15 Day Antarctica Explorer

• Return airfares with a full-service airline
• Return South America charter flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
• All airport and port transfers with guide assistance
• 10-night Antarctica expedition cruise onboard the MS Fridtjof Nansen (500 people max)
• On board accommodation on Polar Outside Window cabin
• Complimentary wind- and water-resistant jacket to keep
• Landings with small Zodiac boats and activities onboard and ashore
• Free WiFi onboard for all guests
• 3 nights accommodation in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires
• Daily breakfast, 9 lunches and 10 dinners including beer, wine, soft drink and mineral water with meals
• Expert expedition teams that give lectures and accompany landings and activities
• No gratuities expected (on cruise)
• 24/7 customer service and your own Dedicated Support Agent

• Buenos Aires - Undertake a city tour of this colourful ‘Paris of Latin America’
• Ushuaia - Travel to the 'end of the world' city
• Drake Passage - Cross the famous body of water towards Antarctica
• Antarctica - Experience awe-inspiring glaciers, ice-filled bays, and be greeted by a host of wildlife
• Antarctic Peninsula - Set foot on the Antarctic Peninsula and meet penguins and elephant seals up close
• South Shetland Islands - Land on these islands and visit whaling stations and scientific facilities

For detailed information on your ship, click HERE.

Compulsory Cruise Forms

• Personal Questionnaire - This form must be received by Hurtigruten at least 8 weeks prior to your voyage departure.
• Medical Certificate - If applicable, the cruise Medical Certificate is to be completed and approved by your personal physician not more than 8 weeks before your departure date. The completed forms must be presented to the ship’s doctor upon boarding. Boarding will be denied if part III of the Medical Certificate is not approved by your personal physician. Even if the forms have been duly submitted and approved by your personal physician, the ship’s doctor and the captain reserve the right to deny the boarding of guests who do not seem to be sufficiently fit for travel.

For more information, click HERE.

Bedding on board the cruise is restricted to the following configurations.

If you wish to upgrade your cabin, the following amounts are payable in addition to the package price prior to travel:

• Polar Outside Window cabin: INCLUDED. The Polar Outside cabins are primarily on the lower/middle decks with windows, they are spacious, have flexible sleeping arrangements (double or twin), TV and Ensuite for excellent and high standard accommodation.
• Arctic Superior Balcony cabin: from $2,100 per person (subject to availability) *Great for wildlife photography* Arctic Superior class cabins are comfortable and roomy accommodation and have balconies. They have flexible sleeping arrangements (double or twin), TV and ensuite and other features make this one of our most popular categories.
• Suite cabin - from $4,000 per person (subject to availability and valid for 2020 departures only) *Great for wildlife photography* Suites feature private balcony, top-high decks, ensuite, flexible sleeping arrangements, some with sofabed, TV, minibar, amenity kit, bathrobe, kettle, tea and coffee, espresso maker. They have flexible sleeping arrangements (double or twin). Enjoy free access to the upscale Lindstrom restaurant for breakfast and dinner.

Refundable deposit within 28 days of purchase:

For cancellations made within 28 days of paying the deposit on any tour, your deposit can be refunded in full or can be transferred to a new booking should you decide to change to another package or destination. Please note this change of mind guarantee does not apply for bookings made within 120 days of departure, after which time our standard 48 hour cooling off period applies. After this time, your booking becomes non-refundable. 

All cancellation or change requests must be advised in writing to our Customer Service Team at support@inspiringvacations.com prior to the cut-off period, to allow us sufficient time to respond and action your request. Should we not hear from you following this time period, your booking becomes non-refundable and you will be issued with a reminder for the second installment due for your booking. 

Refund times will vary and the timeframe of which will be advised at the time of cancellation. Any refund of deposit will be issued back to the original form of payment. 

Any bookings made prior to 13 March 2020 must abide by the original payment term conditions. 

