Classic Antarctica

• Visas and travel insurance
• Spending money – budget for meals, snacks, drinks, limited souvenirs, laundry, tips and any extras
• International flights to/from the start/end of your tour and departure taxes  
• Tips on excursions, visas, travel insurance, personal items and single rooms.  
• Optional excursions - On each trip, you may find there are some excursions that are not included. This might be because they are not to everyone's taste or there may be various options of differing value to choose from. More information on the excursions we recommend is listed under each day of your itinerary though prices may vary. If you are after something in particular, don't hesitate to ask your tour leader.
• Tips, visas, travel insurance, personal items, single rooms & alternate cabin types.

Emergency Contact Details

In the case of an emergency before you meet your ship, please contact:

(Ship Owner) 0054 9 2901 616194 or (Operations Manager) 0054 9 2901 459312

For general information (non emergencies) before you meet your ship please contact the general information/head office number on 0054 2901 437728

Arriving in Ushuaia

We strongly recommend arriving in Ushuaia a day or two before the ship departure to account for any flight delays you might experience. Please note embarkation is at 4pm and we will set sail at 6pm and cannot wait for missing passengers or delayed luggage.

Antarctic Cruise

You will be on-board an Antarctic cruise for the duration of this tour.

Facilities on-board

All cabins have en-suite bathrooms, hairdryers, air-conditioning/heating and bed linen/towels provided. Your linen and towels will be changed on request.

The gift shop on the Main Deck F is stocked with ladies and men’s clothing, sundry items, gift and souvenir items. Please see the daily program for opening hours.

Twin or Double Share

If you are travelling with a friend or partner please advise us if she wish to have a double or a twin cabin. These are subject to availability.

Solo Travellers

The price is based on a standard cabin, you can upgrade your cabin by selecting the cabin upgrade during the booking process. If you are a solo traveller we can match you with another traveller of the same sex to share a standard cabin, or you can upgrade to a private cabin.

Luggage

We recommend one piece of luggage per person plus one smaller bag for personal items.

Packing List

All clothes should be warm and comfortable. A supply of rubber boots are available on board and includes a wide variety of sizes. It is recommended that you bring your own only if you require a special size. Please note that the boots on board have been used by previous passengers.

Clothing

• Rain Jacket
• Jeans/trousers and warm pants
• Waterproof gloves or mittens
• Hat, scarf, or other face protection
• Woollen socks
• Thermal or long underwear
• Waterproof Trousers
• T-shirts/tops/shirts
• Comfortable, rubber-soled shoes for the deck
• Rubber boots (are available on-board if you do not have your own) Pull-on, unlined, knee-high boots are required for wet landings. Boots must be 14”-16” high with strong, rubber-ridge, non-skid soles. These specifications are very important. You may be stepping into water up to 10” deep on wet landings. Moon or leather boots are NOT appropriate.
• Jumper/cardigan/fleece

Electronics

• Phone and charger
• Camera and charger
• Worldwide adaptor
• Portable battery pack
• Ipad/tablet/e-reader (great for long journeys!)

Toiletries

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Small medical kit with paracetamol/plasters
• Antibacterial hand gel
• Insect repellent and bite cream
• Sun cream and lip balm
• Shampoo/conditioner/body wash - ideally in bar form
• Antiperspirant/deodorant

Other

• One small day bag
• Plastic bags (Plastic zip-lock bags will protect your camera and binoculars from wave splash and spray while in Zodiacs)
• Sunglasses
• Reusable water bottle
• Cloth bag for shopping
• Ear plugs and sleep mask

Documents

• Passport
• Visas
• Insurance
• Printed copy of your passport
• Printed copy of your emergency contacts numbers

Laundry

There are no laundry services on-board.

With advance notice, our team can accommodate a wide variety of special dietary requests. Please note it is imperative to inform us of any special food requests at least 4 weeks before you depart.

Meals provided are: Continental and American Breakfast Buffet, Buffet or Seated Served Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Three-course Dinner. Tea and Coffee is available throughout the day.

