Antarctica CruiseFebruary 13, 2016 - February 28, 2016
This cruise was a dream-come-true for me. I have wanted to visit Antarctica ever since I first learned about the white blob at the bottom of world maps in grade school. This two-week cruise aboard the Celebrity Infinity allowed me to achieve this dream in addition to visiting three interesting South American countries that I had not previously visited. Here is my detailed review of our Antarctica cruise aboard the Celebrity Infinity...
Things I Really Enjoyed
- Conversations with Fellow Cruisers: Our fellow cruisers were not only friendly but they were also travelers who have been everywhere. Traci and I were so inspired by their travel stories.
- Falkland Islands: I just love visiting remote places that people call their home. The Falkland Islands was one such place. In addition to spending time in the capital city, we took a tour to the outskirts to see penguins and other wildlife.
- Antarctica: Majestic, unspoiled, intriguing,... There are just not enough adjectives to describe this wonderful continent at the bottom of the planet.
- Sunrise at Cape Horn: We were not only lucky enough to have calm seas and cooperative weather during our Cape Horn visit but we also saw the most amazing sunrise from this location.
- Buenos Aires: I loved exploring this city on foot. Florida Street, Puerto Madero, and Plaza de Mayo were just a few of the interesting places that Traci and I visited during our pre-cruise stay in this amazing city.
- Patagonia Lamb Lunch: We had lunch during our Ushuaia shore excursion. The lunch consisted of Patagonia lamb that had been cooked over an open fire for four hours. Delicious!
Things I Would Like to Change
- Number of Sea Days: There were too many days at sea for my taste. I would have loved to have had more ports of call but I understand this would be difficult to accommodate given the distance this cruise covers in two weeks.
- See also Less-Than-Desirables section.
Trip Report
February 11, 2016:
I am currently out of the office and will return on 3/1/2016. Please contact my manager if there are any urgent issues...
That never gets old. The next day, Traci and I would embark on a voyage that I have dreamed about since I was a child. We were going to Antarctica!
The Dilemma
We would be traveling to Antarctica by cruise ship. I had a dilemma when choosing a cruise itinerary. I always pictured myself walking on Antarctica. The cruises that allow you to do this are called expedition cruises. They are very expensive. In addition to Antarctica, I wanted to visit the Falkland Islands because I am fascinated by people who live in remote places. As I scoured the internet looking for the best deal I could find on an expedition cruise that met my criteria, I stumbled upon an itinerary by Celebrity Cruises. Its price was two to three times less expensive than the cruise packages I was finding yet it actually exceeded my criteria - well, almost. When I looked closer, I realized that this was an Antarctica 'float-by' cruise - not an expedition cruise. You do not actually go ashore in Antarctica. Instead, you view the continent from the ship. I initially tossed this idea aside because after all, why would I go all the way down there and never set foot on the continent? As I continued to look at the expedition cruises that included the Falkland Islands, I started to notice that many of them consisted of two to three weeks of doing landings to look at wildlife. I like to see animals in the wild but I was not sure I wanted to do it for that length of time. I gave the Celebrity 'float-by' cruise another look and began to warm up to the idea in a big way. I travel because I love to experience different cultures. The Celebrity cruise itinerary was enticing because not only would it allow me to see Antarctica, but it would also allow us to experience culture in three countries that Traci and I had not yet visited: Argentina, Falkland Islands, and Uruguay. We would spend two out of the fourteen days cruising the Antarctic Peninsula. This would be the perfect duration of wildlife and ice viewing for me. Of course, this meant we would not set foot on the continent but the cultural appeal of the itinerary was what really had me excited.
penguins on a beach in the Falkland Islands
