According to Steve Wellmeier, executive director of the International
Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) will soon ban vessels using high-polluting “heavy
fuels” from entering Antarctic waters. Large-cruise-ship operators may
be forced out of the market when the regulations take effect in
mid-2011, but they will not affect the majority of South Pole
outfitters, whose smaller boats have long burned IMO-approved gas.
Consider the Antarctic Explorer trip from Quark
Expeditions (<!--- 203/803-2888; <a href="http://www.quarkexpeditions.com/" mce_href="http://www.quarkexpeditions.com/" class="external" rel="nofollow">quarkexpeditions.com</a>; -->12
days from $5,890 per person, double), or book with Abercrombie
& Kent, whose 199-person Le Boreal will make
its inaugural 14-day Classic Antarctica journey this December (<!--- 800/554-7016; <a href="http://www.abercrombiekent.com/" mce_href="http://www.abercrombiekent.com/" class="external" rel="nofollow">abercrombiekent.com</a>; -->from
$7,995 per person, double).