Transferrable second installment up until 120 days before scheduled departure: 

Following the second installment payment and up until 120 days before your departure only, should you wish to postpone your travel or transfer to another package, we can provide you with a credit note of the current balance paid on your booking, to be used to rebook within 18 months of the credit being issued. 

Any change request must be advised in writing to our Customer Service Team at support@inspiringvacations.com prior to the cut-off period specified, to allow us sufficient time to respond and action your request. Should we not hear from you once inside 120 days of scheduled departure, your booking remains non-refundable and becomes non-transferrable, and you will be issued with a reminder for the final balance due for your booking.

Any bookings made prior to 13 March 2020 must abide by the original payment term conditions. 

Please refer to our full Terms and Conditions for more details

Deposit & Payment

• Book now and secure your package with only a $100 deposit per person.
• Pay a 2nd instalment of $5499 per person within 28 days.
• Final payment is then due 120 days prior to departure.

Booking Process

• Select the purple 'Reserve Your Seat' tab to begin your booking (you must 'Sign Up' first by entering your email and creating a password)
• Then select the purple 'Book now' tab of the tour you have selected
• Select your Departure Date, Departure City, Number of Passengers, Room Configuration, any Upgrade Options, and enter any Special Requests
• Click the purple ‘Proceed to Secure Checkout' tab
• Enter your credit card or PayPal details to secure your deposit/payment
• Once your order is complete, you will be prompted to complete a Booking Form so that we can fulfil your booking
• Your booking is confirmed once your Booking Form is submitted and you can begin the countdown to your Inspiring Vacation!
• You will then be allocated and contacted by one of our Dedicated Support Agent's (within 48 hours) who will support you right up until you return from your journey

Airfare Information

• Full-service airline used will be LATAM Airlines, Air New Zealand, Qantas Airways or similar

• Flights are not direct and include a maximum of two connections

• If you would like to travel with a preferred airline, please ensure you mention this in the special request field. Please note that appropriate fare and tax difference will be applicable in order to confirm your request.

• Adelaide customers will likely require two stops in either direction

• All tickets will include 20 kilos checked baggage per person, along with 7 kilos of hand luggage.

• Despite the airlines baggage allowance, we recommend travelling with 20 kilos per person due to restrictions with internal flights (where applicable), as well as coach and train transportation. Also, you will be responsible for handling your luggage at all times as the services of porters is not included. If travelling over this amount, you will be liable for any excess baggage fees enforced by the airline, payable direct.

• Once ticketed, flights are non-refundable; any changes will be subject to the airline rules and change fees

• Full names as per passport (including all middle names) are required

• Any airline schedule changes or cancellations are beyond our control

• Adelaide surcharge $250 - Perth surcharge $500

• Any airline 'extras' such as pre-allocated seating are at your own arrangement (additional charges apply)

Business Class upgrades

• Business Class available from an additional $5,500 per person (subject to availability).

Please specify this as a 'Special Request' when completing your booking and you will be quoted for the additional fare. In the event your selection is unavailable, or that you are dissatisfied with the quote, you will be provided with a full refund.

Land Only discount
A reduction of $1,500 per person applies if you wish to arrange your own airfares. To purchase a land-only fare, please select this option in the booking process under 'Departure City'.

Please note, if you are not arriving or departing as per the group itinerary, airport transfers are also no longer included. If you would like us to arrange this service for you, please refer to the ‘Extra services’ section for pricing.

Extending Your Stay
Some customers like to enhance their holiday by extending their stay pre- and/or post-tour or including a stopover in another destination. If you wish to do so, please follow these steps:

1. Once you have logged in to your account, click on ‘Book Now’ and complete the required fields until you reach the 'Special Requests' free text field.
2. Here, please specify your preferred flight arrangements and/or preferred airline. Be sure to mention if you would like us to also quote additional nights' accommodation, with the number of nights needed.
3. After finalising your purchase by processing your deposit payment, please proceed to submit your booking form with all traveller details. Your booking will then be assigned to your Dedicated Support Agent who will be in contact with you via email to verify your request.

