Antarctica cruises 2026

The cruise season in Antarctica runs from November until the end of March. Outside of this period there are no cruises to Antarctica due to the harsh weather and ice conditions.

Each month offers something different in Antarctica.

November is spring in Antarctica and penguin chicks begin to hatch. As the month goes on the days get longer.

December has the longest hours and warmest temperatures for visiting the 7th continent. Wildlife is very active during this month making it one of the best months to visit.

January is perhaps our favourite month in Antarctica. We have nearly 24 hours a day of sunlight. There are plenty of penguin chicks and it’s a great month for seeing seals and whales. The sea ice also further breaks up making more places accessible.

February also offers great opportunities for wildlife watching. The sea ice is usually at its lowest.

In March, as autumn gets underway in Antarctica, the nights get darker and the temperatures get colder. It’s a good month to spot whales and seals, although many of the penguin chicks will be gone.

Our Antarctica cruises depart from Ushuaia in Argentina.

Ushuaia has good international connections to Buenos Aires for international connections to the rest of the world. LATAM airlines serve Ushuaia on a frequent basis.

Our Antarctica cruises typically take just 48 guests, the smallest group size available. In Antarctica some landing sites aren’t open to ships with greater guest numbers. A small ship gives us greater flexibility and allows us to explore areas larger ships cannot visit.

Unlike larger vessels with higher passenger capacities, our voyages are personal and unique in their approach. Travelling with a small group of guests means more time and flexibility exploring and less time waiting to go ashore.

Our small expedition vessels will get you closer to nature and the landscapes you came to see than larger ships, offering you a great deal more intimacy.

Our small ship adventures give you the opportunity to experience Antarctica first hand on a real adventure, without the crowds of people on larger ships. Our goal is to make you part of the adventure.

A number of companies offer cruises to Antarctica.

The average number of passengers on large ships is over 250. In our opinion that is too many people to be landing at sensitive places in Antarctica. Quite often guests are split into groups, as not all guests can visit the shore at the same time due to restrictions at the landing sites.

Our small ship allows all guests to be ashore at the same time and have unrestricted access to all the landing sites in Antarctica.

Many companies advertise small ship cruises to Antarctica, but their definition of a ‘small ship’ varies and can range from anything from 500 guests down to 50 guests. The difference between travelling with 250 guests and 44 guests is huge. 

Our small ship cruises to Antarctica are the way they should be: intimate, low impact, and offering our guests the richest experience possible.

One of the main reasons to take a cruise to Antarctica is to spend time marvelling at the awe-inspiring wildlife.

The great thing about Antarctica is that it is very easy to encounter wildlife close up, and we visit many key wildlife sites on our expeditions.

Antarctica is home to a variety of birdlife, including penguins. We will explore many penguin rookeries where you will see these amazing creatures close up.

On our expeditions we frequently encounter gentoo, Adélie, chinstrap, and king penguins. In the water and on the ice we frequently sight leopard, crabeater, and Weddell seals. Swimming near the ship we often encounter whales and orcas.

A part of the adventure of an expedition cruise is to spend time exploring the wilderness, which means every trip is different. 

Our route is decided on the day of boarding and is chosen by the expedition leader and the captain, in line with the prevailing weather and ice conditions. Their aim is to ensure that you see the very best that Antarctica has to offer.

On a typical cruise, you can expect daily shore landings (usually two per day, depending on the conditions), along with Zodiac cruising. We will visit penguin rookeries, remote beaches, and sites of historical and natural interest, such as glaciers, and undertake short wilderness hikes.

The temperature on the Antarctic Peninsula during the summer months is warmer than most people imagine and not unlike a northern European winter.

During the summertime the temperatures are usually above freezing in January, with temperatures of around 1 or 2 °C. When the sun is out and there is no wind it can feel much warmer.

The weather in Antarctica is changeable and temperatures can feel much colder when it is windy.

We will supply you with a comprehensive packing list at the time of booking that outlines the types of clothing you will need to keep you comfortable on your Antarctica cruise.

Our cruises are suitable for the vast majority of people and we aim to make them as accessible as possible. 

We ask that our guests have a good level of mobility, as it is a requirement that you can safely step down from the vessel into the landing craft and then exit the landing craft onto the shore. 

Due to the remote areas we visit and the distance from medical assistance, we advise that you have a reasonable level of fitness and are in good general health. 

We have multiple guides which enables us to split the group during shore landings if we have some keen hikers and some other guests who want to take things at a more leisurely pace.

We don’t have any age restrictions on our trips and we pride ourselves on having a diverse range of guests from all over the world, united by a passion for exploration. 

In the past we have had young professionals eager to explore, through to middle-aged solo travellers looking for their next adventure and retirees keen to see Antarctica in a more in-depth way. Our trips are friendly and inclusive for all our guests.

Yes, you can, and every year we welcome solo travellers on board, where you will find a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

We offer different accommodation options for solo travellers, including single cabins and sharing a cabin with travellers of the same gender.

That’s a great question and one we want to answer honestly.

The vessels we work with don’t burn heavy fuels, which are particularly detrimental to the environment, and run on standard marine diesel. 

During our cruises, we follow very strict guidelines as set out by IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators) to ensure minimal impact on the wildlife and places we visit. This includes following strict rules about not disturbing wildlife in its natural habitat. 

We employ highly experienced expedition leaders to run our expeditions in accordance with the rules and safety code laid out by IAATO. 

We are proud members of 1% for the Planet, pledging to donate at least 1% of our annual revenue to charitable causes that benefit our world. 

In addition, we support the Yachts for Science initiative, regularly taking scientists and researchers on our expedition vessels, giving them the transport and space they need to complete their important work.

We believe that working with local communities is a big part of responsible tourism and hire locally wherever possible.