To confirm your reservation, a $300-per-person deposit is required when booking a seven-day or shorter vacation. When booking an eight-day or longer vacation, a deposit of $600 per person is required. Deposit is required within 24 hours of booking. Booking information must include passenger's full name, nationality, date of birth and gender. Final payment is due 70 days prior to departure. Checks, money orders, American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Discover Card are accepted as forms of payment.

Travel is in Economy Class via IATA carriers according to the route of the published itinerary. All airfares are subject to change without notice. SAS, Finnair, Icelandair, or other IATA carriers are responsible only for the air travel portion of the program in accordance with the terms and conditions of the airline ticket.

Group bookings are welcome. Special booking conditions apply. Please inquire with our reservations department for further details.

The dress code aboard the ship is casual. You should pack comfortable walking shoes, waterproof and windproof pants, warm sweaters, a pair of waterproof gloves, inner-gloves (we recommend wool), a warm hat, two sets of long underwear, a warm woolen sweater and warm socks. In addition, we suggest two to three changes of indoor clothing, a pair of regular shoes or sneakers to wear on board the ship and a warm jacket. We recommend you wear several layers instead of one thick piece of clothing.

All passengers will receive a wind and waterproof jacket to keep. A sweater or fleece jacket is required to wear underneath. You will also be lent one pair of boots to wear over woolen socks during landings in Antarctica. Wind and waterproof clothing is a necessity at sea and on excursions in Antarctica.

A small waterproof backpack for shore excursions and trips ashore is recommended. We strongly recommend that you bring a high UV-factor sunblock and a pair of good quality sunglasses since the reflections from the Antarctic sunlight and from the ice are sometimes very strong. Since there are limited goods in the gift store on board you should bring whatever toiletries you might need during the voyage, as well as a supply of any medications you take. Remember to bring sufficient medication to last through any unforeseen delays. Seasickness pills are available on board. If you are prone to seasickness, please bring pills you are familiar with. We strongly recommend you bring binoculars and a camera. We advise you to bring extra batteries for your camera, video films and any special brands of film. (A limited supply of film is sold on board.)

Yes, both ships have laundry facilities.

Cabins are comfortable and cozy with private bathrooms with hair dryers. Each is fitted with air conditioning, heating and a smoke alarm. All cabins have two lower berths with private facilities. There are a variety of elegant suites and junior suites, which are very high in demand and should be booked well in advance.

A limited selection of double cabins is available for single occupancy.

A limited selection of triple cabins is available.

Both ships have three cabins for physically-challenged guests.

Smoking is not permitted inside, only outside on deck on all ships.

There is an English-speaking doctor, as well as a nurse, on board at all times. The ships have a small medical facility with the necessary equipment and drugs to handle emergencies. In serious emergencies, the nearest hospital will be contacted.

The ships have expert lecturers with in-depth knowledge of Chile, Argentina and the Antarctic. They conduct the lectures covering various topics during the cruise. All information on board is given in English, German and Spanish. Our experienced expedition leaders will inform you about the daily program and take you ashore.

The average low/high Fahrenheit temperature in Buenos Aires is 60/81; Santiago 52/83; Punta Arenas and Ushuaia between 40/56; and Antarctica 22/39.

Most of the landings are by PolarCirkel boats and the terrain on shore may be fairly rugged, so you should be reasonably sure-footed. These excursions are not suitable for the physically challenged. Other than the landings, the tour does not make any special physical demands on the participants.

Human traffic in Antarctica is strictly regulated by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), which prohibits more than 100 people from being ashore simultaneously. Passengers will be instructed on how to comply with IAATO guidelines.

On our Antarctica programs NOK 50 (approx. $9) gratuity per day is appreciated. Should you wish to tip, you may fill out a form onboard.

Transfers and luggage handling are included. Our meet-and-greet personnel carry signs saying: "MS Nordnorge, Voyage of Discovery," or "MS Fram, Voyage of Discovery."

The MS Fram has an electrical supply of 220 volts. An adapter and converter are required. Electrical outlets on board ship are recessed and have round prongs.

