Have you ever wanted to visit Antarctica? It's always been one of our dream trips, and we were so excited to join Viking Cruises on one of their spectacular expedition ships to explore the icy landscapes and see adorable penguins!

As one of the last true remote frontiers of the world, it was surreal to sit in the ship's warm thermal pools, gazing out through the big windows as Antarctica drifted by.

Join us as we take you on our trip to Antarctica with Viking Cruises:

Buenos Aires

Arrival and Logistics

To get to Buenos Aires from San Francisco, we flew first to Miami, enjoyed some lounge time, and then boarded another plane to Buenos Aires.

Note: For frequent travelers, we highly recommend Priority Pass. It includes lounge access and free meals at restaurants in many airports worldwide. Our Chase Sapphire Reserve provides this perk.

After our morning landing in Buenos Aires, helpful Viking staff greeted us at the airport and took us to our hotel.

Unsure if we could check in early, we were thrilled to find they had rooms ready! After the long flight from San Francisco to Miami, then on to Buenos Aires, a shower and quick nap were essential.

Exploring San Telmo

Setting alarms (just in case!), we decided to walk around the city for a couple of hours before nightfall. Since we were within walking distance of San Telmo, we explored this trendy Buenos Aires neighborhood.

Starting at Hotel Madero, we crossed the bridge and headed straight for San Telmo Market – a quaint covered market filled with produce, cafes, and restaurants. Afterward, we simply wandered the San Telmo area.

The neighborhood offered an interesting mix of French and South American architecture. Despite hearing that Buenos Aires could be unsafe, San Telmo felt quite the opposite – chill with a pleasant atmosphere. That said, as in any major city, I'd be cautious with my phone, camera, and cash in public.

Money in Argentina - The Blue Dollar

Argentina has two exchange rates for the US Dollar:

Official Exchange Rate: The government-set rate, typically lower than what you'd unofficially receive.
Blue Dollar Rate: An unofficial, higher exchange rate reflecting the true market value. It fluctuates; for the latest, check ~https://bluedollar.net/~.

Why consider the Blue Dollar?

You get significantly more pesos per dollar, stretching your budget further.

Options for Exchanging at the Blue Dollar Rate

Pre-Trip: Western Union

Send yourself money via Western Union to pick up pesos in Buenos Aires at the Blue Dollar rate. This is a good choice if you prefer not to carry large amounts of cash on the plane there.

Exchange in Buenos Aires Cambios (Exchange Houses): Locate a reputable cambio for cash transactions.

Street Vendors: Exercise caution; consider this only if you have local guidance.

Credit Cards

Some Visa/Mastercards offer a "Tourist Dollar" rate close to the Blue Dollar.
Important: Call your credit card company beforehand to confirm eligibility and transactions qualifying for the Tourist Dollar rate.

Ushuaia

The day after your arrival in Buenos Aires, Viking divides guests into three groups for chartered jet flights to Ushuaia. These modern planes (ours was a 737-800) were comfortable and safe. We liked how they spaced out all the passengers so no one had a middle seat. Expect food and drinks onboard.

For breathtaking views of Patagonia's mountain ranges during your landing, try to snag a right-side window seat. We were not assigned a right side window seat, but moved to an empty row with one.

You'll have free time to explore Ushuaia after boarding the beautiful ship. We ended up just exploring the ship. Don't worry if you want more time in this town – at the end of the cruise, Viking grants you a half-day in Ushuaia to sightsee.

Viking Polaris

At the time of writing, Viking offers two state-of-the-art Expedition Class ships for Antarctic voyages: the Polaris and the Octantis. Both were built in 2022 and share amenities with Viking's Ocean class ships, except that they are smaller so they can navigate tighter spaces and access more remote locations.

These aren't just cruise ships – they're working science vessels! Guests gain firsthand experience with onboard scientists, touring the lab facilities, participating in experiments, and exploring the cavernous hangar storing the zodiac boats, Special Op Boats, and the cool submarines.

