About the Port
The Ross Sea Region stands among the most remote and pristine marine environments on Earth, its iceberg-strewn waters sustaining orcas, seals, whales, and vast penguin colonies. Towering peaks, drifting sea ice, and immense ice shelves frame a landscape scaled to Antarctic proportions, where Beaufort Island's volcanic cliffs shelter a thriving Adélie penguin colony and seabirds wheel above the surf.
Further south, the Ross Ice Shelf rises in sheer cliffs up to 160 feet above the sea, a frozen barrier so vast it has drawn explorers and scientists for over a century. Ice and weather conditions permitting, ships may push into McMurdo Sound, gateway to glaciers, volcanic peaks, research stations, and the extraordinary McMurdo Dry Valleys, among the driest places on the planet. Travel here rewards patience and flexibility, as itineraries remain subject to ice and weather.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in Antarctica's Ross Sea Region.
Cruise the Ross Ice Shelf
Sail alongside sheer ice cliffs rising up to 160 feet straight from the sea, a frozen wall so vast it has awed explorers for over a century. Best viewed from the outer decks in calm conditions.
Watch Adélies at Beaufort Island
Scan the volcanic cliffs near the Ross Ice Shelf's edge for a bustling Adélie penguin colony and nesting skuas, viewed by ship as ice and weather allow.
Push into McMurdo Sound
If ice conditions cooperate, venture toward glaciers, volcanic peaks, and research stations guarding the McMurdo Dry Valleys, among the driest terrain on the planet. Keep binoculars ready and expect itineraries to shift with the ice.
Cruise Lines That Call Here
Cruises That Visit Antarctica's Ross Sea Region
| Departs | Cruise Line | Ship | Itinerary | Nights | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25, 2027 | Ponant Cruises | Le Soleal | 21 | $34,800 | |
| Jan 11, 2028 | Ponant Cruises | Le Commandant Charcot | 29 | $80,540 | |
| Dec 13, 2028 | Scenic Cruises | Scenic Eclipse II | 26 | $34,717 | |
| Dec 13, 2028 | Scenic Cruises | Scenic Eclipse II | 23 | $32,882 | |
| Jan 5, 2029 | Scenic Cruises | Scenic Eclipse II | 23 | $35,676 | |
| Jan 5, 2029 | Scenic Cruises | Scenic Eclipse II | 26 | $44,120 | |
| Jan 11, 2029 | Ponant Cruises | Le Commandant Charcot | 29 | $79,880 |