When I went to Antarctica they had the "Polar Plunge" where people could jump into the freezing water. The participants had to get clearance from the ship doctor before they would be allowed to do that. The crew ties a harness around your middle so they can pull you out quickly.
We did the Tauck Ponant antarctica cruise in 2020. They did NOT do a polar plunge. They said they had discontinued it. I have no idea if they brought it back.
@MotherOfPoodles - My guess is that Tauck doesn't do it and the AI response is wrong. I can imagine that the shock of the cold water could cause a heart attact or other medical problem. Tauck may just not want to take the chance of a medical issue. It would take a while to evacuate you. We were just off the coast of Antarctica when the ship did the Polar Plunge.
I'm going back this year and have to decide if I want to do this. Although I may be past the age cutoff. If I remember from last time there was a maximum age - and you had to get cleared by the ship's doctor.
We went with Tauck/Ponant in 2022 and there was no polar plung. They had kayaking but you had to bring an EKG with you in order to do it. They did say a couple people each season accidentally fall in off of the Zodiacs. During some rough weather boardings there were as many as four people helping you get aboard the Zodiacs. All of the landings by the way are wet landings … you wade to shore but the water is not above your boots.
They did comment that it was discontinued due to heart attacks! I went to Greenland with Seabourn- they did the polar plunge. - Heart attacks be damned! I have to say that while I was in the zodiacs in Antarctica I was thinking about how unhappy I would be if I fell out. I held onto that rope for dear life!
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When I went to Antarctica they had the "Polar Plunge" where people could jump into the freezing water. The participants had to get clearance from the ship doctor before they would be allowed to do that. The crew ties a harness around your middle so they can pull you out quickly.
I have pictures of people doing the Polar Plunge at https://www.mikeandjudytravel.com/2021-2Antarctica-04.htm
I suspect just about every tour that goes to Antarctica does their version of the "Polar Plunge".
Really. Does Tauck/Ponant do that?
I found this about Ponant and the Polar Plunge. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1218665090262283&id=100063564111773&set=a.623320683130063
I searched on "does the tauck tour of antarctica do a polar plunge" and the AI response says they do.
In case you're not aware, AI sometimes makes stuff up when it can't find an answer.
Yes, that's why I specified that the answer was supplied by AI, to imply that the answer might not be accurate.
See what you're missing, British, by not going to Antarctica
We did the Tauck Ponant antarctica cruise in 2020. They did NOT do a polar plunge. They said they had discontinued it. I have no idea if they brought it back.
@MotherOfPoodles - My guess is that Tauck doesn't do it and the AI response is wrong. I can imagine that the shock of the cold water could cause a heart attact or other medical problem. Tauck may just not want to take the chance of a medical issue. It would take a while to evacuate you. We were just off the coast of Antarctica when the ship did the Polar Plunge.
I'm going back this year and have to decide if I want to do this. Although I may be past the age cutoff. If I remember from last time there was a maximum age - and you had to get cleared by the ship's doctor.
We went with Tauck/Ponant in 2022 and there was no polar plung. They had kayaking but you had to bring an EKG with you in order to do it. They did say a couple people each season accidentally fall in off of the Zodiacs. During some rough weather boardings there were as many as four people helping you get aboard the Zodiacs. All of the landings by the way are wet landings … you wade to shore but the water is not above your boots.
I still have no interest in going ot Antarctica.
I was not at all sure that I wanted to go until I got there. It is number two on my list of favorite trips.
You can see icebergs and glaciers In Patagonia, penguins. Seals, condors, Guanacos, rea birds….
They did comment that it was discontinued due to heart attacks! I went to Greenland with Seabourn- they did the polar plunge. - Heart attacks be damned! I have to say that while I was in the zodiacs in Antarctica I was thinking about how unhappy I would be if I fell out. I held onto that rope for dear life!
We did the tauck Antarctica trip Dec 2021...they did not do the polar plunge