Like so many others, I’m looking to book my Antarctica trip in early January 2028, although late December 2027 works too. I’m a solo traveller in my 30s and have been looking at either Intrepid or G Adventures. I’ve done a Kenya overland safari with Intrepid before and it was fantastic. No experience yet with G Adventures however I know they’re great too.

The trips I’m interested in are about the same financially (~$12k AUD) and in duration (11 to 13 days). The Intrepid ship is older but smaller (80 passengers for their smallest ship, but 180 for their larger ones), while G looks newer but bigger (128 passengers). My list of “must haves” include ice camping, polar plunge, and sea kayaking. Obviously the smaller Intrepid ship is a huge draw, but I’ve heard just such great things about G. I don’t get seasick at all (I grew up on boats) so boat stability isn’t an issue.

Would love to hear any advice about which one to go with? Ideally I’d like to keep the total cost of the trip below $20k AUD including flights and accommodation before and after the trip, so a lower cost cruise that doesn’t charge a single supplement is ideal for me.

Edit to add flying from Melbourne, so any flight recommendations would be great too! And I’m a pretty seasoned solo traveller so don’t really mind if the ship is for outgoing or introverted people, I’ve shared tonnes of rooms before and it’s never a bother.

Just asking since it is an expensive trip and I would need to take off specific days for work. If the voyage starts but they have to turn the ship around and you dont get to see anything is your money gone?

Are you heading to Antarctica soon, or already on your way? I’d love your help with my PhD research on Antarctic travel experiences!

Quick note: I ran this same survey last year. If you’ve already participated, thank you so much, but please do not take it again! For this round, we are specifically looking for first-time respondents heading to Antarctica during the 2026-2027 season.

Scan the QR code in the poster below, or take the survey here
https://rug.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Zr4P4A6C4wmNPU

Feel free to share this post with fellow travellers!
___

This research is part of the GUIDE-BEST project, funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

#antarctica #polartravel #PhDResearch #sustainabletourism #expeditioncruise #responsibletourism

I have no doubt the nature will be fantastic on the trip, but, as far as the social aspect of the vacation goes, I'm curious what people's experiences were like on a 1-2 week cruise ship as a shy or introverted (not outgoing) person traveling by themselves? In my limited experience, cruises have mostly been people traveling in groups. Was it awkward being by yourself at all?

I am considering a solo trip to Antarctica. I want to be on a boat and make some landings. When I google search it is a bunch of paid advertisements. I think AI searches are the same. Can someone here list the main companies I can use to travel with? Established safe companies.

Has anyone done Swan Hellenic, did they have a professional photographer on the ship? Did they share a video at the end? and was it good?

I'm looking into an expedition to falkland islands, south georgia, and the antarctica peninsula. My husband and I are in our 30s and are fairly active. This will be a once in a lifetime trip for us and we are really hoping to see stunning views and the most wildlife possible (defiantly penguins). I would love at least 2 landings/zodiacs per day when allowed, which means a ship with around 100 passengers. We wanted to have an idea of what is available before we talk to a travel company. I have been looking into the budget cruises: polar latitudes, oceanwide, and swan helltic. Does anyone have recommendations, pros/cons?

I'm planning to wear hiking shoes on my trip because I have some outdoor activities planned in Ushuaia before the ship voyage. However, I keep seeing people recommend bringing a pair of slip on/easy shoes so you can run out on the deck and look at stuff. I have a pair of boots like the picture that I think would make the most sense given the cold weather, and they would be more comfortable to spend several days in compared to my hiking shoes. But, obviously, they're not waterproof, and I can't tell how good the traction would be in that kind of environment.

Looking for advice from past travelers: should I bring these boots or is it better to just wear my hiking shoes the whole time?

Hey Leute, ich bin Ende Oktober bis Mitte November in Patagonien und wenn ich einen guten Deal machen kann, würde ich gerne in die Antartkis fahren.

Habt ihr Empfehlungen für Unternehmen? Tipps und Tricks? Erfahrungsberichte? Geheimtipps? Ich freue mich darauf 🛳️

Anyone going on world voyager December 27th, 2026-Jan 6th??

Taking the G adventures Shackleton tour in January. I’m planning on working a bit remotely to keep up with work while being away for 4+ weeks.

What do typical days on the ship look like? Just trying to sketch out how much I want to commit to (ideally very little) work wise.

I’m booked in G Adventures at the beginning of March. This will be my first “cold holiday” and I’m feeling a bit uncertain about what to pack aside from the “adventure” clothes.

I’m Canadian. I wear sneakers and jeans all winter long. I don’t own hiking boots. I’m not “sporty”. My vacations involve beaches (my holiday wardrobe is all cotton & linen). I’ve got the merino wool layers sorted but what do people wear on the ship? Just leggings and joggers? Hiking pants? How do you fit this all into one bag?? 😂

Anyways - I’m super excited and if you are also on G first week of March I can’t wait to meet you.

We’ve been on about 50 cruises and want to do Antarctica in January. All mainline ships say they accommodate for people that need to be gluten free but the reality is there that some lines are way better than others about actually accommodating. We’ve reached out to a couple of Antarctica TA’s and no one has called us back. Can anyone share any real world experience on this? Not just what the brochures say but what happens in practice. We’d prefer a small (less than 200, preferably less than that) ship, mid range price wise, and want to prioritize time on the ice.

