Top 10 Antarctic cruises
There’s more than one way to explore Antarctica – as our best Antarctic cruises reveal. These are often once-in-a-lifetime expeditions, so you might want to take in Patagonia, the Falklands or South Georgia while you’re at it – or save time and pennies by sailing (or even flying) straight to the Antarctic Peninsula. Some cruises concentrate on whales, while others specialise in human history – the impact of whaling and near-mythical explorations on the White Continent.
Our top 10 sifts through the huge choice of expeditions and reveals our best cruises to Antarctica.
Our top 10 sifts through the huge choice of expeditions and reveals our best cruises to Antarctica.
1. Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica cruise
Our best-selling Antarctic cruise is a truly epic voyage, pushing off from Puerto Madryn in Argentina – one of the best places to see southern right whales. Over three weeks, you’ll swing by the Falkland Islands and South Georgia before heading south to the Antarctic Peninsula and finishing back on the South American continent in Ushuaia. You can also choose to flip the route – will it be the Drake Passage first or last?
Our top cruise: Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica cruise
See all our cruises: Antarctica small ship cruises
Read more: Antarctica and Falklands travel guide and South Georgia travel guide
Our top cruise: Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica cruise
See all our cruises: Antarctica small ship cruises
Read more: Antarctica and Falklands travel guide and South Georgia travel guide
2. Classic Antarctic cruise
This classic cruise gets to the point, setting course straight for the Antarctic Peninsula from Ushuaia. At 12 days long, it’s a (relatively) short trip – great for those short on time or looking to save some pennies. However, there’s still plenty of time to savour lectures and extraordinary wavescapes on your two-day crossing of the Drake Passage, as well as the whales, seals and penguins of the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula.Our top cruise: Classic Antarctica cruise and South Shetland Islands
See all our cruises: Antarctica holidays
Read more: Antarctica travel guide
3. Antarctic Peninsula on a (really) small ship cruise
We only sell small ship cruises – but there’s small… and then there’s small. This cruise gives you the chance to choose a vessel that holds as few as 60 passengers. What’s the difference? This is an exceptionally friendly voyage with a real sense of kinship, where you get to know everyone and have the opportunity to spend quality time with the polar guides and conservationists on board.Our top cruise: Antarctic Peninsula cruise
See all our cruises: Antarctic cruises
Read more: Antarctica travel guide
4. Cross the Antarctic Circle
Not all Antarctica Cruises venture as far south as this – 66 degrees, 33 minutes south, to be precise. You’ll join a privileged few who can say they’ve been in the Antarctic Circle. What will you do when you’re over the line? Paddleboard or kayak, or take a polar plunge to celebrate? Or do something weird and be ‘the first person to sing Bohemian Rhapsody in its entirety whilst south of the Antarctic Circle’?
Our top cruise: Antarctic Peninsula crossing the Polar Circle cruise
See all our cruises: Antarctica holidays
Read more: Crossing the Antarctic Circle
Our top cruise: Antarctic Peninsula crossing the Polar Circle cruise
See all our cruises: Antarctica holidays
Read more: Crossing the Antarctic Circle
5. Cruise Shackleton’s route across the Weddell Sea
The Antarctic summer reveals a rare chance to explore the remote Weddell Sea, where Shackleton’s Endurance was trapped and wrecked in 1915. It’s just east of the Antarctic Peninsula – a patch of wild and remote icebergs that’s rich in krill. And where there’s krill, there are feeding cetaceans and bustling penguin colonies, including the rarely sighted emperor penguin.Our top cruise: Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea cruise
See all our cruises: Antarctica small ship cruises
Read more: Antarctica travel guide
6. Antarctica by plane & small cruise ship
If you don’t have the time – or the stomach – to cross the notoriously wobbly Drake Passage, flying is another option. The flight across the Southern Ocean skips from Punta Arenas in Chile to King George Island in the South Shetlands in 2.5 hours. The cruise sets off from there, spending four nights meandering around the Antarctic Peninsula.Our top cruise: Antarctica fly and cruise
See all our cruises: Antarctica holidays
Read more: How to get to Antarctica guide and Antarctica travel guide
7. Cruise Antarctica & Patagonia
Combine the frigid grandeur of Antarctica and the wildlife-rich South Shetland Islands with the tranquil beauty of Patagonia’s Chilean fjords. At the heart of this maze of channels lies Bernardo O’Higgins National Park. You might visit the tiny fishing village of Puerto Eden, and purchase some of the exquisitely made handicrafts – perhaps not a canoe, but certainly a basket.
Our top cruise: Patagonia and Classic Antarctica cruise holiday
See all our cruises: Antarctica holidays
Read more: Antarctica travel guide
Our top cruise: Patagonia and Classic Antarctica cruise holiday
See all our cruises: Antarctica holidays
Read more: Antarctica travel guide
8. Scuba diving in Antarctica
Float up against icebergs and see penguins overtake you with ease as you explore one of the most unique places on earth in one of the least conventional ways possible. Scuba diving in Antarctica is the preserve of the very experienced; what awaits are the extraordinary undersea phenomena that occur when the water is below one degree centigrade. Non-diving partners are welcome, just brace yourself for the post-dive photo slide shows.Our top cruise: Antarctic diving expedition cruise
See all our cruises: Antarctica wildlife holidays
Read more: Antarctica diving article
9. New Zealand to the Ross Sea expedition cruise
Cruises from New Zealand are a rare chance to approach Antarctica from the east, aiming for the little-visited edge of Antarctica: the Ross Sea. Explore the Transantarctic Mountains, abandoned explorers’ huts and vast ice shelves. The New Zealand subantarctic islands are ecological treasures, too – forested nature reserves where bolshy seabird colonies and amazingly adapted flora are the only permanent inhabitants.Our top cruise: Antarctica bird watching cruise from New Zealand
See all our cruises: Subantarctic Islands holidays
Read more: Subantarctic Islands travel guide
10. Luxury cruise to Antarctica
Comfort is key on luxury Antarctic cruises. They’re the biggest ships we offer – around 260 passengers – and come with cabins kitted out with wide windows so you can watch icebergs glide by from your bed. Despite the cushy quarters, you’ll end up spending more time on deck, where Zodiac boats launch for whale watching and walks along bleak penguin beaches.Our top cruise: Antarctic, South Georgia and Falklands luxury cruise
See all our cruises: Antarctica small ship cruises
Read more: Antarctica travel guide
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