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Below 66°33′ South · 16 Days
Up to nine days in Antarctica at the height of summer, with an attempt to sail south across the Antarctic Circle into remote Marguerite Bay. Midsummer departures in 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29, mostly aboard MS Roald Amundsen.
The Voyage
Most Antarctica cruises turn back somewhere around the Lemaire Channel. This one keeps going. The Antarctic Circle Expedition is what HX call an Attempt voyage: with up to nine days in Antarctica in the mildest weeks of the year, the plan is to sail south down the Antarctic Peninsula and across the Antarctic Circle at 66°33′ south, into the wide and little visited waters of Marguerite Bay.
Crossing the Circle is a genuine milestone. South of it the sun does not set at midsummer, and only a small share of the people who visit Antarctica each year ever get this far. Marguerite Bay itself is a world of big glaciers, scattered islands and old research stations, some abandoned almost exactly as their last occupants left them. Adélie penguins, the true penguins of the far south, become more common, and there is a fair chance of seeing Weddell and crabeater seals on the ice. Whether the ship gets through depends on the sea ice, and if it does not, the Captain and Expedition Leader will put together an adapted route that makes the most of the conditions. That is the nature of an expedition, and the reason it is worth doing.
Every departure sails between late December and February. Most are on MS Roald Amundsen, the first hybrid powered expedition ship in the world, and one February 2028 sailing is on her twin, MS Fridtjof Nansen. There are four departures in 2026/27, three in 2027/28 and two in 2028/29. It is the warmest and brightest time of year, the penguin chicks are hatching and growing, whales are arriving in numbers, and it is the best part of the season for camping on the snow. On the way south and back, there is usually time for the South Shetland Islands and the classic landings of the Peninsula too.
Day by Day
An included night in a central Buenos Aires hotel, with breakfast, starts the trip. The first departure of 2026/27 leaves on 26 December, so if you want to spend the holiday somewhere different, Buenos Aires in midsummer is hard to beat. Our gateway cities page has ideas for making the most of it.
After an early transfer you take the included flight to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, set between the mountains of Tierra del Fuego and the Beagle Channel. You join the ship in the afternoon, meet the Expedition Team and sail along the channel in the evening light. From the 2028/29 season the first evening also includes a safety briefing and a welcome drink with the Captain.
Two days at sea across the Drake Passage. The lecture programme in the Science Centre covers the wildlife, glaciology and history of Antarctica, with plenty on the stations and expeditions of Marguerite Bay ahead. You will also be briefed on the IAATO guidelines and the biosecurity checks that take place before you land.
Nine days on expedition, with the route shaped by the ice. On the way south the ship may call at the South Shetland Islands, at sites such as Half Moon Island or Deception Island, and at some of the classic Peninsula landings: Cuverville Island, Neko Harbour or Damoy Point, where a small hut once used as a staging post for British flights further south stands near a gentoo colony. Port Lockroy, the restored British base on Goudier Island, is another possibility. Then comes the Lemaire Channel and the islands beyond it, including Petermann and Pleneau, which mark the turning point for most voyages.
From here the ship continues south past the Argentine Islands and the long coast of Graham Land towards Crystal Sound, where the crossing of the Circle usually takes place. There is normally a small celebration on deck as you pass 66°33′. Beyond it lies Marguerite Bay, where sites the team often aim for include Detaille Island, where a British research hut was abandoned in a hurry in 1959 with much of its contents left in place; Horseshoe Island, whose station from the late 1950s is one of the best preserved in Antarctica; and Stonington Island, home to both a British base and the American East Base, where Edith Ronne and Jennie Darlington became the first women to spend a winter in Antarctica in 1947. The Fish Islands, with their Adélie colonies, are another possible stop. Which of these you reach depends on the ice and weather on the day.
Throughout, there are landings and boat cruises, and kayaking and camping on the snow can be booked on board. Watch for humpback and minke whales, orcas, and leopard seals patrolling the edges of the penguin colonies.
The ship turns north for the crossing back to South America. There is time to go through your photographs with the onboard photographer, hear the final lectures and share the voyage's whale photographs with the Happywhale Citizen Science project.
You disembark in Ushuaia in the morning and take the included flight back to Buenos Aires to connect with your flight home. We can add extra nights if you would like a little more of Argentina before you leave.
This is an HX Attempt voyage. If weather, sea or ice conditions do not allow the planned navigation across the Antarctic Circle, the crew will deliver an adapted itinerary. All itineraries are subject to conditions, and the Captain will always put your safety and the protection of the environment first.
2026/27 to 2028/29 Seasons
The Antarctic Circle Expedition sails at the height of summer in each of the next three seasons, with every departure starting in Buenos Aires. Choose a season to see the dates and brochure fares.
Four departures, all on MS Roald Amundsen.
| Cabin Category | From, per person |
|---|---|
| Polar OutsideOutside cabin with window, double bed or twins | £11,967 |
| Arctic SuperiorLarger cabins, many with a private balcony | £13,128 |
| Expedition SuiteSuites with balcony, Lindstrøm dining and suite extras included | £17,031 |
Tour code AMANT2612.
Three departures, on MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen.
| Cabin Category | From, per person |
|---|---|
| Polar OutsideOutside cabin with window, double bed or twins | £12,410 |
| Arctic SuperiorLarger cabins, many with a private balcony | £13,594 |
| Expedition SuiteSuites with balcony, Lindstrøm dining and suite extras included | £17,576 |
Tour codes RAANT03 (MS Roald Amundsen) and FNANT03 (MS Fridtjof Nansen).
Two departures, both on MS Roald Amundsen.
| Cabin Category | From, per person |
|---|---|
| Polar OutsideOutside cabin with window, double bed or twins | £13,303 |
| Arctic SuperiorLarger cabins, many with a private balcony | £14,651 |
| Expedition SuiteSuites with balcony, Lindstrøm dining and suite extras included | £19,187 |
Tour code RAANT03.
Brochure prices from, per person, two sharing, taken from the HX 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 brochures. HX use flexible pricing, so fares can move up or down with demand and are often reduced by special offers. Call us on 0333 405 0194 for today's price on your chosen date. Solo travellers, ask about cabins with no single supplement.
Your Fare
International flights to Buenos Aires, travel insurance and optional activities are not included. Our what's included page explains the differences between cabin and suite fares in more detail.
Make More of It
Camping on the snow is one of the highlights of this voyage, and midsummer is the best time to do it, with a soft twilight instead of darkness. You can sleep in a bivvy bag under the sky (around £304) or in a tent (around £382). Kayaking is offered as a short Discovery Kayak outing (around £112) or a longer Guided Sea Kayaking Adventure (around £173). All are booked on board, places are limited and they depend on conditions.
Before or after the voyage, the Highlights of Buenos Aires tour (around £63) and the Buenos Aires Dinner & Tango Show (around £164) are easy additions, and for a longer trip there is the Breathtaking Patagonia pre programme (around £1,333) or the Iguazú Experience post programme (around £2,186). Prices are per person.
Other Voyages
For nine days in Antarctica with the Weddell Sea instead of the Circle, see Iconic Antarctica, The Explorer's Route. For the longest time on the ice in the whole season, up to ten days, look at Antarctica & Falklands, From Punta Arenas on MS Fram. For something different, the new Antarctica & South Georgia, Kingdoms of Ice & Wildlife (19 days, new for 2028/29) pairs the king penguin beaches of South Georgia with the Peninsula on a round trip from Ushuaia. Compare them all on our Antarctica cruises page.