At breakfast and lunch, a buffet of Norwegian and local specialties is served. Dinner is a three-course meal (on sea days only - buffet while in port), with your choice of fish, meat or vegetarian as main course A selection of wines is available at lunch and dinner. We do our best to meet special dietary requirements. All requests for special meals should be requested well in advance of departure.

U.S. citizens traveling on leisure or business trips are allowed to enter Chile and Argentina without a visa for 90 days. However, some airport fees and taxes will apply. In Chile, at the immigration booth, a one-time entrance fee of US$100 must be paid in cash in U.S. currency. In Argentina, an exit tax of US$18 must be paid in cash. All fees are subject to change.

Check with your local health authorities regarding recommended vaccinations for travel to Chile and Argentina.

Visa and MasterCard are accepted on board. Diner's Club and American Express credit cards are not accepted onboard. The currency on board is Norwegian kroners. When using credit cards on board the ship, your account will be debited in Norwegian kroners (NOK) with the rate of exchange of that day. Upon arrival aboard you will receive a Cruise Card, which works as a "credit card." Ashore, U.S. dollars and the local currencies are accepted-Chilean pesos in Chile and Argentine pesos in Argentina. Major credit cards are accepted in some places ashore but smaller towns only accept cash in local currency or U.S. dollars.

Members of AARP enjoy a discount of $150 per cabin. Also, be sure to regularly check our website for special offers.

Both ships have Internet cafés.

We strongly encourage passengers to purchase travel insurance. We offer an attractively priced policy through Trip Mate. Click here for details.

Larger bookstores have a selection of books on Antarctica and South America. You'll also find a list of suggested reading material on the home page of our website.

The ship has a bar with a wide selection of spirits, wines, beers and soft drinks, and a lounge with coffee service.

Indoor Clothing
The dress code aboard the ship is relaxed and casual, and you are not expected to dress formally for meals. Bring casual and comfortable indoor clothing.

Outdoor clothing
We suggest several layers instead of one thick piece of clothing, as the temperature may vary quite a lot during the day.
- Wind and waterproof pants/ jacket are a necessity at sea and on excursions in Antarctica.
- Warm cap or headband
- Scarf or fleece-tube
- Gloves or mittens
- Long underwear (we recommend wool)
- Warm woolen sweater or fleece sweater/jacket
- Warm socks (we recommend wool)

According to IAATO regulation and to avoid any transmission of deceases to the vulnerable ecosystem in Antarctica we ask our passengers to bring clean clothes to wear ashore

Binoculars
We recommend you to bring a pair of binoculars to get a closer look at wildlife and nature.

Camera
During your voyage you will have the opportunity of photographing wonderful nature and unusual scenery, so we strongly recommend that you bring your camera equipment that will allow you to capture this unforgettable experience.

You should always use UV or skylight filter and lens hood. If you use special brands of film make sure you bring your own, special films are difficult to obtain in South America. Professional photographers normally prefer slow speed film (100 ASA or less) in Antarctica.

We advice you to bring extra batteries for your camera as battery life is shorter in cold areas. If you have a digital camera we recommend you to bring a memory card with a large capacity.

There are sockets in the cabins for charging video camera batteries. We recommend that you bring sufficient video films, as the ship's kiosk only carries limited stocks.

Swimsuit Please bring your swimsuit to take advantage of the 2 on board Jacuzzis.

Apart from trips included in the program, we offer a selection of additional excursions. Most excursions can be booked on beforehand, or aboard/at the hotel upon arrival*. Unfortunately, excursions are not adapted for handicapped passengers.

*Excursions in Buenos Aires or Santiago, are booked at the Hospitality desk in the hotels, if not pre-booked. Guests will be asked to sign a charge authorization and the cost will be charged to the cruise card account upon arrival on board of the ship.

Most excursions will have English and/or German speaking guides. In the Falkland Islands/Malvinas no German translation is offered.

Due to remoteness, equipment (buses etc) used in Southern Chile as well as the Falkland Islands/Malvinas, may not always be equivalent to European/US/Australian standard. The excursions are subject to cancellation depending on the number of participants and weather conditions.

The ship is suitable for wheel-chairs. Heavily disabled persons or persons in need of special assistance must travel with a companion. Landings in Antarctica are unfortunately not possible for wheelchair users, or for persons with walking disabilities. Some of the excursions in Chile and Argentina will not be suitable for wheelchairs. For further information, please ask your travel agency.

