Getting a last-minute deal to Antarctica

The port in Ushuaia seen from the Ocean Diamond

Quite a few people have asked how we got our last-minute deal on a ship to Antarctica.

I can’t speak for anyone else or any other company, but this is what we know in relation to the quest for our good deal.

For starters, long before we left for South America, Poor John said that once we got to Ushuaia (in the very south of Argentina), that we should try to find a discounted expedition to Antarctica. He reckoned we could leave the overland trip for 10 days or so, and then rejoin the truck in Buenos Aires or beyond. He’d been researching all this online—and had found lots of info. He’s an internet novice, so his searching would not have been very in-depth.

He found that good deals were around, and seemed to link to early or late bookings.

Another ship sets out for Antarctica. Three left the day we did

Most companies seem to offer great deals in advance. It seems to be quite easy to get 25 per cent off if you book 10 months in advance. We met people on our ship who got that kind of deal. We got the same kind of deal by booking a day or two before departure.

I’ve seen comments that trips can cost in excess of $50,000. I have no idea how long those trips last and what they include, although I suspect they must carry you across the ice and snow on a litter.

Our trip cost less than a tenth of that $50,000. Our trip lasted 10 nights and we were in a triple room. I feel honour-bound not to reveal the exact price we paid because we signed a confidentiality agreement. But I will say that throughout Ushuaia, we saw signs promoting last-minute deals for 10-day trips for $4100. We paid less, but not a lot less.

After the fact, I have to stress that the $4100 price tag is a huge bargain and not to be ignored. We got a slightly better deal, but gosh I’m glad we went at any price.

So how did we get our better price?

Poor John suggested that we walk to the port and go to the ship and ask for a deal. Not surprisingly, we got stopped in our tracks at the port entrance—sorry, but passengers and crew only.

That said, the woman in the port office told us to visit a particular travel agent. This agent was linked to Quark Expeditions—the next ship to depart—and could help us in our quest.

I don’t know if the woman at the port would have sent us to someone else if the next-departing ship was linked to another company. We saw three or four other expedition ships coming and going from the port.

Anyway, we followed the advice of the woman at the port, and visited the agent. She offered the same $4100 price tag. We hemmed and hawed, and she said, ‘Why not make an offer.’ So we did. There had been some people in front of us and we heard what price they were paying, so offered the same. The company accepted.

An escort back into port

Let me know if you need the agent’s address and contact details. And I’m happy to share the final price in an email, but not here. I must honour my agreement. We paid $300 more than people paid the previous year with a different company.

There a few things that all Antarctic travellers must remember.

We went in November. There are pluses and minuses for this timing. It’s:

—before the main whale migration and calving occurs

—after penguins eggs are laid but before they hatch

—before snow melts and exposes a harsher landscape

and more.

So don’t assume that getting yourself to Ushuaia is any guarantee for a great or cheap trip. We’ve heard of people who paid $27,000 for their trip and then got iced in. There are no guarantees. In the word’s of my father, ‘It’s a bit of a crap shoot.’

Let me know if you have an ‘interesting’ experience booking an Antarctic expedition.

P.S. It just occurred to me that people might think we got a discount because of the blog. Nope! I’ve never had, and never asked for, a freebie or discounted price because of the blog. I’m just having fun.