Magellan Explorer

Specifically built for Antarctic fly-cruise operations, the Magellan Explorer carries a maximum of 76 guests. Many of the spacious suites have outside balconies.
Discover MoreSpecial Offers Available: Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.
Expert impartial advice at no extra cost: no-nonsense advice on 1500 voyages across 30 ships
The Antarctic Experts. No Compromises: there’s no question we can’t answer
The only B Corp certified Antarctic specialist: so your adventures can be a force for good
A full concierge service, unlike booking direct: we leave nothing to chance in delivering your perfect trip
Special Offers Available: Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.
Expert impartial advice at no extra cost: no-nonsense advice on 1500 voyages across 30 ships
The Antarctic Experts. No Compromises: there’s no question we can’t answer
The only B Corp certified Antarctic specialist: so your adventures can be a force for good
A full concierge service, unlike booking direct: we leave nothing to chance in delivering your perfect trip
Swoop’s association with Antarctica21 goes right back to our beginning as they were our very first partner – and some of our team have known them for even longer. Since then the partnership has flourished and we have become one of A21's key global agents.
Awesome, knowledgable peeps. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2025
Kelly Patterson - USA
10/10 - The maximum effort was made to ensure the guests were able to take advantage of all opportunities to get ashore to see wildlife and participate in various activities. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2024
Paul Luik - USA
Really great organisation with a good culture. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2024
Louise Elliott - UK
10/10 - It was an amazing lifetime experience and we were blessed by the good weather and also well taken care of by the whole Antarctica21 team. Read the full review
Travelled: October 2024
Cheong Kin Seng - Malaysia
The expedition team were extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Read the full review
Travelled: March 2024
Alysha Vazirally - India
Antarctica21 is a well oiled machine. They were amazing. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2024
Carol Forrest - USA
Can't say enough about how great the expedition team were. All were top notch. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2024
Ali Begeja - USA
The expedition team were all great, knowledgeable and very friendly and entertaining. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2024
Lorraine FitzGerald - Australia
It is a very professional and organized outfit. Really topnotch staff and planning. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2024
Rebecca Archer-Knepper - USA
The staff really made the trip! They were so organized and really wanted us to get the most out of our trip. I also loved that it was a smaller ship so that we got to go on all the excursions together. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2024
Sabrina McCarthy - USA
Staff are SO insightful intentional and thoughtful! Love their team work as well. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Erjing Cui - USA
The team's passion for Antarctica and their own research interests was palpable and contagious. I found Pelin's talks on history to be particularly engaging. Michael was borderline poetic in the way he described the ecosystem and the birds that rely on it. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Timothy Kleiman - USA
This was an experience of a lifetime that could not be had with a larger cruise ship operation. With a smaller ship, a much more intimate experience is possible. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Stephen Rathbun - USA
Antarctica21 is the best in the business! The crew was amazing! Marcelo, Anna Carla, Sergei, Ignatio, Teal, Diego, Veronica, and Jas were GREAT! Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Wes Westbrooks - USA
10/10 - The whole experience was amazing. Swoop customer relations (Hannah) was awesome. Antarctica21 did an amazing job. Amazing experience! Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Tamra Anne Westbrooks - USA
The crew to guest ratio was perfect for us. The whole team did an incredible job through and through to make sure we had the best experience possible! Antarctica21 did a great job organizing the trip and choosing the correct staff. Read the full review
Travelled: November 2023
Sarah Yip - USA
The expedition team was very knowledgeable, experienced and friendly. Many of them sat with us at meals and we got to know them very well. Everyone did a fantastic job and made our experience so special. Read the full review
Travelled: November 2023
Sarah Yip - USA
Antarctica21 is great! We really feel fortunate having such knowledgeable and friendly expedition team being our zodiac driver and explore guide in our voyage, which guided us through our each ride to appreciate the beauty, geology, ecology, and animal life. Read the full review
Travelled: November 2023
Dali Yang - USA
We would definitely choose to tour on the Ocean Nova again. The accommodations were clean and comfortable. The housekeeping staff were so efficient and did a wonderful job. And, my goodness, the food!! Chef and galley staff fed us so well - a broad assortment of choices at each meal and excellently prepared and presented. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2023
Jeff Zumhofe - USA
The ship was perfect, food was awesome I would recommend Ocean Nova to anyone thinking of going to Antarctica Read the full review
Travelled: January 2023
Nicole Wallace - USA
BEAUTIFUL SHIP!!!! I don’t know if I could go on another ship if it wasn’t the Magellan. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2023
Madison Augustyn - USA
Magellan Explorer is a world class piece of art! Brand new ship with everything you can ask for. The outside deck of our cabin was very nice and private. The ship has the latest stabilizer technology so we didn’t feel the waves too much. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2023
Khanh Nguyen - USA
I would highly recommend Ocean Nova. The cabins are perfectly adequate, the food and service was excellent. I did not want to experience Antarctica from a distance, and Ocean Nova is the only vessel that allows you to get up close and personal with the continent, its wildlife, and its feel. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2022
Marg Macleod - Canada
The entire expedition team and hotel staff on Ocean Nova was top notch. Read the full review
Travelled: November 2022
Akilah Hugine - USA
I have been on (much larger) cruise ships before, so I did have some general idea of how being onboard would be. My experience with Magellan Explorer was a step up from my previous experiences. Partly this was due to the small size of the ship, but even taking this into account, I found staff extremely friendly and helpful throughout the voyage. In addition, I found the food excellent, with great variety and ample portions. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2022
Fred Delcomyn - USA
Cabin was perfect. Food was unbelievable and staff fabulous. I’d definitely choose the Magellan again. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2021
Chris Dixon - UK
The Ocean Nova ship was great, I would 10/10 do it again. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2019
Katie Salva - United States Of America
Review:
The strength of the Swoop-A21 partnership pivots around the depth of confidence we have in placing our guests in their trust. This stems directly from A21’s consistent success at delivering a high-quality experience over many seasons in one of the world’s most challenging operational environments. Put simply, there’s no other operator who compares with their experience and track record.
Alex Mudd Head of Swoop Antarctica
Our partnership with A21 runs deeper than with almost every other operator:
There’s no other polar agent who knows A21 better than Swoop or understands the nuances of Fly & Cruise logistics.
Specifically built for Antarctic fly-cruise operations, the Magellan Explorer carries a maximum of 76 guests. Many of the spacious suites have outside balconies.
Discover MoreBuilt to ply the ice-choked waters of Western Greenland, the very popular Ocean Nova is a capable and comfortable ship carrying just 67 passengers.
Discover MoreHarness our 400,000 hours of Antarctic experience. There’s no question we can’t answer.
Expert advice on over 1500 voyages to help you discover your perfect trip - and we don’t charge a fee.
We care deeply about protecting Antarctica, that’s why 1% of our revenue goes to conservation.
Access our exclusive pre-travel webinars — one of the many ways we make sure you’re Antarctica’s best-prepared travellers.
