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5 reasons to book an Antarctica cruise
- Antarctica has no hotels - in their absence a ship provides the best alternative, acting both as a floating hotel and 'basecamp' from which to explore
- These Antarctica expedition cruises are not cruises in the traditional sense, but a fully immersive and participatory Antarctic experience
- The focus of each day is getting off the ship and up close to the unique wildlife and scenery, exploring by both zodiac and on foot
- A team of onboard polar experts will accompany you throughout, playing a key role and lending the whole trip a strong educational dimension
- For purists following in Scott and Shackleton's footsteps, sailing to Antarctica is the only real option to consider and all part of the adventure
Our best Antarctic cruises
Price Match Promise - We’ll match any price you find elsewhere for the same trip
From One to One Hundred
Swoop has catered for travellers of every group size. Whether you’re adventuring solo or bringing a group of over 100. We can help.
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Solos
- Working with over 30 different ships to find you the most solo-friendly ships, with the lowest single supplements, and the best solo deals available. Discover More
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2 - 5 people
- With over 100 collective years of Polar experience our team will help you find your perfect trip, so you’re on the right ship, in the right cabin, and at the right point of the season. Discover More
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6 - 80 people
- We’ve worked with all sizes of groups, from large families to small schools. Travelling with Swoop means you’ll be the best prepared customers on the voyage and you pay nothing extra for this service. Discover More
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Large Groups
- We are experienced charter consultants that can build tailored experiences for both part and full charters of vessels. Discover More
Choosing your Antarctic cruise
Which Antarctic cruise should you pick?
So, you've made the decision to go on an Antarctica expedition. The next important step is to decide which cruise to Antarctica is best for you. There's a vast, tantalising choice of different options open to you - ranging from 6 to 30 days in duration - travelling either by ship or opting to fly:
- Antarctic Peninsula (10 - 12 days) - The most common and best value Antarctic cruises with the widest choice
- Fly & Cruise (6 - 20 days) - Ideal for both time poor travellers & anxious sailors. The fastest route to Antarctica
- Polar Circle (13 - 15 days) - Join that exclusive band of polar travellers by reaching the intangible Polar Circle
- South Georgia, Falklands & Antarctica (18 - 23 days) - A ‘must’ for wildlife enthusiasts and polar historians alike
- Ross Sea (+29 days) - Few places on the planet are harder to reach and as remote. Voyage to the heart of Antarctica
- South Pole Cruises - The interior is a vast, untouched playground accessed by less than 500 people a year
- Luxury Antarctica Cruises - A new generation of luxury vessels are bringing a flawless cruising experience to the White Continent
With many years of experience, Swoop is adept at helping match our customers to exactly the right Antarctic trips.
When is the best time to take an Antarctic cruise?
Choosing when to visit Antarctica is a crucial part of the planning process. Once you've decided which year you plan to travel, the next step is to work out the actual timing of your visit.
Firstly you need to be aware that Antarctica is only accessible to visitors between November and March, and that these months are split into two seasons, with ‘High Season’ being the most popular and expensive time to travel:
- High Season: December, January & February
- Shoulder Season: November & March
It's then important to be aware of the distinctive weather and wildlife characteristics of each month, as the timing of your trip will heavily influence what the wildlife is doing then, and local ice and weather conditions.
Listen to Molly's expert advice...
How do I get to Antarctica?
The early explorers had no option, and were grateful for whatever vessel they could commission, but modern day Antarctic visitors are spoilt for choice. Not only can you choose your mode of transport to get there – by either sailing by ship or getting a flight to Antarctica– but there’s also a wide variety of boats, from former Russian research vessels to luxury yachts boasting 24/7 butler service.
Given the considerable amount of time which you’ll be spending on the ship, it's well worth investing the time to finding exactly the right one.
Discover more on getting to the white continent.
What will I do and see on my Antarctic cruise?
Prepare to be busy on an Antarctic cruise! Once you’ve arrived in Antarctica the backbone of each day is taken up by the off-ship excursions, of which there are normally two daily of between 2-3 hours long. These are either ‘landings’, where you go ashore to visit a penguin rookery or a place of historic interest, or a zodiac cruise when you’re on the lookout for wildlife and photographic opportunities.
