It was a clear, sunny afternoon during the recent Antarctic summer season when the cruise ship Seabourn Pursuit rammed into a sea ice sheet in Hanusse Bay. The ship plowed forward, ice crumbling beneath the bow, until it was stuck several hundred feet in frozen seawater.
The 250 passengers aboard the Pursuit went to their balconies and leaned over the side of the deck to see what was happening.
But there was no Titanic-like rush to the lifeboats. Instead, the passengers went to the gangway and began to disembark from the boat to take a walk on the ice. This was no accident. It was a planned experience, complete with a table with glasses of champagne to toast their arrival in Antarctica.
Among the passengers strolling on the ice sheet were Greg and Susana McCurdy, a pair of retired Las Vegas police officers. Susana is now a part-time travel agent, and the McCurdys spend their retirement visiting as many exotic locations as possible.
After grabbing their champagne glasses, the McCurdys unfurled a small banner that read “7e Continent Antarctica 2024,” and posed for a photo. With this journey they had joined a small but growing group of people who have set foot on every continent on the planet.
Susana says she has seen a change among her clients lately. “They want more authentic, more bucket list items, especially post-Covid. They just can’t wait anymore… And Antarctica is near the top of everyone’s list.”
A bucket list destination
The increase in travel to Antarctica started well before the post-Covid travel boom.
The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) has been tracking the number of tourists visiting the White Continent since the early 1990s. At the time, about 7,000 people visited every year.
The numbers have really exploded over the past half decade. In the winter of 2017, almost 44,000 tourists visited Antarctica. This year that number exceeded 122,000 visitors. And they come in such great numbers because traveling to Earth’s coldest continent has never been easier or more luxurious.
A few decades ago, traveling to Antarctica meant visiting smaller ships, many of them former “ice cutters” from Russia, Canada and other Arctic countries. It was anything but a luxurious experience.
Robin West, Seabourn’s vice president and general shipping manager, made his first trip to the region in 2002. He says many of the boats at the time were equipped with bunk beds and shared bathrooms. “You put your name on a plate every night for spaghetti or lasagna,” he said.
Few ships even had windows to look out of. The experience today is very different.
Colleen McDaniel, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic, credits Lindblad and National Geographic cruise lines for opening Antarctica voyages to more visitors about a decade ago.
“They were truly the pioneers in bringing the Antarctica experience to a more traditional traveler. But those first sailings were less luxurious than we see today,” McDaniel said.
“Recently, Ponant, Silversea, Seabourn and Scenic have made huge leaps and bounds in providing that top-of-the-line luxury experience, with incredible onboard suites, exceptional restaurants and even spas. Cruise lines like Quark create products for adventurers and offer things like cross-country skiing and camping.”
Environmental problems
Growing numbers of tourists are causing some experts to sound the alarm about the environmental impact of the spike in visitor numbers.
A 2022 study published in the journal Nature found that snow in Antarctica is melting faster due to tourist visits to the continent. The black soot that comes out of cruise ship smokestacks settles on the ice and attracts sunlight, causing tons of snow to melt prematurely. Ecologists also say that the growing human presence in Antarctica is causing carbon dioxide levels to rise in a part of the planet that is not used to it.
Cruise ship operators say they are acutely aware of their impact on the environment. Passengers are given detailed instructions on how to bring food or other outside contaminants with them when landing in Antarctica. They are instructed never to lie in the snow and to keep their distance from animals to prevent human-borne bacteria and viruses from infecting wildlife.
The countries that conduct tourism and research in Antarctica have signed the so-called Antarctic Treaty. It says no one may build permanent structures in the area for tourist use. In other words: there are no hotels in Antarctica. Recently, the IAATO started tracking the fuel consumption of cruise ships in the Antarctic region and some operators are now using electric propulsion whenever they can in an effort to reduce soot and CO2 emissions.
More ways than ever to access the continent
Meanwhile, cruise lines have invested billions of dollars in purpose-built luxury expedition ships in recent years.
Both the Seabourn Pursuit and her sister ship, the Venture, feature a luxurious spa, nine restaurants and eight lounges and bars for the approximately 250 passengers on board. Each of the 132 cabins has large glass doors and a balcony, making it easy for travelers to stand outside as the majestic icebergs float by.
For an additional fee, passengers can book a spot in one of the submarines on board or explore the Antarctic waters in a kayak. And passengers won’t have to worry about the frigid temperatures, as they’ll be provided with specially designed cold-weather gear that’s guaranteed to keep them warm and dry as they wander among the penguins and seals.
Recently, a new category of travel to Antarctica has even emerged.
Operators including Celebrity, Norwegian and Princess are now offering ‘cruise only’ visits that allow passengers to see Antarctica without actually having to visit the pristine and fragile tundra.
These visits often involve larger boats and are usually cheaper. IAATO says that in 2017, around 7,000 passengers visited Antarctica on a ‘cruise only’ voyage. Last season that number was above 43,000, an increase of more than 500%.
“These regular lines offer a more budget-friendly way to travel to the region – even if you don’t actually disembark in Antarctica,” says Cruise Critic’s McDaniel. “And although you won’t be able to see penguins and seals as close as you would during a landing, you will still see them. You may also see whales and many bird species.”
Whether you’re on one of the fancy new luxury boats or on a cruise-only experience, a trip to Antarctica is a chance to see a different world – from the majestic beauty of the icebergs and glaciers to the playful wanderings of the penguins – and that has never been the case. easier to visit.
For more CNN news and newsletters, create an account at CNN.com
