HOW TO PAY FOR ANTARCTICA WHEN YOU’RE A BROKE B****

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So, surprise – I went to Antarctica. Thankfully, when I told my mom, she had no concept of the price tag or even what would go into a trip like that. I mean, why would she? Even dreaming of visiting Antarctica is so out of the realm of possibilities that the topic of how to PAY for Antarctica isn’t even in our social group. Heck, leisure travel AT ALL seemed impossible.

And yet, here I am again. Doing the impossible.

Life is a hilarious joke, honestly.

So how DID I manage the financial aspect of getting my broke a** to Antarctica? Does my job pay me a lot (no), do I have a sizeable savings to cover the expenses (no), or did I maybe cut down on my extra lifestyle expenses to budget for the trip (hahahahhaha)?

If you’re here, you probably already know that I do not do anything the straightforward way. But if you ARE new here, hi I’m Kay. And I’m about to reveal how to pay for Antarctica when you have no money.

This blog post was based on a VERY true story.

**DISCLAIMER: DO NOT TAKE FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM ME**

How Much Does Antarctica Cost

First off, how much does it even freaking COST to go to Antarctica. It’s a giant piece of land covered in snow. So…what like a couple hundred??

…

Yeah, no, try thousands. Try FIVE TO SIX DIGITS.

The ticket actual price will vary depending on the tour company you go with and how long of a journey you take and what type of room you choose, but in general the prices can START around $7000 USD for sharing a triple room, and go up into the…whew $20k-$30k ranges when you get into the super nice rooms on longer journeys (*cough National Geographic cruises*). Check out this comparison post of the best Antarctica Cruises when deciding which one works for you.

Personally, I booked my Antarctic cruise with Poseidon Expeditions. They are one of the smaller cruise ships, and although I didn’t necessarily pick out the company (I went with a friend who did all the leg work of researching the different companies – thanks Sara!!), it was a really great experience with Poseidon Expeditions.

NOW THE COSTS.

To know how to pay for Antarctica, you need to know the price tag. For our 11-day cruise (one of the shorter journeys), I booked a double room on the bottom level (a bit cheaper) and I also bought them about 1.5 years in advance which got me a little early bird discount ($1,299.50 USD off each ticket!!). Total, with the discount, I paid $11,695.50 USD a ticket.

Wow, that’s a lot. Yes, I know. IT IS.

Also, why do I keep saying “each ticket,” well, that’s because I bought TWO tickets, so a grand total of $23,390 USD, but…that’s a WHOLE story for another blog post haha.

So moving forward, I’ll just be referring to the single cruise ticket price. Plus, there are a lot of hidden costs to Antarctica that are not always included in that price like airline tickets to Argentina (or wherever your departure port is), lodging before and after the cruise, souvenirs, gear that you will need for the cruise, and potential additional activities that may not be included in the ticket price.

So keep in mind that that actual price can/will be a few hundred to a couple thousand more. Yeah, how to pay for Antarctica just got…more expensive, but let’s worry about the ticket price first.

Is Antarctica Worth it?

Before we get into how to pay for Antarctica, is it even worth it? It’s A LOT of money. I personally do not believe that EVERYONE should travel EVERYWHERE just because it’s there. Like, it’s okay to not want to travel to a specific destination, we all have different interests and different travel styles.

Antarctica is very much so “exploration” based. It is a cruise, but you’re not really going to find the typical amenities of normal cruises. For the most part, there aren’t going to be shows or comedy acts or (formal) nightclubs that you might be used to if you are a frequent cruise goer.

Instead of docking into a warm Caribbean port, it’ll be…well, in Antarctica. You’ll be looking (not touching!!) penguins, going on snowy hikes, jetboating around icebergs, and then going back on board for educational talks and wildlife watching from the ship decks.

Honestly, it’s not for everyone. But for me, and for most people, it is truly a lifechanging experience. There is LITERALLY no place on Earth like it. For that alone, Antarctica is worth the ticket price to me. It’s an incredible place for photography, learning about unique histories, and if you love meeting new people, you’ll meet some of the most interesting people you will ever find.

But if that’s not your thing, that’s okay too! Don’t feel like your life is incomplete if you never visit. That’s what PBS is for.

How to Pay For Antarctica

Alright, now it’s time for the nitty gritty. How to pay for Antarctica?

There are a few ways to pay for Antarctica, but I won’t dwell too long on the obvious ones like…well, just having money. Because if you have the money off the bat, you prob wouldn’t be reading this post. Or idk maybe you would, I don’t know your life (but thanks for reading!)

#1 – Have a savings

This is how most people pay for their Antarctic cruise. They have a lil savings account, either a general one or travel/Antarctica specific, and when there is enough in there, they buy the ticket. Great, straight forward, easy. If you fall under this category, then congratulations – you now know how to pay for Antarctica.

Also, lemme hold a dolla or two.

However, I have a personal issue with this method for a few reasons. One, I don’t have a savings. Two, I don’t have the restraint to plan ahead.

So, let’s move on.

