It's that time of year again - the long summer days return to the icy depths of the southern ocean - and the cruises start - and the cruises sink - thousands of miles from rescue?
Cruise ship stranded in Antarctic - BBC Report
A cruise ship carrying 122 people has run aground on the Antarctic coast, the Argentine navy has reported. Admiral Daniel Martin said the Panama-registered ship, the Ushuaia, was leaking fuel and that a "minimal amount of water" was coming in.
We saw a very similar event last year
Gap Adventures MV Explorer Sinks - is cruising the Antarctic inherently dangerous? - or is it due to corners being cut in an attempt to make unaffordable, affordable?
Any other interesting reports?
Reply to this Hi ali,
I was in Antartica last February...it may also simply be due to the fact that these waters are dangerous...and that with the tuff terrain, antything can really happen. don't think they are trying to save money as the boat running the business are mostly run under a serious treaty.
Peter
Reply to this With passangers being stranded and airports being hijacked and flight prices going up etc etc etc I am almost considering walking around the world.
The Antarctic, dangerous? Dont know. I have not got around to considering that yet because I heard that cruises to there are out of the price range I could pay.
Reply to this An Antarctic cruise is high on my future travels list. I think the key to a safe journey is to research your chosen ship carefully. Does it have a good safety record? Does the ship pass inspections on a consistent basis? I think this is one trip where it pays to use a travel agent that you know and trust. Also, you get what you pay for so don't look to do this on the cheap.
Reply to this Hi Donna and Alan,
There are ways to get it cheaper than others...for those single, think about sharing a triple cabin...that's a serious discount...and you don;t spend much time in your cabin. Second, if you are on a budget, look at booking very early for November..think now for next year...
All the best boat are under the same treaty...and all off them take between 80 to 120 max! There is two or three "best knows" companies....after that it's all depend what you need and want to have in your plate.
Peter
Reply to this Hi folks,
the main problem is the kind of vessel, mostly former research Soviet Union stuff poorly crewed (although properly skippered). It must be noted that while these ships have a dismal safety record of an accident per year or more, sailing boats on the same track have a spotless safety record. Sailing vessels around the Horn and Antarctica have a register, and of the 1400 or so sailing there since 1900, no accidents have been reported. At present, there are about 15, mostly French, Swiss, Italian and American, all properly crewed. Moreover, sailing is the right way to get there, if you want to really experience the trip. Prices are competitive, food much better, and company very interesting. In case, let me know and I can help you out (I sailied years down there)... fair winds (especially in the Drake). Do also consider that it's just the crossing that is uncomfortable, because Antarctic climate patterns and records call for calm winds once in Antarctica. Marco
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