Experience the White Continent on a luxury Antarctica cruise with Adventure Life. Below is a selection of the most luxurious small ship Antarctic cruises hand-picked by our Antarctica experts. These cruises have been chosen for their unrivaled level of service, style, and small size which permits superior wildlife viewing on zodiacs and sea kayaks compared to large cruise ships. Luxury-class small ships boast the most spacious accommodations, top-level cuisine, superior service, and best naturalist guides available. Choose from the National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Orion, Silver Explorer, or the newly remodeled Hebridean Sky, for the ultimate luxury Antarctica cruise experience. Contact one of our Antarctica luxury cruise experts for help designing the perfect trip to Antarctica.

10 Best Antarctica Luxury Cruises for 2020-2021

Top Antarctica Cruises (190 Results)

Top Antarctica Cruises

Classic Luxury Antarctica Air Cruise

8 Days from $12,995

Fly from Punta Arenas Chile, over the Drake Passage to King George Island and board the Hebridean Sky, your small luxury cruise ship where we will follow in the footsteps of explorers on the Antarctic Peninsula spotting penguins, orca, humpback whales, and much more with the help of expert guides.

Emblematic Antarctica

Buenos Aires to Port of Ushuaia
12 Days from $10,790

Embark on an unforgettable 12-day voyage starting and ending in Ushuaia and succumb to the enchantment of the breathtaking landscapes inhabited by astonishing wildlife. L'Austral ship invites you on a polar expedition cruise to the heart of the icy realm on the Antarctic Peninsula.

The Great Austral Loop

Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
17 Days from $17,005

Board luxurious L'Austral expedition ship for a 17-day Antarctica cruise. Flying from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, Argentina this round-trip cruise heads first for the wildlife rich Falkland and South Georgia Islands, where birds abound, before reaching the legendary Antarctic Peninsula and then crossing the Drake Passage.

Emblematic Antarctica

Buenos Aires to Buenos Aires
12 Days from $11,900

Explore the heart of the icy realm of Antarctica Peninsula and the Patagonia. Explore a multitude of drifting icebergs, ice floes, imposing glaciers and tall, snow-covered mountains. Be astonished by the breathtaking landscapes and wildlife while crossing the mythical Drake Passage, during which you will probably be escorted by several albatrosses and Cape petrels.

Round-trip King George Island

Punta Arenas to Punta Arenas
7 Days from $17,500

Fly in style to the last continent and indulge in Antarctic beauty with this incredible 7-day cruise starts in the heart of the destination. Let the Silver Explorer take you across the continent, immersed in the otherworldly beauty of the most extreme latitudes on the planet. Be ready to see penguins, pinniped's, albatrosses and Seabirds on your Arctic expedition

Seals in Antarctica with zodiac in background

Christmas In Antarctica

Buenos Aires to Port of Ushuaia
12 Days from $11,900

Embark on an unforgettable 12-day voyage and succumb to the enchantment of the breathtaking landscapes inhabited by astonishing wildlife and spend a magical Christmas to the heart of the icy realm that is the Antarctic Peninsula.

Emblematic Antarctica

Buenos Aires to Buenos Aires
12 Days from $10,230

Join Le Boreal for a 12-day voyage to the Heart of the Antarctic Peninsula. Sail from Ushuaia to an enchanting polar desert, a final frontier where penguins number in the thousands and humpback whales patrol the icy waters.

Emblematic Antarctica

Buenos Aires to Port of Ushuaia
11 Days from $9,377

Marvel at the impressive ice fields and cross the legendary Drake Passage on this extraordinary 11-day cruise aboard L'Austral. Sail from Ushuaia to an enchanting polar desert, a final frontier where penguins number in the thousands and humpback whales patrol the icy waters.Marvel at giant icebergs, ice floes, glaciers, and snow-covered mountains

Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands

Fly the Falklands
22 Days from $25,750

This extraordinary 22-day Antarctica expedition takes you to Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands. Enjoy an extra day at the Peninsula by flying from the Falkland Islands back to the mainland. Take full advantage of rare wildlife sightings, watching whales feed off the bow or perfect conditions for a late day kayaking excursion.

Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands

Santiago to Santiago
22 Days from $26,490

Set sail for Antarctica on this 24-day South Georgia, Falklands and Antarctic luxury cruise! Encounter the rich wildlife of this region from zodiac or on shore. Antarctica promises to delight and entrance on this small ship expedition.

Antarctica Luxury Cruise Guide

Choosing a Luxury Antarctic Cruise
Our Antarctica cruise experts have already selected only the finest vessels with the highest level of service for the discerning traveler. Here are some of the criteria used to help travelers decide which luxury class cruise to choose.

Small vs. Large Cruise Ships
One of the biggest factors when choosing an Antarctic cruise is the size of the cruise ship. The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) guidelines dictate that ships with over 500 passengers cannot take passengers on shore, so larger ships spend several days cruising through scenic scapes, but without setting foot on Antarctica. Whereas with a small ship, we simply board a zodiac and land where the guide determines optimal. Other reasons we only offer cruises on small ship are because they have the ability to go further south through deeper ice, have more knowledgable, specialized guides, superior lectures, and cruisemates highly interested in the geography, natural history and wildlife of Antarctica. Here are our top choices for small luxury ships:

National Geographic Orion: 102 passengers
Hebridean Sky: 114 passengers
Silver Explorer: 132 passengers
National Geographic Explorer: 148 passengers
Le Boreal (CDP): 260 passengers

Cruise Length and Itinerary
Our luxury Antarctic cruises vary in length from 6 to 23 days departing from Ushuaia, Argentina or Punta Arenas, Chile. Most cruises are around 12 days long, and depart from Ushuaia, pass Drake's Passage, Cape Horn and onward to the Antarctic Peninsula where travelers spend 4-7 days exploring the white continent. Longer trips of 18-23 days additionally sail to the Falkland Islands and the wildlife rich South Georgia before setting sail for the Antarctic Peninsula.

Antarctic Fly/Cruise vs. Traditional Cruise
If you have limited time, then a flight/cruise combination where you fly from Punta Arenas, Chile to King George's Island to save a few days of sailing the high seas in transport. On King George's Island we board the Hebridean Sky where days 3-6 of the itinerary are spent sailing between South Shetland Islands and the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula before returning to King George's Island for the flight back to Chile.