Boost your sales with our Antarctica Selling Tips!
Finding the ideal Antarctica itinerary for your clients requires asking the right questions, and we've got the insider knowledge to guide you through it!
Our Antarctica Sales Specialist Emma Johnson has years of experience in successfully selling Antarctic expeditions. Drawing from her wealth of expertise, she's crafted a comprehensive checklist of crucial questions to pose to your clients.
Navigate through this checklist, and you'll be well-equipped to present a quote that they simply can't resist! Explore the links below for more information to help you guide your clients through the planning process.
Quick checklist of information you need to get from your client:
What sort of travel experience is your client looking for?
We specialise in expedition cruises, which are small-ship cruises (ie under 500 passengers) focussed on enabling clients to immerse themselves in the destination. This means getting off the ship up to twice a day, setting foot on Antarctica, and enjoying optional activities such as kayaking, snowshoeing etc.
Large ship cruises do visit Antarctica, however passengers on these ships are not permitted to land at Antarctica, and as such offer a very different, much more ship-focussed experience.
There are a large variety of expedition-style ships that visit Antarctica each season, from the basic to the luxurious. We work with 30+ different ships and can help you to find the right vessel and itinerary to perfectly match with your clients needs.
Understanding the level of comfort your client is expecting from their Antarctic trip, and whether their primary focus is on the onboard experience or the destination experience is a great starting point.
When are your client’s preferred travel dates and how long do they want to travel for?
The Antarctic travel season runs from late October to the end of March. Each month offers a slightly different experience, and if your client does not have set dates in mind then we can make a recommendation based on what your client is hoping to experience on their trip. For example, some activities such as camping are not available later in the season, while late season voyages are often treated to the best whale sightings.
The length of an Antarctic expedition cruise depends a little on the destination. For cruises departing from South America:
Antarctic Peninsula: usually 8-11 days
Antarctic Peninsula, Falklands & South Georgia: usually 20-22 days
Antarctic Circle: usually 11 - 14 days
As with any destination, Antarctica can be quite different at different times of the year. Here’s an overview of what to expect at the Antarctic Peninsula at each point of the season, which can help clients who are unsure when they want to travel:
Early Season (Oct-Nov): See pristine white snow, sea ice and massive icebergs, courting and nesting penguins, elephant seals. 16-18 hours of daylight each day and temperatures of -5 to 2 degrees.
Peak Season (Dec-Jan): See penguin chicks hatching, migrating whales Seals come ashore to give birth, and seabirds are feasting. 20-21 hours of daylight each day and temperatures of -1 to 5 degrees. Prices can be higher as this is the most popular time to visit Antarctica.
Late Season (Feb-Mar): Best time for whale watching and seal pups. Sea ice is greatly reduced, which makes more bays and inlets accessible to ships and the polar circle is more easily reached. 13-16 hours of daylight each day with some spectacular sunsets and temperatures of 0-4 degrees.
Cruises departing NZ for East Antarctica are usually 20+ days in duration. The season for this area is from January - early March, due to ice and weather conditions in the Ross sea. So the expedition window is very small and we recommend booking well in advance.
Spot the difference! Early season in Antarctica (left) and late season (right)
Will your client be traveling alone, with a partner, or in a group? If they are travelling alone, would they be willing to share a cabin with another traveller?
Some ships offer single cabins, others offer the opportunity to share a same-sex cabin. Understanding your clients preferences can help us to narrow down the options and find the right ship for them.
Some ships offer triple or even quad share cabins, either as willing to share in a same-sex cabin, or these can be booked for family groups. There are a smaller number of these cabins so it's best to book early for these.
We can usually obtain small group discounts for groups of over 10 travelling together so please let us know.
Has your client travelled to Antarctica before?
Although for many people Antarctica is a once-in-a-lifetime destination, for some, the lure of the great white continent pulls them back for another visit!
If your client has visited the Antarctic Peninsula before, they may want to go further this time and cross the Antarctic Circle or visit South Georgia as well. Or perhaps there is a particular activity they want to try that they missed out on last time.
What is the purpose of their trip?
Are your clients celebrating a special occasion during this trip? Or is it simply their dream to have a White Christmas in Antarctica?
Perhaps they have their heart set on seeing emperor penguins? Emperor penguin colonies can only be found in a few places in Antarctica and accessing them is definitely all part of the adventure! You are not going to see emperors on your classic trips to Antarctica, so it is essential we have this kind of information.
What are your client’s must-do’s for this trip?
There are many experiences available in Antarctica, however not all are offered on every ship or itinerary, and some are more likely to occur at certain times of the season.
If your client has their heart set on doing any particular activity, it can help our Antarctica Specialists to narrow down the options for them.
Some examples of activities that may not be available on every trip:
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Kayaking
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Snowshoeing
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Stand Up Paddleboarding
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Camping on the ice
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Citizen science programmes
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Seeing a pristine snow-covered landscape
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Seeing whales
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Seeing penguins nesting / hatching baby chicks / penguins learning to swim
Any mobility issues?
Although you don’t need to be particularly fit to go on an expedition cruise to Antarctica, things like getting in and out of zodiac boats is not something most people do every day and can be a little tricky if your client struggles with major back/knee problems. Of course everyone will be assisted by experienced expedition crew getting in and out of the zodiacs, safety is our first priority, but it is best to know in advance. One of our Antarctica specialists can talk you through mobility requirements in depth.
Some ships are set up to cater better for clients with mobility challenges than others, and understanding your clients abilities can help to maximise their enjoyment and safety.
The big final question - what’s the budget?
We need to know what budget we’re working with to be able to put together a proposal that your client just won’t be able to say no to.
We know that budget can be a hard question for many clients to answer. To help narrow it down, here’s a rough guide of indicative costs (note these are cruise only and don’t include international flights or pre/post cruise arrangements).
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Entry level cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula usually start at around NZD 12,000 per person in a shared cabin or NZD 25,000 per person in a shared cabin for a trip that includes Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands.
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Mid-range cruises around NZD 16,000 per person in a shared cabin or NZD 30,000 per person in a shared cabin for a trip that includes Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands.
We’re here to help!
If you have any questions at all, our friendly team of Antarctica Destination Specialists are happy to help guide you through the process. Simply give us a call on 0800 131 900 or email info@vivaexpeditions.com