A21 guides in Antarctica
The outstanding calibre of A21’s onboard expedition staff remains one of their superpowers:
A few key members you may meet on your voyage:
Awesome, knowledgable peeps. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2025
Kelly Patterson - USA
10/10 - The maximum effort was made to ensure the guests were able to take advantage of all opportunities to get ashore to see wildlife and participate in various activities. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2024
Paul Luik - USA
Really great organisation with a good culture. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2024
Louise Elliott - UK
10/10 - It was an amazing lifetime experience and we were blessed by the good weather and also well taken care of by the whole Antarctica21 team. Read the full review
Travelled: October 2024
Cheong Kin Seng - Malaysia
The expedition team were extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Read the full review
Travelled: March 2024
Alysha Vazirally - India
Antarctica21 is a well oiled machine. They were amazing. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2024
Carol Forrest - USA
Can't say enough about how great the expedition team were. All were top notch. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2024
Ali Begeja - USA
The expedition team were all great, knowledgeable and very friendly and entertaining. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2024
Lorraine FitzGerald - Australia
It is a very professional and organized outfit. Really topnotch staff and planning. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2024
Rebecca Archer-Knepper - USA
The staff really made the trip! They were so organized and really wanted us to get the most out of our trip. I also loved that it was a smaller ship so that we got to go on all the excursions together. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2024
Sabrina McCarthy - USA
Staff are SO insightful intentional and thoughtful! Love their team work as well. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Erjing Cui - USA
The team's passion for Antarctica and their own research interests was palpable and contagious. I found Pelin's talks on history to be particularly engaging. Michael was borderline poetic in the way he described the ecosystem and the birds that rely on it. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Timothy Kleiman - USA
This was an experience of a lifetime that could not be had with a larger cruise ship operation. With a smaller ship, a much more intimate experience is possible. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Stephen Rathbun - USA
Antarctica21 is the best in the business! The crew was amazing! Marcelo, Anna Carla, Sergei, Ignatio, Teal, Diego, Veronica, and Jas were GREAT! Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Wes Westbrooks - USA
10/10 - The whole experience was amazing. Swoop customer relations (Hannah) was awesome. Antarctica21 did an amazing job. Amazing experience! Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Tamra Anne Westbrooks - USA
The crew to guest ratio was perfect for us. The whole team did an incredible job through and through to make sure we had the best experience possible! Antarctica21 did a great job organizing the trip and choosing the correct staff. Read the full review
Travelled: November 2023
Sarah Yip - USA
The expedition team was very knowledgeable, experienced and friendly. Many of them sat with us at meals and we got to know them very well. Everyone did a fantastic job and made our experience so special. Read the full review
Travelled: November 2023
Sarah Yip - USA
Antarctica21 is great! We really feel fortunate having such knowledgeable and friendly expedition team being our zodiac driver and explore guide in our voyage, which guided us through our each ride to appreciate the beauty, geology, ecology, and animal life. Read the full review
Travelled: November 2023
Dali Yang - USA
We would definitely choose to tour on the Ocean Nova again. The accommodations were clean and comfortable. The housekeeping staff were so efficient and did a wonderful job. And, my goodness, the food!! Chef and galley staff fed us so well - a broad assortment of choices at each meal and excellently prepared and presented. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2023
Jeff Zumhofe - USA
The ship was perfect, food was awesome I would recommend Ocean Nova to anyone thinking of going to Antarctica Read the full review
Travelled: January 2023
Nicole Wallace - USA
BEAUTIFUL SHIP!!!! I don’t know if I could go on another ship if it wasn’t the Magellan. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2023
Madison Augustyn - USA
Magellan Explorer is a world class piece of art! Brand new ship with everything you can ask for. The outside deck of our cabin was very nice and private. The ship has the latest stabilizer technology so we didn’t feel the waves too much. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2023
Khanh Nguyen - USA
I would highly recommend Ocean Nova. The cabins are perfectly adequate, the food and service was excellent. I did not want to experience Antarctica from a distance, and Ocean Nova is the only vessel that allows you to get up close and personal with the continent, its wildlife, and its feel. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2022
Marg Macleod - Canada
The entire expedition team and hotel staff on Ocean Nova was top notch. Read the full review
Travelled: November 2022
Akilah Hugine - USA
I have been on (much larger) cruise ships before, so I did have some general idea of how being onboard would be. My experience with Magellan Explorer was a step up from my previous experiences. Partly this was due to the small size of the ship, but even taking this into account, I found staff extremely friendly and helpful throughout the voyage. In addition, I found the food excellent, with great variety and ample portions. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2022
Fred Delcomyn - USA
Cabin was perfect. Food was unbelievable and staff fabulous. I’d definitely choose the Magellan again. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2021
Chris Dixon - UK
The Ocean Nova ship was great, I would 10/10 do it again. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2019
Katie Salva - United States Of America
Review:
Special Offers:Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.
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