My Atlas Ocean Voyages Antarctica Expedition: Part 2 The Cruise

Continued from Part 1:

The Atlas Ocean Voyages Antarctica adventure cruise offers a once-in-a-lifetime expedition experience to one of the planet's most pristine and awe-inspiring regions. As travelers embark on this extraordinary journey, we boarded Atlas Ocean Voyages’ newest ship in the fleet, World Voyager. Guests are welcomed aboard a state-of-the-art expedition ship equipped with cutting-edge technology and luxurious amenities. From always-included drinks (including wine and alcoholic beverages) to L’Occitane bath products, spacious staterooms, incredible service, and high-quality dining options be prepared for pampering onboard the intimate yachts of Atlas Ocean Voyages. 

One of the standout features of our Antarctica Expedition cruise was its emphasis on exclusive and intimate experiences. With a limited number of passengers on board, guests can enjoy a more personalized and immersive exploration of this remote wilderness. Whether it's kayaking amidst floating icebergs, camping on the Antarctic continent, or photographing colonies of penguins, every moment is carefully curated to provide an unforgettable and authentic encounter with the wonders of Antarctica.

Day 1 and 2 Adios Buenos Aires

After a day of travel from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, we eagerly anticipated our arrival at the new World Voyager. The check-in experience was one of the fastest and easiest I’ve ever experienced. Our coach arrived on the pier side, and a senior officer from the ship greeted us and advised we would be going up the stairs for our check-in. Once onboard, the crew's many smiling faces welcomed us with cheers, champagne, and canapes as we settled into the Atlas Lounge. We were also reunited with carry-on luggage from the storage hold on the coach. 

Our first day on board was a little hectic as we had the naming ceremony and christening for the ship. President James Rodriguez and Captain Terje Ulset led the ceremony. Finally, the Godmother, Captain Harpreet “Preet” Chandi, was handed the stage to tell us more about her background in the UK Army and her reason “why” for setting off on a Guinness World Record Setting Antarctic Expedition. Her history and story were truly inspiring and made me stop and take stock of my accomplishments. I quickly realized that I’m a calculated risk-taker and have never pushed myself outside my comfort zone. In listening to her experiences, I vowed to myself that my expedition to Antarctica would be just that: a chance to do something way outside my comfort zone. I immediately signed up for the overnight camping and told myself I would be doing the polar plunge. 

Well, Mother Nature had other plans for us. More on that later.

The trip across Drake’s Passage on the first day was affectionately called Drake’s Shake, with sustained waves of 20-25 feet and some as tall as 38 feet. These “whoppers” sent glasses and dishes flying a few times. In one case, during dinner, a fellow passenger was seated where the flooring was tiled, and a big wave sent her sliding across the floor. This was pretty comical to watch, and she took it in stride. Shortly after, another wave had the same passenger’s husband’s veggies dancing from his plate across the table. While this may sound a bit scary, the ship handled the seas very well, and passengers quickly gained their sea legs.

Day two of the crossing was met with somewhat calmer seas (comparatively speaking) but still some doozies occasionally. Now that we had experienced Drake’s Shake, we were all looking forward to Drake’s Lake for the return passage. Fingers crossed.

On the first full day at sea, there are a lot of mandatory briefings starting at 11 am. First up was to meet the expedition team and learn more about what to expect, how to use the mud room, board zodiacs, and the overall environmental sensitivities. Passengers were broken into groups, which would be their assigned group for the voyage. These groups, affectionately known as A, B, C, D, and E (could vary by how many passengers are on the sailing), are called in rotating order each day so that each group will have a chance to be first, middle, and last for landings. These groups are also how the polar plunge is lined up. For those traveling with friends/family or a group, you can request to be grouped together.

The subsequent meetings for the day are based on interest and activities. For example, there was a meeting for those interested in camping overnight. Another meeting for those wishing to kayak. A meeting for fitting parka and boots, mud-room etiquette (only go when your group is called), and how to set up your locker. Basically, if you needed to know something, there was a meeting for it. The nice part was that, besides the first main meeting about the zodiacs and polar landings, everything else was optional based on interest level and plans. If you aren’t sure about camping or kayaking, go to the meeting anyway. It will often help you decide on the activity, but if you haven’t attended the briefing meeting, you cannot participate in the activity.