The ship complies with all safety requirements and is classified as a polar vessel suitable for sailing in icy waters. Upon arrival aboard all passengers will be instructed in safety procedures, the use and location of the safety equipment. There is a rescue map in the cabin. We stress the importance of reading the safety brochure carefully.

Special security regulations will apply on landings with the Polar Cirkel boats (RIB's). Please follow the instructions of the Expedition Leader. A mandatory briefing regarding the safety guidelines will be held.

Arrival:
After declaring your luggage at the airport in Santiago or Buenos Aires our meet & greet personnel will have the luggage sent to your hotel. The luggage will be marked depending on what hotel you are staying at. On day 2 the luggage will be transported to the airport before departure for Punta Arenas or Ushuaia. The luggage will be labeled with your cabin number and it will be transported directly to your cabin.

Departure:
The evening before arrival in Punta Arenas, Ushuaia or Buenos Aires you will be asked to place your luggage outside your cabin before 23:00 hrs. It will be transported ashore, to the airport/the hotel. Please ensure that your luggage is clearly marked with your name and home address.

Those passengers participating on excursions soon after arrival in Buenos Aires or Santiago are recommended to bring suitable clothes for the excursion in their hand luggage in order not to loose time if the luggage is delayed.

Make sure to have a valid passport that extends more than six months after you return to your home country. Check if you need a visa for Chile or Argentina.

Before embarking the plane to Punta Arenas or Ushuaia your passport will be collected by our supervisor and taken to the vessel, in order to clear immigrations and customs. Passports will be kept in the vessels safe throughout the whole voyage and be returned at the end of the trip, either in Punta Arenas, Ushuaia or Buenos Aires. Please bring a copy of you passport with you.

You can hand in your mail in the reception. You have to pay 2 USD for every postcard you send from the ship; this amount covers service fee and stamp. We will forward the post in every port where it's possible. The time used from sending the postcard to it gets to the receiver may be relatively long.

The cabins are cleaned daily.

Seasickness pills are available in the reception at a low cost. If you are prone to seasickness please bring pills you are familiar with. You may also buy "sea band" onboard.

A limited assortment of local souvenirs, handicrafts and postcard are for sale in the shop onboard. In addition we also stock a small selection of soap, toothpaste and other personal effects. Woolen sweaters and fleece jackets as well as wind/ waterproof hats and gloves are also for sale on board. We offer a small selection of books and Antarctica souvenirs.

There is a satellite telephone and fax on board the ship:
MS Nordnorge:
Phone no: + 47 51 40 71 40
Telefax no: + 47 41 48 01 85
E-mail: nordnorge@hurtigruten.com

MS Fram:
Phone no: + 47 51 40 64 40
Telefax no: + 47 51 40 64 49
E-mail: fram@hurtigruten.com

On board, you may buy telephone cards enabling you to call from your cabin. Please ask reception staff for prices.

You may use your own GSM telephones on board of the ships at all times at an international price level. The price will vary depending on which mobile operator you use. Please check with your local phone company for rates for use of your phone abroad. In addition to your operator's tariff, a roaming-fee of € 1 per minute for both calling and receiving calls will be charged.

Depending on the carrier company with whom you have subscribed, mobile phones will function in the biggest cities ashore. In Chile and Argentina the only system working is GSM1900

There is an Internet café onboard and access may be purchased in the reception.

Chile: A VISA reciprocity fee is applicable for certain nationalities when entering Chile. The fee is paid in cash (USD) per person or by credit card upon arrival at the International Airport. The fees are:

Nationality Price

Australia US$ 56

Canada US$ 132

USA US$ 100

Mexico US$ 15

Argentina: Airport tax of approx USD 18 must be paid by all guests when leaving Argentina. This is not included in the package and is payable only in Argentinean pesos, Euro or USD. Visa and Diner Credit cards are accepted as well. Please note that payment currencies might change throughout the season.

All ships except for the MS Nordstjernen and the MS Lofoten have an internet café and offer internet access via satellite for a fee. In most harbors, mobile/cellular networks (3G) are available if you bring your own PC and a mobile access subscription. There is no internet access in the cabins (except in some suites).