Antarctica Cruise Companies, Compared
Which Antarctica Cruise Company Is Right for You?
Start with how you like to travel, then match the company.
You want hotel-level comfort, butler service, and great food: Silversea, Scenic, or Ponant.
You'd love to see Antarctica from the air: Quark, or Scenic.
You'd rather skip the Drake Passage: Antarctica21, or Silversea's Antarctica Bridge program.
You're a photographer or a science lover: Lindblad with National Geographic.
You want a relaxed, active trip that gets you off the ship: Aurora, or Quark.
You love polar history and remote places: Heritage Expeditions.
You want a roomy, comfortable basecamp with a sustainability story: HX.
Still not sure? Tell us how you like to travel, and we'll narrow it down for you.
Expedition Classics
HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions)
The biggest ship on this list, and a comfortable one. HX runs two hybrid-powered ships, MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen, capped at about 500 guests in Antarctica to stay within landing rules. Onboard, a Science Centre lets you learn alongside the scientists and naturalists. If you want a roomy basecamp with a sustainability story, start here.
Quark Expeditions
More than 30 years on the ice, and the one to ask about if you'd like to see Antarctica from above. The Ultramarine carries 199 guests and two helicopters, which fly guests out on select voyages for flightseeing and helicopter adventures. Back at water level, there's kayaking, camping, and paddling. Want more than the standard landings? Quark is worth a look.
Aurora Expeditions
Australian, relaxed, and built for getting off the ship. Sister ships Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle each carry about 132 guests, and their inverted bow (the Ulstein X-BOW) is designed for a smoother ride through rough water. Activities include Zodiac cruising, hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling. Prefer an informal, hands-on trip? This is your crowd.
Lindblad Expeditions with National Geographic
Bringing a good camera? Pay attention here. National Geographic Endurance and Resolution each carry 126 guests and are built to Polar Class 5 with the X-BOW. The team on board includes naturalists, an undersea specialist, a National Geographic photographer, and a certified photo instructor. It's a strong pick for anyone who loves the science and the story behind what they're seeing.
Luxury Ships
Same icebergs, nicer sheets. These ships bring hotel-level comfort to the ice.
Ponant
A French line, so the food matters to them. Its Le Commandant Charcot is a Polar Class 2 hybrid-electric icebreaker, built to reach remote places like the Weddell Sea, the Ross Sea, and Peter I Island. She carries fewer than 300 guests, and Alain Ducasse cuisine is part of the appeal. If you want serious ice capability without giving up the good life, put Ponant on your list.
Silversea
Think of it as a luxury hotel that happens to sail to Antarctica. Expect all-suite ships, butler service, and a high crew-to-guest ratio, with about 200 guests on board in polar waters. On Silver Endeavour, the Antarctica Bridge program even lets you fly over the Drake Passage. Comfort first, expedition second? That's the Silversea sweet spot.
Scenic
Scenic's Discovery Yachts come with toys most expedition ships don't have: two helicopters and a submersible, used where conditions and regulations allow. Scenic Eclipse and Eclipse II carry up to 228 guests (200 in polar regions) in all-suite accommodations with butler service, at almost one crew member per guest. Love a wow factor? Here you go.
Specialists
Antarctica21
The Drake Passage has a reputation, and Antarctica21 skips it. This Chile-based company has run Antarctic air-cruises since 2003: you fly about two hours from Punta Arenas to King George Island and step onto a small expedition ship. Short on time, or nervous about rough seas? Start here.
Heritage Expeditions
A family-owned New Zealand company that knows the Ross Sea and the Subantarctic Islands better than most. Its 140-guest Heritage Adventurer is rated ice class 1A Super, and the Ross Sea voyages from New Zealand include the historic huts of Scott and Shackleton, weather permitting. Polar history buffs, this one's for you.
How We Help You Choose
The differences between Antarctica companies are easy to miss on a website, and the wrong pick is a costly way to learn them. We start with a conversation about how you like to travel, what you've loved before, and what pace feels right. From there we narrow the field and handle the details, and we stay in touch with our partners on the ground while you're away.
Whether you're ready to book or still exploring, it all begins with a conversation.
Questions We Hear Most
Which Antarctica cruise company is best?
There isn't one best company, only the best fit for how you like to travel. Some ships lean toward hotel-level comfort, some toward hands-on adventure, and some toward photography or polar history. Our free guide puts nine of them side by side, and we're happy to narrow it down with you.
How much does an Antarctica cruise cost?
Most Antarctica cruises run from roughly $8,000 to $30,000 per person, and the ship you choose sets most of that. Expect around $10,000 to $18,000 for a comfortable classic expedition ship, and $18,000 to $30,000 or more for luxury ships, fly-cruises, and longer routes. Cabin category, trip length, and the month you go matter too. Flights, hotel nights, insurance, and tips are usually extra, so plan on a few thousand more per person. Tell us your dates and what matters most, and we'll give you a realistic range.
How long is an Antarctica cruise, and what's the Drake Passage like?
Most Antarctic Peninsula cruises run 10 to 12 days. The Drake Passage takes about two days each way, which leaves roughly four to five full days in Antarctica itself. It can be rough, and many travelers count the crossing as part of the adventure. If you're short on time or worried about seasickness, a fly-cruise skips it entirely.
How do I choose an itinerary if I can't see exactly where the ship will go?
Once you reach the Peninsula, weather, sea, and ice decide each day's plan, so no company can promise exact landings ahead of time. What you can choose is the shape of the trip: the region (the classic Peninsula, the Antarctic Circle, the Weddell Sea, South Georgia and the Falklands, or the Ross Sea), how many days you have, and whether you cross the Drake by ship or by air. After that, the ship and the team matter most, because their size, experience, and flexibility determine how much you actually get to see. That's where we come in: we'll match the route and the company to what you most want to experience.
When is the best time to go, and how far ahead should we book?
The season runs from about November through March. November brings fresh snow and lower prices, December and January are the most popular months with the longest days, and February and March are the strongest for whale sightings. Plan to book about a year ahead, and 12 to 18 months ahead for December and January, since the best cabins go first.
Where do Antarctica cruises depart from?
Most sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, and cross the Drake Passage, which takes about two days each way. Fly-cruises leave from Punta Arenas, Chile, and skip the crossing with a flight of about two hours to King George Island. Voyages to the Ross Sea leave from New Zealand or Australia. Most travelers route through Buenos Aires or Santiago on the way.
Can I go on a big cruise ship?
Big ships can sail through Antarctic waters, but ships carrying more than 500 passengers aren't allowed to land anyone, and no more than 100 people can be ashore from any ship at one time. Expedition ships are smaller by design, which is how they get you off the ship and onto the ice.
What if my cruise line isn't on the list?
Our guide compares nine expedition operators we researched in depth, and it isn't a complete list of everyone sailing to Antarctica. Newer names, including Viking, sail there too, and we're glad to talk through any you're considering. Tell us what's caught your eye, and we'll tell you how it compares.