Icebergs and Weather Ahead

A fun little game, our Captain announced, was a “guess the first iceberg sighting,” where passengers filled out their prediction on when the first ice formation would be spotted. While there is no prize per se, bragging rights are important. Hint: it was much sooner than I had expected.

The one thing essential in Antarctica and excellent general travel advice is to BE FLEXIBLE!!! The weather in the region is highly unpredictable, even with the best of equipment. The forecast is what you expect, and the weather is what you get. Flexibility is the key to success and enjoyment of travel and life. So, if things don’t go as expected or planned, take a deep breath and remind yourself to BE FLEXIBLE!!!

Unlike traditional cruising, where you have a set schedule to be in port at a specific time, and about 99% of the time, the plan happens; in Antarctica, things change often and quickly. Whether the winds pick up unexpectedly, large amounts of ice move in, or just a general deterioration in the weather, the priority for the expedition team and the captain is to ensure the safety of all crew members and passengers. Our itinerary included a stop at the South Shetland Islands, but Mother Nature had other things in mind. Visibility was nil; the winds were blustering and sustained at 100 knots (approx 115 mph), setting a new record for our Captain. We were still trying to determine what sort of prize we won for that record, but we felt like heroes nonetheless. Here is a picture of the wind speed meter from the bridge. Proof it happened and wasn’t some tall tale from the sea.

As previously mentioned, being flexible is the name of the game, and since the weather wasn’t cooperating for us to stop in the South Shetland Islands, the Captain had to cancel that plan and look for other options. Sailing the Antarctica islands, the landing spots are mostly left to “Captain’s Choice” based on weather and sea conditions. While the weather reports are heavily relied on, sometimes good old-fashioned luck is also needed. The Captain and the Expedition team lead will scout areas and send some team members to check conditions for safety and set up the landing plans. 

What to Expect Onboard 

The dress code onboard all Atlas Ocean Voyage vessels is pretty relaxed. Jeans are acceptable any time of day or night. Unlike a traditional cruise where you get dressed up at night, you don’t need to worry about that, especially for Antarctica. Jeans/pants and a shirt, sweatshirt, or sweater are perfectly acceptable in the evenings. We often wished we had shorts or lighter-weight clothes with us as it was warm-ish on the ship. In full disclosure, I am hot-blooded and always searching out cooler weather and booking cold vacations, much to my husband’s dismay. In fact, for most of our nine days onboard World Voyager, I had our balcony door open for fresh air and to enjoy the frigid temperatures.

Read More: Antarctica Packing List

Atlas Ocean Voyages provides very warm, bright green parkas for each guest. The color makes guests easy to spot during landings, and at the end of the expedition, the parka is yours to take home. The trick is to ensure you have enough room in your luggage to add this bulky jacket; otherwise, you will have to carry it on the plane the whole way home. The line also provides boots for all landings, so you don’t need your boots. Repeat: you do NOT need hiking boots! The boots provided are super comfy, and you need the appropriate base layer(s) based on the weather and your body type, as well as wool/warm socks for the boots. Sadly, you can’t keep the boots but can buy The Muck Boot online. 

Given the size of the ship, it’s very easy to find fellow passengers. If they aren’t eating in the Maderia Dining Room, they are either in The Atlas Lounge or The Dome. The Atlas Lounge is a comfortable passenger meeting area with floor-to-ceiling windows and oversized furniture. On some evenings after dinner, there would be live entertainment from Michael, the Cruise Director, a guest entertainer onboard, or simply the meeting place for pre-dinner cocktails. One of the highlights of our sailing was the Crew Show. This should NOT be missed on any cruise. The depth of talent from the crew's acts ranged from a funny rendition of “Tequila” to the incomparable voice of one of the Maitre ‘Ds, who left everyone stunned with his magnificent voice and closed the show with a standing ovation. 