For personal spending money you can use EURO or USD aboard the ship. MasterCard and American Express are accepted however the minimum spend is US$100.

We suggest you bring around USD300 to USD400 for spending money. We will be navigating through isolated areas where spending opportunities are scarce. For services on board you will be provided with a personal account. Your purchases will be kept on record and totalled at the end of your stay. Final payment should be settled in cash in either USD or EUR. If you would like to pay by credit card, please advise the hotel manager at the start of your stay.

Tipping

The customary gratuity to the ship’s service personnel is made as a blanket contribution at the end of the voyage and is divided among the crew. You will receive detailed guidelines aboard. Tipping is a very personal matter and the amount you wish to give is at your discretion. As a generally accepted guideline, we suggest US$15 per customer per day. Cash US Dollars would be appreciated, unfortunately credit cards cannot be accepted.

A qualified physician is on-board every voyage to provide care in medical emergencies and routine health care. Office hours will be provided on your daily program. The charges for an appointment are 20 USD in the ship's infirmary and US25 in your cabin.

Fitness & Suitability

A basic level of fitness will be required to get on and off the zodiacs for on-shore excursions.

If you have any pre-existing medical conditions please let us know at the time you book or as early before departure as possible. Depending on the severity of the condition, you may be asked to produce a medical certificate from your doctor approving your participation in this tour. While this would only happen in very exceptional circumstances, if we consider you incapable completing this tour or you have concealed an existing medical condition which is affecting your ability to participate in the tour of Tucan Travel reserve the right to turn you away without reimbursement.

Safety & Security

Our vessel meets all international requirements as well as U.S. Coast Guard Guidelines. Officers and crew are well trained and regularly practice emergency procedures to ensure your comfort and safety. Within 24 hours of embarkation there will be an emergency drill which all guests are required to participate. Through this exercise, you will become familiar with procedures that must be followed in the unlikely event of an emergency.

You must obey all safety announcements given by the Captain, officers and any member of your Expedition Team.

The deck may be wet - we ask that you never run but to walk slowly and hold on to the rails.

In rough seas please hold on to banisters and fixed objects. Please expect pitching and rolling, especially in the ice, as there will be sudden lurches, rolls and other motions as the ships sails through the ice. Use the handrails whenever possible, especially going up stairways or ladders.

You will be provided with a life jacket, which inflates automatically by pulling the rip-cord. These life jackets must be worn at all times in the zodiac while cruising. Please take care of your life jacket. It will be collected at the end of the cruise.

Age Restrictions

There are no age restrictions and children are permitted on this trip however you should seriously consider if this is suitable for your situation. Should a situation arise that the parents and/or children need to be evacuated to a hospital; there is no hospital in Antarctica and evacuation to the continent may take several days or may not always be possible. The small infirmary on board is merely suitable for first aid treatment.

As a global tour operator, we understand the importance of running sustainable tours that have as low an impact on the environment as possible. Please read our comprehensive guide here before you travel.

Physical rating on your tour

The about this tour section will advise you on the physical rating of your chosen tour. This is scored from 1 to 5.

• Relaxing: Sit back and relax on this trip! There are no physically demanding excursions included. You will have to carry your own bags.
• Easy: Some easy physical activities are required on this trip though you won't need to prepare in advance. There may also be more strenuous optional excursions available which may require advanced preparation depending on your level of fitness. You will have to carry your bags, enjoy short walking tours in the heat or at altitude or perhaps travel on cramped public transport.
• Moderate: This trip will get your heart racing with tough one-day or easy multi-day hikes included. A good level of fitness is required to get the most out of the trip. You will have to carry your own bags and travel on cramped public transport.
• Serious: Preparing in advance for this trip will allow you to get the most out of it. Tough multi-day hikes at altitude, having to carry your own bags and travel on public transport all feature but this rating may relate to the length of your tour and the mental endurance needed to get to the end.
• Heart-pumping: Our most difficult physical rating. This trip will get your body moving and heart pumping. Prepare to be challenged both physically and mentally.

You can find out further information on our availability and departures of tours by clicking here.