This instance of “One Time, One Meeting” refers to Jiyou’s charter expedition to Antarctica. However, today is also the last day of the spring promotion for Little Dolphin and Little Pig, so at the end of this piece, I’ll add a product for each: Little Dolphin in Shanghai and Little Pig in Macau.
Let’s start with the Antarctica charter.
We’ve made some progress—who would have thought we’d start organizing something as significant as a charter? Actually, we aren’t fully chartering on our own; we are sharing the charter with three other traditional travel agencies. Each of them has their offline channels, and since we are chartering the world-voyager, which carries a maximum of 140 people on this expedition, I believe it should work out just fine.
Let me introduce the product first:
Departing on November 19, 2024, joining the world-voyager cruise under the ATLAS brand, this is a 9-day, 8-night expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula, where you take the cruise there and fly back. The twin balcony cabin costs 68,800 yuan per person.
Importantly, this is a Chinese charter, meaning there will be multiple Chinese-speaking tour leaders, and a Chinese photographer onboard. All the guests on the ship will also be Chinese. The experience will be very friendly.
The price includes:
– One night at a five-star hotel in Buenos Aires on November 19, 2024, including breakfast.
– One-way flight ticket from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia on November 20; this includes transportation to the airport.
– A half-day tour on November 20 in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.
– Board the world-voyager on November 20 for an 8-day, 7-night cruise through the Antarctic Peninsula in an unobstructed balcony cabin, including cruise ticket, port fees, and cruise service charges; meals onboard with drinks included, as well as land excursions and cruises in the Antarctic Peninsula.
– On November 27, return by charter flight from King George Island, Antarctica to Punta Arenas, Chile.
Let me clarify: this is definitely not the cheapest Antarctic trip! Because there’s no lower limit for last-minute prices for the Antarctic, last year we promoted a last-minute trip with ATLAS for $4,999 (excluding tax), which equates to just over 40,000 yuan. This trip involves crossing the Drake Passage both ways. For the absolute lowest prices, you’d need to wait for last-minute deals in Antarctica. Plus, this trip features good rooms: twin balcony cabins. Many Antarctic cruises may seem low-priced but use inside cabins or multi-person sea view rooms, which can significantly lessen the experience.
The highlights of this trip are:
1) A Chinese charter: You won’t feel the pressure of language barriers. The tour leader, onboard photographer, and many staff members will be Chinese. In Antarctica, having someone explain what you’re seeing is essential—like identifying the types of penguins encountered; along with insights into geography and history. Even if you are good at English, listening to lectures in English can be challenging due to the technical vocabulary. With a Chinese charter, there are translators, so everyone will understand how to enjoy Antarctica.
2) A new ship with fewer passengers.
The world-voyager, which made its maiden voyage in 2023, is a 10,000-ton ship with new facilities. It has amenities like a spa, sauna, swimming pool, and gym, and the rooms are quite nice. Those who have stepped onboard last year expressed high satisfaction.
Additionally, this route won’t be fully booked. The ship can accommodate 200 passengers but will only have 140 guests onboard, with nearly a 1:1 ratio of service staff to passengers. This ratio is critical to the quality of service.
Why isn’t it full? It’s due to the limited seating available on the return flight. We certainly can’t charter another plane. So for this cruise, if you want a room to yourself, you only need to pay an additional 40% of the ticket price.
Ideal conditions permit at least two landings or cruising excursions a day, giving you ample time to explore Antarctica deeply. According to Antarctic regulations, the maximum number of people allowed to disembark from a ship at any one time is 100. Ships that carry 500 people typically can only land once a day and may have to choose different landing spots. But with the world-voyager accommodating just 140 guests, it only requires splitting into two groups—one for cruising and one for landing—ensuring ample time on land. Visiting Antarctica isn’t simply about being on the ship, it’s essential to go ashore for an enjoyable experience.
3) Sail there and fly back.
