Best Antarctica cruise ships: 16 stylish expedition vessels exploring the White Continent

There’s never been a better time to travel to Antarctica — at least, when it comes to getting there in comfort and style.

The last few years have brought a stunning new crop of small “expedition” cruise vessels specifically designed for Antarctica sailings that are far more upscale and elegant than anything seen before.

Built by longtime leaders in polar cruising, such as Lindblad Expeditions and HX Expeditions, as well as several newcomers to the niche, these are vessels that are more spacious, amenity-filled and stable than Antarctica cruise ships of old — and they’re fundamentally changing the way travelers are experiencing the destination.

The best Antarctica cruise ships: Then and now

Tourists have been visiting Antarctica in small numbers since 1966, when adventure tour pioneer Lars-Eric Lindblad led a small group of “citizen scientists” to the Antarctic Peninsula on a chartered Argentine navy ship. But for many of the 60 years since then, a trip to Antarctica has meant a sailing on a relatively spartan vessel.

Like Lindblad’s chartered navy ship, many of the early vessels used for tourism to the White Continent were tough-built government or scientific ships designed with navigating icy areas but not necessarily comfort in mind.

My first voyage to Antarctica, back in 2004, for instance, was on Akademik Ioffe — a hardy, ice-class Russian oceanographic research vessel that was often chartered by adventure tour companies in those days for polar trips. I slept in a no-frills cabin originally designed for Russian oceanography researchers and ate with my fellow tourgoers in a cafeterialike dining space. The crew mostly spoke Russian.

A lot has changed since then — particularly in the last decade.

The new crop of vessels being built for Antarctica sailings has all the creature comforts that travelers have come to expect on cruise vessels in other parts of the world, including spacious and upscale cabins, often with balconies; elegant eateries with diverse menus; spas and fitness centers; and even pools and deck-top hot tubs.

Some of the fanciest of the newcomers also have such over-the-top amenities as helicopters for sightseeing from above and submarines for seeing what lurks just under the water. At the very high end, some ships feature all-suite accommodations with butler service.

In all cases, these are ships specifically built for “expedition cruising” — a type of cruising that involves traveling to remote, hard-to-reach places on small, hardy vessels that carry their own landing craft. All of them sail with a large number of rigid inflatable Zodiac boats for landings and have strengthened hulls and other design features that let them operate in icy areas.

I’ve sailed on nearly all these new vessels, in most cases in polar regions, and have been consistently amazed by just how much of an upgrade they really are.

Here are my picks for the 16 best new expedition cruise ships sailing to Antarctica.

National Geographic Endurance and National Geographic Resolution

Operator: Lindblad Expeditions

These Lindblad Expeditions ships may be my favorite all-around picks for an Antarctica cruise. Sailing since July and November 2021, respectively, National Geographic Endurance and National Geographic Resolution each are designed to hold no more than 126 passengers — a notably low number that allows for an intimate experience when exploring the White Continent.

They’re also very stable ships, thanks to an unusual new sloping bow design — something that can make a big difference when sailing to and from Antarctica across the notoriously rough Drake Passage.

Lindblad was the original pioneer of tourist trips to Antarctica, and it has years of experience in the region that has helped shape the way it designed these nearly identical vessels, both specifically built for polar travel.

Each of the ships has a polar class rating of PC 5 Category A (a notch above many of the Antarctic vessels), allowing them to travel through icy areas with ease. They’re also loaded with observation areas for viewing the passing scenery. They carry kayaks, snowshoes and cross-country skis for polar exploring in addition to Zodiac boats for landings, and they have remotely operated vehicles — just in case you want to see what’s going on down below.

Additionally, each vessel has two glass-walled “igloos” on its top deck where passengers can spend the night under the stars. Comfortable state-of-the-art rooms with balconies; stylish restaurants and lounges with upscale, Scandinavian-inspired decor; a spa; and a yoga studio with wall-to-wall windows round out the onboard experience.

Related: I just spent the night in an igloo in Antarctica — here’s how you can, too

The details: Fares for 11-night Antarctica cruises on the two vessels start at $14,490 per person, based on double occupancy. Fares include a precruise, one-night hotel stay in Buenos Aires, Argentina, or Santiago, Chile; flights from Buenos Aires or Santiago to Ushuaia, Argentina; drinks, including spirits and wines; and prepaid gratuities.

World Navigator, World Traveller and World Voyager

Operator: Atlas Ocean Voyages

All launched since 2021, these three vessels make up the fleet for the relatively new small-ship brand Atlas Ocean Voyages — and they’re high on my list of favorite ships for polar exploring.

Like the Lindblad vessels, they’re designed to carry relatively few passengers (up to 184 on Antarctica sailings) and loaded with indoor and outdoor observation areas, including an innovative, close-to-the-waterline outside deck area with heated seating called The Water’s Edge. Each of the vessels has a high-tech GPS system that lets them hover in sensitive areas without dropping the anchor.

They’re both built tough for polar exploring (they each have a PC 6 rating, one notch below the Lindblad vessels) while also having an elegant design. You’ll find 1940s-influenced decor, a L’Occitane spa (the first at sea) and butler service in the top cabins.

Related: An untamed world: Discovering the wild dreamscape of Antarctica

The details: Nine-night voyages to Antarctica start at $10,499 per person, based on double occupancy. Fares cover drinks, including spirits and fine wines; shipboard Wi-Fi; prepaid gratuities; and emergency medical evacuation insurance for every passenger (the latter being a rare offering among companies cruising to Antarctica).

Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen

Operator: HX Expeditions

HX Expeditions, a U.K.-based expedition cruise company, has a long and storied history in polar travel, so it’s no surprise that the company broke new ground in the polar cruising niche when it unveiled the 530-passenger Roald Amundsen and sister ship Fridtjof Nansen in 2019 and 2021, respectively.

