Antarctica Cruise & Holiday

The harsh and remote wilderness of Antarctica is often described as ‘The Final Frontier’ or ‘The White Continent’. It is an eerie and desolate region explored by explorers such as Shackleton and Scott. There are a number of fantastic vessels that explore this spectacular continent from October-March every year.

The end of the earth is explored by joining a exploration cruise that sails between the icebergs, endless frozen, snowy landscapes and penguin colonies.

What are the highlights of an Antarctica cruise?

  • Expedition - a cruise of Antarctica is the only way to explore this unique and seldom-visited part of our planet. Depending on which boat you select, then the cruise can be luxurious, but these are expeditions with likeminded explorers as opposed to luxury cruises.
  • Wildlife - you can witness with your own eyes scenes that you would expect in a David Attenborough documentary. From penguins to seal pups to albatross; it is epic.
  • Beauty - Antartica is a continent like no other, and cruising around these barren landscapes is sure to amaze.
  • Guides - the expert guides to these regions adapt to the ever-changing weather conditions, and optimise your wildlife-spotting opportunities to ensure that you get the very most from your trip. They are super-knowledgeable, passionate, and they love what they do.

  • How long does an Antarctica cruise last?


    There are many different itineraries varying in length and route. It is an enviable position to be in if you can deliberate how long you would like to spend discovering. As a guide, the shorter trips can be 6 days in length for a glimpse of the continent and extend to an all-encompassing 30 day option, with alternatives for everything in between.

    How do you get to Antarctica?


    There are two ways to get to Antarctica, that is to fly or go by boat. Last season, 90% of people took the boat -  and we feel it is part of the experience. If you are short of time and want to avoid Drake's passage, then we advise flying from Ushuaia in Argentina as this will cut out around 4 days of sailing.

    Map of Antarctica

    Map of Antarctica

    What are the best Antarctica ships?


    There are many ships that explore Antarctica, and selecting the right one for you is crucial in ensuring that your trip is just what you are looking for in terms of comfort and luxury, the size of the ship, the activities available and the level and expertise of the guiding.

    Below we have highlighted a couple of our absolute standout ships that we absolutely love and wholly recommend.

    The best ships



    When is the best time to visit


    As the packed ice starts to break around mid October the ships begin to arrive for the Antarctica exploration season that runs from late October to March. Every month is different and this very brief outline will help give you a little more information. For further guidance please do get in touch. 

  • November
  • This is the start of the season as the Antarctic is coming out of the extreme winter weather so there will be icebergs to navigate around. The lands are extremely white during these months as there have been no visitors in the harsh season's preceding where temperatures could have been as low as -60°C. During this month it is penguin mating season (Adelie, Chinstrap and Gentoo) and seabirds such as the albatross are regularly spotted. There are around 18 hours of daylight and the average temperature is low of -2 to highs of 4°C (28-37°F).

  • December-January
  • Penguin chicks are hatching and the feeding frenzy begins. This is the peak season where Baleen and toothed whales are more frequently seen. Cruising around during these months is easier as the ice has broken up considerably.  There are around 18 hours of daylight and the avergage temperature is low of -1 to highs of 5°C (30-41°F).

  • February-March
  • Whales are most easily spotted in vast numbers as the summer months have melted lots of the ice. During these months the chicks are malting and developing adult plumage and the colonies are not as large as many penguins spend the day at sea fishing. The trails are a more slushy due to the heat and visitors over the past few months. There are around 16 hours of daylight and the average temperature is low of -0.5 to highs of 6°C (33-44°F).

    Does Antarctica appeal to you?



    We know the continent and the ships that sails these waters very well. Please do get in touch to find out more about designing your expedition to the Antarctica.







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