More options for cruisers who hate the Drake: Demand grows for Antarctica flyover

22.02.2024 - 18:08 / travelweekly.com

The notoriously choppy two-day crossing of the Drake Passage is often described as a rite of passage to visiting Antarctica.

But some cruise lines and travel advisors are seeing increased demand from travelers wanting to fly over the Drake instead, saying it appeals to people who prefer shorter sailings or fear seasickness.

"I have gotten an equal number of letters from people who say, 'How dare you offer Antarctica without their rite of passage that is the Drake. It is a badge of honor,'" said Noah Brodsky, chief commercial officer for Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic. "And an equal number … [that say] 'Thank God, because I get seasick. I will never do the Drake in my whole life, but it's a dream of mine to get to Antarctica, and you've made it possible.'"

Lindblad is the latest line to add the option to take a roughly two-hour charter flight from southern Chile to Antarctica on some sailings. Starting next season, Lindblad will offer eight-day National Geographic Explorer sailings with roundtrip charter flights over the Drake or 10-day sailings doing the crossing one way and flying the other.

Lindblad's two other ships in the region won't offer flyovers.

Several expedition cruise lines already offer a flyover option, including Quark, Albatros, Atlas, Silversea and Antarctica21.

Ashton Palmer, president of Seattle-based Expedition Trips, said that Antarctica sailings with flyovers tend to sell out.

"There's definitely a market for people who are shorter on time, especially Americans," he said.

Brodsky said that about 80% of guests booking flyovers are new to Lindblad, which tells him those travelers were likely sitting out an Antarctica sailing due to the time, the cost or the fear of seasickness.

"Our average age in Antarctica is in the 50s now, so the majority of people are working" and have limited vacation time, he said, adding that the eight-day cruises are less expensive than the next-shortest option, 14 days, so guests save money overall, even with the added cost of the flights across the Drake, $1,000 each way.

Lindblad said that about two-thirds of those booking the flyover option choose to fly roundtrip.

Still, the cost of a flyover can be a big add to an already expensive trip, which is one reason Lainey Melnick, owner of a Dream Vacations branch in Austin, Texas, hasn't booked any.

"When Antarctica expeditions are already one of the more expensive journeys, most of my clients weigh the costs versus risks, and they mostly choose to go ahead and pay less for a little more risk," she said.

Drawbacks of skipping the Drake crossing

Antarctica fly-cruises come with drawbacks, which is why Lindblad is only now introducing them.

Brodsky said the company wanted to wait for