What Is Zodiac Cruising?

One of the biggest thrills of your Antarctic expedition is sure to be your first zodiac ride! Zodiacs play a key role in Antarctic and Arctic expedition cruises, but what exactly are they?

This guide to zodiac cruising will help you better understand what to expect on your upcoming Polar adventure.

What is a zodiac?

Zodiacs are very sturdy inflatable boats with an outboard motor. These open-air boats usually hold around 8-10 passengers, plus the driver (who is also your expedition guide), and their designs are ideal for sightseeing and photography.

They’re very durable and stable, but with the benefit of a small size, allowing them to easily manoeuvre into small inlets and bays.

As a passenger, you’ll sit on the edge of the zodiac, with ropes on each side that you can grasp for extra balance. The zodiac is driven by a trained expedition guide who controls the direction and speed, but can also completely shut off the engine to enjoy a serene moment of quiet amongst the ice while you’re out on the water.

In the Polar regions, these boats are referred to as zodiacs but if you happen to go on a Galapagos cruise, zodiacs are also used – but are known as pangas

Why are zodiacs an essential part of expedition cruising?

When exploring remote regions of the planet, like Antarctica and the Arctic, expedition cruises maximise your time off the ship and on the ice — thanks to zodiacs!

Expeditions are unlike traditional cruise ships that focus on your onboard experience as each Polar expedition is different. Your captain and crew will select optimal landing sites, depending on weather and wildlife — and weather permitting, you’ll get off the ship twice each day, via the zodiacs.

What happens on an Antarctic zodiac cruise?

Zodiacs are used as transport to get off your ship and onto shore. In Antarctica, there are no ports or docks, but instead, you’ll be transported via your zodiac. And while zodiacs will move you to and from the ship, they’re so much more than just a method of transport — they’re also a lot of fun!

Your zodiac adventure may include many different activities, immersing you in the pristine Polar environment. These include:

Wildlife watching

One of the most popular uses for zodiacs is to observe the incredible wildlife that Antarctica is known for. On your zodiac cruise, you might cruise around icebergs, looking for solitary leopard seals resting on the ice. Or, sit silently in awe as a humpback whale breaches nearby.

From penguins porpoising through the water to playful seal pups, it’s impossible to know what wildlife you might see on each cruise — but that’s all part of the fun!

Icebergs and landscape viewing

In addition to wildlife, being at the water’s level on the zodiac brings incredible views of ice floes and pack ice. If you listen carefully, you’ll hear their gentle cracks and creaks as the ice shifts through the sea.

On your zodiac, you can also see grand icebergs in the distance and Antarctica’s inspiring landscapes of jagged peaks, glaciers, and mountains.

Citizen science programs

Being out on the water means you’re perfectly positioned to take part in the citizen science programs! These are activities where you collect data about the environment that’s later shared with scientists, helping them increase their knowledge of the fragile Polar ecosystems.

If you capture a photo on your zodiac cruise of a whale’s fluke, for example, you can upload it to Happywhale, which tracks the movement of humpbacks and other whale species through our oceans.

Or, your expedition leader might help you take a water sample, which can then be analysed under a microscope back on the ship to look for phytoplankton, a key indicator of ocean health.

It’s an incredible feeling to know that your Antarctic trip has directly benefited the scientific community! Our ships partner with The Polar Citizen Science Collective to ensure the programs we partake in are evidence-based and offer genuine benefits to researchers and scientists.

Photography

Another very popular zodiac activity is photography! Once the boat is still, it’s stable enough that you can stand up or move around (with your driver’s permission, of course) to take photos or videos of the wildlife and landscapes all around you.

Whether you’re shooting on your iPhone or on a professional camera with the ultimate zoom lens, you’ll be impressed with the stunning images you can create on your cruise.

Knowledge sharing from your expedition guide

While feeling the wind as you cruise through Antarctica’s bay and inlets in your zodiac is unforgettable, your cruise won’t just be an adrenaline rush — it’ll also be educational.

Your expedition guide is just as passionate about Antarctica as you are and usually has a professional background in a relevant field like marine biology, wildlife photography, or environmental science. As you explore, they’ll share their knowledge with you about what you’re seeing and they can also answer any questions you might have about the wildlife or landscapes you’re seeing.

Fitness and Antarctic zodiac cruise access 

Looking at a zodiac bobbing around in the water, you might be wondering about how much fitness is needed for a Polar cruise. Generally, most people with a moderate amount of fitness are able to get in and out of zodiac boats, but you’ll likely find it’s easier than you think.

The crew will assist you with entering and exiting the zodiac and will provide a full safety and educational briefing to all travellers before your first excursion.

Getting on and off the zodiacs on shore, you may have to wade through a little bit of water and often will need to walk across rocky or uneven ground. However, there'll be several expedition crew at each landing site to give you a helping hand and guide you to the beach, where you can start exploring.

Also, if the weather conditions are particularly windy or choppy one morning and you don’t feel comfortable, it’s totally ok to stay on the ship and soak up the scenery from the back deck — the choice is always yours!

If you have any questions about zodiac cruising, you’re welcome to give us a call and ask our experienced Destination Specialists. Or, you can ask your crew onboard and they’ll walk you through what to expect.