Seventeen cruise lines sell Antarctica, and they are not alike. Some land you ashore twice a day from a 100-guest ship; others cruise past the ice on a ship of 2,000. Here is how they differ, and who each one suits.
Only expedition ships put you ashore. Under the guidelines of IAATO, the association that self-regulates Antarctic tourism, ships carrying more than 500 passengers may not land anyone, and no more than 100 people may be ashore at one site at a time. If standing among the penguins is the point, choose an expedition line. If seeing the ice from a comfortable big ship is enough, a scenic voyage costs far less.
Because of the 100-ashore rule, a ship of 100 to 200 guests can put everyone on land at once or in two quick waves. A ship of 300 to 500 rotates groups, so each guest spends less time ashore. Smaller is not always better (bigger expedition ships ride the Drake more steadily and have more amenities), but it is the trade-off that matters most.
Fares range from simple, comfortable polar ships to all-suite yachts with butlers. The bigger difference is often what is included: drinks, gratuities, pre-cruise hotel nights, the charter flight to Ushuaia, kayaking and camping. Two fares that look $3,000 apart can end up the same price. We compare them line by line for you.
Lindblad Expeditions, Quark Expeditions, Silversea and Atlas Ocean Voyages offer voyages that fly from Chile to King George Island. Everyone else sails. How to decide.
Live from the cruise lines’ inventory: sailings on sale, lowest published fare per person and the ships each line sends south.
| Cruise line | Ships in Antarctica | Sailings | From | Fly the Drake | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lindblad Expeditions Expedition, with landings |
NG Explorer, NG Resolution, NG Endurance, NG Orion | 163 | $12,250 | Yes (90) | Naturalist-led learning and wildlife photography |
| Quark Expeditions Expedition, with landings |
Ocean Explorer, Ultramarine, World Voyager | 118 | $12,610 | Yes (26) | Polar purists; helicopter flightseeing; camping and kayaking |
| Silversea Expedition, with landings |
Silver Endeavour, Silver Wind, Silver Cloud Expedition | 112 | $9,700 | Yes (83) | All-suite luxury with butlers; fly-the-Drake |
| HX Expeditions Expedition, with landings |
MS Fridtjof Nansen, MS Roald Amundsen, MS Fram | 100 | $9,268 | — | Value, science and sustainability |
| Scenic Expedition, with landings |
Scenic Eclipse II, Scenic Eclipse, Scenic Ikon | 83 | $17,982 | — | All-inclusive yacht luxury; helicopters |
| Seabourn Expedition, with landings |
Seabourn Pursuit, Seabourn Venture, Seabourn Quest | 70 | $14,298 | — | Ultra-luxury with submarines and kayaks |
| Ponant Expedition, with landings |
Le Boreal, Le Lyrial, L'Austral, Le Soleal, Le Commandant Charcot | 65 | $14,650 | — | French style; the icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot |
| Atlas Ocean Voyages Expedition, with landings |
World Navigator, World Traveller | 62 | $12,150 | Yes (16) | All-inclusive small yachts; fly-the-Drake |
| Viking Expedition, with landings |
Viking Octantis, Viking Polaris | 62 | $12,999 | — | Adults only; science-forward, Viking polish |
| Swan Hellenic Expedition, with landings |
SH Diana, SH Minerva, SH Vega | 57 | $9,775 | — | Culture-minded travelers; long, unusual routings |
| Celebrity Cruises Scenic cruising only |
Celebrity Equinox | 10 | $3,252 | — | Seeing the ice at the lowest fare |
| Holland America Line Scenic cruising only |
Zaandam, Oosterdam, Nieuw Amsterdam | 8 | $5,269 | — | Seeing the ice at the lowest fare |
| Princess Cruises Scenic cruising only |
Majestic Princess | 5 | $4,314 | — | Seeing the ice at the lowest fare |
| Tauck Expedition, with landings |
Le Boreal | 4 | $13,685 | — | Fully escorted, everything included |
| Azamara Scenic cruising only |
Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest | 3 | $7,569 | — | Seeing the ice at the lowest fare |
| Oceania Cruises Scenic cruising only |
Oceania Insignia | 1 | $19,399 | — | Seeing the ice at the lowest fare |
| Regent Seven Seas Scenic cruising only |
Seven Seas Mariner | 1 | $14,799 | — | Seeing the ice at the lowest fare |
Companies whose whole business is the polar regions: the deepest expedition teams, the most activities, and often the best value per day on the ice.
