Extreme Antarctica Cruises: 7 of the most exciting expeditions for 2026 & 2027

7 of the most exciting Antarctica expeditions to book now

1. Antarctica and the Weddell Sea with Ponant Explorations

Sail on board Ponant's pioneering icebreaker, the 245-guest Le Commandant Charcot, which combines a luxury cruise experience with intrepid adventure during this exciting Antarctica expedition cruise. Ponant are one of only a handful of expedition operators which explore the remote Weddell Sea with several departures in the upcoming Antarctica 2025 season.

You'll voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula and deep into the rarely-explored Weddell Sea - known for its enormous icebergs, myriad wildlife (including the only place in Antarctica to spot emperor penguins), and historical significance - this is where Sir Ernest Shackleton's famous ship, the Endurance, became trapped.

2. Quark Expeditions' Emperor Penguin Quest: Expedition to Snow Hill

Quark Expeditions' 199-guest Ultramarine offers a limited number of fascinating sailings in November 2025 and November 2026 which venture into the ultra-remote Weddell Sea with the goal of reaching the Emperor penguin colony at Snow Hill, something that Quark Expeditions have been achieving on select Antarctica expedition cruises for over 20 years.

Utilising Ultramarine's two twin-engined helicopters, you'll land as close to the penguin colony as possible in what is truly one of the rarest wildlife experiences available in travel, plus you'll enjoy the rare spectacle of seeing the vast White Continent from the air during the flight.

3. East Antarctica Cruise on board Scenic Eclipse II

Although the most common Antarctica expedition cruise itineraries sail from South America, it is also possible to reach Antarctica from Australia and New Zealand. Scenic's 2025/26 Antarctica season sees the 228-guest ultra-luxury discovery yacht Scenic Eclipse II explore the remote shores of East Antarctica, following in the footsteps of intrepid explorers Mawson, Shackleton, and Scott and visiting the rarely-travelled subantarctic islands.

On just a handful of sailings between December 2025 and February 2026, the ship will venture into the rarely-visited Ross Sea and explore the remote Balleny Islands, offering one of the most pioneering Antarctic voyages available from the luxury operator.

4. Ultra-Luxury Antarctica, South Georgia & Falkland Islands Expedition with Silversea

If you're looking to tick Antarctica off the bucket list, why not experience an ultra-luxury expedition with Silversea on board their newest expedition ship, Silver Endeavour? Looking ahead to 2027, Silver Endeavour embarks on an epic 21-day adventure on 4 March visiting not only the Antarctic Peninsula, but also wildlife-rich South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.

On board Silver Endeavour in Antarctica you can expect all of Silversea's luxury hallmarks including fine dining in a range of restaurants and all-suite accommodation, combined with expedition amenities such as a PC6 ice-class rating, industry-leading crew-to-guest ratios, cutting-edge navigation and exploration technology, and an expert expedition team to enrich your journey.

5. AE Expeditions' Intrepid Antarctica Ross Sea Odyssey

AE Expeditions' newest ship, the 154-guest Douglas Mawson (reduced to 130-guest capacity on expedition voyages), will sail round-trip from New Zealand's Dunedin on an epic 23-night voyage that offers an in-depth Antarctica exploration in the Ross Sea region, following in the footsteps of iconic explorers Scott and Shackleton.

This Antarctica expedition voyage includes stops in the ultra-remote, lesser-explored subantarctic islands of New Zealand including Campbell Island, the Balleny Islands and Australia's Macquarie Island, all of which offer myriad birdlife and some of the world's largest penguin colonies - the latter home to 100,000 breeding pairs of king penguin, the third largest in the world.

6. East Antarctica and Magnetic South Pole with Ponant Explorations

This epic 29-night itinerary on board Le Commandant Charcot sails from Hobart to Cape Town via the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, in the wake of the great explorers who came from Europe in search of Terra Australis Incognita.

Beginning in Australia on 12 February 2026 this exhilrating Antarctica expedition cruise takes you to barely explored regions where you'll be one of only a few people on Earth who have visited, including Adelie Land, home to Adelie penguins, seals and orcas; the Magnetic South Pole; and Queen Mary Land with its giant icebergs, penguins, and leopard seals - visiting land so remote that even today it remains terra nullius, unclaimed by any sovereign nation, eventually finishing your epic voyage in Cape Town in South Africa.

7. Semi-Circumnavigation of Antarctica with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises are known for interesting itineraries, and from January 2026 their entire award-winning fleet will operate bilingually, in German and English, offering a great opportunity to try them out. The 1 February 2027 expedition on board Hanseatic Spirit undertakes an incredible semi-circumnavigation of Antarctica, departing from Ushuaia and ending a month later in New Zealand.

Along the way you will explore the South Shetland Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula, cross the Antarctic Circle, and sail the rarely-travelled Bellingshausen Sea and Amundsen Sea whilst learning about the pioneering feats of many legendary explorers in this region from the onboard experts. Journey onwards still to the Ross Sea, with a chance to see the spectacular Ross Ice Shelf, and the isolated shores of the Balleny Islands and New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands.