All the Major Cruise Lines That Sail to Antarctica, From the Cheapest to the Most Expensive

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Photo: Atlas Ocean Voyages

Atlas Ocean Voyages has been sending its its entire fleet of ships to the southernmost part of the world every Antarctic summer, which includes the World Traveller, the World Voyager, and the World Navigator. Collectively, they offer about three dozen sailings per year.

Atlas Ocean Voyages’ ships, which carry fewer than 200 passengers at a time, are purpose-built for Arctic and Antarctic exploration. But they are also meant to provide guests with luxury experiences, with exceptional food and service on board, high-end staterooms, a L’Occitane spa, sauna amenities, and more.

While getting out of the ship is never guaranteed since ice floes, icebergs, and changing sea and weather conditions can make navigation difficult, the Atlas Ocean Voyages captains and expedition teams always aim to take guests on shore landings and Zodiac safaris, allowing for sightseeing and chances to spot unique Antarctic wildlife. The cruise line even organizes a polar plunge when the conditions allow.

All guests on Atlas Ocean Voyages’ Antarctica sailings are gifted with a polar parka and a vest to take home. Atlas Ocean Voyages is an all-inclusive cruise line, so drinks, excursions with the expedition team, and enrichment programs are all included in the price.

• Antarctica cruise cost with Atlas Ocean Voyages: Starting at $6,699 per person, plus $450 port charges per person.
• Can guests go on shore? Yes

Read more about Antarctica:

• 18 Things You Need to Know Before Taking an Antarctic Cruise
• Education Meets Expedition on This Luxury Cruise to Antarctica
• This Hotel in Florence Is Inside an Old Museum
• What It’s Like to Sail to Antarctica on a Cruise Ship’s Maiden Voyage
• What It’s Like to Sleep on the World’s Coldest Continent
• Here’s What Life Is Like Aboard the Most Luxurious Ship Cruising Antarctica
• A Commercial Cruise Line Helped Discover a New Colony of Penguins in Antarctica

Quark Expeditions

Every year since the company’s first circumnavigation of Antarctica for commercial passengers in 1997, Quark Expeditions organizes multiple sailings to the seventh continent aboard three ships: Ultramarine, World Explorer, and the newest ship to their fleet, Ocean Explorer. Antarctica cruises with Quark Expeditions lasts anywhere from 8 to 23 days, and during the upcoming 2024/2025 season (from late October through early March), the travel company will sail a total of 38 times to Antarctica.

Quark Expeditions’ polar team of highly trained guides takes passengers on paddling excursions, including SUP and inflatable kayak tours, as well as Zodiac outings, during which you’ll be able to spot the fascinating wildlife of this icy wilderness. Quark Expeditions also organizes hikes to see penguins, overnight camping excurions on the Antarctic Peninsula, and polar plunges from their ships.

• Antarctica cruise cost with Quark Expeditions: Quark Expeditions’ most popular cruise to Antarctica is the 11-day Antarctic Explorer expedition departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, starting from around $7,976 USD per person, excluding flights.
• Can guests go on shore? Yes

Lindblad Expeditions

Lindblad Expeditions was a pioneer in the field of Antarctica tourism, having sailed to the white continent with citizen (i.e., non-scientist) travelers for the first time in 1966. Now, Lindblad offers eight different Antarctic itineraries of eight, 12, or more than 20 days on four different expedition ships: the National Geographic Explorer, the National Geographic Endurance, the National Geographic Resolution, and the National Geographic Orion.

The National Geographic Endurance and the National Geographic Resolution both launched in 2021. They’re built to safely and comfortably sail in the rough, ice-covered waters of the Antarctic, but also to be as sustainable and fuel efficient as possible. The ships’ designs reduce propulsion power in rough seas, as well as noise and vibrations, which creates less disturbance for wildlife.

While in Antarctica, guests can take guided hikes, paddle on kayak tours through sea ice, and go on cross-country ski excursions. On board, a slew of experts share their knowledge of geology, wildlife biology, climate science, and more with the guests.

On certain itineraries, Lindblad Expeditions offers guests the chance to skip the crossing of Drake Passage by flying one or both ways from King George Island.