We sailed on the Polaris and loved its spaciousness and comfort. There was never a struggle to find a table or a poolside seat. While Viking's Ocean cruises already offer ample space, the Polaris carries about a third of the passengers, ensuring an even more luxurious feel.

Drake Passage

Sailing to Antarctica means crossing the legendary Drake Passage, infamous for its rough seas and strong winds. Travel during the southern hemisphere spring or summer (November-February) increases your chances of a "Drake Lake" – calmer waters – rather than the dreaded "Drake Shake." Our late November Viking cruise was fortunate to experience mostly smooth sailing!

Seasickness Tips

Dramamine: Easily purchased over-the-counter, effective for many. Zory tends to get seasick easily and the Dramamine worked very well for her.
Prescription Patch: More convenient for longer crossings – lasts about three days. Ask your doctor if this is right for you.
Ginger Chews: Ginger is calming for the stomach. I’d use these in combination with a motion sickness medication.
Personal Experience: Since we mostly got the Drake Lake, I didn’t use any motion sickness meds on both Drake Crossings and I felt fine while others still needed Dramamine to cope.

Where to Be During the Crossing For those fascinated by the ocean's power, check out The Hide at the front of the ship, during the Drake Passage. Watch waves surging at the windows! If you want less motion, go to a lower deck on the ship such as the Lobby.

Tracking Seas and Wind: Websites/Apps

Buoyweather: Shows wave height, a key factor in ship movement. Look for blue/green (smooth) rather than yellow/red/purple (rough).There’s an iPhone App also.
Windy: Excellent for detailed wind forecasts, but note that strong winds don't always equal huge waves. There’s an iPhone App also.
Cruisemapper: I loved using this website to track the current location of our ship, The Viking Polaris.

Penguins

One of the main reasons we wanted to go to Antartica was to see all the adorable penguins in their natural habitat. On our first zodiac boat landing, we were treated to our first of many penguin colonies!

Words fail to capture the magic of watching penguins in their natural habitat – those waddles, hops, and comical falls! And since they see no threat in us, penguins may sometimes walk right up to you. Remember, don't approach them, but let them come to you. Crouching low makes you less intimidating - just avoid sitting to protect the pristine environment.

Most of the penguins we saw were Gentoo Penguins, which are recognizable by the white patch on the top of their heads, a black band across their eyes, and a bright orange-red bill.

They prefer nesting on high up hills or rocky outcrops for safety reasons. That’s why it’s called the March of the Penguins as they’re known to hike up several miles in the snow to get to their preferred spots. Some of them went so far up I had to use my binoculars to spot them!

They’re also excellent swimmers and can reach speeds of up to 22 miles per hour along with being able to dive down to 650 feet to catch their meals. They look like mini dolphins when they are skimming the surface, hopping up and down into the water. The most adorable thing was observing when they arrive to shore - they take a dive into the water and then launch into the air, landing on to their feet like superheroes.

I’ve seen some people comment about the ‘scent’ of the penguins. It’s pretty much the smell of the food they eat, and for a lack of better words, the poop that gets shot out when they bend over to defecate. They eat mostly krill, which is super fishy smelling, and you’ll smell it most when you get close their main nesting area. We didn’t smell it much though since we preferred hanging out closer to shore to observe them swimming in the water or waddling along the coastline.

Make sure to watch some interesting penguin behaviors like bowing to each other, offering stones to each other, and males standing on top of females while flapping their wings. We saw many of these behaviors at all the colonies!

Whales and Seals

We were lucky to spot numerous whales swimming near the ship and also during kayaking and boat excursions. Our guides said they were a mix of Minke, Humpback, and Orcas! I loved how graceful they were - moving in and out of the surface with the final tail dipping down into the water.

We also spotted some Leopard Seals, which are one of the great apex predators of Antartica. Being very private creatures they are spotted solo usually. They are also gigantic - the males top out at 1300 pounds and can reach lengths over 11 feet!

Excursions

This is probably going to the most useful section of this article as a lot of people who haven’t been to the Viking Antartica cruise will be confused by how the excursions work.