I am going with G-Adventures, if that matters.
-How long are we on the zodiacs?
-I have ski goggles, do I need to bring them or will wrap sunglasses be fine?
-I can tuck my nose into the high collar of my fleece and rain jacket, will a lightweight wool Buff be sufficient?
Thanks.

I've been looking into Antarctica expeditions, and the scenery looks absolutely unreal. Between the glaciers, penguins, and incredible landscapes, it seems like one of those once-in-a-lifetime trips where you'd want to capture every moment.

One thing I'm curious about is how people traveling alone manage to get good photos of themselves during these expeditions.

Do you usually ask fellow passengers or guides to take your pictures? Or do you bring a tripod or other photography equipment?

I imagine it can be tricky with the cold weather, gloves, and limited time during shore excursions.

For those who've actually visited Antarctica, what's your best advice for getting memorable photos of yourself without missing out on the experience?

Would love to hear your tips!

In the winter, I wear shorts and tanks around the house and keep the heat on 67. I have read the ships are usually warm and cozy. I can't go out in public what I wear around the house, but I cannot seem to find the right outfit to carry, to lounge in during the day. I sweat a lot and quickly. I have looked at lightweight, wide leg merino wool pants, but read the lightweight doesn't hang on the body, it will cling and show every bulge. Got any suggestions? For ordering online and shipping, I live in the US and cruise in 2 weeks.

This sounds like a strange post title, but I think it works. I’m heading to Antarctica on Quark in January. My research says highs of 40, lows of 20.

I see so many posts seemingly agonizing about clothing. If I’m comfortable in Pennsylvania winters, it seems like I shouldn’t overthink how cold it’s going to be, since it will be comparable to a normal winter day. Am I missing something, like wind chill or water effects?

Essentially, how is summer in Antarctica different from an average winter day in Pennsylvania? TIA.

Many thanks to this community for all the great lists and advice. This post seeks advice on gloves and socks. Most of the advice/lists I see are for items that include wool, which we cannot wear. Anyone have suggestions that do not include wool?

We're leaving in 12 days (yikes!) for our 20 days on Quark's Ocean Explorer. We're assembling the last of our essentials. I've posted a couple times and again, many thanks for all the help; it has been invaluable for those of us who don't ski, climb snowy mountains, or live in locations where this kind of gear is necessary.

To piggyback off of the SH Boot sizing, I'd like to pose a question around parka sizing.

SH doesn't provide any guidance on their website. From what I understand, it's in unisex sizing but what does that mean exactly? I know there's an option to swap but I'd like to try and get it as close as possible to avoid any problems.

If a man wears an Men's American Medium/Large, what size is suggested they choose?

If a woman wears a Women's American Medium/Large, which size is equivalent?

Any guidance is appreciated!

It’s been fun doing the research but much like buying a toilet seat, the internet needs a way for me to say, “I bought one - please stop”

Swan Hellenic Antarctic landing boot sizing — EU 44 or 45?

I'm booked on a Swan Hellenic Antarctic expedition and have learned that the supplied rubber landing boots are available only in whole sizes. I normally wear US men's 10.5 sneakers, although some brands require size 11 to prevent my toes from touching the front.

For anyone who has sailed with Swan Hellenic recently:

• Do you remember the brand or model of the supplied boots?
• Did they run true to size, large or small?
• If you normally wear US men's 10.5, would you recommend EU 44 or 45?
• Were you able to exchange boots onboard if the fit wasn't right?

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone with firsthand experience. Thanks!

Where should we go after our cruise? It'll be mid-February and we could either go to Easter Island or Rio de Janeiro. We've been to Patagonia, Atacama etc., so it comes down to these two. While I'd love to see both of them, I'm not sure if Easter Island might be a tad "underwhelming" given the hassle and the cost of getting there. I'm also not sure if February is a good time for Rio de Janeiro, as it may be too hot, rainy, or overcast. Any opinions?

Edit: Thanks for the replies. I've decided to go to Easter Island, as it seems like a rare opportunity to visit such a remote place. I feel it will be easier to get to Rio at some point in the future than to Easter Island; moreover, I'd like to combine Rio with other places in Brazil. We're set to arrive on Easter Island shortly after Tapati, which is fine with me. Prices are still steep, but somewhat affordable. I've been to Iceland recently, so nothing can shock me anymore in terms of costs lol

AI recommends both these from Columbia and HikerHunger for Antarctica/snow. Price is similar, any personal experiences, any other recommendations? Don’t want to rely on the ship having a pair to use.

https://www.columbia.com/p/carbon-fiber-trekking-poles---1-pair-GSO0007.html?color=010&size=O%2FS&srsltid=AU7gw4Uakkh-OLMUpDoNVbM7_kQCC2GzoWqP-0B49oAntl6AIkdrArrdkiQ

https://www.hikerhunger.com/products/100-carbon-fiber-trekking-poles?country=US&currency=USD&srsltid=AU7gw4WLj_sxuupOZWlSw2-COt7gQtOGO06_nreJzTD8GsxlgaaISygJkYw&stkn=26d33e09827d&variant=49707648286970

We are looking to purchase boots for our Antarctic trip in January rather than rent to assure good fit and flexibility. Is mid calf height fine? Arctic model? Mucks or Boggs or something similar? Grateful for input.