Can You Travel to Antarctica? Yes and Here’s How!

Traveling to all seven continents is often considered a pipe dream. I mean really, can you travel to Antarctica? As it turns out, yes you can. Now you're probably thinking, "Okay sure people can go to Antarctica, but only under special circumstances." And while that's been true for a large portion of human history, that's actually not the case anymore. Believe it or not, you can take a vacation to Antarctica. No, really. You don't have to be a scientific researcher to visit the seventh continent and you don't need to be stuck there for endless months. Cruise ships now regularly take adventurous vacationers to the land of the penguins.

TL;DR: Can you travel to Antarctica? You most certainly can! There are a handful of cruise lines that offer sailings to the seventh continent and some charge as little as $6,000 USD per person - though many cruise liners are far more expensive. You can also take part in various different activities, including hiking or kayaking.

How you're getting there

You won't be taking a plane and staying at a frosty all-inclusive resort, which I understand may disappoint some. But if you want to make your friends jealous and have them asking "How can you travel to Antarctica?" Then you'll be taking a cruise line. Your departure location will vary depending on what line you take, but the odds are you'll be sailing out of a country in South America since that'll be the closest and most efficient location to set out from.

Believe it or not, this specialty destination isn't serviced by one select cruise line. You'll have your pick between a handful of companies, though if you're used to massive ships like Carnival or Royal Caribbean, prepare yourself for the boat to be much, much smaller. Cruises to the Antarctic usually only carry about 200 to 300 guests on any given ship. However, with smaller guest lists, comes a higher level of service and often a guest-to-staff ratio that may be as impressive as 2:1.

There's also one other notable attribute of your journey: you'll be crossing Drake Passage regardless of what cruise line you decide upon. This passage is known for rough waters and high winds, and while it has historically been considered highly dangerous, with the technology to predict weather patterns and modern ships, the passage is far more doable (and safe) than it used to be. However, if you're prone to seasickness, that's still going to be an issue while crossing the passage.

What you're doing there

Of course, you travel to the ends of the earth for bragging rights and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you'd probably want to do more than just look off the bow of the ship. But have no fear, once you get there, any cruise line will have excursions and activities for you to partake in. Now, the options will vary depending on what cruise line suits your needs, but let's talk about some examples.

The ocean waters around Antarctica, while very cold, are also known for being extremely calm. A popular activity choice is kayaking with a guide. You'll get to navigate ice floes and maybe even spy some local penguins or whales.

For those more adventurous, you can also take part in a classic polar plunge. The name really packs a punch when you're actually at one of the earth's poles - not to mention that water is brisk. This can be a rowdy good time as you cheer on your fellow travelers and also hear cheers as you dive into relatively untouched waters.

Now if you're concerned that none of these actually mention stepping foot on the land mass of the seventh continent, have no fear. Your cruise line may very well offer the chance to take a guided hike. This gives you the chance to tread on ground that very few have ever had the chance to walk upon as well as potentially do some wildlife spotting - seals, penguins, or some of the other local birds.

What's the cost?

Okay, so you're entranced by the idea of taking a more adventurous vacation and crossing something off your bucket list you didn't even know you'd be able to cross. That's awesome! Most people's follow up question is related to the price tag. And while this isn't as cheap as, say, a weekend in Las Vegas, a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Antarctica doesn't have to be quite as out of reach as you might suspect.

While there are certainly luxury cruise lines that will charge passengers a starting price of nearly $15,000 USD (though this includes flights), you can find cruises that are nearly one-third of that price tag.

At Meridian Vacations, one of our favorite cruise line options has a few sailings with a starting price of just over $6,000 USD. This is, of course, the cheapest suite (yes, this ship only has suites), and is before any add-ons, but depending on when we help you book, we may even be able to get you a discount. Admittedly, this price can still be a bit steep for many, but it feels a lot more attainable than any of the other cruise line options you're likely to find.

If you'd like to hear about Antarctica cruises or get help planning & booking your dream vacation, please feel free to reach out on our Contact Page. We'll get back to you as soon as possible!