Many cruise travelers consider traversing the Drake Passage a rite of passage, but others would rather reach Antarctica without riding the notoriously rough waters immediately south of Argentina and Chile.
If your client is worried about braving the Drake Passage, there are a growing number of options for travelers wanting to bypass the area, the newest of which are from Antarctica21 and Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic.
Fly-and-Sail Expeditions With Antarctica21 and Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic
Antarctica21 says it pioneered fly-and-sail expeditions to Antarctica two decades ago, and in support of such journeys — which fly travelers over the Drake Passage to their cruise ships in Antarctica — the line just inaugurated its new Explorers House. The facility in Punta Arenas, Chile, serves as a private club for those prepping to fly to the White Continent. The 21,500-square-foot facility encompasses a Chilean restaurant, a lounge, a bar, a coffee station, a library, a gift shop, a presentation space for pre-departure briefings and even a garden.
“As Antarctica21 grew, we began thinking of a space in Punta Arenas where we could welcome our guests in a way that matched the feeling and elegance they would experience on our ships in Antarctica,” said Jaime Vasquez, co-founder and president of Antarctica21. “That’s how we decided to create a space of our own.”
Previously a warehouse for processing and exporting wool, the two-level Explorers House has been newly insulated with corrugated iron and further reinforced with interior metalwork. The interior scene is a juxtaposition between iceberg-like, turquoise-colored floors and warmer materials and textures, all lit by a bright skylight and other accent lighting. The structure was built sustainably, up cycling many of the building’s original materials and utilizing recycled industrial fiber upholstery; a solar panel array for electricity and heat; and rainwater for restroom use.
Lindblad Expeditions, meanwhile, is offering two new Fly the Drake Passage to Antarctica itineraries. One fully bypasses the Drake with round-trip flights, and another splits the difference with arrival by sea and return by air. Both routes — eight or 10 days, respectively — are shorter than the usual two-week departures (which are bookended by several sea days, a requirement for itineraries sailing roundtrip to Antarctica).
”No matter how many days they have to invest, helping curious explorers discover the majesty of Antarctica is a joy and a privilege we've been successfully offering for more than 50 years,” said Trey Byus, chief expedition officer for Lindblad Expeditions. “We know this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for most guests, so we don't want them to miss a thing.”
The National Geographic Explorer vessel will be used for both the eight-day Antarctica Direct: Fly the Drake Passage itinerary — which will depart from Puerto Natales, Chile, for the two-hour flight to King George Island and consist of five exploration days before returning to King George to disembark and fly to Puerto Natales for an overnight — as well as the 10-day Antarctica Direct: Sail and Fly the Drake Passage. This itinerary will first depart from Ushuaia, Argentina, for two sailing days to Antarctica. After the same five days of exploration and chartered flight from King George Island, guests will fly home.
Other Skip-the-Drake Options
There are, of course, other ways clients can forego rolling the dice on whether they will encounter the so-called “Drake shake” or “Drake lake” (rough or smooth waters, respectively). In fact, several expedition cruise lines that head to Antarctica offer some form of skipping the Drake, either partially or completely.
Atlas Ocean Voyages offers its own abbreviated Drake fly-and-sail routes, and Aurora Expeditions, Quark Expeditions and Silversea are other brands with variations to consider.
Aurora, for one, has a 14-day itinerary that replaces the Drake with a charter flight on one end to spend more time adventuring in Antarctica. Silversea takes the roundtrip flight approach from Punta Arenas to avoid the Drake on six-day variants. Meanwhile, Quark’s Antarctic Express: Fly the Drake is an eight-day option with its own roundtrip flights to and from Chile.
