Antarctica Cruises

Choosing a Voyage

How to choose an Antarctica cruise

We sell Antarctica voyages with three expedition cruise lines, HX Expeditions, Viking Expeditions and Aurora Expeditions, and all three have published voyages for the 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 seasons. Every one of the voyages below takes you to the Antarctic Peninsula by expedition ship, with landings by small boat, an Expedition Team of naturalists and scientists, and almost everything included in the fare. The differences lie in how long you have, where you start and finish, and what else you see along the way. These are the questions we talk through with most people when they call.

Time on the ice, or total length?

The number that matters most is not the length of the voyage but the number of days in Antarctica itself. Every voyage from Ushuaia spends roughly four days crossing the Drake Passage there and back, so a twelve day trip gives you up to five days on the Peninsula, while sixteen days can give you up to nine. The longer Fram voyages cover more ground, but some of that time is spent in the Falklands, South Georgia and at sea, so the In-Depth South Georgia voyage has only up to four days in Antarctica in its twenty three. If ice is your priority, look at the Explorer's Route, the Antarctic Circle Expedition or the late season Punta Arenas voyage, which has up to ten.

Fly in to Ushuaia, or sail with MS Fram from Chile?

Most voyages start with a night in Buenos Aires and an included charter flight to Ushuaia, where you board MS Roald Amundsen or MS Fridtjof Nansen. It is simple, quick and the flights there and back are part of the fare. The voyages on MS Fram work differently. Two begin with a night in Santiago de Chile and a flight to Punta Arenas, and the springtime voyage sails straight out of Buenos Aires. They are longer journeys, and the ship is smaller, with just 200 guests. The new Antarctica & Patagonia Expedition in October 2027 is different again: MS Fridtjof Nansen boards in Valparaíso and sails south through the Chilean fjords before crossing to Antarctica.

Adding the Falklands and South Georgia

The Falkland Islands add albatross and rockhopper penguin colonies, sandy beaches and the small capital of Stanley, and five voyages include them. South Georgia, with its vast king penguin colonies and Shackleton's grave at Grytviken, is visited on the two twenty three day voyages on MS Fram and, from 2028/29, on the new nineteen day Kingdoms of Ice & Wildlife voyage from Ushuaia on MS Roald Amundsen. If you are only going to go once and have three weeks, it is very hard to argue against including it.

Flights included, or flights extra?

This is the biggest difference between the cruise lines. Viking fares include return flights from London to Buenos Aires, while HX fares start in Buenos Aires and Aurora fares start in Ushuaia or Punta Arenas, or in Buenos Aires on their 2028/29 Greg Mortimer departures, so you either arrange your own flights or we add them for you. When you compare prices, add the cost of flights to the HX fare. Both include the charter flight between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia where the voyage needs it.

Sail the Drake, or fly over it?

If the thought of two days each way on the Drake Passage is what has been putting you off, look at Aurora Expeditions. Their Fly the Drake voyages start in Punta Arenas in Chile with a two hour charter flight to King George Island, where you board the ship, and fly back at the end, so you reach the Peninsula in a fraction of the time. The Antarctic Explorer and Wild Antarctica voyages fly one way and sail the other. Flights are weather dependent, but for people short of time, or nervous of rough seas, it is the obvious answer.

Small ships and adventure activities

Aurora’s three ships take no more than 130 guests on an Antarctic expedition, the smallest numbers of any of our cruise lines, and they are known for their activities. Sea kayaking, camping on the ice, snowshoeing, ski touring, snorkelling and even scuba diving can all be added, and Antarctica Active bundles several of them into the fare. Aurora also go further than most, with the Ross Sea Odyssey from Tasmania and the Epic Antarctica crossing from New Zealand.

Which ship?

MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen are identical hybrid powered sister ships carrying up to 490 guests, with three restaurants, an infinity pool, panoramic sauna and balconies on half the cabins. MS Fram is smaller and more intimate, with two restaurants and fewer guests at every landing. Our HX fleet page compares them in detail. Viking sail two identical sister ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, each carrying 378 guests in 189 staterooms, all with a Nordic Balcony, and with an enclosed marina for boarding the Zodiacs and two small submarines. Aurora’s fleet is three near identical X-BOW ships, the Greg Mortimer, Sylvia Earle and Douglas Mawson, each taking 130 guests on expedition.

The Voyages

HX Antarctica cruises for 2026 to 2029

All ten voyages, from the shortest to the longest. Not every voyage runs every season: two are new, one sails only in 2027/28 and another only from 2028/29, so the seasons are shown for each. Click through for the full itinerary, dates and brochure fares for every season. All ten are operated by HX Expeditions, where you can read more about the cruise line itself.

Viking Expeditions

Viking Antarctica cruises for 2027 to 2029

Three voyages on Viking’s expedition sister ships, all with return flights from London included in the fare. Click through for the full itinerary and every departure date with today’s prices, or read more about Viking Expeditions.

Aurora Expeditions

Aurora Expeditions Antarctica cruises for 2026 to 2029

Twenty one voyages on Aurora’s small X-BOW ships, from eight days flying over the Drake Passage to thirty four days crossing the continent from New Zealand. The 2028/29 season is now on sale, with new special editions for photographers, filmmakers and whale watchers, and Greg Mortimer departures that start in Buenos Aires with the flights to Ushuaia included. Click through for the full itinerary and every departure with today’s fares, or read more about Aurora Expeditions.

Planning Your Trip

What's included, when to go and the ships

What is in the fare. HX voyages are close to all inclusive: meals, wine, beer and spirits, gratuities, Wi-Fi, an expedition jacket to keep and all the landings and lectures. Our what's included page sets out exactly what is covered, what costs extra and what the suite fares add. Viking fares also include return flights from London, and our Viking what's included page explains the rest. Aurora include premium drinks throughout the voyage and a polar jacket to keep, as set out on our Aurora what's included page.

When to go. Each season runs from late October to early April. Early voyages see deep snow and courting penguins, midsummer brings chicks and long days, and late season is best for whales and sunsets. Our when to go guide explains the differences month by month.

The ships. Read more about MS Roald Amundsen, MS Fridtjof Nansen and MS Fram, or see our guide to life on board. When you are ready, our how to book page explains the next steps.