Antarctica Travel – Pre-departure Preparation and Packing List
Before setting off for Antarctica, everyone is excited and eager to set off for the journey. To help you better prepare for the trip, we've compiled a checklist of essential pre-departure considerations for your reference.
Credit: Mundy Adventures
1. Documents
Passport
Passengers must handover their passports to the onboard staff upon boarding, and they will be returned upon disembarkation. Passengers must ensure their passports are valid for at least six months after the ending date of their trip. Alternatively, you can photocopy your passport's personal information page to avoid losing your passport during your trip and potentially being unable to board the ship.
Visa (if required)
Antarctic trips usually depart from Argentina and Chile by cruise ship or plane, while multi-island itineraries visit the British territories of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.
The itinerary issued by the shipping company will clearly list the countries that will be entered during the trip. Therefore, passengers should confirm whether they need a visa to travel to the country in their passport.
According to the current visa policy, Hong Kong SAR passport holders do not need a visa for all journeys from Argentina or Chile to Antarctica.
Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance
In addition to purchasing general travel insurance that includes Antarctica coverage for your trip, due to Antarctica's remote location, most cruise lines require passengers to purchase emergency medical evacuation insurance. The recommended coverage amount should be at least US$250,000 to prevent passengers from experiencing sudden medical emergencies during their journey that requires emergency medical evacuation.
Embarkation Documents
Before departure, the cruise line require passengers to complete specific documents, including, but not limited to, health form, emergency contact form, flight schedule, insurance form, and contract. We will also prepare your boarding documents in advance. We recommend printing out these documents for future reference and show them to cruise line staff when needed.
2. Clothing
Waterproof Parka
Most Cruise Lines provide free windproof and waterproof "Parkas" that can be worn throughout the trip and taken away afterwards. If the cruise line does not provide it, you will need to prepare it yourself. If you want to save luggage space, you can also purchase it when you arrive in Ushuaia, Argentina.
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Warm Clothing
Antarctica's weather is unpredictable, with average summer temperatures ranging from -5°C to 5°C. The ship's interiors are heated, and passengers shall bring their own onboard clothing based on personal needs. When ashore, passengers can dress in an onion style, wearing warm underwear under the parka and various thermal layers to stay warm.
Landing Boots
Most Cruise Lines provide free landing boots rental, which are returned at the end of the trip. Passengers are usually asked to fill in their boot sizes on a pre-departure survey so that staff can prepare the appropriate size for each passenger.
Water Bottle
During landing activities, you should bring a bottle of drinking water so that you can stay hydrated at any moment.
Waterproof Backpack
For zodiac cruising or snow trekking, passengers should prepare a waterproof backpack to secure their belongings. After landing, one can put the backpack aside and focus on enjoying the beautiful scenery of Antarctica.
Sunglasses, Gloves, Scarf
During zodiac cruises, winds can be quite strong, so passengers should dress to keep warm. We recommend bringing UV-blocking sunglasses, gloves, and scarves to both keep warm and protect your eyes, so as to ensure an unobstructed view of the beautiful Antarctic scenery.
Swimwear
Polar Plunge is a free activity provided by most cruise lines. If you wish to join, do bring swimwear along with you.
Credit: peakpx
3. Credit Cards and Cash
Credit Cards
Antarctica tours are all-inclusive, including room rates, meals, beverages, onboard activities, and landing activities. Apart from these, there are a few additional fees, such as tips, laundry service, postcard delivery, souvenir shop purchases, additional activities, and Wi-Fi (some itineraries don't include free Wi-Fi). Passengers can pay for these by credit card upon boarding or in cash. The bill will be calculated per room. If roommates would like to have separate bills, please contact the front desk staff in advance. For banking security reasons, some banks may label unusual foreign transactions as suspicious. Passengers can contact their bank's customer service before departure to avoid these situations.
Cash
Before boarding the ship, if you need to make purchases in Argentina or Chile, you may also prepare an appropriate amount of cash.
In Argentina, some tourist attractions and shops accept US dollars in cash, in addition to Argentine pesos. In Chile, payments are generally made in Chilean pesos. If you're on a three-island tour, you can pay in British pounds in the Falkland Islands. If you're a coin collector, the Falkland Islands have their own currency, the Falkland Islands Pound, which is equivalent to the British pound.
You can find ATMs for cash withdrawals in Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, Argentina, and Punta Arenas, Chile. However, there are fewer ATMs in the Falkland Islands, so it is recommended that you exchange enough money before departure.
Credit: Silversea
4. Personal Medication
Emergency Medication
A ship doctor will be onboard to prescribe common emergency medications and provide first aid services. Passengers who require long-term prescription medication are advised to carry at least a week's supply. A doctor's certificate and frequently used prescription slips can also be provided to the expedition team upon embarkation and then handed over to the ship doctor. We also recommend that each passenger bring common emergency medications for colds, flu, and other infections, as a precaution.
Most cruise lines provide seasick medication. Nonetheless, passengers are advised to bring their own medication and seasick patches. Generally, 25mg of Phenergan can help alleviate seasickness. And please make sure to consult a doctor before purchasing any medication.
Vaccinations
No vaccination is required to travel to Antarctica. However, if you have any personal health needs, you can discuss with your doctor whether you need basic vaccinations such as Tetanus, Hepatitis A, and Hepatitis B. Elderly individuals can also consult their doctor to determine whether they need influenza and pneumonia vaccinations.
Credit: Oceanwide Expeditions
5. Photographic Equipment
Usually, there are onboard photographers who help capture the various moments of the voyage. After the voyage, a download link will be provided for passengers to download all the photos. If you are a photography enthusiast and would like to prepare professional photography equipment, please note the following:
Lenses
Most of the time, you'll be at a distance from the animals. To capture close-up shots of the animals, you'll need a lens with sufficient focal length. We recommend a lens with at least 300mm focal length. During landings, penguins may approach close to people. Passengers with keen photography skills are encouraged to bring at least two camera units, one with a close-up lens and one with a long-range zoom lens, to capture animals' movements.
Waterproof Equipment
It is recommended to purchase dedicated waterproof equipment to prevent malfunction of photographic devices.
Spare Memory Cards & Batteries
It is recommended to bring a spare memory card to ensure sufficient storage space. As for batteries, it's recommended to bring 3-4 extra batteries. During Antarctica cruise season, temperatures drop to around 0°C, which can shorten battery life.
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Credit: Silversea
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