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Before You Go
Everything you need to sort out before an Antarctica expedition cruise, from passports and the medical form to what to pack, how to stay well on the Drake Passage and how to behave around a penguin.
Planning Your Expedition
An Antarctica cruise needs a little more preparation than a week in the Mediterranean, but not much. The cruise line takes care of the permits, the expedition equipment and most of the logistics, and we look after your booking from start to finish. This page covers the things that are down to you. If anything is unclear, call us on 0333 405 0194.
Paperwork
You need a valid passport for the whole trip. We recommend it has at least six months left on it after the date you return, has a couple of blank pages, and is in good condition, because airlines can refuse damaged passports. Take a photocopy or a photo on your phone as well, and keep it separate from the original.
British passport holders do not currently need a visa to visit Argentina or Chile as tourists. Your voyage will start in Buenos Aires or Santiago, and some itineraries finish in the other country, so check the rules for both. Entry requirements can change, so please read the latest gov.uk foreign travel advice for each country before you travel. If you hold a different passport, ask us and we will point you in the right direction.
The Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory and British passport holders do not need a visa. You will need your passport with you when the ship calls at Stanley. On voyages to South Georgia, the government's visitor permit is included in your fare.
Nobody owns Antarctica and there is no visa. Visits are governed by the Antarctic Treaty, and the cruise line holds the permits needed for each voyage. All you need to do is follow the visitor guidelines described below.
Health
Because Antarctica is so far from hospitals, every guest travelling there must complete a medical screening form before departure. With HX this is done through their medical partner Vikand, using an online portal that opens 120 days before you sail, and you should do it promptly when it opens. Depending on your answers, you may be asked for further information from your own doctor. There is a doctor and a nurse on every ship, with a medical centre on board, but serious emergencies may require evacuation by ship or aircraft, which can take days.
You do not need to be an athlete. You do need to be able to walk on uneven, rocky, snowy and sometimes slippery ground, and to step in and out of a small expedition boat with a helping hand from the crew, sometimes in a swell. Most landings involve short walks, and there is always the option of staying on board or joining the boat cruise instead. Plenty of guests in their seventies, and some in their eighties, join expedition cruises every season. Trekking poles are lent to you on board.
All three HX ships have wheelchair accessible cabins and step free access around most of the ship, but wheelchairs must be no wider than 60 cm and guests who need help should travel with a companion. Because landings are made by small boat, some guests with limited mobility will not be able to go ashore at every site. Talk to us before you book and we will check the details with the cruise line.
Guests who will be 24 weeks pregnant or more by the end of the voyage cannot travel, and a medical certificate is needed at 23 weeks. Do seek medical advice before booking at any stage of pregnancy.
Essential
Travel insurance is a condition of booking with every expedition line, and for Antarctica it really matters. Your policy must cover cancellation and medical treatment, and it must include emergency medical evacuation and repatriation from Antarctica itself. Evacuation from the polar regions is extremely expensive, and many standard and annual policies exclude Antarctica or cap the cover, so read the small print and check that the destination, the dates and any optional activities such as kayaking or camping are included. The cruise line will ask for the name of your insurer and their 24 hour emergency number.
Buy your insurance when you pay your deposit, so you are covered if you have to cancel before departure. If you live in the UK, you can get a quote from our insurance partner Allianz Assistance. If you live elsewhere, please arrange cover in your home country.
What to Take
Expedition lines lend you rubber boots for landings, and most provide a polar expedition jacket too (HX give you one to keep), so you do not need to buy specialist kit. What you need are good layers. There is no dress code on board, so casual clothes are fine for every meal.
Money, Power and Connectivity
Most things on board are included, but anything extra, such as optional excursions, spa treatments or premium drinks, goes on your onboard account, which you settle at the end of the voyage. HX accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners, and gratuities are already included in HX fares.
You will want a little local money or a card for Buenos Aires, Ushuaia and Santiago. In the Falklands the local pound is at par with sterling and British notes are widely accepted in Stanley. There is nothing to buy in Antarctica itself, unless you post a card from the little museum shop at Port Lockroy if your voyage calls there.
Cabins have European style two pin sockets, so bring one or two adaptors. A universal adaptor is useful for hotel nights in South America, as Argentina mostly uses a different angled plug.
Wi-Fi is included on every HX ship via Starlink. It is fine for messages and email but does not support streaming, and coverage can be patchy. There is no mobile signal in Antarctica, so let family know they may not hear from you every day.
Visiting Responsibly
All the expedition lines we work with are members of IAATO, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, which sets the rules for visiting Antarctica safely and with as little impact as possible. You will be briefed on board, but in short:
Biosecurity is taken very seriously. Before your first landing, all your outer clothing, bags, hats, gloves and tripods are checked and vacuumed to remove seeds and soil, and your boots are scrubbed and disinfected before and after every landing. It is worth giving your own outdoor kit a thorough clean, and emptying the pockets and Velcro, before you leave home.
Camera Tips
You do not need expensive equipment. A modern phone takes lovely landscape shots, and the ship's professional photographer runs workshops for every level and sends you a digital album of their own pictures after the voyage. That said, a few tips will help:
The Drake Passage
Most voyages cross the Drake Passage, two days each way of open ocean between South America and Antarctica. Sometimes it is flat calm (the “Drake Lake”), and sometimes it is lively (the “Drake Shake”). The ships have stabilisers, and once you reach the shelter of the Antarctic islands the water is usually calm.
If you are prone to seasickness, talk to your pharmacist or GP before you travel. Tablets and patches work best when taken before the motion starts, so start as the ship leaves the Beagle Channel. Acupressure wristbands help some people. On board, a cabin on a lower deck towards the middle of the ship moves least, and fresh air and a view of the horizon make a big difference. The ship's doctor can help if you are struggling. The good news is that most people find their sea legs within a day.