Antarctica
Why Visit Antarctica?
Lifetime Memories
You truly won’t experience anything else like this on earth. The peace, the scale and the amazing wildlife are truly inspiring
Silver Endeavour in Antarctica, image courtesy Jeff Leckey
Wildlife
The opportunity to see Penguins, Seals, Whales up close and in this pristine environment is simply incredible
Penguin Colony in Antarctica , image courtesy Jeff Leckey
Scenic Wonders
Every day brings spectacular scenery that will take your breath away, as you follow in the footsteps of past explorers
Lemaire Channel Antarctica , image courtesy Jeff Leckey
Time Capsule
It is like Time has stood still in this amazing environment, as you learn about the challenges of past explorations and see for yourself the historic bases
Argentinas Base Brown in Antarctica , image courtesy Jeff Leckey
Moments of Tranquility
It’s hard to describe until you experience it yourself, the incredible silence only disturbed by the sound of ice cracking, a whale blowing or a penguins chatter
Ponant Le Boreal in Antarctica , image courtesy Jeff Leckey
Let’s talk about Antarctica
Antarctica is often said to be a once in a lifetime experience. Our founder Jeff Leckey has been to Antarctica on two occasions, we thought we would ask him what made him return
Antarctica Re-Visited
The first time I visited Antarctica was onboard Silversea Silver Endeavour. It was November so we got the full snow and ice experience. A fabulous time to see the Penguins building nests and the pack ice was incredible. My second visit was onboard Ponant Le Boreal in February and felt like I had entered a completely different realm. There were fluffy grey Penguin chicks everywhere. It was like a Whale super highway on the ocean, with so many whales and calves feeding on the krill. Then there were the incredible Leopard Seals hanging out on ice flows and colonies of Elephant Seals piled up in a heap. Every trip to Antarctica will be different, but I would return again in a heartbeat
Different Options to suit your travel style and budget
Ever wondered how a Cruise ship scenic sail by in Antarctica compares to an Expedition voyage where you set foot on the great white continent? You can search and compare the big Cruise ships and Expedition ships right here
FAQ and Top Tips from our Cruise Specialists
The main Antarctic season is November through to March
November is the time Penguins are nesting, the snow is deeper and it feels like the continent is emerging from the big freeze. February time the Penguin chicks are fledging, the whales are in abundance. December/January, we loved the light as you have benefit of long daylight hours with almost no night time
The Drake Passage has the reputation of being one of the roughest seas in the world. You could experience the Drake Shake, or be lucky and get the Drake Lake. Modern ships are fitted with great stabilisers to avoid the worst of the motion and ships will also try to avoid bad weather patterns where possible. The Drake crossing is usually two days each way
Expedition cruise lines will provide a packing list and usually a complimentary Parka style coat and boots for in the ice. We found it was all about layers, take the merino, some good waterproof over pants for the zodiac excursions and warm hat and gloves
The large cruise ships cannot land you in Antarctica so you will only experience a scenic sail by. Expedition ships will include landings and zodiac excursions which get you on to the land and closer to the wildlife and nature
Yes a number of expedition cruise lines now offer an Antarctic Air Bridge in to King George island where you join the ship. Perfect for those short on time, or who want to avoid the Drake passage
Yes, during January or February there are a limited number of expedition cruises direct from NZ to the Ross Sea & East Antarctica. These will often also include the NZ Sub Antarctic islands
Search All Antarctica Scenic Cruises
Browse all our Antarctica scenic cruise deals below. If you prefer an Antarctica Expedition cruise, including landings on the great white continent, please call our team for options