The cruise portion will cross the Drake Passage, allowing you to experience the wild waves of the Roaring Forties. The return flight will depart from King George Island in Antarctica, providing an aerial view of the stunning Antarctic landscape—a unique dual experience.
While flying to and from Antarctica is undoubtedly the best option, it’s also the most expensive. The main instability of flying to Antarctica lies in the weather. Last year, for example, a scheduled cruise was delayed by a day due to weather conditions. This resulted in missing out on a day of activities. Some cruising companies even had their flights outright canceled due to weather, preventing any travel at all. If your flight to Antarctica is delayed or canceled due to weather, the shipping company generally does not issue refunds.
The benefits of sailing there and flying back mean that even if weather conditions prevent you from flying back right away, you will still be in Antarctica for a longer period, allowing you to continue enjoying the activities and meals without feeling anxious.
4) 100% balcony cabins (or French balcony cabins).
The smallest balcony rooms on the world-voyager measure at least 25 square meters, providing a fresh, spacious atmosphere. Many cruises that appear cheap do so by offering inside cabins or multi-person accommodations. More than 90% of the cabins on world-voyager are balconies. We aim to avoid attracting guests with low inside cabin prices that eventually lead to upselling for other options, which is why this time all cabins are balconies.
5) Relatively straightforward visa process.
Having a US visa is ideal, as Argentina offers electronic visas, and Chile has a visa exemption. However, if you don’t have a US visa, this trip allows for a group visa for Argentina and Chile. If you need assistance with obtaining a visa through us and are rejected, we will refund the full ticket price (except for visa fees). This charter trip begins in Buenos Aires, Argentina, making it eligible for group visa applications. The advantage of group visas is no need for Spanish notarization or certification (but individual visas do, especially needed if traveling with kids).
6) Free drinks and a certain allocation of complimentary Wi-Fi onboard.
Most Antarctic cruises (or other cruises) charge for drinks. Additionally, using Wi-Fi incurs fees since you’re in Antarctica. But ATLAS offers unlimited free beverages, including high-quality wines, spirits, and craft beers. In theory, once aboard, you won’t need to spend a single penny.
7) Jiyou will arrange a photographer to accompany and take pictures with everyone in Antarctica.
Our photographer is quite talented; for example, she captured stunning images from last year’s Northern Lights tour in Norway. You can check out her work from the “Northern Lights in Norway” feature from last week’s meeting.
Now, let’s introduce the ship. The world-voyager cruise ship under the ATLAS brand.
ATLAS is headquartered in the United States and flagged in Portugal.
This ship employs a hydro-jet propulsion system, minimizing underwater noise. If the world-voyager cruises at a speed below five knots, it operates almost silently.
This allows for near proximity to Antarctica’s ecosystem, with a greater likelihood of spotting whales and other Antarctic wildlife.
The world-voyager has four restaurants and four bars and lounges. Below are actual shots from readers who boarded last year.
Their previous itineraries featured fine dining, and I’ll continue to share images of the dishes served. Of course, each journey may differ, and while you might not encounter the exact same king crab served, the meals on the world-voyager are certainly commendable.
Moreover, many dishes onboard are served one by one, creating a sense of ceremony around dining.
The cruise ship also has a lounge with beautiful views.
Facilities such as a gym, sauna, jogging track, and sunlit swimming pool are all available.
Unlike other ships, having these amenities on an Antarctic cruise ship can be challenging. Ships over 100,000 tons typically feature these, yet the world-voyager is only 10,000 tons and thus having this is remarkable.
Now let’s talk about the rooms.
This time we are mainly selling A1/A2 French balcony rooms and B1/B2 balcony guest rooms, both priced at 68,800 or 69,800 yuan per person.
The A1/A2 are French balcony rooms, with an area of 270 square feet (approximately 25 square meters). You might not have a strong frame of reference for this area, but I can say this: a 25 square meter room can easily outperform the base rooms on most domestic cruise ships. Among Antarctic cruises, it’s one of the best. When I traveled to Antarctica, my cabin was less than 8 square meters, and two rooms shared one bathroom!
