Embark on an Epic Journey: Cruising Antarctica With Atlas Ocean Voyages

Traveling to Antarctica is a bucket-list item for many travelers, whether you’re super adventurous or simply want to check the seventh continent off your list. I’m no different, which is why I spent December 2022 on my first trip to Antarctica.

I loved it so much that I booked it again — this time with the World Traveller with Atlas Ocean Voyages, a relatively new cruise line that promises all-inclusive luxury on its journeys.

Let’s talk about it in my Atlas Ocean Voyages cruise to Antarctica.

Booking

Now, you may have thought that getting to do this once-in-a-lifetime experience would be enough for me, but my first trip down to Antarctica was so special that I knew I wanted to visit again.

The first time I booked and sailed with Intrepid and had a great time, but when I saw Travelzoo promoting a deal for a trip to Antarctica for even cheaper the second time around, I knew I had to book.

Now, normally you’d pay somewhere between $9,000 and $15,000 per person for a cruise to Antarctica. If you’re lucky, you may be able to score a deal on a last-minute departure and pay somewhere in the vicinity of $7,000.

With this deal, a combination of sales from Atlas Ocean Voyages and Online Vacation Center, I ended up paying just $10,898 for 2 people for a cruise in March 2024.

For comparison, here’s how the price and inclusions differed between the 2 cruises I booked:

I paid for this cruise using the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, which is my favorite card for general travel purchases. Since the card earns 3x Ultimate Rewards points on all travel purchases, I ended up pocketing 32,694 Chase points. We value Chase points at 2.0 cents each, so the points I earned came out to roughly $635 in value.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$550

APR

21.99% - 28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent (740-850)

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025

Cons

• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.99% - 28.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

There’s no great way to redeem points for cruises to Antarctica, but if it really came down to it, I could have used Capital One miles to wipe away the purchase. It would have taken me 1,089,800 miles to do it, though, which would have been both a colossal waste of miles and way more than I’ve ever actually earned.

Why Book a Cruise?

There’s been a lot of talk about the Drake Passage and its horrific effects on those with sensitive stomachs. If you’re one of those folks, you can always fly down to Antarctica and join your cruise after they’ve already sailed the Drake. This tends to be more expensive, but there are plenty of tour companies that offer this solution.

I know from experience that my iron stomach can handle the Drake Passage, so when it came time to revisit the seventh continent, I had no worries about withstanding the crossing. Plus, my P2, my boyfriend, is a sailor by trade and likewise suffered no ill effects.

Getting to Argentina

Unlike in 2022, when I missed my flight and had to rebook all my travel the day of, this time my travel plans worked out.

Thanks to some finagling, I was able to book nonstop business class flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to São Paulo (GRU) using 45,000 Alaska Airlines miles.

Unfortunately, that 45,000-mile rate isn’t available anymore, as Alaska has changed its award charts. These days, it’d cost you at least 60,000 miles for the same flight.

LATAM still remains the best way to get to South America using miles, as most airlines are extremely stingy with award space (looking at you, United and American).

Itinerary

This cruise was the standard 10-night voyage where we spent 1 predeparture night on land with the rest on board the ship:

• Day 1: Overnight hotel in Buenos Aires
• Day 2: Charter flight to Ushuaia, Argentina; day excursion, board ship
• Days 3 and 4: Drake Passage
• Day 5: South Shetland Islands
• Day 6 to 8: Antarctica
• Days 9 and 10: Drake Passage
• Day 11: Debark ship starting at 6 a.m.

Packing List

Since this was my second time around with a trip to Antarctica, I feel like I was pretty well prepared. Here’s what I ended up bringing:

• Balaclava: This covers more than a scarf and keeps your cheeks from getting chapped.
• Hand and Feet Warmers: These were especially useful on the Zodiacs since you aren’t moving around.
• Hats: I brought 2 because oftentimes you get sweaty or snowed on, and it’s nice to have 1 that’s always dry.
• Heated Vest: The vest was for when I wanted to be outside but not in my parka.
• Merino Wool Base Layer: I brought 3 sets since I’d be wearing each multiple times.
• Merino Wool Socks: I didn’t bring enough last time, so this time, I made sure I had at least 1 pair per day.
• Relaxation Clothes: Most of this cruise is spent on board lounging, so I dressed accordingly.
• Ski Goggles: These are so much better than sunglasses, especially since they don’t fog up.
• Waterproof Gloves: I bought a new pair this time around, rated for extreme temperatures. Absolutely worth it.
• Waterproof Pants: The more plasticky the pants the better.

Atlas Ocean Voyages Antarctica Review

I already knew that I loved Antarctica, thanks to my first trip in 2022. And while I had a good time on an older ship, with a fun roommate, this booking with Atlas Ocean Voyages really blew me out of the water.