By choosing to extend your stay, please note that a supplement of $150 per person, plus applicable fare and tax differences will apply. We will contact you via email with a quote and proposed flight itinerary, and then proceed with collecting the additional payment required to confirm your request.

You can enhance your holiday by arriving or departing before or after the tour, adding a stopover package en-route or booking a tour extension.

Pre and post tour accommodation (deviating from group flights forfeits your group airport transfers)

• Pre-tour accommodation: $379 per room per night for double/twin/single including breakfast and transfer
• Post-tour accommodation: $310 per room per night for double/twin/single including breakfast and transfer

Arrival and departure airport transfers

• Arrival/Departure Transfer: $118 per vehicle

Your transfer may be shared with other Inspiring Vacations customers.

Please specify in the 'Special Request' field when making your purchase your preferred travel arrangements and if you would like our team to book additional nights' accommodation and/or airport transfers. The additional cost for these land arrangements will be added to your final payment invoice and are subject to availability.

• Kayaking in Antarctica waters - approx. NZD $290 per person - bookable on tour only through a lottery system.

The day this activity takes place will depend on weather conditions. Please note:

Physical Fitness: A good level of physical fitness is essential. You must fit into a dry suit size S to XXL. You must be able to get from a floating platform to the kayaks and you must be able to swim. The ship's doctor and kayak instructor assess every participant individually and have the final say on a participant's suitability for this activity.

Duration: 3-4 hrs (including getting dressed and preparation time)

Important: Kayaking takes place during a landing and you will have less time ashore during that landing. Outings are subject to weather and prevailing ice conditions. Experienced guides will accompany you on the adventure. This activity is done in two-person kayaks. The suitability for single kayaks is only assessed on board. We cannot promise viewing ice and wildlife - every location is different.

• Visas
• Travel insurance (compulsory)
• Tipping
• Anything not mentioned in the itinerary
• Optional activities
• Optional shore excursions
• Personal expenses

Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.

As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.

This particular tour is categorised as a “3”.

3 – Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.

Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. While tipping is not customary, it's of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels, inspires excellent service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many destinations.

You may also consider tipping your tour leader and driver for outstanding service throughout your trip. Remember, a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

However, no gratuities expected on cruise.

Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences however any changes are beyond our control.

Single Supplement
Single supplement is $10,499 person in addition to the twin share price.

Triple Share
Not available

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required to protect yourself against the unexpected.

Visa & Passport information
It is the travellers responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 months from your intended date of return to New Zealand.

• Argentina - New Zealand passport holders do not require a visa for travel to Argentina or Antarctica.

Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://safetravel.govt.nz/ for up to date information in terms of entry requirements. Visa's should not be applied for before receiving your final documentation.

Tour Documentation
Final documentation including e-tickets and hotel details will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.

Group Size
2-40 people

Tip Style - Expedition Cruise
These trips are for the true explorer. Expedition small ship cruising is the best way to get off-the-beaten-track and see some of the world's most unspoilt and remote destinations. The experience on an expedition cruise is very different from that of a conventional, larger cruise ship. The focus is not about the ship’s creature comforts but very much about about the destination, it’s nature and wildlife.

Daily shore excursions by zodiac inflatable boats allow you to step on to shore in the world's most remote locations where few have ever been before. These trips will be a mix of fully guided or self-guided depending on your chosen package, on board your small ship you'll have an expert expedition team giving you informative lectures and educational lectures in many different scientific fields.

Children
Children must be 12 years old or over and share a room with parents at all times. Children are the same price as adults.

Tour Length
The total length of the tour in days includes time spent in flight and is subject to change depending on the flight schedule, please refer to the day by day itinerary for the time spent on land.

For more information on the weather in Antarctica, click HERE.

For more information on the weather in Argentina, click HERE.