The rooms feature complete amenities like wardrobes, refrigerators, and TVs. Importantly, the bathrooms are spacious enough. Toiletries come from L’Occitane. The French balcony means there’s an inner balcony that you cannot step out onto.
I can responsibly say that ATLAS isn’t inferior to many five-star cruise lines.
B1/B2 are the balcony guest rooms, which indeed offer the option of stepping out onto the balcony. They also measure about 25 square meters.
Alternatively, you can opt for the E1 mini French balcony suite or the E2 mini sea view suite, both priced at 79,450 yuan per person. These room types are 28 square meters and include a small living area.
Now back to the itinerary:
On November 19 (DAY 1), we will gather in Buenos Aires, Argentina. You will be arranged to stay in a five-star hotel. Once you arrive at the hotel in Buenos Aires, you can find the ATLAS counter, and from there, you’re set.
On November 20 (DAY 2), you will travel from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia.
There will also be a half-day tour in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, to keep you engaged before boarding the ship.
On November 21 and 22 (DAY 3-4), you will cross the Drake Passage.
From November 23 to 26 (DAY 5-8), you will have a cruise around South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, ensuring at least four full days in Antarctica. During this time, the captain will select suitable landing points based on daily conditions.
With only 140 passengers, the ship will aim for at least two landings or cruising excursions per day (weather permitting).
On November 27 (DAY 9), you will fly back from King George Island in Antarctica to Punta Arenas, Chile.
The return will be by flight; experience the Drake Passage once is sufficient. Of course, flights to and from Antarctica are heavily influenced by weather, so delays may occur. However, if there’s a delay, you’ll still be in Antarctica enjoying the activities.
I’ll also share the itinerary map:
Traveling to Antarctica can take quite a while. I recommend that after reaching Punta Arenas, Chile, you consider visiting Torres del Paine National Park, which is definitely worth it.
Finally, let’s talk price:
The prices highlighted in red are the most recommended.
While it might seem high at first glance, this is a route where you sail to and fly back, and you get a 25-square-meter balcony room. Some itineraries are lower-cost because they rely on sea view or inside cabins, and accommodate three people per room. Additionally, this cruise is solo-friendly; you can arrange for shared rooms, or if you’d rather have your own room, you can pay an additional 40% of the price.
Regarding costs, it also includes:
Cruise ticket, port fees, and cruise service fees;
One night’s accommodation in a five-star hotel in Buenos Aires before boarding the cruise, travel to the hotel is not included;
Free one-way flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia + free one-way flight from King George Island to Punta Arenas;
Daily internet allocation per room (additional purchases can be made);
A complimentary 4-hour tour in Ushuaia and bus transfers;
A free waterproof and thermal outer jacket.
This pricing is quite advantageous; currently, ATLAS’s official website has a promotion for the world-traveler ship with similar dates (departing November 19) offering a buy one, get one free deal. This route is round trip by ship, but the total cost is $8,499 excluding tax per person. Adding taxes brings it to around the same as our trip. This is a promotional offering.
Of course, you could wait for last-minute deals, which might fetch you a cheaper price.
In general, this promotional price combined with round trip flights, visas, would total over 80,000 yuan per person.
Currently, flights to South America are most commonly via Turkish Airlines (with connection in Istanbul) or Ethiopian Airlines (with connection in Addis Ababa), which typically cost around 10,000 yuan for round trip tickets. I think the price for a trip to Antarctica, with a Chinese-speaking charter, is very reasonable.
Cancellation and change policy:
An important reminder: Cancellation more than 122 days before departure incurs a fee of 1,850 yuan per person.
To be honest, for a clear itinerary with a deposit over 60,000 yuan for an Antarctic trip, this cancellation and change policy is quite fair.
