I Embarked on a Dream Cruise to Antarctica—Then I Contracted COVID

It was a Friday afternoon this spring, and instead of boarding my flight back to New York, I found myself stuck in a hotel room in the mountains, two hours from Ushuaia, Argentina. Under normal circumstances, it would have been delightful. The lodge was perched by a lake with pebble beaches, surrounded by majestic ice-capped peaks, close to Alberto de Agostini National Park. This is the kind of destination that adventurous souls dream of exploring.

However, I wasn’t there to trek the tree-lined paths or swim in the chilly lake like other travelers. I had been isolated there, ordered to quarantine after testing positive for COVID aboard a ship that docked in Ushuaia two days earlier. I had just experienced two weeks in Antarctica on a bucket-list cruise, marveling at whales, penguins, and icebergs. The trip felt surreal, as if I had teleported to another world. But reality hit hard when my antigen test, required to return to Argentina, came back positive.

I knew there were worse places to be quarantined. I also understood how much sicker I could have felt, given that I was only dealing with a fever, chills, and symptoms resembling a severe cold (the first time I had COVID, I was asymptomatic). Yet, despite this, I couldn't shake the overwhelming sense of isolation and uncertainty about what lay ahead.

When I first received my positive test result, required for reentry into Argentina, I was swiftly confined to my cabin on the ship for two days. I cried. Then, I ordered room service while waiting for updates on the next steps from the cruise line’s staff in Ushuaia. Once it was confirmed that I would need to quarantine for seven days (as mandated by Argentinian law) before returning to the U.S., I was quickly transferred from the ship (along with six other passengers and one crew member who also tested positive) to the most remote hotel possible, arranged and funded by the cruise company, after the other guests had disembarked.

During the first few days, I was instructed to remain in my room, where I ordered meals via WhatsApp and gazed longingly at the distant lake. By day three, we were permitted to take walks, so I enjoyed long, leisurely strolls with two or three others from my “quaranteam.” The fresh air and companionship were refreshing. By day six, I was still testing positive, preventing my return to the U.S., despite nearly having no symptoms. The ship's company informed me to obtain a doctor’s certificate (which I managed over the phone via WhatsApp) confirming my isolation period and current symptom-free status to facilitate my flight home.

In the end, everything turned out fine, and aside from a bit of emotional distress, I was okay. However, dealing with COVID in a foreign country can be daunting. With so many places adhering to different and ever-evolving regulations, it’s challenging to predict the outcome if your test returns positive. Combine that with the anxiety of being in an unfamiliar location where the language may be a barrier, all while potentially carrying a dangerous virus, and it becomes a truly nerve-wracking experience.

One of many

As travel restrictions relax and more people venture out, the risk of contracting COVID while traveling remains a persistent reality. I’m among the many unfortunate travelers who have found themselves gazing sadly at an antigen test displaying two bold red lines, stranded far from home and compelled to remain in place.

Shana Clarke, a writer who caught COVID during a work trip to Spain earlier this year, shared, “The most frightening aspect was the health risks and physical symptoms, as you never know how COVID will develop.” After experiencing allergy-like symptoms, she tested positive shortly after her arrival in Spain. “For the most part, it’s still an unknown disease, so I was anxious, worried about getting really ill. My Spanish is limited. It’s that fear of the unknown steps ahead,” she added.

Fortunately, Clarke was able to easily change her United flight (with no change fees), and her host arranged a hotel room with a kitchenette, even bringing her groceries. It was as comfortable as quarantining alone in a foreign country could be. However, upon her arrival at the hotel, Spain's quarantine regulations shifted, allowing symptom-free individuals to go out even if they tested positive. “I began taking walks on day six for fresh air while remaining cautious around others. [But] I had to be careful because my heart rate was rising,” she noted.

Despite Spain’s new guidelines, Clarke still couldn’t return to the U.S. At that time, the CDC prohibited travelers from reentering the country until they had quarantined for 10 days or obtained a negative test (which she did not have). “It’s frustrating how different countries handle this,” Clarke remarked. “There’s no unified standard for what quarantine or travel should entail. That complicates everything.” After 10 days of quarantine and obtaining a doctor’s letter as confirmation, along with a negative antigen test, she was finally able to fly back to New York.

Nicolette Dantas, an independent marketing consultant from Los Angeles, didn’t even reach her final destination before testing positive. While traveling to India to visit family she hadn’t seen in two years, she tested positive during her layover in Dubai, which required a test. “I tested negative before my flight from LAX to Dubai, so I was shocked to get a positive result upon landing,” she recounts.

Fortunately, Dantas was able to stay at her cousin’s vacant apartment. They were then contacted by Dubai’s health department and instructed to download the COVID-19-DXB Smart App to log their 10-day quarantine. “For the next 10 days, my fiancé and I remained in my cousin’s hotel suite. No matter how luxurious it was, each day brought anxiety, fear, and sheer boredom,” she shares, noting that she was fortunate to have minimal symptoms, thanks to being vaccinated and boosted.

Despite the comfortable arrangements, the what-ifs lingered. “After the initial shock and disappointment of missing out on seeing my family, I grew anxious about the rules surrounding COVID-19 in a foreign land. My biggest fear was not testing negative after quarantine and how that would affect my plans to leave Dubai in time to see my family in India and/or return to the U.S.,” she says. After their isolation period, they received a completion certificate and were free to leave.

Not an insurmountable obstacle

Clarke, Dantas, and I were lucky not to fall seriously ill and to have the opportunity to quarantine in comfortable settings. Traveling with the cruise company ensured that my hotel, meals, and transfers were all taken care of. Scott Dunn, a travel specialist who arranged my flights, also helped me rebook (I had to be rerouted through Miami since there were no direct flights from Buenos Aires to New York that day) and organized transfers and a hotel for my layover in Buenos Aires.

Having someone manage logistics during such a situation is a significant advantage. However, it was still far from perfect. The silver lining is that once a traveler obtains a certificate confirming their recovery from COVID (which must be presented to airlines alongside their positive test results), they can enter many countries without needing a PCR or antigen test for up to 90 days. Research also indicates that immunity tends to be stronger for several months after contracting COVID, allowing for a more carefree travel experience.

The challenging isolation experience hasn’t deterred me from traveling. Despite spending additional days with poor Wi-Fi in a foreign land, which disrupted my plans, I have since traveled to Africa and Mexico, among other international locations. For me, travel is often not just a choice but part of my job. The same goes for Clarke and Dantas. Dantas also intends to continue traveling without hesitation. However, her experience serves as a cautionary reminder. “Next time, I’ll look into the quarantine rules for both my destination and layover and have a backup plan,” she advises. “Most importantly, I’ll remember that I got through it. I’ll [also] invest in a Kindle.”