Antarctica 1/22
in Antarctica
My understanding is that Argentina is not yet receiving flights from USA. Normally I would have flights booked. This is a reschedule from 1/21 and I'd like to have flights booked even if it ends up not going (but sure hoping it is!). If a Tauck rep reads this please advise I I should call. I know phone reps are busy with current trips.
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This forum is not moderated nor regularly monitored, so you probably won't get a response. Just go ahead and call. If you don't get through to someone right away, just select the (the new?) call-back feature so you won't need to wait on hold. I used it yesterday, works great. However, unlike other busy sites, e.g. Delta Airlines and others, the Tauck call-back doesn't give you an an estimate how long it will be before you receive the call-back. I received my call-back in 15 - 20 min.
FYI, my daughter and family will be returning from a State Dept posting to Buenos Aires next month, so some airlines must still be flying to/from Argentina.
I called Tauck yesterday to make a 2022 booking. Waited about five mins. I think there remains a slim chance of Antarctica going. My suggestion is get Tauck to book your flight. Saves a lot of hassle if it’s canceled
Our January 2022 Antarctica just got priced. Tauck thinks it’s going. i have had the air booked for quite some time. Ponant also thinks it is going. Most room categories are ‘sold out’.
I’m watching a show at the moment that might be of interest to you both. It’s called Race Across the World and you can find it on Discovery Plus. I’m talking about season 2, it’s probably 6 or 7 episodes.you can binge watch.Reason being,it’s a race from Mexico City to Ushuaia, the catch is you cannot fly. It’s a bit similar to the Amazing Race, but it’s only five couples ( Brits) one couple dropped out in the second episode but there are no eliminations and no wacky tasks. Each couple is given the amount of money it would cost to fly between the destinations, it’s not much and I think it takes two months..
The main reason I recommend it is the scenery. It’s likely it will show a lot of Ushuaia which is where I believe you will depart from to Antarctica. So far, the couples have been as far as Panama City, which we have been to and of course the fabulous scenery in Costa Rica, a place we love.
We watched the first season which was London to Singapore, a place we should have gone to last year!
Our daughter recommended the show and we had to use her Disney plus ID to get to watch it and we can see it from the computer on to our big TV.
I really do think there is a chance you will get to Antarctica this season. Please both post a review and photos for those who will never get there.
I really hope you get to go...now or later. One of our all times favorite trips...so unique and breathtaking to be in the Antarctic! I love looking at our picture book and reliving this trip. Couldn’t capture the aroma of those stinky penguins 🤣 but will never forget them! Tauck is THE ONLY way to see Antarctica IMHO!
Was also booked on the Jan 2021 trip and rebooked on Jan 2022. Sure hope it goes. Obviously the problem is Argentina. Appears not to be getting better. Final payment for our trip is Sept 21, sure a decision will be made by then. Fingers crossed.
Please check for sure, but I thought they changed the final payment for ships to 60 days at the moment?
Same here Rogfam: We are now on the January 19, 2022. We plan on going in a day early, and coming out a day late. I’ve been to BA many times, as I flew not AA’s first flight to BA, but the second. The company had not arranged for hotels yet, so we each had our own condo.
Sealord, we are on the same trip. Been to BsAs a number of times and love the city. Plan to arrive two days early.
British, the date I mentioning was on the Tauck paperwork confirming the price and date I received last week. I like your payment date better!
We will have to get together for a drink ... I’ll buy. (;-). We are traveling with another couple .., Ted and Terry from New Jersey. We travel well together cuz we pay almost no attention to what the other couple is doing. That concept would be foreign to my sister. (;-). We travelled to Russia, the Danube, and Spain and Portugal with them. We met online talking about the Galapagos ... he four times, us three. Loved it ... but Africa is ‘much’ better.
rogfam and Sealord -
Great camaraderie between Tauck travelers! Love it!
Sealord, looking forward to that drink after the last year and a half!
Wife is not going on this trip, doesn’t want to do the Drake Passage again. We did it on a cruise around Cape Horn,
Going with a friend from the West Coast. Met him through the woman he is going with. Met her on a Tauck trip a number of years ago. She gets sea sick.
Always enjoy traveling with Tauck
Booked on the Jan 8 Antarctica trip. As an older traveler, I am seeking some wisdom from prior voyagers as to: (1) How slippery/icy did you find the land treks? (2) Do you get significantly or just a little wet on the landings, or were the boots and other gear enough to prevent that? (3) For those who had rougher seas in the Drake passage, approximately what percentage of the passengers would you estimate were affected enough to remain in their cabins, skip meals, etc.? Thank you.