I recommend purchasing responsibly and avoid making impulsive decisions.
How to purchase?
Travel products like cruises can be more complex, and placing an order directly can be risky without proper consultation or inquiry. If you need assistance, feel free to add a small assistant (xiyoutravel4, xiyoutravel5), and the assistant will include you in the [Jiyou Antarctica Group].
Most international products require confirmation of space, so make sure to contact the assistant after placing an order.
Antarctica is a high-demand destination, and travel periods are long; please order wisely. You can add the assistant by scanning the code.
Next, let’s move on to Little Pig’s Macau and Little Dolphin’s Shanghai.
One night with breakfast at Macau Sheraton is 1,028 yuan; one night with breakfast at Macau St. Regis is 1,750 yuan.
These offers are valid until May 31, 2024. For added costs and availability details, please see the individual hotel pages.
Both Macau Sheraton and Macau St. Regis are located in the Sands area. You can see from the image, the leftmost is St. Regis, and the far right are the two Sheraton towers.
These hotels are conveniently located; just across a sky bridge from The Londoner and in close proximity to The Venetian and Four Seasons. The location is very good, and both offer great night views.
Sheraton offers better value; its base room spans 42 square meters. In Macau, not many hotels include breakfast, and prices increase significantly once breakfast is included.
The quality at St. Regis is superior to Sheraton. I have stayed at both, and St. Regis provides butler service, and the base rooms are generally larger.
If you choose to stay at St. Regis, be sure to check out their bar on the second floor—it’s incredibly aesthetically pleasing.
To purchase: Taokou code: 39￥ HU9196 M2ByWMMtb64￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.5CiI8xH
I must remind you that hotel prices in Macau can be very variable. I checked several dates prior to this package, finding that while generally packages have an advantage, a few dates offer better calendar pricing.
Thus, when reserving the Macau package, it’s crucial to compare calendar prices before booking; if you find a better deal on the calendar, feel free to switch. The package acts more as futures trading, available for cancellation without reservation.
Additionally, if you don’t prefer having breakfast, be sure not to purchase the package. The prices without breakfast are considerably lower, and if breakfast isn’t required, the calendar pricing will generally be more favorable.
Shanghai Pudong Mandarin Oriental Luxury River View Room for two nights with breakfast + 200 yuan dining credit, priced at 3,588 yuan (after coupons 3,468 yuan).
This deal is valid until August 31, 2024, with no price increases on weekends, during Dragon Boat Festival, and summer vacation.
The highlight of this package is the lack of price increases throughout (though Qingming Festival and May Day are already fully booked), and currently, there’s abundant inventory for the Dragon Boat Festival, summer vacation, and weekends.
This also includes the third-level luxury river view room (Luxury City View – Mandarin City View – Luxury River View – Mandarin River View). This room type without breakfast costs over 2,000 yuan per night on the calendar.
I have stayed at the Pudong MO, and I quite liked it. The hotel is located along the Huangpu River, and it’s close to the Shanghai Three Bunds.
The river view room has an excellent perspective; I will share a few photos I took during my last stay. Honestly, I’m not sure if I stayed in the Luxury River View or Mandarin River View room, but both types should be similar, allowing unobstructed views of the Huangpu River.
When staying at MO, it’s essential to have breakfast included. The breakfast at this level of hotel is too good to miss. The buffet is lavish, and at MO, you often find newspapers during breakfast, which adds to the charm.
The package also includes a dining credit of 200 yuan. I have a few recommendations for this. The best value for money would be at the pastry shop; every MO has an excellent pastry shop, allowing you to conveniently use that 200 yuan without excess.
You could also consider dining at the Chinese restaurant Yong Yi Ting, which has been awarded a Michelin star for eight consecutive years. It is the only Michelin-starred Hangzhou cuisine restaurant in Shanghai, and I can personally vouch for its deliciousness. Usually, there are tables reserved for hotel guests, so making a reservation upon check-in is generally feasible.
