Vacation time! We’re in the middle of the summer season, and kids are out of school. This makes it the perfect time to take a well-deserved family vacation. But with the temperatures at record-highs, go-to activities like waterparks and surfing may sound tired AND tiring.
Your family deserves to unwind. And if you want to escape the heat, why not go on an Antarctic expedition? Not only will it save you from the sweltering summer heat but it will also give you an adventure of a lifetime. Check out the most breathtaking expeditions here: https://poseidonexpeditions.com/antarctica/.
Organize your next Antarctic family vacation today! Here are a few tips to make sure everything goes smoothly:
Decide Where You Want to Go
Antarctica is a huge place. There is a lot that you can do depending on the type of activities that you’re looking for. For example, Poseidon Expeditions currently offers four packages: Realm of Penguins and Icebergs, New Year & Christmas in Antarctica, Antarctic Wildlife Adventure, and Crossing 66º South Latitude.
Each of those packages brings a different flavor of Antarctic magic. But before choosing one for your big family trip, consider the following:
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- Budget per person. Packaged trips will tell you the rates per person. But just to err on the safe side, you should assume you’d be spending 50% more. Check the inclusions as well.
- Activities involved. Inquire whether the activities are kid-friendly if you’re taking younger children with you.
- The number of days. The packages are usually for at least ten days. But if you want to forget what heat even feels like, you can find longer ones.
- Preference. Do you like to camp or spend more time with penguins? It’s your call!
There are more factors that you should consider before making a decision. Take your time to make sure that everyone actually enjoys the trip.
Save the Date
Once you have a destination in mind, the next step is deciding when. This will help concretize the vacation even if it’s still months away. Having a deadline would also allow you to make the other arrangements before you travel. For example, you may have to book your time off at work in advance. Although the kids won’t be at school, having a set date will prevent them from scheduling other activities as well.
Whether the date is fixed or a little flexible depends on how close it is. If the target date is more than half a year away, it’s fine not to have the specific dates. But as it gets closer, you should finalize it. This is especially true for out-of-country trips!
To take advantage of low rates, you should have all the details locked in at least 99 days in advance to get the cheapest flights.
Save for the Trip
The last thing you want to happen is not having enough money saved up once you have to pay for your flight and every trip-related expense. So now with the destination and final date in mind, the next step is to save up.
It’s not enough that you have access to the money. As much as possible, you want to preserve its nominal value. So if you’re planning to spend $20,000 on a family vacation, you can’t invest that in hopes of earning, let’s say, 6% per year. Investments aren’t a sure thing. Although there’s a chance of success (and, therefore, a little more fun time budget), you may also lose your money.
How much you save may affect how great a time you have! You don’t want to miss out on awesome activities.
Get the Tickets
An Antarctic Expedition will be far from the United States, which means you have to take care of your flight tickets beforehand.
There are a lot of budget airlines that you can go to. Unfortunately, they come with certain disadvantages like delayed and canceled flights. If you don’t want to miss the cruise, the extra cash you’ll spend is definitely worth it.
To avoid jet-lag trouble, schedule your flight days before the actual expedition. This will allow you to relax and adjust to the time difference. Plus, who would ever say no to a couple of extra days of vacation?
For the same reasons, schedule your return flight a few extra days after the expedition. The trip should be fun and relaxing. Don’t put extra stress on everyone by scheduling a return to work too close to your flight home.
Related: How to Book Cheap Flight Tickets While Traveling
Physically Prepare for Your Antarctic Expedition
No matter where you are, health should always be your number one priority. To avoid travel health risks, you need to take certain precautions. If you don’t have weather-appropriate clothing yet, it’s time to go shopping. It’s going to be cold, and you need to keep everyone’s body temperature at safe levels.
Any medication that anyone in the family needs must also be taken along. Mind you that with 10-day-long expeditions you’ll be out of the country and with no access to a good drugstore for at least two weeks.
To prevent any health issues while everyone’s having the time of their life, schedule an appointment with the doctor. Tell them about the activities involved in the trip so that they can make relevant medical recommendations.
If your skin gets a little too dry in cold weather, you may want to look into a more potent moisturizer. This would prevent any adverse reaction to the cold. Encourage everyone to make their own checklists to ensure they bring everything needed.
So, What’s the Secret to a Successful Antarctic Expedition?
The secret isn’t a secret at all. Preparing in advance to ensure that this is the greatest trip ever is all it takes!
Taking the time for the preparation and organization stage is going to be worth it. With everyone’s cooperation, you’d enjoy everything that Antarctic expeditions can offer.
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