My husband and I took an Antarctica cruise on the NCL Star in early January 2025. The Star, one of the smaller and older ships in Norwegian Cruise Lines’ fleet, has a small enough profile to get Antarctic certification but is still substantial enough to add stability, especially during the famously rough seas of the Drake Passage.
Rather than start at the southernmost point of Argentina, Ushuaia, as smaller cruises often do, we began our long journey from Buenos Aires. The 14-day cruise had more sea days than we were used to, but it also promised an unparalleled destination.
Below you will find descriptions of the excursions I took as well as a section of Critical Things to Know.
Critical Things to Know
Weather
The cruise sails only during the Antarctic summer –– winter in the U.S. –– but don’t let the word “summer” fool you. You will transition from usually hot Buenos Aires to the whipping winds of the Southern Ocean. One day, the listed temperature on my phone was 34 degrees F with a wind chill of 2 degrees F. On another day, we set off on an excursion in the Falkland Islands, with an estimated high of 54 degrees, only to encounter driving sleet and whipping rain. Air temperature does not equal the “feels like” one. Many passengers did not pack winter coats or heavy sweaters, and they were forced to buy the few warm items in the ship’s store. Some actually wore shorts in the sleet.
Due to a storm, our captain had to cancel our second day in Antarctica when we were supposed to cruise the South Shetland Islands. Instead of subjecting the passengers to 30-foot swells, we and all the other ships in the area skirted the storm. I’ve also heard that often the Falkland Islands port can be canceled due to weather –– it was the only tendered port –– but fortunately we were able to get off the ship and see some amazing king penguins. Weather in Antarctica is famously unpredictable, and all cancellations are made with safety in mind. Yes, it’s disappointing, but you have to accept that it may happen to you.
What to Pack For an Antarctic Cruise
Many passengers made the mistake of equating summer in Antarctica with summers in more temperate climates. After all, we began in summer (January) Buenos Aires where daytime temperatures can reach 90 degrees F or more. And the cruise itinerary included a stop in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Things I’m glad I packed: rain/wind pants (to be worn over jeans), long underwear, waterproof winter coat with hood, waterproof mid-rise hiking boots, knit hat/beanie, wool socks, jeans, thick gloves, looped scarf (to cut down on packing space), a couple of sweaters, sunglasses, lightweight long pants for the warmer climates, a couple of short-sleeved shirts, one pair of shorts, comfortable walking shoes, one more dressy pair of shoes for onboard restaurants, lightweight rain jacket with hood.
Things I wish I had packed: more long-sleeved shirts since they were needed for most of the cruise. I also would have liked a dressier jacket or sweater for dinners.
Things I packed but didn’t use: waterproof mittens. I normally favor mittens in cold weather, but my gloves sufficed, especially since I could still take photographs while wearing them.
I had a pair of snow pants that I almost packed but didn’t because of space. I’m glad I left them behind. The waterproof rain pants worn over jeans and long underwear kept me plenty warm and dry. Even though we encountered snow at sea, none of the ports had snow on the ground.
Because of the wind, baseball caps became useless except in the warmer ports.
Onboard Lectures
The onboard lectures ranged from how to take wildlife photographs to the history of Antarctic exploration to iceberg formation. NCL staffed the ship with a naturalist, geologist, historian, and photographer. It was well worth planning my day around the lectures because I learned much that I wouldn’t have otherwise known. These talks enhanced the experience beyond what you normally get on a cruise.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
The ship departed from Buenos Aires, a city filled with a mix of stately architecture, colorful buildings, and pedestrian shopping streets. See the famous Casa Rosada where Eva Peron spoke, the Plaza de Mayo where the Abuelas of Plaza de Mayo protest the disappearance of children, the Teatro Colon, San Nicholas church, the Cementerio de la Recoleta (similar in style to New Orleans cemeteries) and the La Boca neighborhood (only during the day.) If you have time, seek out the rose garden and park in Palermo.
We took a Historical Guided Food Tour of San Telmo that gave us a sampling of local foods while teaching us about history, culture, and places to see. Don’t miss this! The food was fabulous, and our knowledgeable guide had tons to share with us.
We found it well worth spending a few days before the cruise in Buenos Aires. Make sure you stay hydrated since the temperatures can soar in January.
Ushuaia, Argentina
Known as “the end of the world” because the town sits on the southernmost tip of South America, Ushuaia hosts cruise ships and expedition boats alike since it’s on the Beagle Channel, the gateway to the Drake Passage and Antarctica beyond. Although Ushuaia belong to Argentina, the land abuts Chile and is part of Patagonia.
We booked an excursion by boat to traverse the Beagle Channel and explore the waters on the edge of Patagonia. We saw cormorants, albatrosses, Arctic terns (yes, in Antarctica for the summer!), and tons of Patagonian sea lions.
Paradise Bay
Although we couldn’t step foot on land from a cruise ship of our size, we found ourselves in the morning on the other side of the Drake Passage and within the Antarctic circle. Icebergs floated by, and penguins leapt from the water. Humpback whales and orcas fed not far from the ship. Thanks to the naturalists on board, they could guide us to look in specific spots for the wildlife.
Paradise Bay skirts the glaciers of the continent. Although our progress through the waters had to be altered due to stormy seas, we still saw some amazing sights.
Falkland Islands
Until I went on this cruise, I honestly did not know where the Falkland Islands were located, and I had no idea that they were so close to Antarctica. My only knowledge of the tiny nation had to do with the British and Argentinian war there. (The British won, and the Argentinians still feel bitter about it.) Many more penguins than humans call the islands home.
The Falklands have many different kinds of penguins, but the most awe-inspiring has to be the king penguin. Only the emperor penguin is larger.
For us to reach these stunning creatures, we took an off-road vehicle across rough terrain for about an hour. I sat in the middle seat in the back, with nothing to hang onto, and my neck and back took a hit. You have to be able to haul yourself inside a rugged Jeep. The penguins were worth every ache and pain, but people with back, neck, and hip problems should (sadly) avoid this excursion. Each vehicle holds four guests and a driver, so we were subdivided between cars.
Out of all the excursions I took, this one became the most memorable. I cannot effectively convey what it’s like to stand among thousands of large penguins. Because of the month, big fuzzy babies stood among them. Although you aren’t allowed to approach them, nothing keeps them from walking right up to or past you.
Puerto Madryn, Argentina
Penguins, penguins, and more penguins! Further north, we docked at Puerto Madryn, home to large numbers of Magellanic penguins. These smaller penguins (but not as small as the Little Penguins of Australia) dotted the landscape. Unlike their larger cousins, they nest in burrows. Again, because we visited in their summer, we could see babies everywhere, staying mostly close to their parents.
We also spotted some guanacos sharing the habitat.
Montevideo, Uruguay
Summer heat came back by the time we reached Montevideo. The excursions in this cosmopolitan city were not compelling so we merely did a Highlights of Montevideo tour. After all we had seen, the excursion was as low-key as you could get. We walked around by ourselves after the tour. I wouldn’t mind coming back for a relaxing vacation.
The Verdict
This cruise turned out to be a trip of a lifetime. Norwegian used an smaller, older ship to qualify to enter the waters around Antarctica. While the Star itself needed some work, we wouldn’t have been able to see what we had with all the comforts of a cruise ship. The smaller expedition boats that crossed the Drake Passage had a rougher time than we did, and they still couldn’t go everywhere planned due to the weather.
On this cruise, you spend a lot of time at sea to get all the way to Paradise Bay. We’ve been to Alaska and cruised Glacier Bay. While I loved that, this trip ended up being more stunning than I expected.