Basically, due to the unpredictable weather patterns of Antartica, it’s pretty much impossible for Viking to guarantee any kind of excursion activity unless it’s 12 to 24 hours before. They’ll allow you to pick certain activities a month or more before the cruise, but it won’t really mean much because there’s a 100% chance they’ll be canceled and moved around due to weather patterns.

Here's how to maximize your excursion experience:

Pre-Cruise:

Book zodiac landings, kayaking, Special Ops Boat rides, and the submersible. This shows Viking your interest and helps them tentatively schedule you.

Once Onboard:

Visit the Lobby Desk:

Discuss your must-do activities with the Viking staff at the Lobby Desks, especially the submersible as there's usually a waitlist for them. The scheduling team will add you in as conditions allow.

Regular Check-ins:

Express interest in specific activities if your priorities change. This boosts your chances of fitting them in.

Wait at Loading Areas:

Wear your outdoor gear and wait at the loading areas. Many spots open up last-minute when other guests don't show. I was able to go kayaking, ride the Special Ops boat, and do Zodiac Landings as many times I wanted to. It just took some patience and sitting around.

Weather and Safety

Viking prioritizes safety – kayaking may be canceled when winds are above 15 mph or the submersible canceled when strong sea currents are happening.
Frequent rescheduling is normal. A flexible attitude helps! During my trip, a third of my excursions were affected, but I still squeezed in everything I wanted by adapting to openings.

Key Takeaway:

Don't worry! With planning, patience, and adaptability, you'll most likely get all the incredible excursions you wish for and more!

Zodiac Landings

One of the most popular excursions, the inflatable zodiac landing boats are extremely versatile and perfect for landings amongst the icy landscapes of Antartica. They fit around 10-12 guests and navigate the water very well.

Once on the boat, passengers sit on the edges of the zodiac and on shore there will be Viking staff to lend a helping hand with exiting the boat.

What to Wear

Layering is key: Start with thermals, add your waterproof pants (the bottoms should be left OUTSIDE boots to avoid water entering - do not tuck them into the boots - see above photo), puffy jacket, waterproof jacket, and lifejacket from your room.
Staying Warm: Balaclava, ski goggles, waterproof ski gloves (with hand warmers on those extra chilly days), wool socks, and the provided waterproof boots.
Photographer Tips: Thin gloves under heavier ones allow for camera operations, while phone lanyards offer quick access.
Pack Light: A small backpack if you have a larger camera, otherwise, you can just use the generously sized pockets in the red waterproof jackets for all your storage.

On Shore

Assistance: Hiking poles are provided for navigating slopes. I found it easier to just use one pole instead of two. Viking staff create well-defined paths through the ice, but know your limits and watch your step – those icy slopes can be slippery!
Penguin Encounters: For incredible up close photo opportunities, stay on the shoreline. You'll be amazed how penguins often wander right by without fear. If they do, try to remain still and let them approach you. You can still get nice photos by going uphill on the ice, but you’ll generally be farther away from them.

Kayaking

There’s nothing quite like kayaking in Antartica, so if you’re comfortable in a kayak you should definitely try this experience out!

Preparation and Safety

Training: Viking staff provide clear instructions on safely entering and exiting the kayak from the Kodiak boat. Before going out, you'll get a practice run inside the hangar to ensure your safety. I wouldn’t worry about it too much - I went kayaking three times and never saw anyone having issues.
Cold-Weather Gear: Down in the departure area, you'll receive a full-body wetsuit, waterproof booties, and a lifejacket. The full-body wetsuit is kinda awkward to get into at first, so don’t be afraid to ask the Viking staff for assistance. For warmth, layer under those with thermals and thick wool socks (double them up if your feet get cold). Bring your binoculars if you want to spot wildlife and a small water bottle if you tend to get thirsty while kayaking.

Important Considerations

Weather is Crucial: Kayak excursions may be canceled due to high winds or rough waves. On one of my outings, we returned while we were already out on the water – a good reminder that safety always comes first! The Viking staff will definitely reschedule you if this happens.

