Luxury Antarctica Cruises

In today's world the power to choose can be a real luxury. This is a field where today's luxury polar cruise ships really excel.

This choice begins with the luxury of diverse suite types, enabling you to find the perfect fit for your preferences, and an abundance of shared spaces to match your mood, from cosy sitting rooms and tranquil libraries to elegant lounges for evening cocktails.

On your voyage you'll have the luxury of selecting your dining experience, deciding which restaurant and what kind of cuisine to savour, or dining privately in your suite. Choose to participate in every polar excursion, or stay on the ship to get the most of your ship's wide variety of amenities: it's entirely up to you. 

Luxury Antarctic cruises offer state-of-the-art expedition ships. You can expect a wide choice of spacious and well-appointed suite categories measuring from 270 to over 1080 square feet (25-100 sq m), with equally generous private balconies for ocean views. Dedicated solos, interconnecting suites for family groups, duplexes and larger suites with private dining rooms are all on offer. Outside, the public areas are more designed to be more like a boutique hotel than a traditional cruise ship.

Since comfort is also about how you travel, your ship will be equipped with modern stabilisation technology, including retractable underwater wings that reduce ship roll by as much as 80% – all in service of making your voyage as smooth as possible.

The calibre of the expedition staff on your ship is crucial to getting the most out of a trip to Antarctica.

Luxury cruise ships have some of the highest staff to guest ratios in the industry and attract some of the top talent from the guiding world. The breadth and depth of their knowledge and experience is unbeatable. You can expect one on one conversations with some of the most experienced guides on the ice, from marine biologists and environmental scientists eager to share their knowledge, to leading photographers ready to help you capture your experiences on camera – all in service of showing you the best that Antarctica has to offer. 

Modern Antarctic luxury cruise ships are extremely well catered for. As well as a range of dining options (many with menus designed by Michelin-starred chefs), you can expect sophisticated gyms, spas and plenty of ways to relax, whether in a cigar room or in an on-deck Jacuzzi with views of icebergs and glaciers.

More small details build up the luxury experience: Swarovski Optik binoculars and Bose speakers in suites, Starlink internet to stay in touch with home and 24/7 butler service.

These ships manage to pack a lot in for their size – and since they're far smaller than traditional cruise ships, they can easily navigate into small bays and get their passengers out experiencing Antarctica in person.

A wide choice of dining options is on offer aboard every luxury Antarctic cruise, with some ships offering up to eight different places to eat on board. Whether you want to eat in a relaxed bistro or dress up for dinner, or if you prefer Asian-inspired menus, French gourmet or contemporary Italian, you’ll find the best food on the Southern Ocean. To accompany your meals, on board sommeliers ensure that every ship carries an extensive cellar of wines.

For an even more personal service, there’s also the option of dining in your suite. There's nothing quite like having a butler serve you breakfast on your private balcony while you watch icebergs to start your day, or just relaxing with a cheese and charcuterie board and champagne as Antarctica drifts serenely by. 

Adventure activities offer some of the best ways to experience Antarctica up close. Kayaking is the most popular activity in Antarctica for a very good reason: there’s nothing quite like silently paddling through the ice or being surprised by a group of penguins that suddenly burst out of the water around you.

Two of our luxury ships also offer the option to experience Antarctica underwater with a pair of seven-man piloted submarines, giving an extraordinarily rare view of the polar world.

Not every luxury ship offers additional adventure options, so if this is important to you we’ll help guide you to those that do.

When time is a luxury, flying direct to Antarctica is a great option. One of our luxury partners is a Fly & Cruise specialist, getting you there in two hours from Punta Arenas in Chile.

On arrival you’ll board your luxury cruise ship and be ready to spot your first penguins in no time at all. The onboard cruise experience is exactly the same whether you fly or sail.

Flying to Antarctica involves working with Mother Nature. Fly & Cruise trips always build extra contingency into their schedules, but a flexible approach to timings is always required.