Alcohol is available in Antarctica and you will enjoy it. Having travelled to Antarctica a few years back I outline my tips on how to drink alcohol there and in fact this is now a top 6! Get on that boat and see the penguins, but relax while you're doing it. That beer will be cold and sweet.
1. Antarctica Drinking - on Antarctica itself
You're not meant to drink on Antarctic soil as it happens, but you're only going to be here once (probably) so you might as well raise a toast to this incredible continent with a drink. Bring a cold beer with you to one of the landings - preferably the last one.
2. Drinking in Antarctica: Out on Deck!
OK so we were sailing down the Gerlache Strait and were welcomed by an amazing snowstorm. I was sitting in the indoor bar onboard our ship, the MS Expedition when my drinking buddy on the trip, Russell and I turned to each other and said almost at the same time "Let's go outside for a beer". It had to be done. We sat out on deck in the snowstorm - Russell in his shorts and flip flops/thongs! We were joined out on deck by Canadian Mike MacSween who even came barefoot! There was no need to keep the beers chilled as it was absolutely freezing! Great place for a beer. Try and get as many from the boat to join you, even if it's just for 5 minutes or so.
3. Drinking in Antarctica: Onboard Bar at Happy Hour
If you're on a tight budget, have no fear, happy hour is here! On board your boat you should be able to take full advantage of the Happy Hour meaning you can enjoy your backpacker lifestyle while sailing down the world's epic cold continent.
- The lounge bar on board the boat is open from 4pm - 7pm normally.
- There's a late night bar which opens from around 8pm until whenever!
Alcohol was also available at dinner, served to you in the onboard restaurant, everything you ordered was added to your bill. There was no payment accepted in cash as far as I remember, they just added everything to your bill and you paid at the end of the trip. Be careful not to get too happy though, as even Happy Hour in Antarctica is more expensive than what you are used to!
4. Drinking in Antarctica: Bring Your Own Alcohol
Again the cheapskate option and this is the one I used mostly - even the beer I took onto Antarctic land to drink was bought in Argentina and brought on board. There is no real limit on the amount of alcohol you bring onboard, but if you suffer from sea sickness, please note that the Drake Passage is the roughest stretch of water in the world, so you want to avoid the booze on that part of the trip! I brought my own beer and wine and drank it in the cabin or sneaked it into the bar (hardly a big deal considering you've paid loads for this trip!!).
5. Alcohol in Antarctica: Ukranian Station Bar
You can visit an actual bar in Antarctica, which is just amazing and will totally make your trip complete if you like a drink. At the Ukrainian Vernadskiy Station they have a bar which even has a vodka which is made in Antarctica. Cheers!
6. Alcohol in Antarctica - have a beer at the South Pole
This would be the ultimate planet earth beer, and we didn't go that far, but it can be done. It's costly to get to the South Pole and if you do make it and manage to acclimatise, you will be pleased to know you can have a celebratory tipple, or if you really want to be a cheapskate, bring your own! There was a beer shipped out there last year called Pole Axed!
Having a beer at the South Pole must be a beer drinker's dream.
If you have managed to do all six of these I salute you!! I was happy with the four I managed to get in on my amazing Antarctica adventure back in 2010.
1. Antarctica Drinking - on Antarctica itself
You're not meant to drink on Antarctic soil as it happens, but you're only going to be here once (probably) so you might as well raise a toast to this incredible continent with a drink. Bring a cold beer with you to one of the landings - preferably the last one.
2. Drinking in Antarctica: Out on Deck!
OK so we were sailing down the Gerlache Strait and were welcomed by an amazing snowstorm. I was sitting in the indoor bar onboard our ship, the MS Expedition when my drinking buddy on the trip, Russell and I turned to each other and said almost at the same time "Let's go outside for a beer". It had to be done. We sat out on deck in the snowstorm - Russell in his shorts and flip flops/thongs! We were joined out on deck by Canadian Mike MacSween who even came barefoot! There was no need to keep the beers chilled as it was absolutely freezing! Great place for a beer. Try and get as many from the boat to join you, even if it's just for 5 minutes or so.
3. Drinking in Antarctica: Onboard Bar at Happy Hour
If you're on a tight budget, have no fear, happy hour is here! On board your boat you should be able to take full advantage of the Happy Hour meaning you can enjoy your backpacker lifestyle while sailing down the world's epic cold continent.
- The lounge bar on board the boat is open from 4pm - 7pm normally.
- There's a late night bar which opens from around 8pm until whenever!
Alcohol was also available at dinner, served to you in the onboard restaurant, everything you ordered was added to your bill. There was no payment accepted in cash as far as I remember, they just added everything to your bill and you paid at the end of the trip. Be careful not to get too happy though, as even Happy Hour in Antarctica is more expensive than what you are used to!
4. Drinking in Antarctica: Bring Your Own Alcohol
Again the cheapskate option and this is the one I used mostly - even the beer I took onto Antarctic land to drink was bought in Argentina and brought on board. There is no real limit on the amount of alcohol you bring onboard, but if you suffer from sea sickness, please note that the Drake Passage is the roughest stretch of water in the world, so you want to avoid the booze on that part of the trip! I brought my own beer and wine and drank it in the cabin or sneaked it into the bar (hardly a big deal considering you've paid loads for this trip!!).
5. Alcohol in Antarctica: Ukranian Station Bar
You can visit an actual bar in Antarctica, which is just amazing and will totally make your trip complete if you like a drink. At the Ukrainian Vernadskiy Station they have a bar which even has a vodka which is made in Antarctica. Cheers!
6. Alcohol in Antarctica - have a beer at the South Pole
This would be the ultimate planet earth beer, and we didn't go that far, but it can be done. It's costly to get to the South Pole and if you do make it and manage to acclimatise, you will be pleased to know you can have a celebratory tipple, or if you really want to be a cheapskate, bring your own! There was a beer shipped out there last year called Pole Axed!
Having a beer at the South Pole must be a beer drinker's dream.
If you have managed to do all six of these I salute you!! I was happy with the four I managed to get in on my amazing Antarctica adventure back in 2010.
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