Retirement Math: Penguins, Tango, and Too Many Flight Connections

SUMMARY

Seven weeks, three countries, one continent — and a bucket list that got way out of hand. Read on to discover why I’m embarking on this epic adventure: Why such a long trip? Why Antarctica? Why now?

WHY ANTARCTICA, WHY NOW?

I have wanted to travel to Antarctica for decades. I honestly didn’t realize there are dozens of cruise operators that go there. I’m sure that wasn’t always the case, but I also know it’s only going to get more and more accessible and known as an adventure destination. I’d like to go while it’s still relatively rare. By far the most popular routing is to sail from the southern tip of South America. And as I said, there are dozens of operators to choose from. Voyages departing from New Zealand to the Ross Sea area of the Antarctic continent are far fewer and less crowded. Maybe in another couple years I can go that route?

Antarctica will be my 7th continent explored. As far as having goals, that was always a big one for me. Being able to get close to penguins and whales is just icing on the cake, not to mention seeing someplace very few will ever get the opportunity to see. It is a privilege I’m well aware of. Speaking of wildlife, one of many regulations for Antarctica is that, especially since bird flu has come to the area (they think by seals and sea lions off the coast of South America), you are strictly forbidden to leave any trace of your visit. You can’t even put a backpack down on the ground or sit. You are given muck boots to wear which are sanitized both before leaving the ship and when returning from a landing. All your personal gear is examined to ensure no seeds or biological matter are clinging to your Velcro that could compromise the fragile ecosystem.

Do I have some guilt that I might be contributing to the over‑tourism of this pristine destination? Yes, and it’s definitely heightened in the two years since I booked. I hope that by sharing my experience with those back home, I can generate awareness of the fragility of the area — though I realize how steeped in irony that statement is and that it may draw more to want to visit themselves.

HOW THE PLAN SNOWBALLED

I didn’t set out to take a 7‑week trip, but it just kept growing. I retired earlier this year and without the constraint of limited vacation days, I figured, “why not?” My travel math told me I’d likely save money by doing as much as possible in one trip versus coming back in subsequent years to do these areas separately.

I booked the expedition cruise first — in February of 2024. Why book the cruise so early? Early is when the best deals come out, when operators release their future season itineraries. For Antarctica expeditions, and many other cruises, that’s called “wave season,” which runs from Jan–Mar each year.

My next date was established later when I scored a cheap business class flight using miles down to Santiago. I couldn’t find a similar deal to Buenos Aires in time for my cruise, so I decided to do some exploring from Chile first. I also knew I’d want to go to Patagonia, and that seemed easier from Ushuaia after the cruise, so I started tacking that area onto my itinerary. And yes, thinking all this through with the climate in mind was another challenge! I’ll do another blog post about packing considerations for such a varied itinerary.

An Antarctica expedition cruise is not a budget trip. Yes, you might be able to score a last‑minute deal if you’re very flexible in your dates or hanging about at the dock when ships depart. The higher last‑minute airfare to South America will likely negate any cruise savings though. You can save considerable money if you’re okay with a sail‑by cruise. There are strict regulations limiting the size of vessel and number of passengers cruise operators carry when visiting Antarctica. In short, any cruise line carrying more than 500 passengers will only be able to sail by, versus make landings on the continent; you’d therefore only see Antarctica at a distance, through binoculars.

Initially, before I knew any of this, I spotted a Holland America option that sailed from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina and mentioned “Antarctic cruising” on its itinerary. It was only after extensive research that I came to understand I wouldn’t be getting close to the peninsula at all, let alone putting boots on the ground. As that was my heart’s desire, I kept looking.

I settled on a cruise operator that specializes in the polar regions called Quark Expeditions, with a very experienced expedition staff. It also has fewer than 200 passengers, which is another important number. Vessels with 199 or fewer passengers have greater access to landing sites in Antarctica and can more easily accommodate getting you off the ship quickly and for longer. Another regulation is that no more than 100 passengers from any vessel can be on the ground at any particular landing site at a time. Half my ship will be touring around on zodiacs while the other half is on land, then we’ll switch. Weather permitting, we should be able to visit two different landing sites per day. Vessels with 100 or fewer passengers are able to really maximize their time at multiple landing sites per day. Those with more than 200 and up to 500 will have groups of passengers waiting their “turn” to get off the ship and will likely only have time for one landing site per day. So yes, size matters.

SOLO TRAVEL MATH

I am going to be traveling solo, so I needed to find an operator that had the itinerary I wanted while also allowing for cabin sharing to reduce my costs. Cruise lines typically charge a solo passenger a supplement of anywhere from 0–100% of the per‑person cruise fare (generally the higher end of that range). In other words, if you’re alone in your cabin, you pay as if two people were occupying it. Cabin sharing with someone of the same gender means you only pay for yourself, not double. Some operators have quad and triple share cabins, but others don’t offer sharing at all. Some are bare‑bones with portholes and bunk beds, while others are full‑on luxury vessels with every amenity imaginable.

