Greg Mortimer (Aurora Expeditions) Antarctica
by Jerrol Golden of Golden Travel Co.
The Greg Mortimer, our ship, gently rolls as we traverse the notorious Drake Passage with its 12-foot swells.
Crossing the Drake Passage was for me like sitting in a rocking chair; gentle to wild rocking-back-and-forth movement that made me sleepy!
Weather dictates when the ship can safely depart the port of Ushuaia.
Our Expedition Leader, Alex, explains that on an expedition to Antarctica, Mother Nature must always be taken into consideration. The weather on the Windy app was showing violet, which is considered ‘violent violet,’ so departure was delayed 24 hours to avoid a big storm. Mild disappointment prevails among guests, but no one wants to be seasick!
Fast forward two-plus sea days and ‘land-ho!’ is in the distance. The mountains peek out from the clouds, covered in mountain glaciers and snow. It looks beautiful, cold and remote.
It’s rather exhilarating to finally see this seventh continent that has been on my personal wish list for years — it was just a matter of time to finally get here.
Jerrol in front of the Greg Mortimer. * Photo: Jerrol Golden
Why Choose Greg Mortimer (Aurora Expeditions)?
I chose to sail on Aurora’s Greg Mortimer mainly because of their strong offerings in active adventure including kayaking, snowshoeing, alpine trekking, Zodiac sightseeing and even camping one night on shore, and lastly for the notorious polar plunge opportunity.
Also, the ship’s guest capacity is only 132, which seems like a perfect number for an expedition.
There are 23 expedition team (E Team) members who possess a variety of specialties, including polar exploration, marine mammals, marine and terrestrial biology, mountaineering, glaciology, and geology.
They offer topical lectures on ship and call attention to details of the natural world while we are out exploring.
Greg Mortimer has a 23-member Expedition team. * Photo: Jerrol Golden
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The Passengers On Greg Mortimer
Of the 104 guests sailing, consisting of eight nationalities, 16 are friends or acquaintances. As has been said, sharing is caring, and this experience, for me, is best shared.
There’s a bond that forms with guests when you see a humpback whale ‘log (when whales lie quietly at the surface), smell the stench of a Chinstrap penguin colony, and feel the chilly wind while kayaking around a sea sculpture garden of icebergs.
VIDEO: Stinky, but adorable penguins.
https://youtube.com/shorts/msUoxrc_5bc?feature=share
What You See On An Antarctica Cruise
The shapes and colors of the icebergs are mesmerizing, beautiful and many shades of white, gray, and blue. In fact, these shapes and colors form the rich tableau of the passage; I can stare out the window in any number of spots on the ship and take in the sights for hours.
Huge iceberg. * Photo: Jerrol Golden
We learn the terms ice shelf, ice cap, bergy bits, growlers, dirty ice and more. The anatomy of an iceberg is explained using terms of Antarctic art such as tabular, pinnacle, dry dock and wedged.
Antarctica is an ice-covered land mass, with a complex landscape ranging from sea level to the Mount Vinson peak at 16,050 feet, which is not visible from where we sail.
The ship crossed over the Garibaldi Pass, sailed through the Gerlache Strait, the photogenic Neumayer Channel and the dramatic Lemaire Channel. The views from bow to stern and port to starboard do not disappoint.
Jerrol at the bow in Lemaire Channel. * Photo: Jerrol Golden
Activities In The Water & On Shore
Safety, safety, safety is a word we hear many times over.
All kayakers don the provided dry suit, booties, spray skirt, and life vest before every paddle. Outfitting oneself in head-to-toe neoprene is a 15-minute calisthenic endeavor pre ready to go (RTG) time. The competent kayaking ‘E Team’ takes us to places even they haven’t paddled before.
Another reason to go on an expedition is that it offers daily discovery for all! The weather drives where the ship will sail to find the calmer inlets, whale and penguin sightings, and hopefully seals and ocean-going birds as well.
Given the external variables of atmospheric pressure and where the waves rate on the Douglas Scale, no two sailings are the same. Go with the flow and enjoy what nature brings to you.
