Behind the Scenes with Antarctica21

It might come as a surprise but preparing for an Antarctic air-cruise takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work to ensure a seamless expedition. It's an intricate puzzle, the Antarctica21 Antarctic air-cruise. To make it possible, we have two essential teams in Punta Arenas, Chile, that are busy long before your arrival. Heading up our Land Services team is Carolina Manzanares, who has been with the company for 10 years. Our Hospitality team is headed up by Carolina Pavón, who started as an intern years ago. These two teams put all the pieces together; below, you can read about some of the more unexpected details of their work.1. The Flight Call – As you turn down the sheets and set your alarm, the Land Service's team is busy coordinating your flight window to Antarctica with DAP airlines. Basically, this means Carolina M. is on the phone non-stop until you are in the air. Since travel to Antarctica is dependent on the weather, our flight times are too. When we get the okay to fly, both Land Services and Hospitality teams quickly organizes everyone for their flight – whether at 5am, noon, or late into the evening. Learn more about our flights to Antarctica.2. The Boot Fitting – As the saying goes, there is no bad weather, only bad clothing. Having the right outdoor gear is paramount for a good experience. It's one of the reasons we provide the boots for your trip. By the time you get to Punta Arenas, Chile, our Hospitality team has your shoe size, and your Antarctic boots are ready to go. On your welcome day, you try on your boots and then go to dinner. While you're enjoying some Chilean cuisine, our team goes to work getting all those boots to the right hotel room ready for you to wear on your Antarctica adventure!3. Priority Boarding for Antarctica – We know preparing for your trip and getting to Punta Arenas, Chile, has been a lot of work for you. To help ensure you get your mind in "expedition" mode, our operations implemented a special flow that reduces considerably the time at the check-in counter.4. Friends in Town – Antarctica21 was created by Chileans and is based in Chile. This is great because our Land Services team are friends and personally know most of our suppliers. So, that means if there are any changes in the weather, we can count on an army of providers to help ensure the difference is as seamless as possible for you.5. Your Antarctic Concierge – Our Hospitality team meets you at the airport, ready to give you warm welcome and start your adventure. This team is with you until the moment you board your Antarctic flight to answer all your questions. Their job is to make you feel at home far away from home while also preparing you for the last-minute details of your expedition. While everything happens, Carolina P. is in constant communication with our onboard Hotel Team to ensure smooth coordination of any personal requests, language requirements, celebrations, or whatever else needs planning for you ahead of time.6. The Contingency Plan – At the start of this post, we mentioned the weather, and it's true, every expedition to Antarctica is at the whim of mother nature. Our Contingency Plan is in place for changes we need to make due to any weather-related delays. Suppose it's a few extra hours on the ground with some sightseeing in Patagonia or an additional hotel night in Punta Arenas (which rarely happens). In that case, it's our Land Services and Hospitality teams that whip up a little magic to keep your adventure moving. To read more about our contingency plan, review our travel tips page.So, while you might be sleeping or out having dinner in Punta Arenas, our on the ground teams are busy moving all those puzzle pieces together into one trip of a lifetime.