences, I have no regrets for NOT doing it. I just don’t think there was a whole lot to see. However, the people that did it really enjoyed it and I did not hear of anyone that wishes they would not have.

Dressing for Excursions

You will be getting fully dressed out in your room before heading down to Deck A for most excursions (the SOB leaves from the Aula lobby on Deck 2).  The first few times that you have to put on all of those layers, it is hot, awkward, and a bit frustrating.  So this is what we recommend. 

Bottoms – base layer, then one other layer (if you choose to, we did not), wool socks, waterproof pants, then boots. The boots are awkward at first but really not that hard to walk in.

Tops – base layer, one other layer (optional, like a t-shirt/thermal), gaiter, puffer jacket (zipped over gaiter), sunglasses on lanyard, phone (if on lanyard), Viking parka, life jacket, hat.  Carry gloves.

Antarctica Destinations & Excursion Recommendations

From what I have seen the itinerary is very flexible and changes often due to weather or the extremely strict policies of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IATTO) that only allow a certain number of cruise ships in an area each day.  But here are our recommendations for which activity to do at each location (should you have a choice).

Fort Point

Our excursions this day were canceled due to wind, but we did have our first whale and penguin sightings so I imagine the zodiac or SOB cruises would be good options.  This was the least snow-covered scenery of our destinations.

Mikkelsen

Absolutely gorgeous!!  Zodiac landing to see whale bones and an old whaling ship. Lots of penguins and a few seals.  We also did our first SOB which took us to see many icebergs and formations.

Fournier

Kayaking was interesting here, we saw some rock formations with small waterfalls.  We also did a zodiac cruise where we got to pick up the ice (you can’t do that on land!) – and of course we licked it!

Lemaire Channel

Also known as Kodak Gap, the most scenic corridor in Antarctica.  No excursions here but the most breathtaking place in the world! We had the most glorious sunny day with water like glass. Spectacular!

Goudier Island/Port Lockroy/Penguin Post office

Do the landing for sure!  At the time of our cruise, Port Lockroy was not yet open for the season.  Make sure you buy your Antarctica postcards and stamps on the Octantis (in the gift shop) so they can be sent from the Penguin Post Office with official postmarks! 

Recess Cove

Do a zodiac landing since this is the first stop on the actual Continent of Antarctica (until this point we had been on the islands).  We had our own personal flag made but the crew had plenty for people to take pictures with.  The cove had beautiful glaciers & bergy bits.  Kayaking here would be incredible; there are steep ice walls and interesting formations.  Quite a bit of calving (ice breaking away and falling from the cliffs).

Brown Station/Paradise Cove

Zodiac landing – beautiful & snowy!  Brown station was also not yet open for the season.  This location had one of the highest densities of penguins, we even got into a penguin standoff because if they cross your path, you have to stop or back up!  They really do smell (as you’ll be warned many times).

Leaving Paradise Cove, we encountered what our expedition leader, Olivia, called Whale Soup.  So many whales surrounding us (like a bowl of soup!) on our way out of the channel.  Both zodiac and SOB excursions here had great success spotting whales.

Then, as we were enjoying the hot tub, Captain took a sharp turn, so we knew something was up.  We hurried out and got dressed because he did a detour for us to see Orcas!  A pod of about 30 of them!  It was truly the most incredible thing that we got to experience on the entire cruise!!  At the daily briefing, the crew was giddy – they said it was one of the best sightings ever.

Danco Island

Zodiac landing – lots & lots of penguins.

Other Activities and Education

Education

Too numerous to name but Viking does an impressive job at giving you the opportunity to be busy as much or as little as you want.  In addition to the daily excursions, there are Citizen Science Experiments, Weather Balloon launches, movies, lectures, and other activities in the Expedition center and the laboratory.

There are tours of the ship, the galley, and the bridge during the crossing of the Drake Passage on the way back to Ushuaia.

Entertainment and Social Events

There are special presentations, events like the Explorers Society social, a BBQ Lunch, and more.

I’ve mentioned Explorer Diaries and Lounge musical entertainment.  Both are fantastic.  One of the most fun activities was a dance party – such a hoot!  Also, I don’t believe our sailing had a Liar’s Club event, but I have seen others talk about it and it sounds like a blast!

There is a wine tasting, a whiskey tasting, and other special events that you can sign up for in Guest Services.

Ship Amenities

There are presentations on future Viking cruises.  I would say that the vast majority of people we talked to signed up for a future cruise (or multiple future cruises)!

Enjoy the Spa and all of its amenities.  But it does get crowded on sailing days.  We loved the open-air hot tub, so relaxing! We also took advantage of a hair treatment during the Drake Passage and it was wonderful! There seemed to be plenty of massage and body treatment appointment slots available and this is a great way to use onboard credit that you might have received. People actually did use the gym but even with the minimal ship movement, that did not appeal to me!

Stay In the Know

We found it is important to attend the daily briefings to keep up with all the activities that are available.  If you cannot attend, the briefings, along with lectures, are available on your cabin television. And the printed Viking Daily is valuable for all information and itineraries. The television also has your personal activity schedule – which is subject to change – so keep an eye on that for added or changed excursions! Flexibility is key!

Antarctica Expedition Conclusion

Overall, I cannot recommend the Antarctic Explorer enough.  It was truly life changing and Viking does it so well!  The Expedition Crew, especially leader Olivia, is exceptional.  I cannot imagine a better staff of professionals.

Antarctica was breathtaking, the wildlife was incredible, and the whole trip was beyond expectations. So do it all, take advantage of everything that the cruise has to offer OR just relax and enjoy the spectacular wildlife and endless views. You cannot go wrong.

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