Jerrol and friend Cherie kayaking in an “iceberg cemetery.” * Photo: Jerrol Golden
Background On Aurora Expeditions
Aurora Expeditions, based in Australia, was founded 30 years ago by explorers Greg and Margaret Mortimer. Its fleet consists of two sister ships, Sylvia Earle and Greg Mortimer, with a third ship on the horizon.
They sail Antarctica and subantarctic Islands during the season, offering itineraries ranging from nine to 24 days. Their ships follow the weather and reposition seasonally to sail in the Arctic, Northwest Passage, British Isles, Cape Verde, and Central to South America.
Given their small fleet, they offer very focused itineraries and educational experiences.
Greg Mortimer is also a founding member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), which was formed to develop regulations for the region. All ships sailing here must adhere to these regulations to protect this sensitive continent.
The Wildlife & Wild Ice
We see no fewer than five Humpback whales as we paddle alongside ledges sporting Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie penguin colonies, and many who comically weave and jump about us like flying fish as they feast on krill.
Passengers snowshoeing on a shore landing in Brialmont Cove. * Photo: Jerrol Golden
Other sights from sea level: Weddell seals that can reach 900-plus pounds, a dozing Leopard seal, and many seabirds including Albatross.
The glorious glaciers and ice come in many forms, shapes, patterns, and sizes. The shapes and colors of the icebergs and bergy bits, a medium to large fragment of ice, are mesmerizing, beautiful and multiple shades of white, neon cobalt blue and gray.
The deepest blue ‘bergs’ are explained to be oldest as the density of the ice has compacted over the years, so they have fewer air bubbles.
The Greg Mortimer Inside & Out
The ship is a very comfortable base for our five days of Antarctica exploration (the cruise is 11 days overall, but it’s important to note that the Drake Crossing is 2.5 days each way).
Featuring the unique Ulstein X-BOW hull, the ship is designed for more comfortable cruising and lower fuel consumption and offers spacious staterooms to larger suites, fitness center, ocean-view sauna, two hot tubs, a library, lecture theater and the well-used mudroom where all off-ship activities start and end.
Greg Mortimer’s ocean-view sauna. * Photo: Aurora Expeditions.
But most importantly, the expedition team is fantastic. It’s really their efforts and expertise that make the expedition noteworthy.
The unique Ulstein X-BOW hull. * Photo: Jerrol Golden
RELATED: A Review of Greg Mortimer on a Panama Canal Transit to Costa Rica.
Greg Mortimer Cabins
The cabins are very comfortable and clean in design. I stayed in cabin 418, a Category A balcony cabin, which was very central and approximately 240 sq ft.
Every cabin has a desk, a couch and chair, flat screen TV, and the best amenity was the heated floor in the bathroom!
The crew is a standout from the perspective of open interaction and building community among guests and crew alike. I felt extremely welcomed and cared for in an unassuming way.
Cabins even have heated bathroom floors. * Photo: Aurora Expeditions
Dining On Greg Mortimer
There’s one main restaurant with a cordoned-off area that becomes a ‘Tuscan’ restaurant at night with a separate menu.
Overall, the food is flavorful and ample enough to keep hunger at bay, especially after a chilly paddle, snowshoe or Zodiac ride. Breakfast and lunch are buffet style and dinner is a menu-based event.
My favorites dishes were the beet salad with goat cheese and grilled lamb chops. Everyone’s favorite dinner was a BBQ on deck with lip smacking ribs, suckling pig, grilled salmon and loads of grilled vegetables.
And then the snow started! That was a first for me dining outside in a snowstorm.
Simple pleasures are the best as I sip a cup of warm vegetable bouillon that is offered every day after a brisk morning of exploring.
There’s one main restaurant with a cordoned-off area that becomes a ‘Tuscan’ restaurant at night with a separate menu. * Photo: Aurora Expeditions
Ice Camping … Of Course!
One night, 31 guests go off ship around 9:00 pm and head to shore by Zodiac to ice camp under the open sky (in temperatures about 28-30 Fahrenheit).
Each guest is given a sleeping bag and pad and a small shovel to dig a shallow flat area and then hope for some shut eye, aided by eye masks, since the sun will never completely set during this Antarctic summer night.
