Essential
items for your
Zodiac excursions

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Polar parka
It must be water resistant because Zodiac rides can be splashy. For safety reasons, it must be a bright color (red in most cases). Note: Some ships give you one free. You get to take it home.

Woolen or fleece sweater
Don either a turtleneck sweater or a crew neck one supplemented by a neck gaiter (it works better than a scarf). For extremely cold days, you might wish to wear a thin sleeveless sweater underneath your bulkier sweater.

Thermal underwear
Wear it directly over your skin. Get both tops and bottoms. Bring 2 pairs*.

Trousers
Put them on over your thermal underwear. Wool or corduroy are good bets. Pack 2 pairs*.

Waterproofed outer pants
Wear them over trousers. Good grade ski pants will do.

Thermal socks
Pull them on over your bare feet. Bring 2 pairs*.

n Woolen socks
Choose heavy and (preferably) full-length ones. Wear them over your thermal socks. Take 2 pairs*.

n Rubber winter boots
The preferred choice is knee-high Wellingtons. They are essential for an Antarctica cruise because you make wet landings. Most Antarctica cruise ships lend you a pair of Wellies for the duration of the cruise.

n Winter gloves
Ski gloves work. The main point is your gloves should be well-lined and have water-resistant exteriors. Also bring a regular pair of warm gloves for casual deck use. They will also serve you as a backup should your Zodiac pair get soaked.

n Winter hat
It can be a wool or fleece ski cap that can be pulled down over your ears. Alternatively, wear a winter hunter's cap with ear flaps. Also pack a long-billed baseball cap for shading your face during deck barbecues.

n Polaroid sunglasses - Antarctica snow and ice are glaring - and ultra-violet rays are intense, so wear sunglasses with large polarized lenses. They should provide UV protection and cover the complete eye area. Wrap-around sunglasses are best because they protect your eyes from the low-angled Antarctica sunlight.

n Swimsuit - Pack one if you plan to swim in the thermal-warmed waters in Deception Island - or in the ship's pool (yes, some people do it).

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* In case one gets wet

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FIRST PAGE

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Best 3 Antarctica cruise ships
When to go
Who should go - and not go
Small versus big ship
Itineraries
Costs
What-to-pack checklist

Zodiac landings
How to identify penguins
Antarctica history in brief
Interesting facts & tidbits
Glossary
More  pointers
Photo gallery

Top 10 experiences
Suite photos
Deck plans
Onboard enrichment
Dining & entertainment
Other onboard activities
Ship facts

Antarctica Cruise - Home page
Top 10 wonders of Antarctica

World's Top 100 Wonders

World's Top 1000 Wonders

Site map

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