Antarctica: Money & Costs

The cost of sea cruises varies, but if you're getting much change from US$5000.00 for a 14-day circuit, it's not a bad deal; a few companies now offer cruises for under US$4000.00 , but these are few and far between. Most ships have a range of accommodation options - if you don't mind bunking in with a few other penguin-spotters (and sharing the bathroom) you can reduce your bill significantly. At the other end of the scale, if you require a corner suite with a marble bathroom, private butler service and your own satellite telephone, you can start adding the zeroes.

Most Antarctic tour brochures carefully spell out what is not included in the price of the cruise. Typically, the additional costs of a cruise are for optional items including alcohol, laundry, faxes or phone calls, tips, souvenirs, extra helicopter time and massages. Watch out for operators who separate port taxes from their listed price as these are a hefty addition to the cost.

A chit system is generally used aboard ship, whereby you sign for purchases and reckon up at the end of your journey. Most ships accept credit cards and US dollars. At the inevitable gift 'shop' (more like a table, oftentimes) at scientific stations, you can usually pay in the national currency or US dollars. You can rarely use credit cards. Tipping is not included in the cruise but is a bit more than an optional extra. Generally at least US$10.00 a day is considered appropriate from each passenger.