Sinking Antarctica

Quark Expedition's 112-pax Kapitan Khlebnikov in Antarctica.

Photo courtesy of Adrian Raeside

A major blow was dealt on Friday for those travelers wishing to visit Antarctica: news that as of August 2011, vessels carrying over five hundred passengers would be banned from the region.

Up until now, there have been two distinct options for passengers wishing to cruise to this captivating area: large cruise ships which combine Antarctica with larger South America itineraries, but do not offer passengers the ability to go ashore.  These trips offer the comforts of cruising on a large ship with an attractive price point: some cabins go for less than $2,000 per person.

The second option is expedition vessels.  Carrying less passengers, these ships vary wildly and include everything from five-star ultra-luxury ships to refitted icebreakers.  Because of their lower passenger count, shore landings are permitted - but this exclusivity comes at a cost, with fares for many voyages reaching into the $25,000 per person range.

Therein lies part of the reason this ruling is so devastating - fares for expedition voyages vary wildly, with the most inexpensive fares coming in just under $9,000 per person.  Reduced capacity also means increased demand, which could push prices up even further.  For those like myself wishing to visit this amazing place, that dream just became a little more, well, dream-like.

Ironically, the ban has absolutely nothing to do with passenger count, instead focusing on the heavy marine oil that most large cruise ships use.  A large cruise ship sinking in the region could be potentially catastrophic for the wildlife in the area - an event the Antarctic Treaty Parties would like to avoid.

Here's where things get muddled:  the report comes down hard on the larger cruise ships, despite the fact they cruise farther off-shore than do smaller expedition vessels, and do not cruise in areas where they are required to break through heavy pack ice - thus, are far less likely to encounter serious danger.  

In fact, the only ship to sink in the region was GAP Adventures MV Explorer in 2007 - a small, expedition vessel carrying 104 passengers.  The cause of the sinking was eventually attributed to the unfamiliarity of the vessel's Master with the types of ice in Antarctica.

Regardless, the rules are here to stay.  Celebrity, Holland America Line, and Princess all offer cruises to Antarctica in January and February of 2011 - so if you want to go on a big ship, now's your chance. 

For those who can't quite swing the voyage in 2011, you still have some options for cruising this amazing, once-in-a-lifetime region:

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises - still want to cruise to Antarctica, but in the luxury and comfort of the larger liners?  Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has just what you need.  Their unique voyages onboard MS Hanseatic and MS Bremen are performed in the utmost luxury - in fact, MS Hanseatic is the only five-star expedition vessel afloat, and both ships carry the strongest ice-class rating a passenger ship can hold, ensuring guest safety at all times.

Hurtigruten - leave it to the Norwegians to conqueror Antarctica.  Hurtigruten is another line offering small cruise ship-style experience coupled with the intimacy only a purpose-built expedition ship can have: their MV Fram was built expressly for cruising polar regions, summering in Greenland and the North Cape, and wintering in Antarctica.

Quark Expeditions - there's no mistaking Quark's ships for a cruise ship, but their unique collection of expedition vessels and actual, working icebreakers ensures guests a completely unique experience.  On their icebreaker voyages aboard 50 Years of Victory or Kapitan Khlebnikov, helicopters and zodiacs await to whisk guests ashore to some of the most remote places in the world.  Onboard their smaller expedition vessels, guests are able to get up-close and personal with this mysterious continent through a variety of shore landings.

Silversea Cruises - yep, Silversea.  Aboard their ultra-luxury, 132-guest Prince Albert II, passengers travel in something of the same style and comfort as the above-mentioned Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.  Purchased in 2007, Silversea has steadily been making inroads in the expedition market by consistently offering more than passengers demand - or expect.

The world of expedition cruises is vast, and the above are just some of the few choices out there - but the most highly recommended ones.  If you can swing the price of admission, you will not be disappointed.