Do any HAL excursions allow you to step foot on Antarctica?

[POA1]

This one goes out to the people whom I hope to be one day. I know you can visit penguin rookeries, but are there excursions that actually take you to Antarctica? I'm guessing it's by helicopter, but any way would be nice.

[BigGreenFan]

I don’t think so.  We did it on a Nat Geo (Lindblad) ship and as I recall, only 50 passengers were allowed at a time.  We landed by inflatable boats and it was all pretty tightly controlled.

[cruzingnut]

At one time they did; I've no idea if they still do it.  A very expensive flight down there but if the weather is bad, it is swapped for a different tour.  I wouldn't want to pay for Antarctica and end up in a different spot nowhere near there.  It's a crapshoot.

 

Linda R.

[whogo]

I do not see anything currently listed on the HAL website.

 

A "New, Unique, 'Once in a Lifetime' Adventure!" was listed as an 11.5 hour shore excursion from Punta Arenas, Chile during our Veendam Valparaiso to Rio de Janeiro cruise. Only $3399 for a 2.5 hour flight to Chilean Air Force Eduardo Frei Base. A zodiac tour to a neighboring island (at an additional charge?) was listed. We did not book it. The tour was cancelled for unknown reasons, perhaps because of lack of interest.

[0106]

No

[Heidi13]

48 minutes ago, POA1 said:

This one goes out to the people whom I hope to be one day. I know you can visit penguin rookeries, but are there excursions that actually take you to Antarctica? I'm guessing it's by helicopter, but any way would be nice.

 

Negative, the HAL ships all carry too many pax to be able to make landings ashore in Antarctica. From memory, I believe landings are restricted to vessels with < 500 pax.

 

 

The ships are also limited to sending a max of I believe 100 pax ashore at any one time.

 

[RuthC]

Not on my last two trips down there; the first time there was a possibility of setting foot on the continent. That was a long time ago. 

The first time had the flight mentioned by whogo, but on my cruise the flight had to go elsewhere, as weather prevented a landing (IIRC it was weather related). The price was around $3000 for the excursion, plus there was a long list of things you had to bring with you; they would have filled another suitcase by themselves, and would have cost a great deal. 

By the time I took the next two cruises there, that shore excursion was no longer offered. 

On a drive-by you do get close enough for some very good views, and can smell the penguins strongly. 

[whogo]

The 'Once in a Lifetime' Adventure I listed above was in 2011.

 

We could not have been happier with our Seabourn Quest cruise from San Antonio to Buenos Aires with landings in Antarctica. The January 25th sailing which adds South Georgia Island should be even better, wish we could take it. Get out of your HAL comfort zone, POA1, and try an expedition ship and set foot on Antarctica. I want to read your live thread.

 

 

[REOVA]

I thought they had an excursion like that planned in 2020 - flight from SA but it was cancelled due to weather. The ship itself cannot go to landings. Viking and other Polar class built ships are able to get further and have zodiacs for landing. 

[vicd1969]

It was a real memorable adventure on an expedition-sized ship last January. Anyone who gets the faintest sensitivity to motion sickness are in for a treat crossing the Drake down to Antarctica. But it was so worth it for a trip of a lifetime. Visiting Port Lockroy, having whales swim under your zodiac, sooo many close encounters with Penguins, and among the most spectacular hikes I have done. There was also a special camaraderie among your fellow 140-something passengers and 120-odd crew members. In some ways, while it wasn’t a HAL ship, having Indonesian cabin attendants and Filipino bartenders reminded me of my oceanic HAL home. Plus, you can visit Argentina with its ridiculous exchange rate favoring the dollar right now - complete steak meals w wine for $15 - that’s like 1/3 of the Pinnacle Grille cost lol. It is pricey, but not so out of reach - it should cost under $10K including flights for a premium (but not ultra lux) expedition ship. Basically two 10 day sailings on HAL w Have it All in signature suites.
 

[visagrunt]

No--max vessel capacity for landings is 200 with only 100 permitted on shore at a time.  The only way to do this is on expedition ships and it is worth every penny to do so.

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, visagrunt said:

No--max vessel capacity for landings is 200 with only 100 permitted on shore at a time.  The only way to do this is on expedition ships and it is worth every penny to do so.

Ships can have up to 500 passengers and do landings.

 

Hurtigrutin ships are examples at the higher end of that range.

 

Though only 100 can be on shore at the same time.

Edited August 11, 2023 by ldtr

[Ipeeinthepools]

The short answer for HAL excursions is no.  However, I’m not sure exactly what you are asking with the term “step foot on the continent.”  We were on a National Geographic trip last year and actually only landed on the continent once during our trip.  All of the other landings were on islands around Antarctica.

 

However at least some of the HAL excursions sail very nearly the same path around Antarctica as the expedition ships.  We had friends on the Volendam last year that spent several days around the Antarctica peninsula and they sailed very nearly the same path as we did on the National Geographic ship.  The whale watching and the scenery should be a very nice experience on HAL.

Edited August 11, 2023 by Ipeeinthepools

[BSinPNS]

Shore excursions in Argentina, Falklands and Chile permit you to get real close (one meter) to penguins though. 

[robotpony]

No, there are no longer excursions on Holland America that touch land in the Antarctic. Additionally, HAL only has 2 permits in 2025 to sail by the Antarctic, and they are unsure if they will have any in 2026.

 

(We're booked for 2025, excited to even see the region!)