Expedition
Sails with National Geographic naturalists and photographers. NG Endurance and NG Resolution are purpose-built Polar Class 5 ships.
Polar specialists since 1991, with fly-the-Drake options and Ultramarine, which carries two twin-engine helicopters for flightseeing and remote landings.
Expedition
The expedition line born from Hurtigruten. Hybrid-powered ships, an onboard Science Center, and some of the best-value fares to the ice.
Culture-led expedition cruising on small, ice-class ships, with long voyages that link Antarctica to Africa and New Zealand.
Purpose-built luxury expedition ships with suites, fine dining and, on some, helicopters and submarines. The landings are the same Antarctica; the evenings are not.
Expedition
All-suite with butler service, and a large luxury fly-the-Drake program that flies guests from Chile straight to the ship.
All-inclusive "Discovery Yachts" with helicopters and a submarine aboard Scenic Eclipse and Scenic Eclipse II.
Expedition
Ultra-luxury, purpose-built expedition ships Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, each with two submarines and a fleet of kayaks.
Expedition
French luxury on small expedition ships, plus Le Commandant Charcot, a true icebreaker that reaches the Weddell and Ross Seas.
All-inclusive luxury-expedition yachts, with round-trip and one-way fly-the-Drake voyages from King George Island.
Expedition
Adults only. Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris launch Zodiacs and two submarines from an enclosed marina inside the ship, The Hangar.
Expedition
An all-inclusive Antarctica journey aboard a chartered Ponant ship, with Buenos Aires hotel nights, the charter flights to Ushuaia and gratuities included.
These voyages round Cape Horn on a South America itinerary and spend a few days cruising the Antarctic Peninsula. Because each ship carries more than 500 guests, there are no landings.
Scenic Cruising
Round-South-America voyages from Buenos Aires with several days of scenic cruising off the Peninsula.
Scenic Cruising
Classic South America & Antarctica voyages, from 22 days to the 70-day Grand South America voyage.
Scenic Cruising
The most affordable way to see the ice, on a South America voyage with scenic Antarctic cruising.
Scenic Cruising
Destination-immersive voyages pairing the Chilean fjords and Falklands with scenic Antarctic cruising.
Scenic Cruising
Small-ship luxury and the best food at sea, rounding Cape Horn with scenic Antarctic cruising.
Scenic Cruising
All-suite, all-inclusive, with excursions in every port and days of scenic cruising in Antarctic waters.
Expedition ships suit solo travelers well: you spend the days in Zodiacs and the evenings in lectures and lounges with people who share your interest. Several lines reduce or waive the single supplement on selected Antarctic departures, and some offer share-a-cabin programs. Current solo offers: Quark Expeditions, HX Expeditions, Ponant, Silversea, Seabourn, Scenic, Viking, Atlas Ocean Voyages.
Brand guides: Quark Expeditions · Lindblad Expeditions · HX Expeditions · Ponant · Silversea · Seabourn · Scenic · Viking · Atlas Ocean Voyages · Swan Hellenic
Also from Pavlus: All expedition cruises · White Desert fly-in camps (the South Pole & emperor penguins) · Ushuaia port guide · Punta Arenas port guide · South Georgia port guide · Live cruise ship tracker
Tell us which season, which line, or just how much ice you want to see. We will send your Pavlus price and the cabins still open, usually the same day. Antarctica sells out early; the best cabins on the small ships go a year or more ahead.
Your Pavlus Antarctica price will be emailed to you quickly. No obligation.