#2 – Have financially comfortable loved ones

The “secret” hack to most things in life, especially if those loved ones are your parents. If they want and are able to gift or contribute to your Antarctica fund with some cold hard cash – GREAT. In fact, that’s probably the best case scenario.

Otherwise, #2 can help with #1 if you are able to move in with them to cut down on housing costs, if they wanna combine bills into a family plan, or maybe chip in to cover your car note or whatever. Hey, if they offer, TAKE IT. It’s one of my favorite ways into scamming your loved ones into paying for your travel.

All with good intentions of course.

You could also announce your Antarctic travel plans to your friends and family and instead of a housewarming/baby shower/marriage gifts, they can throw some cash your way. And maybe some free babysitting/pet sitting for the duration of the cruise too!

I…do not have financially comfortable loved ones. So let’s get into the more drastic measures (and ways how to pay for Antarctica that worked for me).

#3 – Buy a House

“NOW MA’AM I THOUGHT YOU SAID THIS POST WAS FOR THE BROKE GIRLIES?!??”

It is!!! Hear me out.

I have no savings – and I bought a house. Literally, I had $13.00 USD in my bank account. Do you know how embarrassing it was to send that screenshot to the mortgage broker??

So for Americans at least, if you have a 401K, you can use an early withdrawal to cover a down-payment for a house. Of course, this requires having a 401K account but thankfully my job supplies one and matches contributions up to like 5% of my paycheck or something.

I didn’t have that much in there (like $30k? far under the recommended projection lol), but one – was I even going to live long enough to retire anyway? That was the only question I needed to ask that led me to withdrawing the money and buying a house. Yes now that’s all good and dandy but where’s the link of how to pay for Antarctica?

Well, if you have money left over from your withdrawal after paying the down-payment, instead of buying furniture or whatever else responsible people would do…use it toward your Antarctica fund. I used about $6000 USD I had left over to pay toward my Antarctica ticket deposits. I am currently writing this blog post now from my unfurnished house – and I’d do it again too.

Or, yanno, if you already have a house…refinance it lol.

**DO NOT TAKE FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM ME**

#4 – Work Overtime

Now if you don’t have access to the above methods of how to pay for Antarctica, or if you still need more money (like I did), then you’re unfortunately going to have to roll up your sleeves.

If your job offers overtime, now is the time to take it. Convince your coworkers to quit, make up skillsets, offer to train new people (but do it poorly so they take a long time)…like, pull out all the stops to ensure you can secure OT for as much and as long as possible/needed.

This step is absolutely EXHAUSTING and honestly a little rough on your mental and physical health. But hey, what part of being broke isn’t?

Personally, I did about four months of working 60-72 hour weeks. It sucked. But…I made a lot more money. It also gave people the impression that I was hardworking instead of just desperate, so that was a nice side effect. How to pay for Antarctica? I unfortunately had to get up and work 🙁

#5 – Sell a Bunch of Stuff

I’ll eventually do a blog post on how to set up a successful garage sale (I do one every year and get a few hunnid), but in the meantime, here’s a few quick sales tips to get you a little extra cash. The easiest thing to go through is your clothes. Chances are, you probably have a few pieces in the back of your closet that you never wear, or maybe have never worn at all.

If you have any pieces that are too small, too big, don’t fit right, or maybe just aren’t your style anymore? Sell ’em. You’re trying to pay thousands for an Antarctic trip, so be honest with yourself. Take them to any consignment store and see how much CASH you can get for them – heads up, it’s going to be offensively low, but think about the end game. You can also use like Poshmark and stuff. It’s a lil more legwork – but higher payout.

Other sellable items to look at are books (I KNOWWW I know), video games, tools…go through your stuff and you’ll be surprised by the amount of things you never use on a daily/monthly/YEARLY basis. For the small things, you can use user-to-user platforms like eBay, Mercari, OfferUp, Poshmark, dePop, Facebook Marketplace…hey, even Craigslist, but be careful and vigilant when meeting up with anyone in person.

Anything you can’t sell, feel free to donate to a non-profit/Goodwill and keep the receipt to write it off on your taxes 🙂

**CONSULTE A TAX PERSON: DO NOT TAKE FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM ME**

#6 – Get a Side-Gig

We’re getting into the final hours of how to pay for Antarctica, now is not the time for dignity. Not in this economy. I tried out a few side gigs, though the only one that really stuck and worked for me and my schedule was food delivery apps and writing articles for travel publications.

However there’s also rideshares, dog walking, Task Rabbit, OnlyFans, temporarily/permanently monetizing a hobby, babysitting, be in the kitchen cooking pies with your baby…there’s a lot of side gigs out there. I’d recommend trying out a few and seeing which one you vibe with the most.

#7 – Use Credit

Aight, you’ve exhausted all other avenues and you still are coming up a bit short. That’s okay, I did too! It happens. So, what now? How to pay for Antarctica from here?

You don’t.

The bank does lol.

