Which Antarctica ships handle the Drake Passage best?
Generally the larger and newer end of the expedition fleet, because size, modern stabilisers and hull design all work in your favour. A very small ship moves more in the same sea, which is one of the arguments against fixating on sub-100 vessels. That said, the honest answer is that your cabin locat
What do you do during the Drake Passage crossing days?
They’re busy rather than empty. The crossing is when the expedition team runs its lecture programme, when you do your biosecurity check, and when the mandatory Zodiac and wildlife briefings happen. Seabirds follow the ship the whole way across, and there’s usually a naturalist on deck helping you te
What percentage of Drake Passage crossings are calm?
54 percent calm and 46 percent rough. That comes from our own survey of 643 crossings reported by 348 travellers, and the 95 percent confidence interval on the rough figure runs from 42 to 50 percent, which is tight enough to publish. The mean rating was 4.86 out of 10 on a Drake Lake to Drake Shake
Is the Drake Passage always rough, or can you get a calm crossing?
No, and calm crossings are slightly more common than rough ones. Of the crossings travellers reported to us, 54 percent were Drake Lake and 46 percent were Drake Shake. What you can’t do is choose. Which one you get is luck, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
How rough is the Drake Passage on an Antarctica cruise?
It’s calmer than its reputation more often than not. We surveyed 348 travellers about 643 Drake crossings, and 54 percent came back calm against 46 percent rough. The typical crossing rated 5 out of 10 on a Drake Lake to Drake Shake scale, which is squarely in the middle. Genuinely horrible crossing
How long does it take to cross the Drake Passage?
Roughly a day and a half to two days each way by ship, so about four days of a sailed itinerary go to the crossing. A fast southbound run sometimes buys you a bonus landing at the other end. If you fly across instead, it’s a flight of about two hours each way.
Should I fly or sail across the Drake Passage to Antarctica?
Neither is better in the abstract, and the honest answer depends on what you’re optimising for. Flying buys you more time actually in Antarctica and skips the crossing, which matters enormously if you’re a bad sailor or travelling with small children. Sailing costs less on average, opens up every it
Can you fly one way and sail the other across the Drake Passage?
Yes, and it’s a sensible option that plenty of people overlook. You get the Drake experience once, which is what a lot of travellers want, while halving your exposure to it and keeping some of the time saving that flying buys. If you’re torn between the two, this is the middle path.
What happens if my Antarctica fly-cruise flight is cancelled?
Delays on the Punta Arenas to King George Island run are common enough that you should plan for the possibility, and roughly 3 percent of fly departures cancel outright in a given year. The runway is a gravel strip with no instrument landing, so the weather has to cooperate at both ends. Operators h
Is there a doctor on board an Antarctica expedition ship?
Yes. Every expedition ship on this route carries a doctor, and they can prescribe, which matters most during the crossing when someone realises too late that they should have medicated. Access to the ship’s medical staff is included in your fare rather than charged as an extra.