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Aurora Expeditions · 15 Days
Spend Christmas and New Year in Antarctica on the Douglas Mawson, with eight days on the Peninsula, a planned crossing of the Antarctic Circle and almost no darkness at all.
The Voyage
There are not many places where you can be sure of snow on Christmas Day, and fewer still where the sun barely sets on it. Antarctic Circle in Depth is Aurora’s festive voyage, leaving Ushuaia on 21 December, right around the southern summer solstice, and returning on 4 January. On the calendar Christmas Day falls on Day 5 and New Year’s Eve on Day 11, so both land within the eight days set aside for Antarctica. Expect festive landings wherever the ship happens to be, and a Christmas feast in the dining room with the ice outside the windows.
Eight days, Days 5 to 12, is a generous amount of time on the Antarctic Peninsula, and it is what lets the ship work its way south past the busier northern landings and, conditions permitting, across the Antarctic Circle at about 66°33' South. This close to the solstice the light is nearly continuous, between 18 and 24 hours a day. Late December is also when penguin chicks are hatching. The colonies are noisy and crowded, and skuas patrol overhead looking for an unguarded egg or chick, which makes for compelling, if not always gentle, watching.
Much of this coast was first charted in detail by the French. Jean-Baptiste Charcot brought the Français south in 1903 and wintered at Booth Island, then returned in the Pourquoi-Pas? and spent the winter of 1909 at Petermann Island. He reached his anchorage there on New Year’s Day and named it Port Circumcision after the feast day. Sailing further south that season he charted a great bay beyond the Circle and named it Marguerite Bay after his wife. Crossing the Circle takes you into the waters he charted.
You sail on the Douglas Mawson, Aurora’s newest ship, built in 2025, with 130 guests on expedition, a heated outdoor pool, a Science Centre and a lecture theatre. A night at Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort before boarding is included, along with premium spirits, cocktails, beer, wine and liqueurs throughout. Aurora also trade as AE Expeditions, and you can see the full list on our what is included page.
Day by Day
Arrive in Ushuaia, where Aurora’s representative meets you and takes you to Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort. If you are already in town, simply make your own way there. Check in is from 3pm, and between 3pm and 7pm the Aurora hospitality desk in the lobby hands out luggage tags, answers questions and suggests places to eat. Arrive after 7pm and a welcome pack will be waiting, with the desk open again from 8am to 10am tomorrow. The rest of the day is free and meals are at your own expense. It is midsummer, so there is plenty of light left for a walk.
After breakfast, tag your cases with your name and cabin number and hand them in at reception. They are taken to the port and will be in your cabin when you arrive. You have a late check out and a hospitality room, so the day is yours: a walk in the hills, the waterfront, or the museums and cafés of the world’s southernmost city, where the last of the Andes meets the Beagle Channel. At the time given by the ground team you meet in the lobby or at the pier car park and board. After the mandatory briefings, gather on deck as the ship pulls away from Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego, then meet the expedition team and crew over a welcome dinner.
Two days crossing the Drake Passage give you time to find your sea legs. The expedition team run through the wildlife guidelines and biosecurity checks needed before the first landing and start their lectures on Antarctic history, wildlife and the environment. Albatrosses and giant petrels glide behind the ship, and between talks there is the gym, the sauna and the Jacuzzis, or simply a seat in the observation lounge. By the afternoon of Day 4 you are nearing the South Shetland Islands and everyone is out looking for the first iceberg. South of the Antarctic Convergence the sea cools sharply and the ice begins. If time and weather allow, you may make a first landing late that afternoon.
Eight days to explore the western Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetlands, with each day planned by the expedition team around weather, ice and wildlife. Zodiacs take you ashore to rookeries, huts and research stations, or along ice cliffs and between grounded bergs. On land you can stroll a beach or climb a snowy ridge. Optional activities run when conditions allow, and the polar plunge awaits the bold. The ship may also cruise narrow straits or wait in a bay while whales feed, with the bridge often open. Conditions permitting, you cross the Antarctic Circle and raise a toast on deck. Christmas brings festive landings and a special Christmas feast on board, and the year turns over with the sun still in the sky. Humpbacks and minkes feed on krill while penguins tend their young.
A last morning landing in the South Shetland Islands usually comes first, then the ship heads north into the Drake. Final lectures and films round off the voyage, and there is time to sort photographs, compare notes and watch the albatrosses one last time. Aurora hope everyone goes home as an ambassador for Antarctica, keen to see it protected so that others can one day see what you have seen. Nearing South America, the captain may sail close to Cape Horn if weather and time allow, the rocky end of the Americas that sailors dreaded for centuries.
The ship sails up the Beagle Channel early in the morning and you can disembark at around 8am. Guests who booked their hotel through Aurora, or who are staying in the centre near the port, are taken to their hotel. With a flight before 2.30pm you transfer straight to Ushuaia airport; with a later flight there is time to explore before an afternoon transfer. The details are confirmed on board. We advise against booking a flight from Ushuaia before midday today, in case of delays.
Every Antarctic itinerary depends on the ice, the weather and the wildlife. The Captain and Expedition Leader choose each day’s landings and Zodiac cruises on the spot, so the order of the days and the places visited can change.