Ideallyyyy, you’ll only have a bit left over after all the other steps, but hey if your credit limit is high enough you COULD technically put it all on credit. I’m not scared of debt, which is probably not a “good” mindset, so I’m not gonna judge you.

I already bought a house; I could care less about a credit score lol, but to make it easier on yourself imma give you some things that helped me on how to pay for Antarctica with credit.

First, if you have any “balance transfer offers,” use that! It will at least give you time, usually 6+ months, of interest free financing. If that’s not available, try opening a new credit card that has high cash back or great rewards; the cash back is great because you can immediately apply that to your bill, or you can use the miles/points to cover a few of the other hidden costs of Antarctica like airfare and hotels.

Okay womp womp you gotta put it on credit and you probabllyyy won’t have it paid off for the next billing cycle. Is going to Antarctica NOW worth paying an extra $100-$300 (or more depending on how long it takes you to pay off)?

If it is, then don’t sweat! It’ll get paid off when it gets paid off. Just continue working a little harder and budgeting until you’re in a good spot again.

A few of the travel credit cards that I have are the Alaska Airlines card, the Delta Airlines card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, the Capital One Venture card, and the AMEX Hilton Honors Express card.

Wow…I have…a lot haha. BUT, if you would like a referral to any, just email me at awktravels@gmail(dot) com. I’m not a partner with any of them, I don’t have an affiliate code or anything, but we’d both get EXTRA bonus points, so why not?

#8 – An Act of Divine Intervention

Hey, if all else fails…maybe you’ll just get lucky haha. I was personally hoping one of these would come through for me, BUT ALAS none of them did.

The biggest one is winning the lottery. Idk how many crystal balls you need to rub for this, but clearly I did not rub enough. Another great one would be bumping into a rebellious prince/princess/princet just in time to be their impromptu “fake date” to a royal ball but you actually fall madly in love and marry into wealth.

Or just…marry into wealth in general without all the fanfare. That works too.

You could find a sugar daddy and finesse your way into a will/trust. Or maybe get into an “accident” at the convenient fault of a major corporation and have a nice settlement chunk coming your way, then that would be quite dandy as well!

Worst case…you put in your deposit for Antarctica, but -uh oh!- it’s going to take you a lil longer to work out how to pay for Antarctica that works for your situation.

You aren’t a failure! Just…push back your cruise date another year! Cruise companies are very understanding. They want you on board as much as you do. Plus, they already got their deposit money so they’re good.

How to Go to Antarctica for FREE (or heavily discounted)!

So let’s say you go through this whole list of how to pay for Antarctica and you’re like…mmm…yeah no not feelin’ it. Sounds like a lot of work, sounds like a lot of money…how to pay for Antarctica AT A DISCOUNT???

Don’t worry, there are cheaper (and even free/PAID) ways to get to the southern continent. I am planning a whole separate post for all of these ways, but real quick, I’ll bullet point them:

• Be extremely flexible with time and show up in Ushuaia to buy a last minute ticket at about 50% off
• Work for a tour company as ship crew (you’ll want to apply in April-July)
• Work/intern for a tour company as expedition leads or at a government base (usually for scientists/science based fields)
• Work as PR for a tour company or host a group trip (for bloggers, influencers, or those with a social media/internet presence)

If you don’t mind your trip to Antarctica not being entirely leisurely, then you can potentially save a ton of money or maybe not pay at all! It’s not something many people can do, but if you’d like to read more about this option, keep an eye out for my upcoming post.

When to Pay for Your Trip

With all that said, thankfully, you do not have to pay for EVERYTHING all at once. The best part of learning how to pay for Antarctica was that all you need is the initial deposit to reserve your spot. Usually somewhere between 3%-10% of your total ticket cost, depending on the company. After that, you have until 90 days before departure to pay for the rest of it!

Plus, you can book cruises a year or two in advance, so along with getting an early bird special, you also have more time to really commit to paying for your ticket. If you’re someone who likes to budget, this makes it easy to calculate roughly how much you should be putting aside each month (or whatever frequency works for you). For example, if you book a $6,000 USD ticket 2 years in advance, after a $1,000 deposit or so, that’s about $200 a month.

When I did food delivery, I would make about $300 a month so doing that for a while would cover it (give or take because life comes up yanno).

And you can even pay as you go in smaller chunks if you are someone who DOESN’T like to budget and will probably spend any savings you do manage to put away. At least for Poseidon Expeditions, there was no extra fee or penalty for breaking up payments into as many as needed (I literally made a $37 payment once, but I got there eventually).

Conclusion: How to Pay for Antarctica

Wow, thanks for going through how to pay for Antarctica with me! It’s been a financial journey for SURE, but one that was ultimately worth it to me. I mean, I was living paycheck to paycheck before, soo…nothing really has changed except now I’ve been to a whole new continent! If you have any other tips on how to pay for Antarctica from one brokie to another, please leave your advice in the comments below!

Did any of these methods for how to pay for Antarctica surprise you? I mean…it is a lot of money, but if you can travel leisurely at all, you can work towards it! There’s no rush!

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