• Antarctica cruise cost with Lindblad Expeditions: Starting at $8,066 per person.
• Can guests go on shore? Yes

Seabourn Cruise Line

Seabourn has been taking passengers to Antarctica on ultra-luxury small expedition ships every year since 2013. Two ships from the Seabourn fleet (the Seabourn Venture and the Seabourn Pursuit) make the trip. Both are expedition ships engineered for voyages to difficult-to-reach destinations, though they’re also upscale, with guest comfort and indulgence in mind.

While every outdoor activity in Antarctica is dependent on good weather, all Seabourn sailings to Antarctica intend to land and take guests on various activities, such as Zodiac cruises around icebergs, kayak tours through sea ice, photo classes at penguin colonies, and plenty of hiking options. Seabourn provides all its guests with complimentary Seabourn parkas and backpacks, so they don’t have to bring their own from home.

While on board the ships, Seabourn keeps the Antarctica experience exciting by organizing digital photography workshops, enrichment program, and lectures by special guest speakers.

• Antarctica cruise cost with Seabourn: Fare prices vary by itinerary and length. Prices can start from around $9,859.
• Can guests go on shore? Yes

Ponant

Luxury cruise line Ponant has been sailing to Antarctica since January 2005, and makes nearly 40 trips to the seventh continent every year. While five of the company’s ships are capable of traveling to Antarctica, Le Commandant Charcot is the star of the fleet when it comes to icy expeditions. Launched in 2021, the 123-stateroom Le Commandant Charcot is a luxury vessel equipped with phenomenal icebreaking capabilities. “She routinely cuts through ice up to 10 feet thick and during sea trials, she pushed through a 50-foot ice ridge in Greenland,” a spokesperson for the cruise line explains. The ship also serves as a research center with an onboard laboratory staffed with more than 20 scientists.

All Ponant sailings to Antarctica allow for guests to get off the ship to take kayak and zodiac tours, as well as participate in on-land excursions led by expert guides to see penguins colonies and other wildlife.

• Antarctica cruise cost with Ponant: The starting rate for an Antarctica itinerary is $10,110 per person based on double occupancy.
• Can guests go on shore? Yes

Hurtigruten Expeditions (HX)

England-based HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions), the world’s largest expedition cruise line, has been sailing to Antarctica since 2002. It’s now the largest operator in Antarctica by number of guests. During the 2024-2025 season, HX will sail 33 times to Antarctica, following eight different itineraries.

Three of HX’s ships sail to the seventh continent: the MS Fridtjof Nansen (a hybrid-powered ship rated the world’s most sustainable cruise ship in 2021), the MS Roald Amundsen (the world’s first hybrid-powered cruise ship), and the MS Fram.

HX offers its guests itineraries filled with outdoors activities, including Zodiac excursions, kayaking, wildlife viewing, and regular landings. Guests can participate in the cruise line’s Citizen Science program via seven different projects, such as penguins and whale research, fisheries management, and more.

• Antarctica cruise cost with HX: Antarctica voyages start from $10,120 for the Highlights of Antarctica itinerary.
• Can guests go on shore? Yes

Aurora Expeditions

Photo: Richard L’Anson / Aurora Expeditions

Aurora Expeditions is an Australian-owned cruise line that specializes in voyages to polar regions and remote corners of the world. The company sails to Antarctica around 25 to 30 times per year during the Antarctic season, and has been since 1992.

Three of Aurora Expeditions’ ships are purpose-built to sail to Antarctica: the Greg Mortimer, the Sylvia Earle, and, starting in late 2025, Aurora’s newest ship, the Douglas Mawson. There is a limit of 130 passengers per ship on Aurora’s ships traveling the Antarctica, and this very low number allows for guests to get out of the ship up to three times per day for activities like Zodiac tours, sea kayaking, ice camping, skiing, and snowshoeing.

Aurora Expeditions is a certified B-corp, meaning it practices the highest levels of sustainability efforts. Travelers can take part in its “Sustainability in Action” or Citizen Science programs, the latter of which focuses on whales, seabirds, microplastics, pollution, weather patterns, phytoplankton, polar fjord lands, and marine biodiversity.

