Antarctic Peninsula Cruises

Expedition cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula usually depart from Ushuaia, Argentina, or Punta Arenas, Chile, on expedition cruises. These voyages take two days to cross the infamous Drake Passage before reaching the relatively calmer waters north of the peninsula. A few select expeditions allow you to fly directly to King George Island (thus skipping the Drake Passage) and join a cruise ship from there.

You can fly the Drake in one direction or both ways – that's up to you.

The Antarctic cruising season starts late October and runs until March. These are the only months of the year when temperatures are known to reach above 0 degrees Celsius during the day on the Antarctic Peninsula, and though the east tends to be colder, it is still more tolerable at this time of the year.

It depends on the ship but the majority of our ships carry between 50 and 150 passengers. A few of the mega-yachts and purpose-built cruise ships carry around 250 passengers. 

The Drake Passage is known as ‘the roughest sea passage on earth’ – there is no landmass around the globe at this latitude, so winds and currents can be considerable. The unpredictability of weather patterns means there is no way of foretelling just how rough the Drake Passage can be on any specific day. Some Antarctica Peninsula cruise passengers experience the 'Drake Lake' while others have the pleasure (or not) of experiencing the 'Drake Shake'. It really is all up to the weather and sea current gods.

Aside from many seasickness remedies that can help you mitigate a rough crossing to the Antarctic Peninsula, modern expedition vessels are equipped to handle these conditions, providing stability and as much comfort for passengers as possible.

Some types of expedition ships are better for seasickness sufferers than others—ask us about this specific requirement.

Everyone reacts differently to sea conditions whether during the crossing of the infamous Drake Passage to Antarctica, or even during calmer seas. However, our vessels are built for maximum stability and comfort to ensure that even in rough conditions, sea and motion sickness are kept to a minimum at all times. To avoid seasickness, ask your doctor to prescribe appropriate seasickness medicine for you and make sure you have enough for the whole trip. Tips: If you are prone to motion sickness, it is best to avoid alcohol, tobacco, excess liquids and confined spaces.

Antarctica is an extreme environment and although Antarctic cruises depart during the spring and summer months, the weather can change dramatically, with no warning and so you need to be prepared for conditions in this harsh region. 

• A parka jacket, but don’t bring your own, it will be provided.
• Waterproof boots and pants
• Warm socks, gloves, scarf and a hat
• Sunscreen, sunglasses
• Zip lock plastic bags or dry sacks for carrying camera, batteries, etc. 

All our tours are 100% tried and tested to ensure that when you travel with us, you are doing so in a controlled and safe environment with trained experts. One of the biggest concerns on a cruise to Antarctica is the weather conditions, so to ensure you have the best adventure without risk of injuries to you or damage to the vessel, activities may occasionally need to be rescheduled or cancelled or your itinerary may need to be adapted during the trip.