The Experience

Scenic Exploration: Picture gliding through calm coves with fascinating ice formations. Keep an eye out for old whale bones submerged in the clear water or perhaps seals lounging on the ice.
Wildlife Encounters: Lucky kayakers sometimes have close encounters with whales or swimming penguins!

Special Operations Boat

Built for agility and speed, these former Norwegian Navy vessels offer thrilling access to some of Antarctica's most remote areas. Their military design assures a smooth ride, even in choppy seas.

They’ve installed special seats with shock absorbers, so you won’t even feel the boat bouncing on the waves.

What to Wear

Bundle Up: Dress in layers like you would for other excursions: thermals, fleece, waterproof jacket & pants, puffy jacket, balaclava, goggles, waterproof gloves (with hand warmers on cold days), wool socks, life jacket, and waterproof boots.
No Shelter: Being fully open to the elements, err on the side of extra warmth if you tend to get cold.
Wildlife Views: Definitely bring your binoculars - these boats often yield fantastic sightings!

Submersible

Easily one of the most in-demand excursions and most asked about - the submersible is a six seater with unique acrylic viewing spheres on both sides. It can dive as deep as 1700 meters (5500 feet) but Viking usually goes max 300 meters (984 feet). It’s a bit mind boggling as a scuba diver, as I’ve only gone as deep as 35 meters (115 feet).

The crew took us to the hangar to show all the safety features and rescue equipment in case of emergency. The submersible is programmed to resurface after a set amount of time. Viking has special rescue gear that can go down to grab the submersible if needed. They are also one of the go to ships in the area if other ships are having problems witih their submersibles. It made me feel really safe to hear all this!

The Experience

After getting rescheduled a couple times due to weather, we finally got our names put on the list. You board the zodiac like you’re going to a shore landing, except they take you to a floating platform which is the submersible.

They attach the zodiac to the boat and one by one, you get onto the platform and go down a ladder into the submersible while taking your assigned seat.

There are three seats on each side, with the slightly better seats being on the sides. You can’t choose your seats though, they are pre-assigned.

You’ll sit there for a bit while the pilot explains all the safety procedures and gets everything in order for the descent.

Once it starts descending, keep an eye out for all the red and yellow colors fading away as you go deeper. These color wavelengths don’t penetrate the water after a certain depth. The blue color wavelength is the only one penetrating the water after awhile so you’ll notice everything is very blue.

You might notice krill as you descend but we didn’t see any. Otherwise, since you’re diving into super deep water, there isn’t much to see while you head towards the bottom. It’s kind of like a watching a relaxing screensaver.

Once you get near to the sea floor, you’ll start to notice little signs of life like starfish and small fish. The pilot will point out interesting things like whale bones. One group saw a gigantic jellyfish! If you’re used to warm water diving and big colorful coral, this won’t be that kind of dive. It’s more to just see the Antartica sea floor at 700 feet down - how many people can say they’ve done that before?

Ship Tour

Spa

With enormous windows flooding the space with natural light and mesmerizing Antarctic views, the spa instantly became my favorite ship retreat. Its centerpiece: a spacious thermal pool offering perfect warmth for lounging and floating. Zory especially loved the bubbling chairs on the left side.

A dry sauna, steam room, and thrilling outdoor cold plunge pool sit on the right side. We loved alternating between the sauna's dry heat and the invigorating cold plunge, then sinking into lounge chairs to watch icebergs drift by...heavenly!

Don't miss the immersive surround shower – a rain showerhead and six side nozzles create a relaxing experience. While there's an ice room, the outdoor plunge was our preference for that ultimate cold-water immersion.

Our Room

Where you probably will spend a decent amount of time, the rooms on the Viking Polaris are exceptionally luxurious with comfortable beds, large bathrooms with heated floors, and a nifty glass window that can be opened to let that fresh Antarctica air in when weather permits.