[Turtles06]

Ten years ago, my wife and I were very fortunate to have been able to take an expedition cruise to Antarctica with Lindblad aboard the Nat Geo Explorer. “Trip of a lifetime” is a cliche, but that’s what this was. We had a mix of zodiac landings on the Continent and on the islands. There were fewer than 200 guests on board. Only 100 could go ashore at the same time.  The rest would be off in zodiacs zipping around icebergs, getting up close to ice floes with napping leopard seals, watching minke whales swim under the zodiacs, you name it.  Zodiac cruising turned out to be as much of a highlight of the adventure as the landings. 

 

Guests are not permitted to get within 15 feet of penguins. But penguins aren’t given that memo. If they come up to you, you don’t have to back away. And crossing the Drake Passage, twice, was amazing. 

 

If anyone is interested in learning more about the preparations for a trip like this and about the expedition itself, I have an extensive photo journal at this link:

 

https://antarcticjourney.wordpress.com

 

(photo by turtles06)

 

 

 

 

[NaughtyNanna]

If you want to actually step foot on Antartica, then a large cruise ship is not the way to do it.  I was lucky enough to go in 2008.  It was on a small ship with a capacity of 400 passengers, but could only have 200 on Antarctica excursions.  (Captain got very upset if anyone referred to our journey as a "cruise" instead of "excursion"!!)  Each day we went ashore on zodiacs - a morning group and an afternoon group because only 100 allowed at any one time.  It was the most wonderful experience, and one I will never forget.  I can't really see how a Antarctic cruise on a normal cruise ship would be any different to cruising through Glacier Bay on an Alaskan cruise. 

[NaughtyNanna]

6 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

Ten years ago, my wife and I were very fortunate to have been able to take an expedition cruise to Antarctica with Lindblad aboard the Nat Geo Explorer. “Trip of a lifetime” is a cliche, but that’s what this was. We had a mix of zodiac landings on the Continent and on the islands. There were fewer than 200 guests on board. Only 100 could go ashore at the same time.  The rest would be off in zodiacs zipping around icebergs, getting up close to ice floes with napping leopard seals, watching minke whales swim under the zodiacs, you name it.  Zodiac cruising turned out to be as much of a highlight of the adventure as the landings. 

 

Guests are not permitted to get within 15 feet of penguins. But penguins aren’t given that memo. If they come up to you, you don’t have to back away. And crossing the Drake Passage, twice, was amazing. 

 

If anyone is interested in learning more about the preparations for a trip like this and about the expedition itself, I have an extensive photo journal at this link:

 

https://antarcticjourney.wordpress.com

 

(photo by turtles06)

 

 

 

 

I did a similar thing in 2008 on MV Explorer II.  The most wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experience!

[Ipeeinthepools]

Deleted 

Edited August 12, 2023 by Ipeeinthepools

[Big Dawg CC]

We did the SA/Antarctica on the Zaandam in 2020.  A HAL excursion was offered to take a zodiac and go ashore.  It was pricey - over $1,000 per person.  We did not do it.  On the SA/Antarctica on the Oosterdam in 2023, no such excursion was offered.  

[OlsSalt]

8 hours ago, NaughtyNanna said:

  I can't really see how a Antarctic cruise on a normal cruise ship would be any different to cruising through Glacier Bay on an Alaskan cruise. 

 

It is hugely different, from having done both.

 

The "drive-by" Antarctica is very intimate even when not leaving the ship as one spends quiet time in secluded bays and narrow passages. Everyone is guaranteed these close up views regardless of weather or crowd management clothing and clean-up considerations required by landings.  But no, we did not step on the continent.  Our 2020 Zaandam "drive-by" was fabulous. 

[OlsSalt]

There is also a good argument to be made for not stepping foot on this fragile environment. Regardless of the layers of precautions required  by expedition ships,  when disembarking. 

 

Looking, but not touching is awesome too. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

23 hours ago, NaughtyNanna said:

… I can't really see how a Antarctic cruise on a normal cruise ship would be any different to cruising through Glacier Bay on an Alaskan cruise. 

Really?   How’s this for an example.  On the National Geographic ships,  the passengers have Bridge access.  I would spend every morning that we were cruising the Antarctica peninsula on the bridge with the Captain looking for whales, penguins, birds or just picking our way through the ice looking for a way to get to our landing spot.  As nice as the HAL trips might be, they are still very different from the expedition ships.

 

And don’t forget the pool on the expedition ships.

 

[NaughtyNanna]

18 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

 

It is hugely different, from having done both.

 

The "drive-by" Antarctica is very intimate even when not leaving the ship as one spends quiet time in secluded bays and narrow passages. Everyone is guaranteed these close up views regardless of weather or crowd management clothing and clean-up considerations required by landings.  But no, we did not step on the continent.  Our 2020 Zaandam "drive-by" was fabulous. 

I stand corrected then!  I have done both as well.  An expedition to Antarctica and and Alaskan cruise.  I had just imagined that without having the opportunity to leave the ship, and just sailing around, the experience would have been much the same as Alaska.  😀

Edited August 13, 2023 by NaughtyNanna

[NaughtyNanna]

4 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

Really?   How’s this for an example.  On the National Geographic ships,  the passengers have Bridge access.  I would spend every morning that we were cruising the Antarctica peninsula on the bridge with the Captain looking for whales, penguins, birds or just picking our way through the ice looking for a way to get to our landing spot.  As nice as the HAL trips might be, they are still very different from the expedition ships.

 

And don’t forget the pool on the expedition ships.

 

I don't think you read my post properly.  I was on an expedition ship and we too had full access to the bridge, which was fascinating in itself.  And the brave amongst us did swim.  That was the point I was making.  That I felt to have the full Antarctica experience, it needed to be done on an expedition ship, not a cruise ship.  However, that is just my opinion, and others who have done it on a cruise ship differ from that.  The fact remains, no matter how we experience it, we are all very privileged to be there at all.  That may not be the case in the future.