Cruises to Antarctica Offer Amazing Experiences
If you want to undergo the cruise of a lifetime - a cruise
that many travelers never have the pleasure of experiencing - then
you should opt for a cruise to Antarctica. The sights
you will see while on a cruise to Antarctica
will be unlike those you can see anywhere else in the
world!
Cruises to Antarctica are not as common as cruises to
other locales; therefore, many travelers are not able
to find one being offered at a time during which they
can travel. Also, cruises to Antarctica tend to be more
expensive than other cruises because they are not offered
by as many cruise companies - and, the companies which
do offer them do not have as many ships traveling to
that destination. So, many people who would like to
go to this icy continent are simply unable to for reasons
of scheduling and/or cost.
Travelers wanting to cruise to Antarctica
must be prepared to travel during the tourist season.
This is from November to February. Traveling to the
continent at any other time would be foolhardy because
the entire continent is encased in darkness (or nearly
so) for the rest of the year. Additionally, outside
of tourist season, temperatures in Antarctica drop very
low - as low as 50 degrees F below zero!
Taking a cruise during the correct season, however,
is an excellent idea for anyone with a sense of adventure.
The way that water currents mix at Antarctica - called
the Antarctic Convergence - cause an abundance of plankton
to come together in the area, drawing a great variety
of sea creatures and birds to the continent. It is fascinating
to see just how many different types of animals have
found a way to live in the harsh environment of the
Antarctic.
Depending upon the month in which you travel, the sights
you see in Antarctica will vary (apart from the glacial
ice, of course - that remains). Here is a guideline of
what you can see during each month of tourist season:
• November: It is courting and mating season, so you
can see the Emperor Penguins performing their mating
rituals.
• December: This is when the female penguins are working
on hatching eggs. You will see large groups of penguins
standing side-by-side.
• January: Penguins chicks are beginning to hatch during
this month, so this is the best time to travel if you
want to see the little penguins.
• February: During this month, Antarctica
is as warm as it ever gets and the ice has melted some.
This means that it may be possible to walk on top of
the ice. February is also the best time for whale sighting.
Many cruises will try to get extremely close to the
whales, which is really a sight to see.
It is important to note that some Antarctic cruises - generally ones with more than 100 passengers--do not allow people to disembark from the ship. This is because of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators pledge, which says that no more than 100 passengers may come ashore on the continent at one time. If disembarking is important to you, select one of the small Antarctic cruises.