There are often optional adventure activities – including kayaking and camping – as well as the ‘Polar Plunge’ and a programme of lectures delivered by the expedition team.
Kayaking on the Antarctic Peninsula
Zodiac cruising in Antarctica
Are Antarctic expedition trips expensive?
A trip to Antarctica is a big ticket item in anyone’s book, so it’s important to have a firm understanding of the likely costs before you start getting too carried away.
- What’s the average percentage cost difference between travelling during High to Shoulder season?
- How much more expensive is it to fly to Antarctica, rather than to travel by ship?
Swoop can help to guide you.
What our customers think of Antarctica Cruises
Antarctica Cruises trips scored 4.5/5 from 1212 reviews
I will keep Swoop in mind for my future adventure trips and also recommend Swoop to my friends definitely. It's a wonderful experience with Swoop. Thank you again for recommending and helping us to get the last cabin at that tight time before the trip's departure, so we experienced this unforgettable Antarctica trip.
Travelled: January 2020
Jinyu Xu - United States of America
Working with Swoop was a delight. They were so helpful and provided such good advice and useful detailed information. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2019
Ralph Pollack - United States Of America
If you have never been there, there is no way of preparing for the impact of being there. The untouched, natural beauty, the mighty icebergs, the silliness of the penguins. You will be spending hours just sitting in one spot adoring the view.
Travelled: January 2018
Zoltan & Stephen Nemeth - Florida
We've traveled to 87 different countries, and this was without a doubt our favorite destination. Of all the cruises we've been on, we spent more time out on our balcony on this trip than all the rest combined. The scenery changes so much, you don't want to miss anything. We saw countless whales from our balcony. And icebergs of every shape imaginable.
Travelled: December 2017
Chris & Amy - Florida
I think the only prerequisites for enjoying this trip are curiosity and realistic expectations about shipboard life: understanding that it is an expedition, not a cruise.
Travelled: December 2017
Marc - Florida
I have visited 89 countries and islands and Antarctica was my final continent. Without doubt, the Antarctica and Falkland Islands trip was the best experience, holiday and adventure I have ever had.
Travelled: February 2017
Nick - UK
John made this very hard decision so much easier by reassuring me of the incredible experience awaiting me and explaining every detail of the trip beforehand. If it wasn’t for John, I seriously do not know if I would have had the courage to go on this trip alone.
Travelled: February 2017
Jeff - Arizona
In a word, it was sensational. Everything was terrific: the ship, the "hotel" and the expedition team. You (John) are greatly loved among multiple crew folks. And we share that enthusiasm for you because your natural joy is infectious.
Travelled: February 2017
Larry and Julie - California
Swoop was phenomenal! I am so happy and grateful I booked with Loli and the Swoop team. Loli answered all of my questions and due to her first-hand experience with the trip, she was able to offer terrific guidance and helpful insights. I felt completely looked after and prepared for my trip.
Travelled: January 2017
Colette - California
From the first moment we booked our trip to Antarctica with Swoop, everything went so well. You can read about Antarctica, people can tell you about it, you can look at countless images, but it is so much more beautiful in reality.
Travelled: January 2017
Kim - Australia
The level of expertise and knowledge that Alex has is incredible and he helped us select the perfect trip for our needs and expectations. I've never had such good service.
Travelled: December 2016
Declan - UK
Swoop was fantastic. We were provided with great service, efficient and quality responses to our many questions. Swoop found us the perfect expedition to match our interests and budget. Alex even followed up with us throughout the process and called us the day of our departure to wish us a wonderful trip.
Travelled: December 2016
Bryce - Canada
We were extremely fortunate to link up with Swoop. We planned this trip at the last minute and I do not believe we would have found the right trip, right boat, or the right cabin. Loli knew that we were on our honeymoon and went out of her way to make sure we had the right cabin.