The Dome, located at the top front of the ship (deck 7), is the place to be during the day, with stunning panoramic views. It’s also the main “hang out” area in the evenings after dinner and stays open late for those looking for relaxed nightlife. Additionally, high tea is served here every afternoon at 4 pm. 

For the Antarctic sailings, all meals are served in the main dining room, Madeira, located on Deck 4. Room service is also available 24 hours a day, with many options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all-day dining. Trust me when I tell you the burger is one of the best I’ve ever had. Paula's Pantry is the place for snacks between meals or to refuel on caffeine or fresh pressed juices! From morning pastries to afternoon delectable treats, there is always something yummy to fill the belly. 

There is an additional dining option at 7AFT Grill for destinations other than Arctic expeditions. Serving up a casual poolside lunch during the day and transforming into a chophouse in the evenings - a Josper Grill Dining Experience, exclusively on the Epicurean Expeditions. 

Excursions

Adventure seekers, hardcore survivalists, and wanna-be explorers can all sign up for additional excursions such as camping overnight in Antarctica, kayaking, and the polar plunge. As a wanna-be explorer, I settled into the meeting on the first day at sea to learn more about camping overnight and what to expect. As previously mentioned, if you plan to do any of these activities, you must attend the briefing meeting. 

Camping overnight sounded thrilling and right up my alley as a wanna-be explorer. It’s roughly from 10 pm to 5 am, and I figured I could do anything for seven hours. After all, I survived the flight to Buenos Aires, which was 10.5 hours, so this camping gig should be easy…lie flat, bundled up, and look at the stars and sky. The harsh reality struck during the briefing meeting that I may not be cut out for this after all. Steadfast in my determination, I told the little voice inside my head to shut up and signed up anyway. 

A few weeks before our trip, I received a tip from a previous passenger who did the overnight camping, and she advised me to wear Depends. I’m pretty sure that most people wouldn’t think of this, and after really giving it some thought, I think it’s actually genius. Hear me out on this…you are stuck in a sleeping bag on a mat in sub-zero temperatures and there is no bathroom. The environment is VERY pristine, and it’s not like you can walk over to a porta-let/porta-john/hunny hut or whatever you call it. No such thing exists in Antarctica, and you can’t return to the ship. The Expedition team only brings a small composting toilet for #1, BUT you have to get out of your cozy sleeping bag and stand out on the frozen ice in the snow and wind to use the thing. Now, I may be overdramatizing this slightly to paint a picture, but I honestly didn’t see any mention of this toilet being in a private tent or in any way secluded from the elements. I totally (still) have this pictured as sitting on the ice next to the penguins. 

Rather than risking frostbite and whatever bad can happen from exposure to the elements, the suggestion of wearing Depends was now firmly on my plan for this adventure. The upside of this plan is that I wouldn’t have to leave the warm sleeping bag. Plus, I figured if one was good, two was better, so I was prepared with a second pair of Depends in a Ziploc bag. I might be overthinking this, but in my mind, this was the best advice ever, and I was going prepared. Well, Mother Nature had other ideas. The weather was so bad, coupled with the high winds, that it made for unsafe conditions to be out overnight. The overnight camping was canceled. 

As for the kayaking excursion, this, too, was canceled due to the weather conditions. After attending the meeting for this excursion, I knew there was no way I was going to put myself in a rubber suit and paddle around in freezing cold water. At one point during the briefing, I was in a giggle fit, picturing myself trying to get into the rubber suit and “burping” the suit to get the air out. Now, I’ve been in a wetsuit many times for scuba diving, but this was next level. Actually, it was probably many levels away from a simple wetsuit. If you’ve ever heard Ryan Reynolds talk about getting into the Deadpool suit, this is exactly what it looks like to get into the suit for kayaking. But alas, I didn’t have to worry about it as Mother Nature saved me and said “not today” cruisers. 

