Antarctica Expedition Cruises

The vast White Continent really is at the edge of the map. A huge landmass larger than Europe its exploration is now the stuff of legend, where the explorers of the Heroic Age found fame and misfortune.

So remote are Antarctic itineraries, and so vast the landscape, you'll feel like you're exploring a different planet. Marine mammals, an amazing range of birds, and comical penguins as far as the eye can see will all add to the excitement, but nothing can prepare you for the seething mass of life to be found here, nor for the extraordinary beauty of the polar landscape you'll find on a luxury Antarctica cruise.

Antarctic Expedition Itineraries

For your first visit, the easiest access is via South America, exploring the Antarctica Peninsula. From here we strongly recommend picking a longer itinerary which includes the Falklands and South Georgia if you possible can. You might also be tempted with a voyage into the ice choked Weddell Sea - home to Snow Hill Island and the only reachable emperor penguin colony.

If you do not have the time or the stomach to cross the Drake Passage by sea, there are options to fly to Antarctica, although the weather can still be disruptive. Many say they would not have missed the crossing for the world. Read our guide to crossing the Drake Passage for more information.

Alternatively, visit Eastern Antarctica and the Ross Sea, setting of from New Zealand, a highlight of which is visiting the remarkable well preserved huts of Scott, Shackleton and Mawson.

Whichever route you choose to tackle your luxury Antarctic cruise will be enhanced by expert lecturers on board small luxury cruise ships specialising in a whole range of subjects from marine biology, to ice, to the history of those intrepid early explorers. An efficient and well trained crew help you disembark into zodiacs, bringing you face to face with the reality of this extraordinary destination.