• Antarctica cruise cost with Aurora Expeditions: Starting at $10,556 per person (the Spirit of Antarctica itinerary)
• Can guests go on shore? Yes

Silversea Cruises

Silversea Cruises began sailing to Antarctica in 2008 and is one of the most luxurious ways to visit the polar region. Each suite on the cruise line’s three Antarctica-bound ships (Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, and Silver Endeavour) has its own butler, whose role is exclusively to cater to guests’ needs. Silversea Cruises organizes around 40 sailings per year to Antarctica, more than any other cruise lines on this list.

But what makes the company stand out is the Fly & Cruise program, which lets guests skip sailing through the dreaded Drake Passage and instead fly business class to Antarctica on a chartered flight. Guests will first fly from Santiago to Punta Arenas to spend the night, then fly from Punta Arenas to King George Island, where the sailing begins. Look for cruises marked with the “Antarctica Bridge” label if that option interests you.

• Antarctica cruise cost with Silversea Cruises: Starting at $11,700 per person.
• Can guests go on shore? Yes

Viking

Photo: Viking

Viking started sailing to Antarctica in 2022 and now makes nearly 20 trips to the white continent every year. But only two ships from Viking’s large fleet sail to Antarctica: the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris, known collectively as Viking’s expedition fleet. Both luxury ships can accommodate a maximum of 378 guests and are specifically built for safe and comfortable expeditions to remote and ice-covered waters.

Because of the small number of passengers onboard Viking cruises to Antarctica, landing activities are possible. Led by expert guides, guests can go on kayak, and Zodiacs excursions, or even opt for a submarine dive to go more than 400 feet below the surface.

Viking is an all-inclusive cruise lines, so boat excursions, Wi-Fi, access to spa facilities and fitness centers, self-service laundry, 24-hour room service, and specialty dining have no extra charge. Guests on Viking sailings to Antarctica also receive a keepsake Viking expedition jacket as part of their cruise fare.

The Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris are considered the companies floating research labs, with on-board scientists working on polar research. Fortunately, guests have plenty of options for learning about and even helping with the research.

• Antarctica cruise cost with Viking: Starting at $12,995 per person (the Antarctic Explorer itinerary)
• Can guests go on shore? Yes

Scenic

Photo: Scenic

Scenic cruises makes roughly eight to 10 trips per season in its two purpose-designed ships: Scenic Eclipse I and Scenic Eclipse II, both of which accommodate a maximum of 200 guests.

Beyond the fact that Scenic Eclipse I and Scenic Eclipse II are specifically engineered to navigate ice-covered waters (with features like enhanced stabilizers and reinforced icebreaker hulls), the ships are also extremely luxurious. Guests get what the brand calls a “six-star experience,” thanks to roomier-than-average balcony suites, tailored butler service, a nearly one-to-one crew-to-guest ratio, the immense spa, and the state-of-the-art theater. There are also 10 dining options, plus nine bars and lounges.

When the weather permits, guests can leave the ship for hikes on land, Zodiac cruises, and kayaking or paddleboarding tours. Those who want to see the seventh continent from the air or from underwater have options via the cruise line’s two helicopters or custom submersible.

• Antarctica cruise cost with Scenic: Starting at $19,265 per person
• Can guests go on shore? Yes

Regent Seven Seas

Regent Seven Seas is a fairly recent addition to the list of companies sailing to Antarctica, having only started in 2019 and making just six trips per year. In 2025, two of Regent Seven Seas’ six ships will travel to the seventh continent: the Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Mariner.

Both ships have a guest capacity in the 700s, so neither is permitted to make landfall on the seventh continent. Most of the Regent Seven Seas cruises that go as far as Antarctica are several weeks long, leaving at least three or four days to spend in the water near the continent looking for wildlife and watching icebergs.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is an all-inclusive and luxury cruise line, including in its price offerings like round-trip business-class flights from US and Canada, free unlimited shore excursions, high-end culinary offerings, valet laundry services, and more.

Antarctica cruise cost with Regent Seven Seas: Starting at $19,999 (the Antarctic Celebration itinerary)

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