Travel to Antarctica in just 6 days? Seasick Sufferers' First Choice - Air Cruises by Antarctica 21
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credit: goworldtravel.com
In the previous article, "It is actually possible to travel to Antarctica?", I've mentioned that most readers might have only heard of Antarctic cruises departing from Ushuaia, that only offers itineraries like 10-day Antarctic Peninsula, 15-day dual-island, and 20-day triple-island. The shortest Antarctica round trip takes at least 10 days and requires navigating the world's most treacherous Drake Passage. So for travelers with busy schedules and fewer annual leave, or those prone to seasickness, are there no other viable options?
A live broadcast of the fierce Drake Passage
Don't worry, there is a cruise line called Antarctica21 that specializes in a travel mode called "Air Cruise (i.e. flight + cruise)" that offers round-trip itineraries to Antarctica in as little as 6 days.
1. What is Antarctica21?
credit: antarctica21.com
Founded in 2003, Antarctica21 is the first designated cruise line to offer Air Cruises that crosses the Drake Passage. All of their itineraries uses a "flight + cruise" approach, and they have accumulated over 200 operations.
Most cruise lines are based in Argentina, however, Antarctica21 is based in Punta Arenas, Chile - this is very friendly to most tourists from Chinese-speaking countries in Asia, because Chile offers them 90-Days Visa-Free Entry. Therefore, tourists do not need to cater for processing time arising from visa application periods, such that arrangements can be more flexible.
2. Advantages of Antarctica21
credit: antarctica21.com
In contrast with other cruise lines, Antarctica21 has "Flight Priority".
Antarctica's weather is highly volatile, with sunny skies one moment and gales the next that can slam into the sky, and leave people unable to stand or even take off. Therefore, having flight priority means Antarctica21 is first in line to fly tourists to Antarctica when weather conditions improve.
Most importantly, the two cruise ships under Antarctica21 - Magellan Explorer and Ocean Nova, has a passenger capacity within 100 people. In our previous article "Why is choosing a right ship important for your Antarctica trip?", we mentioned that Antarctica landings are strictly limited to 100 people per landing site. Therefore, choosing Antarctica21's itinerary allows for full exploration time (approximately 2-3 hours) for each landing, a significant incentive for adventurous travelers and penguin-spotters.
3. Four Types of Air Cruise itineraries
A unique feature of this Air Cruise route is that it eliminates the time and discomfort of at least one crossing of the Drake Passage and significantly reduces travel time — one can fly from Punta Arenas, Chile, directly to Antarctica in just two hours. The classic 10-day Antarctica itinerary can thus be completed in just 8 days with the Antarctica21 Air Cruise route.
Antarctica 21 offers four types of combined Air Cruise tours: Classic Antarctica Air-Cruise (8D7N), Polar Circle Air-Cruise (10D9N), Antarctica & South Georgia Air-Cruise (18D17N), and Antarctic Express Air-Cruise (6D5N).
Classic Antarctica Air-Cruise (8 Days, 7 Nights):
Round-trip transportation by plane
Antarctica 21's flagship product, most departures
4 full days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula
Prices typically range from $11,495 to $27,995
Polar Circle Air-Cruise (10 Days, 9 Nights):
Round-trip transportation by plane
Fewer departures
Longer stay in Antarctica, with 6 full days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula
Sailing further south, reaching the Antarctic Circle.
Prices typically range from $15,495 to $33,995
Antarctica & South Georgia Air-Cruise (18 Days, 17 Nights):
Sail into Antarctica, then fly out
Dual-island itinerary allow sightings of King Penguins and other unique wildlife on South Georgia Island.
Only one departure
4 full days in South Georgia Island, 5 full days in Antarctic Peninsula and Elephant Island, plenty of time
Prices typically range from $14,395 to $25,495
Antarctic Express Air-Cruise (6 Days, 5 Nights):
Sail into Antarctica, then fly out
Suitable for people with tight schedules and busy work schedules
Only one day to visit Antarctica
Prices typically range from $4,995 to $8,595
Summary
If you want to visit Antarctica, you don't have to quit your job or wait until retirement. A 6-day trip is definitely possible, though it might come at the cost of sacrificing some exploration time. Of Antarctica 21's four itineraries, we highly recommend the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia Air and Sea Tour (17 days, 16 nights) because it's the only place on the three Antarctic 'islands' where you can see king penguins. Finally, a word of caution: because Antarctica 21's unique itineraries offer both a cruise experience and aerial views of Antarctica, they often sell out quickly and don't offer promotions. If you see a suitable date, we highly recommend booking early.
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