As no one owns the Antarctic continent, no visitors require a visa or passport; however, a valid passport will be required for any stops en route, and visas and passports may be needed for points of departure. Most Western countries are signatories of the
Antarctica Treaty and those wishing to visit Antarctica independently must obtain a permit.
Health
Extreme cold temperatures and wind chill can lead to hypothermia. Due to the thin ozone layer it is essential that a high protection sunscreen be worn, and the glare from the ice and water necessitates the wearing of sunglasses.
The crossing of rough seas will require most passengers to take some form of seasickness preventative medication. All passenger ships have an onboard doctor, but health insurance is imperative and must include emergency evacuation, which can be exorbitantly expensive.
Safety
The waters around Antarctica can be extremely rough, and in bad conditions loose equipment not tied down on board ship can cause injury; similarly passengers can be caught off balance during high seas. Sea ice is a polar hazard and icebergs are capable of sinking even a large ship. A cruise ship hit ice just off the
Antarctic Peninsula on 23 November 2007 and started sinking, causing the evacuation of its 154 passengers and crew. The incident serves to highlight the dangers of Antarctic tourism. The
US and
UK warned a conference of Antarctic treaty nations that the tourism situation in the Antarctic region was a disaster in the making with some cruise ships carrying in excess of 3,000 people, and more than 35,000 people visiting during the season.