There’s a drying closet for all your wet excursion layers. It dries things pretty quickly and even has special racks for your boots. For even faster drying, there’s a heating element button to push if needed.

antarctica sunset — sunset capture from our room

World Cafe

With its abundance of food options, ample seating, and those incredible views, the World Cafe quickly became our go-to for most meals. Most other people on the cruise dined here as well

Breakfast Delights: Custom omelettes, creamy oatmeal, fresh fruit and yogurt kept my mornings fueled. Don't miss their hearty, homemade muesli bursting with fruit and nuts! Occasionally, those perfectly crisp hash browns were irresistible.
Lunchtime Variety: New menus daily – Asian flavors one day, European dishes the next. Always lots of options to make yourself a salad bowl.
Dinner Extravaganza: Usually a bit more luxurious than lunch, there were tons of food options. From succulent king crab legs and fresh sushi to special themed nights and made to order souffles - we ate like royalty every night.
Sweet Indulgences: Ice cream lover here! Excellent dessert choices tempted us daily, while Zory had her fill of delicious pie every night.

Grill

Don’t make the same mistake I did and ignore the Grill until the end of the cruise! It’s near the back of the World Cafe and during dinner you can get ribeye steaks cooked to your liking.

I waited until the last day to get a medium rare ribeye steak cooked to order and if I had known it was that good I’d have eaten here every night if I could!

Mamsen’s

Another highlight is Mamsen’s, with its super delicious waffle that is supposedly a family recipe of the Viking owner.

Topped with fruit, whipped cream, and the brown butter - it’s really delicious and one of my favorite things on the Viking Ocean and Expedition ships!

They also have excellent soups and cakes - so if the World Cafe is closed make sure to see if Mamsen’s is open.

Manfredi’s

Probably the best formal restaurant on the ship, we ate here three or four times.

I highly recommend the Bistecca as it’s super tender and flavorful. We got it every time we ate here and it never disappointed.

Other dishes we recommend are the risotto and the tiramisu. The tiramisu is so good that on some nights we’d just stop by Manfredi’s to get it sent to our room.

Also, the service here was top notch. They always remembered which table was our favorite and knew which items we were going to order.

The Restaurant

The Restaurant is the other formal dining room on the ship. We found that it offered almost the same items that the World Cafe was serving so we didn’t come here as much. But if you’re looking for more attentive service and a more refined dining experience, definitely swing by!

Room Service

One of the best things about Viking Expedition and Ocean Cruises is the free 24 hour Room Service! The menu is incredible and you can quite literally order a medium rare Ribeye steak and wine at 4 am in the morning! I noticed that on the Antarctica cruises there was fried chicken on the Room Service menu as well - we didn’t try it but maybe next time..

Massage

Viking's reputation for excellent spa services carries through to their Expedition ships! As former Thai Massage students, we're picky about quality – and wow, our masseuse had the "magic touch." That perfect blend of pressure, technique, and flow made our Swedish Massage blissful. If you're looking to unwind on this cruise, we highly recommend it!

The Hide

This legendary speakeasy is the perfect place to hang out, especially during the Drake Crossing since the front location of the Hideout lends to super dramatic water sloshing on the windows.

It was also a great place to chill after dinner and to socialize with other cruise guests.

The Theater Room (the Aula)

Viking really did a fantastic job with the Theater Room as it has large floor to ceiling glass windows and a roll down projection surface. It was the perfect place to have the daily morning briefings, scientific talks, and movies. Sometimes I’d just sit in the room to soak in the views!

so many great scientific talks from the resident NASA engineer

Aquavit Terrace and Aft Pools

The Aquavit Terrace was one of my favorite places to chill as it had lots of natural light streaming in from the glass ceiling and walls. I loved that the pool water would be gently sloshing from the ship’s movement, adding to the ambiance of the room.

About those pools, if you’re brave enough, you can take a dip in one of them. There is a cold pool, a hot pool, and a larger pool in between. We weren’t brave enough to try the cold pool, but we definitely went into the outdoor hot pool to take in the beautiful Antartica landscape. It wasn’t quite as warm as the water in the indoor Spa area, but the view was incredible!

Fitness Area

Located right next to the Spa, the fitness area is comprised of two large rooms. One room has all the weights, treadmills, and exercise equipment and the other room is more for yoga, stretching, and group exercises. I loved the incredible views while I exercised! It’s open 24 hours, so in case you get the 3 am jet lag exercise urge, it’s available!