I celebrate those hearty guests (from the warmth of my cabin aboard the Greg Mortimer!) that took part in the adventure.
Camping in the snow! * Photo: Jerrol Golden
Polar Plunge
Last day in Antarctica presented the opportunity to partake in the polar plunge; certainly, a rite of passage to be applauded!
Safety staff member Dan wore a dry suit and impressively stayed in the water until all 15 willing guests completed their rite of passage plunge.
My friend Steve Trautman after a polar plunge! * Photo: Jerrol Golden
Greg Mortimer Antarctica Cruise Details
Itinerary & Fares
Cruising to Antarctica is not a bargain from a price perspective, and it takes time to get to your departure port, usually Ushuaia.
I sailed on the 11-night/12-day Spirit of Antarctica itinerary, that includes one hotel night in Ushuaia.
For a similar sailing to what I did in 2024, fares start at $13,085 per person.
Depending on the cruise line, you may all meet up in Ushuaia (at the southern tip of Argentina), while some cruise lines charter a flight for their guests from Buenos Aires.
A few cruise lines, including Aurora, offer flights to/from Punta Arenas to the Antarctica Peninsula to avoid the Drake Passage, one or both directions.
There are approximately 50 small ships (under 200 pax) that cruised in Antarctica in the 2023/2024 season (with more expected next season), ranging from more basic (think Ocean Expeditions’ Plancius) to premium (like Greg Mortimer) and ultra-luxury (such as Seabourn Pursuit).
Keep in mind, the maximum number of passengers allowed on shore in Antarctica at any one time is 100 (and note, larger cruise ships carrying 500+ passenger aren’t allowed to make landings at all).
According to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), there are four categories of vessels cruising the Antarctica region:
- Category 1 — 13 to 200 passengers
- Category 2 — 201 to 500 passengers
- Cruise Only — 501 + passengers (NO landings allowed)
- Yacht — 12 pax max and they can make landings
I would consider Greg Mortimer a premium product from the standpoint of comfort, activities available and price. Do your ship product research to ensure you’re on the product that’s right for you or ask a knowledgeable travel advisor who has experience in sailing this region.
Again, you need to get off ship on an expedition to enjoy this magical landscape, which we did at least two times a day. Their E Team of 23 was exceptional.
There were a couple of days when the weather became too windy to go ashore and kayak. The ship was nimble enough to reposition to another area that had calmer seas. They really think about the guest experience first and it shows!
Caveats
My only disappointment on this expedition was leaving a day late which meant one day less in Antarctica, but that’s why it’s called an expedition! Safety first.
Also, important to note is there is no evening entertainment, so expect to make your own!
Groups
Groups are most welcome; inquire directly with Aurora Expeditions.
Getting There
Depending on your airline, many US flights to Buenos Aires connect through Houston, Dallas and Miami.
You will most likely be taking a domestic flight on Argentinean Airlines to get to Ushuaia from Buenos Aires.
Tip For Making The Most Of Your Greg Mortimer Antarctica Cruise
- The Antarctica season is November thorough February.
- Credit cards may be used for all incidentals onboard.
- Follow Aurora Expeditions online via Facebook and Instagram page.
- Two excursions per day are typically offered: one morning and one afternoon. Off ship excursions cost extra, except Zodiac excursions, which are always included in cruise price.
- The food is varied, and plant-based diets and vegetarians can be accommodated.
- Two glasses of wine are included at every dinner.
- Bring a yoga mat if you are so inclined as there is ample space to get in a good stretch. Exercise mats are provided, but not yoga mats.
- The Argentinian Peso is the official currency, but US dollars & credit cards are widely accepted.
Why I Recommend Greg Mortimer
If you’re a world traveler and strive to see all seven continents, you must go! And if you’re a curious explorer and nature lover, Antarctica delivers on so many levels.
Wrap your head around the fact that the Antarctic ice sheet holds about 90 percent of the fresh water that exists on the earth’s surface. This continent must be protected.
Interested In A Greg Mortimer (Aurora Expeditions) Antarctica Cruise?
Contact Aurora Expeditions here.
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