I found the perfect itinerary with Quark sailing mid‑January of 2026 that would not just take me to the Antarctic peninsula, but also to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Before doing research I had no idea what these other places offered or why I’d ever want to travel there. It became very clear, at least from a wildlife perspective, that I needed to include both. I figured I’d probably only have one shot at this, so why not go big? Not many operators offer this combined itinerary as it ranges anywhere from 18–23+ days. That’s a long time to be away from work and other commitments back home, not to mention the higher price tag. In the two years since I booked this itinerary, I’ve seen operators start offering an itinerary that skips Antarctica entirely and just goes to the Falklands and South Georgia (appealing to all the people who took a peninsula‑only voyage in the past and regret not including these other locations).

My itinerary will also cross the Antarctic Circle, weather permitting, which can only be done later in the season. So, when is the season? It’s summer south of the equator when it’s winter in the north. The Antarctic season is therefore from early November to late March. Circle crossings are typically only possible later in the season, from February. Prices are lower at the beginning and end of the season; late December and January are the most expensive as that’s when you have the best weather and a chance to see baby penguins and other wildlife in massive numbers. There are downsides for this popular time though. There will be few to no snowy areas, and those that remain will be stained with pink penguin guano (from the krill their diet consists of). Really early in the season will get you pristine landscapes but fewer penguins and no babies. Really late in the season means pink‑stained landscapes and penguins leaving for the ocean. But it also brings a whole lot of whales.

So, back to my booking. I got an early‑bird discount and the lowest pricing out of the gate, so I took advantage of that immediately. I’ll be sharing with another female in a two‑person cabin. My vessel, the Quark Ultramarine, carries a max of 199 passengers and is pretty well appointed. It’s not one of the ultra‑luxury ships, but it’s also not a converted Russian icebreaker either. It even has two helicopters, and I’ll get to take a 15‑minute flightseeing trip, weather permitting. I won’t have a balcony as that would have cost thousands more, but I will have a large window (a porthole would make me claustrophobic), and there is a wrap‑around deck that I can become a fixture on.

SHAKE AND BAKE? NO, SHAKE OR LAKE

I’m taking a sail/sail cruise, meaning no flights other than the charter from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia where I’ll board the ship. As I’m taking the longer itinerary, I’ll only need to cross the Drake Passage once. The plan right now is to sail to the Falklands first, then South Georgia, stop at a few places along the peninsula, then head south to cross the circle. We’d then sail back north and cross the Drake.

Many fear going to Antarctica as the Drake Passage can be very rough. When it is, it’s called the “Drake Shake.” When it’s calm, it’s called the “Drake Lake.” I’m hoping for the latter. Either way, it’s a rite of passage. For those really worried about it and prone to seasickness, you can now take fly/sail, sail/fly, or even fly/fly cruises. The cruise operator charters a flight to someplace like King George Island, in the South Shetland Islands, about 120 km/75 mi off the coast of the peninsula, and then you board your ship. Those passengers departing on a chartered flight will disembark and fly back to the mainland. Fly/fly cruises are just what they sound like: you fly to King George Island, board the ship, then return to the island to disembark and fly back. These options are more expensive and risky in terms of weather delays or cancellations. But they are shorter, as you save two days crossing the Drake and shave off four days if you fly both ways.

MOAI, TANGO, WATERFALLS, AND GLACIERS

Easter Island is not at all close to the mainland of Chile. It’s a five‑hour flight each way! But I wasn’t about to land in Santiago and not make my way to Easter Island. I’ll stay for three nights so I can explore as much of the small island as possible, most of which must be done with an official guide. I’ll then fly to Buenos Aires for a week. I’ll take a quick, two‑night hop up to Iguazú Falls to check out one of the most extensive and powerful cascades in the world. I then meet up with my cruise operator back in Buenos Aires, meet my cabin‑mate for the first time, and get flown down to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in Argentina. My cruise then goes for 22 days, returning me back to Ushuaia. I’ll hang around a couple nights to explore Tierra del Fuego and then fly to southern Patagonia, starting in Argentina before crossing into Chile. I’ll fly back to Buenos Aires to overnight before a two‑night jaunt to Uruguay (travel math again… it’s just right there!). I fly home from Buenos Aires after seven epic weeks.

THE JOY (AND HAZARD) OF PLANNING

Well, all I can say is I’m glad I enjoy researching and piecing together complicated trips. The only downside is that it sometimes can feel like I’ve already taken the trip before even stepping on a plane; I’ve been thinking about and piecing this together for almost two years now. I suppose that’s a professional hazard — especially now that I’m a Travel Advisor. It would be nice to just show up at the airport, having had someone else do all the planning and heavy lifting, and all I have to do is enjoy the adventure. But I’m sure I’d break out in hives if I let someone else do it all for me. To each his own!

I’m currently in the throes of planning a friends’ group trip to Vietnam in November 2026. I’ll of course be staying longer to explore other countries. And yes, the travel math continues. But I’m getting ahead of myself. I won’t blog about that trip for a while yet. I have more to share about this seven‑week adventure first, then other planned trips next year as well. And don’t think I don’t already have 2027 trips planned… too soon for 2028? Not with wave season about to start!