The Living Room

The main common area of the ship, full of couches, chairs, books, and electronic tabletop games - this was the place to be if you just wanted to hang out, read a book, or just gaze out into the open ocean. Like most Viking ships, there was an enormous selection of interesting books to pick from.

Explorers Lounge

This two level hangout area is on the top two levels of the ship and located in the front. It was the best place to be if you wanted to watch the ship go through glaciers and the icy landscapes of Antartica. They’ve placed telescopes at various areas so you can try to spot wildlife.

At night, there was live music and a bar - so it was a great place for chat with your new friends on the ship!

Walking tracks on the ship

One of my favorite parts of the Viking Polaris is the abundance of safe walking tracks on the outside of the ship. It was perfect for taking in the Antarctic landscape and also just to keep active. Some great viewing points are near the front and the back of the ship.

Lobby

You’ll find yourself here a lot because this is where you’ll manage all your excursions with the super helpful Viking staff at the desks. There’s usually someone here pretty late into the night, although I’m not sure if it’s 24-7. I was walking around at 3 am once because I was jet lagged and was surprised to see someone manning the desk here.

What to Pack

Motion Sickness Prevention: Dramamine (over-the-counter) or a prescription patch are a must for choppy Drake Passage crossings.
Sleep Aids: earplugs, a sleep mask, sleep meds, and a white noise machine will create a restful cabin environment.
Base Layers: Thermal pants and thermal shirts are vital for warmth under outer layers.
Weather Protection:
- Waterproof insulated gloves, ski googles, sunglasses, balaclava, beanie, neck gaiter.
- Sunblock – Viking provided face, body, and lip sunblock in our cabins, but feel free to bring your own. The Antarctic sun is seriously strong!
Versatile Clothing: Fleece pants, sweaters, along with workout gear for the gym.
Smart Casual Option: One collared shirt, sports jacket, and slacks for the formal dining options
Footwear: Wool socks, a comfortable pair of sandals, and comfy shoes.
Pajamas: You’ll be on the ship for awhile, so bring some nice jammies to sleep in!

Additional Necessities

Phone/tablet/laptop
Kindle or favorite books
Camera with a long-range zoom lens to capture wildlife at a distance
Any other clothing you'd normally take on a ski vacation

Important Note: While Viking provides excellent waterproof jackets, pants, and boots, bring your OWN warm underlayers/clothing since this makes a huge difference in comfort.

Daily Calendar

Here’s a summary of each day of our trip:

Nov 9 Land in Buenos Aires, explore the city
Nov 10 Land in Ushaia via plane, depart for Antartica, Enter Drake Passage
Nov 11 Cross Drake Passage (wasn’t too shaky, mostly Drake Lake like)
Nov 12 Fournier Bay (too much snow, all excursions canceled)
Nov 13 Neumayer Channel & Damoy Point (lots of penguins, Special Ops Boat, saw lots of whales everywhere)
Nov 14 Chiriguano Bay (attempted kayak, but too windy. Instead hopped into a kodiak to do science experiments with the onboard scientists, did Special Ops Boat), Gerlache Strait (beautiful sunset)
Nov 15 Charlotte Bay and Portal Point (tour of hangar deck and science room, lovely kayaking)
Nov 16 Danco Island (amazing sunny day, we hung with penguins for 5+ hrs on the shore)
Nov 17 Mikkelson Harbour (more penguins, went into the Submersible for a deep dive to ocean floor)
Nov 18 Yankee Harbour, on Greenwich Island in the South Shetlands (too windy for activities)
Nov 19 Drake Passage (luckily was calm and Drake Lake)
Nov 20 Drake Passage, Cape Horn, Dock at Ushuaia, Explore Ushuaia a bit
Nov 21 Leave for Buenos Aires

I hope we were able to answer some questions about what a cruise to Antarctica with Viking was like! If you have any questions, definitely leave a comment below and we’ll try to answer it!

Henry & Zory

Antarctica Adventure with Viking Cruises

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