Travelled: November 2016
Ryan - Massachusetts
Review:
Expedition ship pushing through pack ice
A pod of whales, Antarctica
Resting Weddell seal with gentoo penguin looking on
Hiking over the snow at Peterman Island
Electric blue iceberg
Acrobatic gentoo penguin with fur seal pup beyond
Paddleboarding in Antarctica
The flukes of a diving humpback whale
Port Lockroy, home to the world's most southerly post office
Dramatic skies at Half Moon Bay
Watch our film on a day in Antarctica
Fly & Cruise Trips
Price Match Promise - We’ll match any price you find elsewhere for the same trip
Swoop says
I've been to over 70 countries but still wasn't prepared for Antarctica. Put simply it blew my socks off - a full blown sensory assault. It's impossible to exaggerate Antarctica's magnificence and the indelible mark it leaves.
Alex Mudd Head of Swoop Antarctica
Antarctic Cruises: FAQs
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Are there any age limits on Antarctic cruises?
Cruises to Antarctica have a minimum age limit on certain ships, but there's certainly no upper age limit. As long as you are fit and healthy, and feel capable of clambering in and out of the zodiacs, you’ll be fine. The average age of Antarctic travellers is approximately 50-75 year old, however, this is falling with every season.
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How fit should I be for a cruise to Antarctica?
The majority of Antarctic cruises aren’t physically demanding and definitely fall into the ‘soft adventure’ category. Walking distances are fairly short, particularly on the Antarctic Peninsula, and when longer walks are available they are optional and will be offered alongside shorter ones.
For more active travellers, optional adventure activities (kayaking, camping, etc) are widely available on most voyages. There are also select departures like Basecamp Adventure specifically designed for the active traveller.
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How far in advance do I need to book an Antarctic cruise?
When deciding when to book your cruise to Antarctica, there are a couple of rules:
Rule No. 1: It’s never too early to book
Rule No. 2: The early mover gets the widest choice
To be confident of securing your first choice you need to be ideally booking 12 - 18 months in advance, or as early as the departure dates are released. The popularity and limited number of departures of Fly & Cruise and South Georgia cruises, in particular, make it even more important to start the booking process for these early.
This may seem excessive to those who don't typically plan this far ahead, but on an Antarctic trip when places aren’t infinite, the need to book early is crucial to avoid disappointment. -
Where do Antarctic cruises leave from?
99% of Antarctic cruises depart from Ushuaia in Southern Argentina and Punta Arenas in Southern Chile. These are the main gateways to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.
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Is the Drake Passage as bad as it sounds?
The Drake Passage has a reputation, and not without reason as approximately 30% of voyages experience rough weather, however, it can also be surprisingly placid too ('The Drake Lake').
The reality for the majority of our customers is that it's rarely as bad as it sounds, and it's certainly a 'price' well worth paying, but if avoiding The Drake altogether by flying to Antarctica is your preference, we have firsthand experience and can help.
Antarctic Cruises
Antarctic Peninsula Cruises
The Peninsula is the classic way to experience Antarctica. Some of the best wildlife and most dramatic scenery can be found in this part of the Frozen Continent.
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Flights to Antarctica
Around 1 in 12 visitors to Antarctica arrive by air – this our guide on everything you need to know about flying to the White Continent.
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Antarctic Circle Cruises
For the ultimate polar adventure, join a cruise that crosses the Antarctic Circle at 66 Degrees South and visit some of the most beautiful landmarks the White Continent has to …
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South Georgia Cruises
A jewel in Antarctica's crown, South Georgia is one of the world's great wildlife destinations: the Serengeti of the Southern Ocean
Discover MoreReady to plan your Antarctic adventure?
1
Listen
We'll spend some time listening to your aspirations, then discuss the kind of experience that might suit you.
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Match
Next we'll discuss the options, shortlist the best trips for you and present you our impartial recommendations.
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Reserve
We'll place a 24 hour hold on your preferred option - without obligation - whilst we talk through the details.
With over 100 years of Antarctic experience between us, we can help guide you to exactly the right trip for you.
1 888 970 4570