Last but not least is the Polar Plunge. Roughly about half (or more) of the passengers opt in to participate in this exhilarating dip into the Antarctic waters. Same as the zodiac departures, guests are called by their group number to meet in the Atlas Lounge and then make their way to the mud room to line up and jump off the zodiac loading platform. Participants are each secured with a safety line, and the expedition team eagerly awaits each jump, taking photos. Guest can watch from cabin balconies or upper decks - we found The Dome to be the perfect vantage point…run in, get warm, order a drink, go back out to watch more! From Cannonballs to head-first dives to joyous jumps in the air, each guest had their own style. Some had more style than others, but they all left with bragging rights and the need for a nice warm shower!! I could not participate in this event as we had dinner with the Captain that evening. Our group was the last to be called, so we would have been severely late for dinner, and someone in an earlier group dropped the ladder to the bottom of the ocean. I'm not sure exactly how this happened, but apparently, the ladder sits in two holes in the platform, and in this guest's eagerness to get out of the water as fast as possible, he lifted the ladder right out of its moorings and promptly dropped it. This created the perfect excuse for me to bow out of this event as I didn’t want to be late for dinner with the Captain, and the new ladder that was being used looked like you needed to be part mountain goat to use it. 

What Else to Know

Luggage - The charter flight limits guests to one checked bag, a maximum of 50 pounds, and one carry-on bag. If you have more than that, you have definitely over-packed. To get an idea of everything you need, check out my Antarctica Packing List. If you follow this guide, you will stay within the packing guidelines and have room left to pack the parka provided by Atlas Ocean Voyages. 

Binoculars - leave them at home. Every cabin onboard Atlas Ocean Voyage comes with a pair to enjoy during your cruise!

Cash - crisp $50 and $100 bills (US dollars) are the preferred currency in Buenos Aires, and you will get the best exchange rates at local shops or blue market exchanges. See Part 1 of this article series for more information on cash exchanges and the various rates. While gratuities are included with Atlas Ocean Voyages, we found there were several crew members we wanted to do something extra for, as they really made our trip extra special. Having cash for just such occasions is important. I recommend a few hundred dollars in a variety of denominations. 

Camera - most of us use the camera built into our phones, which works just fine, but if you are a photography enthusiast, this is your destination! 

Walking/Hiking Boots - you don’t need to bring your own unless you really like the look or love the boots. You must wear the cruise line-provided boots for all landings, so save the space in your luggage and leave bulky boots at home. 

Heavy Jacket - the cruise line provides a toasty warm parka that is yours to keep so no need to take your bulky jacket from home. There is also a nice zip-out vest inside the parka that you can use in the evenings and around the ship. 

Seasick meds - crossing the Drake’s passage can be rough, so it is best to be prepared with your preferred medications. If you forget, the ship does offer medications at the front desk or infirmary. 

Sunscreen - just a small tube of sunscreen for your face is important as the glare off the ice and snow reflects and can easily cause a sunburn. Start each day with a nice layer of sunscreen. 

If you have any questions about what else you may need or should leave at home, be sure to post a question in our forums to get expert advice. 

Final Thoughts

One of the hallmarks of Atlas Ocean Voyages is its unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible tourism. Atlas Ocean Voyages provides a comfortable and immersive experience as it navigates through the icy waters of the Southern Ocean. The Antarctica voyage revealed breathtaking landscapes of towering glaciers, snow-capped peaks, and abundant unique wildlife.

Each day was filled with learning and exploration, making even the most timid travelers feel like seasoned explorers. Traveling to Antarctica fills you with a sense of accomplishment that only those who have experienced it can truly understand. Not only did this trip exceed all my expectations, it was one of the best trips of my life! I highly recommend adding Antarctica with Atlas Ocean Voyages to your bucket list NOW! I promise you will fall in love with the cruise line, the destination, and the overall experience. 

Related Articles: 

My Atlas Ocean Voyages Antarctica Expedition: Part 1 Pre-Cruise

Atlas Ocean Voyages World Voyager Review

Antarctica Packing List

Atlas Ocean Voyages Announces 2025 Arctic Season