Functionally, a lot of the trip was the same. We sailed down on a 423-foot ship, cruised around icebergs, and splashed around in the frigid waters.

But the level of luxury on the World Traveller far exceeded that of the Intrepid Ocean Endeavour. Because Atlas Ocean Voyages is new, so are all of its ships. This means that there’s no peeling paint, everything is bright and clean, and the ship is equipped with modern accessories — e.g., high-speed internet access.

Cabin

I may be a little biased here because the ship wasn’t completely full and Atlas Ocean Voyages gave us an upgrade from an oceanview room to a room with a veranda. Suffice it to say that I was very pleased to find this out just before boarding because the price difference between an oceanview room and a veranda was a couple thousand dollars.

Category B2, Room 507

The World Traveller has 8 decks. Our upgraded room was on Deck 5, and although there were elevators to access the room, I found it much simpler to use the stairs whenever I needed to walk around.

Again, everything about this yacht screamed luxury, including the room. With a big-screen TV, a king-size bed, a separate couch, a desk area, and a balcony, it made for a very comfy trip.

Note that although the cabins were large, everything you had with you was quite bulky because of the climate. This meant that a lot of the time, the room was covered with various clothing underlayers and jackets.

The desk had a pod coffee maker, an electric kettle, a universal outlet, and USB ports.

Guests are entitled to free refills of the minibar, including juices, sodas, and beers.

We also made use of the binoculars available to borrow.

Because you were hauling a lot of gear, there was also lots of storage space.

We had not 1 but 2 closets in which to hang our items.

Of course, the veranda was probably my favorite part, though once we actually got to Antarctica, it was more than a little chilly for relaxing.

No, seriously, the vistas from the balcony were stunning.

Bathroom

I really appreciated how spacious the bathroom was on this ship.

Along with a couple of robes, we also got high-end toiletries from L’Occitane.

And we got a spa shower (the jets were on the other side).

Bottom Line:

I was more than a little pleased with this room. Since it was a brand-new ship and designed for luxury, every aspect of it was comfortable.

Food and Beverages

Atlas Ocean Voyages promised a high-end experience, and this was reflected in its food and beverages, as well. All food was included, as were many different drinks, no matter where you were on the ship.

Food

There were 4 main places to get food on the ship: in your room, in the main dining room, at the cafe, or at the upstairs bar. All of it was delicious. We had no assigned dinner time, could show up whenever and wherever (though we chose to sit at the same table or area of the dining room when possible), didn’t need to make reservations, and didn’t have to share tables with other passengers.

Room Service

I particularly enjoyed the room service that was available, especially since it was free.

You could also order in-room breakfast the night before.

Main Dining Room

Depending on when you were eating, you’d either order from a menu or take food from a buffet.

I really appreciated the quality of the ingredients.

And the selection rotated regularly.

Dinner was always plated.

Like on my previous cruise, I usually ordered a ribeye steak for dinner.

My biggest issue with cruises where food is included is that I always end up ordering too much.

Though I’ll start a cruise with a conservative meal of an entree and bread, by the end, I always end up with a 10-course spread.

And while I’m not mad that the food was so good, my pants definitely were.

Afternoon Tea

If you’re into afternoon tea, you could partake at the Dome (a bar with wraparound views) on the top deck.

Paula’s Pantry

Paula’s Pantry was a little cafe at which you could order pastries, fancy coffees, tea, smoothies, and more.

Beverages

Nearly all your drinks on your Atlas Ocean Voyages cruise were included:

• Soft drinks
• Some alcohol
• Smoothies
• Specialty coffee
• Teas

The only time you needed to pay money for drinks was if you were ordering high-end alcohol.

But the onboard menu was so thorough I didn’t feel this was really necessary.

Many beers were included for free.

I didn’t ask for the full wine menu because I was too busy swigging cocktails, but I imagine it was pretty good, too.

Amenities

The World Voyager had plenty of amenities for guests to enjoy, and though I took full advantage of some, others I ignored completely.

Spa

On my last cruise, I got several messages, but this time, I didn’t visit a single time. This was due in part to the pricing. I also kept myself busy playing a lot of cards.

Gym

There was a gym, but it didn’t get much usage.

Pool and Hot Tub

Although it was Antarctic outside, the crew kept both the pool and hot tub open most of the time. I never saw anyone taking advantage and didn’t do so myself, either.

Walking Track

We spent a lot of downtime on the ship, especially when waiting to debark. In these cases, the walking track on the top deck was open and provided incredible views.