Watch
Some guests celebrate Christmas in Antarctica with a jump into the sea. Aurora’s film shows what the polar plunge involves, should you be tempted.
Video: The Polar Plunge, from Aurora Expeditions on YouTube.
2027/28 Season
Antarctic Circle in Depth sails just once, leaving Ushuaia on 21 December 2027 and returning on 4 January 2028, on the Douglas Mawson. Fares start from £17,013 per person twin share, and savings of up to 15% currently apply. Christmas and New Year sailings are always in demand, partly because they fit around the holidays and partly because of the light, which at the solstice hardly fades. It is also hatching time in the penguin colonies. With one departure and 130 guests, cabins do go early.
One departure in the 2027/28 season, on the Douglas Mawson.
| Departs | Ship | Aurora Stateroom from | Balcony Stateroom from | Suites from | Solo from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Dec 202715 days, Ushuaia round tripSave up to 15% | Douglas Mawson | £17,013was £20,015Limited | £18,453was £21,709 | £27,222was £32,026Limited | £20,015Limited |
Prices are per person in pounds, two sharing, and include Aurora’s current savings. The Solo column is the price for a cabin to yourself. They are taken from Aurora Expeditions’ UK fares on 3 November 2026. Flights from the UK are not included, and we are happy to arrange them for you. Aurora adjust fares and offers often, so prices and availability can change daily. Call us on 0333 405 0194 for today’s fare and the full range of staterooms on your chosen date.
Your Fare
Aurora’s fares cover more than many people expect, including drinks, landings and your polar jacket. On this voyage the price includes:
Not included: flights to and from South America unless shown above, travel insurance (which must include at least US$250,000 of medical, repatriation and evacuation cover), optional add-on activities, visas and personal spending. A crew gratuity of US$20 per person per day is added to your onboard account, and you can adjust or remove it when you settle up. For suite guests the gratuity is already included. Our Aurora what’s included page has more detail.
Make More of It
Four optional activities are offered on this departure: sea kayaking, paddling, snorkelling and snowshoeing. Snowshoeing suits the deeper snow of early summer well. All are booked in advance and numbers are limited. See our activities guide for what each involves.
To make more of the trip, Aurora offer a two day Ushuaia City Stay before the voyage, Taste of Santiago (4 days), the Santiago & Valparaiso Explorer (6 days), Taste of Buenos Aires (4 days), the Buenos Aires & Iguazu Falls Explorer (6 days), the Patagonia Eco Camp (5 days) and the Atacama Desert Adventure (4 days). Our gateway cities guide can help you choose.
| Add-on activity | From, per person |
|---|---|
| Paddling | £269 |
| Snowshoeing | £304 |
| Snorkelling | £535 |
| Sea kayaking | £1,039 |
Activity prices vary by departure. Places are limited, they are booked with your voyage, and every activity depends on the weather and ice on the day. See our Aurora activities page for what each one involves.
Questions
On the dates, yes. The voyage leaves Ushuaia on 21 December 2027, so Christmas Day falls on Day 5, the first of the eight days set aside for the Peninsula, and New Year’s Eve on Day 11. Aurora plan festive landings and a Christmas feast on board. Exactly where the ship is on the day depends on weather and ice.
Fifteen days from Ushuaia and back. Day 1 is a hotel night at Las Hayas, you board on Day 2, cross the Drake on Days 3 and 4, explore Antarctica on Days 5 to 12, cross back on Days 13 and 14 and disembark in Ushuaia at about 8am on Day 15.
That is the plan, conditions permitting. The extra time on this voyage helps, as the ship has more days to work south and to wait out bad weather or ice. Even so, the captain and expedition leader make the call each day, and heavy sea ice can block the route at the start of summer.
Penguin chicks are hatching, so gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie colonies are at their busiest, with skuas hunting around the edges. Weddell and crabeater seals rest on the floes, and humpback and minke whales are feeding on the summer krill. Albatrosses and petrels follow the ship across the Drake.
Yes. Premium spirits, cocktails, beer, wine and liqueurs are included throughout the voyage, as are soft drinks, tea and coffee. A suggested gratuity of US$20 per person per day for the crew and expedition team is added to your onboard account. You can adjust or remove it, and it is included for suite guests.
Plenty of people do. The Douglas Mawson has single staterooms, and Aurora keep up to 10 solo cabins on every sailing with no single supplement. Once those are gone you can book another cabin for sole use with a 50% supplement. With open seating at meals it is easy to make friends on board.
Yes, flights to and from Ushuaia are not included, though airport transfers in the itinerary and your Day 1 hotel night are. Christmas flights to Argentina can fill early, so it pays to book soon after the voyage. Avoid flights leaving Ushuaia before midday on 4 January. We can arrange the flights for you.
Other Voyages
If Christmas dates do not suit, Across the Antarctic Circle covers similar ground in 13 days with departures through the season. For more ice and the Weddell Sea as well, look at Southern Antarctic Realms, or for a shorter trip try Across the Antarctic Circle: Fly the Drake. Every voyage is on our Antarctica cruises page.