Why an Antarctica Cruise should be On Your Bucket List with Teens

Waking up to the sight of penguins leaping in and out of the water as they swam across a bay, against a backdrop of soaring glaciers, was one of the most genuinely jaw-dropping experiences of my life. We‘d just crossed the Drake Passage from Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city, which can be eventful (for which read, violently rough) but in our case was mainly calm, grey and a bit monotonous.

'We made a trip by Zodiac inflatable across a glittering seascape of icebergs as high and fairytale-like as castles to observe gentoo penguins waddling across a white-out landscape and crab-eater seals basking on the ice.'

But there was plenty aboard the MS Fridtjof Nansen to whet our appetites for our Antarctic adventure ahead, adding to the growing excitement and anticipation. The ship’s Science Centre is a state-of-the-art facility to which we headed for talks and workshops on everything from whales to glaciers, but which we also just dropped by to chat with researchers going about their business – mainly, analysing local samples to report the results back to climate-change scientists. This is important because the polar regions act as an early-warning system about what will happen to the rest of the planet.

Meanwhile, there was also an outdoor swimming pool, a sauna with picture windows for epic views, and fantastic food (with a Nordic/Norwegian slant) to keep us occupied and content on the voyage down to the Antarctic Peninsula, which followed a flight to and an overnight stay in Buenos Aires, and a connection to Ushuaia – it’s a long old shlep.

But it’s worth it. Once you’re there, the White Continent is a true family adventure, albeit one best with teenagers – the minimum age to travel to Antarctica with children with HX is five, but for safety reasons, under-12s are assessed for participation in each landing.

And the landings by Zodiac inflatable really are the thing – two per day are included in your holiday package (subject of course to weather conditions) and they are absolute pinch-me moments. Ours included a trip out in a glittering seascape of icebergs as high and fairytale-like as castles to observe gentoo penguins waddling across a white-out landscape and crab-eater sharks basking on the ice, and a jaunt to a (currently uncrewed) Argentine base and scientific research station.

But best of all was a sailing into the flooded volcanic caldera of Deception Island, where Zodiacs whizzed us all ashore to wander around the eerie remains of the former whaling station with its whale bones and abandoned metal buildings, and to ogle a little gang of lumbering, burping elephant seals, before (as an option - very few passengers do it!) we braved the Polar Plunge: a refreshing sprint into the frigid (0.8°C) Antarctic waters.

Also fantastic was a trip out on the water with marine biologists, helping to collect plankton to study back onboard as part of the climate-change research I’ve mentioned above. Sea kayaking is also available, but we struggled to fit everything in – this is not a restful holiday!

Another thing teens will love – both in itself and for the bragging rights – is the chance to camp out on Antarctica. Now, this is not guaranteed (guests enter a lottery for a limited number of places) and also comes at fairly hefty extra cost, but if you’re lucky enough to get places it’s a true once-in-a-lifetime experience.

After being landed by Zodiac, we had to drag our sledge (pulka) with our tent and kit up a steep hill with our legs sinking into thigh-high snow. After putting up our tent on unstable snow (cue much swearing), we spent a frankly unrestful yet also very exciting night snatching moments of sleep as seals slumbered and glaciers calved around us. 

While humpback whales quested across the bay in search of food, the sun had dipped towards the horizon but then ascended again – there’s no darkness in the Antarctica summer (October to March, when Antarctica cruises run). In short, the night was hugely uncomfortable but we wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Lastly, if sustainability is on your mind, as it should be when travelling and especially in regard to visiting fragile eco-systems such as Antarctica, you’ll be reassured by the fact the fact that the MS Fridtjof Nansen and its sister MS Roald Amundsen are next-generation hybrid expedition ships custom-built to save up to 25%  of fuel but most importantly outfitted for next-gen tech with the aim of being ultimately fully electric.

By Rhonda Carrier

To book your Antarctica family cruise, call us on 020 3633 0653 or message us using our enquiry form. See also Tracey Davies’ guide to the best adventure cruises for families.