Wi-Fi

If you read my last review about sailing down to Antarctica, you’ll know that I complained vociferously about the incredibly slow, incredibly expensive Wi-Fi. The World Traveller is equipped with Starlink internet and gives everyone 1 GB of free internet to use. It worked incredibly well until we were just about at the Antarctic Peninsula, after which it started faltering.

However, it was decent enough for some folks to work with, which is more than you can say for any other Wi-Fi on Antarctic ships. Once you ran out of the free internet, you could purchase more, though I don’t recall the pricing.

Gear

It’s worth noting that we were provided with quite a lot of gear for stomping around outside. This included massive boots, a life jacket, and a heavyweight parka. While most cruise lines reuse the parkas, Atlas Ocean Voyages allows you to keep yours.

Of course I took mine home with me. It is now comfortably ensconced in my closet, waiting for the day the temperature drops below 65 degrees.

Activities

There were quite a lot of activities on board the ship, though I’ll freely admit that I attended none of them. In addition to live music, singing competitions, information sessions, and shows, there were other kinds of meetups (and mandatory briefings).

Exploring Antarctica

Be warned: This next portion will be a love letter from me to Antarctica, complete with photography.

Every time you go to Antarctica, the experience is different. This is because landings and Zodiac cruises differ depending on the weather. In our case, we ended up switching routes multiple times thanks to a massive storm we were trying to avoid.

While I didn’t get a map of where we stopped, I do have a list:

• Cierva Cove
• Mikkelson Harbour
• Damoy Point
• Useful Island
• Portal Point
• Enterprise Island

Of these stops, most of them were us cruising around on Zodiac boats, and the rest were us actually setting foot on land

Drake Passage

Having sailed the Drake Passage previously, I knew I’d be able to tolerate its wild waves. The same went for my boyfriend. Although this time I was traveling in March rather than December, it was roughly the same

Just be aware that if you get motion sickness — at all — you need to bring medication. You have 2 days on the Drake on the way there and 2 days back. It’s better to be drowsy in your bed than hurling off your fancy veranda.

Landings

Most of these stops were new to me, though it was fascinating to see the differences in the shape of the land on repeat stops. This was partially me visiting later in the season and partially because of irregular snowfall.

Same place, different year.

Having gotten thoroughly soaked through on landings on my previous trip (note that “waterproof” doesn’t actually mean waterproof when it comes to clothing), this time around, I brought plastic pants to keep me dry.

It was unnecessary, as the Atlas Ocean Voyage team pulled right up to shore and brought stepping boxes so we didn’t have to wade hip-deep through the water.

I wish I’d known that was an option.

However, we did still need to board Zodiac boats, and if the water wasn’t calm it was quite an adventure getting from the World Traveller to the shore.

We made a total of 3 landings during the cruise, which was half as many as I managed in 2022. This didn’t mean we didn’t go out — we just did scenic cruising on the Zodiacs instead.

Our first stop on land was at Cierva Cove. During this hike, we hiked up a huge switchback in the wind on the side of a mountain, and I raged about it the entire time. At least the views at the top were nice.

Zodiac Cruising

Most of our outings were spent cruising around in Zodiacs. While I would normally have preferred to walk around, I cannot deny how incredibly stunning the scenery was.

The weather was nearly always sunny, which made for incredible photos.

Even the penguins posed for me.

Wildlife

Most of the reason I came to Antarctica was to see the wildlife. It did not disappoint, though it was occasionally terrifying.

And occasionally incredible.

Of course, there were lots of birds around.

Plus, seals and penguins.

Optional Programs

Although there are usually quite a few paid extras available when exploring Antarctica, that wasn’t the case for this trip. This was mostly because it was so late in the season.

Camping wasn’t available (oh darn), but you could pay to rent a kayak during one of the landings. The cost was a couple hundred dollars, but I’m not sure of the exact price.

There was also a polar plunge, which I refused to do for the second time in a row.

Staff

I can’t say enough good things about the staff and crew who worked on this ship. Everyone was polite, friendly, and exceedingly professional. After just a couple of days, our favorite waiter had memorized our drink orders and had them waiting when we arrived to eat.

I loathe tipping. Its proliferation across countries and services makes me irrationally angry — but as an American, I often feel compelled to tip, even when it’s not necessary. That being said, I was extremely grateful that our cruise fare included tips for the staff, though we weren’t told how much they got.

Final Thoughts

It’s obvious that I enjoy going down to Antarctica — I have already booked a third trip. And while I wasn’t sure what to expect when sailing on the World Traveller with Atlas Ocean Voyages, the experience was incredible. The ship was beautiful, the fact that everything was included was awesome, the amenities were high-end, the food was delicious, the weather was great, and the wildlife was surreal. I can’t wait to return!