WRT your questions:
1) the landings are on rocky, sandy shorelines as are the treks. There may be patches of snow/ice, but I don't recall ever having to walk across those areas except for very short stretches.
2) high boots will keep you dry when stepping off the zodiacs except, rarely, if you find a step that allows water to enter over the top.
3) we don't have a problem with rough seas, but were amazed to see the vast majority of passengers at meals even when it was rough, though (I'd estimate) about 1/3 were sporting the sub-dermal patches. They must be very effective. There is some irony in that the most expensive cabins are the highest...not the best location if you have motion issues.
For those who might wish to have a more homeopathic solution to seasickness, ginger works great. I always take crystalized ginger with me on trips. Let it dissolve in your mouth like a hard candy. It also works great for altitude sickness, mild arthritis, vertigo and sore throats. Raw ginger root can be infused into hot water to make a tea, but it must be a very strong tea which might not be palatable for some people and certainly not feasible for travel.
Thank you all! Much appreciate the comments and advice!
Covid: Argentina starts new lockdown as cases soar https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-57211697
Ever the optimist...you have 7-8 months to have an improvement in Argentina's cases...let's hope South America (namely Argentina) will show improvement in cases and vaccination access. It's such an awesome trip...I so hope you are able to go.
Nice to have optimists around.
Sure hope you are correct! A lot depends on when final payments are due. Have not booked flights yet considering the current Covid situation. Fingers crossed!
I just canceled our flights to Africa. KLM had massacred the itinerary with changes and cancelations, added a leg and nine hours additional transit time, so the simple question they asked, “Voucher or Refund?” Refund please. Of course a little prior to that point they asked, if we can get it back down to two legs to Kilimanjaro will you still take the trip. No.
I’ve canceled three ‘air’ itineraries so far, and they were refunded each time, but that was due in part to the fact that the airlines had made massive changes to my bookings.
Hate to burst your bubble Cathy, but Argentina is going into their winter. I recently read they are experiencing a new surge.
I was going to say the same thing, but think what Cathy meant to say is that Argentina "will" be coming into their summer when she goes on tour in Dec.
(FYI, Summer 2021 in Southern Hemisphere will begin on Tuesday, December 21)
There has been no proof that Covid numbers improve in summer, in fact, the reverse because people are out and about more in summer. Last summer, our numbers were no better. Let’s face it, up until this past month, we have still been in a first wave, I don’t know where the other waves were, because we never got out of the first one.
Cathyandsteve... Which airline did you use? What is their refune policy? Miles?
My daughter and family return to the US (DC) in a few weeks from a two year State Department posting to Buenos Aires. I'll try to get some good info on what is actually happening down there- in short they just went back into full lockdown. I'll also try to get some flight info, though things could be significantly different by December.
I don't know what airline they are using but I'm pretty sure the State Dept has a "fly USA" rule for official travel. They are obviously flying one way, but she mentioned they will enter the US in Miami. I tried to figure out her itinerary, but no US carriers currently fly there from Buenos Aires. This June it looks like Delta only flies two days a week (Fri & Sun) via Atlanta. I couldn't find anything on American and it looks like United has one flight a day into Houston. I'm sure Tauck will not run the tour if you can't fly to and from the US and BA.
Alan, thanks for the update. Checked with AA and they show the daily RT JFK-EZE beginning in Jan. again . Obviously a lot can happen between now and then
Thanks again for the update. We are fortunate here in NY they there is a nonstop daily. (Have used it previously on our travels a to BsAs) Jan 2021 paid cash and they cancelled and issued a full refund. Fingers crossed!
Cathy, I was thinking of you just now as I just finished watching a very interesting virtual tour to Ushuaia Argentina on heygo.com, a wonderful site that has free live virtual tours to countries all over the world. Anyway, it is a lovely town and I know that this is where your ship will set sail for Antarctica. It is now winter there and much snow on the ground. I wanted to mention that the Tour Guide stated that Buenos Aires is totally locked down due to a second wave of Corona Virus. Only essential shops are open. In Ushuaia, the shops are all open from 10-6 since their town is much more isolated. I hope everything will open at the end of the year so that you are able to take your tour.