SUMMARY: Before my journey to Antarctica, I often skimmed the cruise reviews asking myself "Where does one find the time to write 10 page reviews?" But the more I read, the more valuable was the information I picked up so I promised when I returned, that I would contribute my thoughts and experiences to the web's vast repository of trip knowledge and hopefully provide some useful tidbits and insights for future Celebrity/Antarctica/South America travelers. It was such a memorable experience that I have actually enjoyed writing about it to relive the voyage. Seeing Antarctica was on my mother's "bucket list" and I accompanied her to help fulfill her dream.
AIR ARRANGEMENTS VIA CELEBRITY: I vacillated over booking our own flights vs. letting Celebrity choose them, but was partial to the idea of Celebrity taking some culpability in the event the flight was delayed/cancelled. The arrangements could not have worked out better. The outbound flight on American Airlines was timed perfectly with little wasted time switching planes. We were seated near the rear and soon realized we were among fellow passengers who had flown into Miami from various places to converge for the overnight flight to Buenos Aires. We had the good fortune of no delays following some major snowstorms hitting the East. The return flight post cruise was unfortunately not until 11:30 p.m. This was not any fault of Celebrity. No international flights back to the U.S. left before mid/late evening from Buenos Aires. It was a long day at the airport, but considering the throngs of distraught and stranded passengers at the airport rerouted or trying to return to Santiago after the earthquake, we felt fortunate to be returning to our intact homes and families, regardless of the late hour.
HANDICAPPED COMMENTS: I want to mention my mother's physical condition hoping that her positive experience will encourage others her age and condition to consider this trip. As a result of several falls over the years and a recent auto accident, she was in constant pain. Standing for any length of time was agony. Our travel agent, Carl Bruno of CruisePlanners, suggested 'wheelchair assist' at the airports. It was a godsend. A representative from the airline greeted her with a wheelchair whenever we exited a plane. She was then escorted through baggage control, passport and customs, and security. She barely needed to stand or walk. She would NEVER have been able to maneuver the airport without this service. American Airlines was incredible. Carl also ordered "peer assistance" at the port. In addition, at several ports, including Montevideo and Ushuaia, we borrowed a wheelchair from Celebrity and I was able to push her through the streets. I also borrowed a wheelchair to walk her around the deck. At the buffets on board the ship, as soon as she walked in with her cane, a member of the Celebrity staff promptly offered to hold her tray as well as help her navigate the food lines. The only real challenge was the mandatory lifeboat drill. We were lined up in tight rows of about 8 people each and needed to stand for quite awhile listening to the instructions in various languages. In addition, I don't know if any accommodations are available for the hearing impaired - we did not inquire, but - she did not hear any announcements unless I repeated them to her.
Very quiet - you'd never know we were near an elevator. Very calm despite high waves in some areas.