Antarctica Cruise FAQ

It depends on the cruise line, the voyage and the cabin. As a guide, HX's 2026/27 brochure fares start from £8,693 per person, based on two sharing a Polar Outside cabin on the 12 day Highlights of Antarctica. Longer voyages that add the Falklands and South Georgia start from around £13,700, and an Expedition Suite on the longest voyages can be over £20,000 per person. Fares include meals, drinks, gratuities, landings and the flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia or Santiago and Punta Arenas. HX use flexible pricing and regularly run offers, so call us for today's price on your dates.

The season runs from late October to early April. November is best for pristine snow and courting penguins, December and January for long days and penguin chicks, and February and March for whales. Our when to go guide explains each month in detail.

Sometimes. The Drake Passage between Cape Horn and the Antarctic islands takes about two days to cross each way, and conditions range from millpond calm to a big swell. Expedition ships are stabilised and built for these waters, and most people who take seasickness precautions cope well. Read more on our Drake Passage page.

Yes. Under IAATO rules only ships carrying fewer than 500 guests may land passengers, and every ship we feature is under that limit. Weather and ice permitting, you typically go ashore or cruise among the ice in small expedition boats once or twice a day while in Antarctica. No more than 100 people may be ashore at a site at one time, so the Expedition Team rotate groups between landing and boat cruising.

On the Antarctic Peninsula in summer the temperature is usually between minus 2°C and plus 3°C, a few degrees colder early and late in the season. Wind chill is the bigger factor. With good layers and the expedition jacket most lines provide, most people are perfectly comfortable.

On the Antarctic Peninsula you are most likely to see gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie penguins. South Georgia adds vast colonies of king penguins, along with macaroni penguins, and the Falkland Islands have rockhopper, Magellanic and gentoo penguins, plus a king penguin colony at Volunteer Point.

Honestly, probably not. Emperor penguins breed on the sea ice in the depths of winter, far from where ships can normally reach in summer. Occasional individuals turn up on ice floes, and the Iconic Antarctica voyage into the Weddell Sea gives a small chance of a sighting, but you should treat any emperor as a lucky bonus rather than something to expect.

There is no upper age limit, and many guests are in their seventies. You need to be able to walk on uneven and slippery ground and step in and out of a small boat with help from the crew. Everyone completes a medical screening form before travelling, and there is a doctor on board. If you have any doubts, talk to us before you book.

Absolutely, and many people do. Expedition ships are sociable places. HX, for example, host a welcome reception for solo travellers, and you can choose whether to share a table at dinner. Fares are based on two sharing, so a single supplement normally applies, but cruise lines regularly offer selected cabins with no single supplement. Ask us what is available.

Layers. A thermal base layer, a fleece or wool jumper and waterproof over trousers, topped with a polar expedition jacket, which most lines provide (HX give you one to keep). Rubber boots are lent to you for landings. There is no dress code on board, so casual clothes are fine at dinner. See our full packing list.

Every line has its own style, so think about the size of ship you prefer, how long you have and where you want to go, and we will talk you through the options. HX Expeditions, for example, have been running expeditions since 1896 and take more people to Antarctica than any other operator. Their ships are small enough to land guests, two of them are hybrid powered, and the fare includes drinks, gratuities, Wi-Fi and a large Expedition Team. HX were also the first to ban heavy fuel oil and single use plastics, and they are members of IAATO.

Partly. On voyages from Ushuaia, your fare includes a hotel night in Buenos Aires and the return charter flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia. On MS Fram voyages from Punta Arenas, the flights to and from Santiago are included. International flights from the UK are not included, but we can arrange them for you along with any extra hotel nights.

Yes. It is a condition of booking, and your policy must cover cancellation, medical treatment and emergency evacuation and repatriation from Antarctica. Many standard policies exclude Antarctica, so check carefully. If you live in the UK, our insurance partner Allianz Assistance can give you a quote. If you live elsewhere, please arrange cover in your home country.

Yes, on most voyages, as optional extras booked on board once the team know what conditions will allow. A short Discovery Kayak costs around £112 and a longer guided sea kayaking trip around £173. Camping on the snow costs around £304 in a bivvy bag or £382 in a tent. Places are limited and everything depends on the weather.

Call us on 0333 405 0194. We check live availability and offers with the cruise line, can hold a cabin while you decide, and then confirm the booking with a deposit. Deposits and balance dates vary from line to line, and we explain them clearly before you book. Our how to book page explains each step.

Some people do on the Drake Passage, especially on the first day. Speak to your pharmacist or GP about remedies before you go and start them before the ship reaches open water. Once you are among the Antarctic islands the sea is usually calm. The ship's doctor can help if needed.

Yes, most expedition ships now have Wi-Fi, and on HX ships it is included, via Starlink. It is fine for messages and email, but streaming is not supported, and there is no mobile phone signal in Antarctica.

The shortest voyages we feature are 12 days, with up to five days in Antarctica. The 16 day voyages give you up to nine days there, or add the Falklands. To include South Georgia as well, allow 23 or 24 days. Add a day or two either side if you would like time in Buenos Aires or Santiago.