Named after famous Norwegian polar explorers, the ships are the cruise industry’s first to run on electric hybrid engines. This not only saves fuel but also allows for noiseless operation in sensitive polar areas where silence can make all the difference (near a penguin rookery, for instance, or a calving glacier).

Other unusual features include a full-blown science center with microscopes and other gadgets where you can learn about the science of the places you visit, as well as underwater drones for passenger use.

Related: Antarctica reading list: These 8 books are must-reads before a trip to the White Continent

Both of these vessels sail with a maximum of 500 passengers when operating in Antarctica, which is on the high side for an Antarctic-based vessel. If you’re eager to make a lot of landings in Antarctica during a trip to the continent, HX Expeditions’ newest ships may not be the best choice. With Antarctic regulations limiting landings to 100 people at a time, these ships can only land a small fraction of their passengers at any given time.

For that reason, I am partial to the older but more intimate HX Expeditions polar vessel Fram, which carries just 200 passengers when operating in Antarctica. But Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen have one big advantage versus that ship and many others operating in Antarctica: Their starting rates for trips to the region are significantly lower. As bigger ships, they also may feel more stable at times.

The details: Fares for 11-night Antarctica cruises start at $9,721 per person, based on double occupancy. Fares include a precruise, one-night hotel stay in Buenos Aires; round-trip flights from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia; most drinks on board; and free Wi-Fi.

Scenic Eclipse and Scenic Eclipse II

Operator: Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

Unveiled in 2019 and 2023, respectively, these super-swanky, 228-passenger “discovery yachts” were the first oceangoing vessels for luxury purveyor Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours — a brand better known for river cruises.

Like Scenic river ships, both Scenic Eclipse and Scenic Eclipse II are high-end vessels with all-suite accommodations that include a separate living room area in each, butler service for all and a wide range of onboard dining and bar options, including a sushi restaurant and a whiskey bar that offers more than 110 whiskeys and other high-end liquors. Health and fitness options include a spa and a yoga studio.

When it debuted in 2019, Scenic Eclipse was notably the first Antarctica-bound cruise vessel with helicopters to take passengers on epic Antarctica excursions — and it remains one of the only such vessels. Scenic Eclipse II also has helicopters, and both have submarines for underwater excursions.

Having experienced a helicopter excursion from one of the vessels, I can say that it’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The only downside to this feature is that the helicopter pad and hangars take up a lot of space on the top deck of each vessel. The suites along the front of the ship also take up a lot of outdoor space, meaning there’s not as much available room for observation areas, which results in a ship with less outdoor space for viewing scenery than is typical for small vessels operating polar trips.

The details: Fares for 12-night Antarctica trips start at $17,868 per person, based on double occupancy. Fares include a precruise, one-night hotel stay in Buenos Aires; round-trip flights from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia; drinks, including spirits and fine wines; and prepaid gratuities.

Le Soleal, Le Boreal, Le Lyrial and L’Austral

Operator: Ponant Explorations

Launched between 2010 and 2015, these four sister ships are regular visitors to Antarctica — both under the banner of Ponant Explorations, a French brand, and as vessels chartered to high-end tour companies such as Abercrombie & Kent.

A pioneer in polar travel, Ponant has a long tradition of operating voyages to Antarctica, and this series of ships was specially designed for such trips. They are hardy (with 1C ice class ratings from Lloyd’s Register) but also stylish, with contemporary interiors and comfortable rooms.

Note that the onboard ambience of these vessels sometimes can be significantly different depending on whether they are sailing on a trip marketed by Ponant (where announcements and onboard programming will be in both French and English, with many of the passengers being French-speakers) or by a tour operator such as Abercrombie & Kent (where the onboard experience will have a more distinctly American vibe).

The details: Fares for 11-night Antarctica trips start at $17,320 per person, based on double occupancy. Fares include a precruise, one-night hotel stay in Buenos Aires and round-trip flights from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia.

Le Commandant Charcot

Operator: Ponant Explorations

In addition to routinely sending the four ships above to Antarctica, Ponant operates this one-of-a-kind expedition cruise vessel in the region — deploying it on some of the most ambitious and epic Antarctica voyages that have ever been conceived.

It can do that because Le Commandant Charcot, which was unveiled in 2021, is a full-blown icebreaker of the sort that, until recently, only governments operated — a vessel built specifically to cut through the thick multiyear ice that is found in the most hard-to-access parts of the polar regions.

In fact, it is the world’s first and only icebreaker built for tourism and, quite simply, the toughest passenger ship ever built for expedition cruising.

Related: The most epic cruise ever? What it’s like sailing to the North Pole on a luxury icebreaker

Designed for up to 245 passengers, it’s also a particularly luxurious expedition vessel, with a restaurant designed by the famed French chef Alain Ducasse, an elegant spa and high-end cabins and suites.

The details: Fares for 12-night Antarctica trips start at $29,180 per person, based on double occupancy.

Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris

Operator: Viking

Unveiled in 2022, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris are Viking’s first-ever expedition cruise ships, and they have some unusual features that make them some of the best cruise ships for exploring Antarctica.

One of the most notable features is The Hangar. Both vessels have this enclosed marina that allows passengers to transfer to small boats for exploring without having to leave the protected interior of the ship. It’s unique and a first for an expedition cruise ship, and it makes it easier for passengers with mobility issues to get a full Antarctica experience.

Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris also have what may be the most stunning lecture halls ever at sea. Located at the back of the vessels, the high-tech rooms have sliding walls behind the spot where lecturers will stand that can open to reveal the surrounding scenery through floor-to-ceiling glass.

Both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris are designed to carry 378 passengers, which is on the high side for Antarctica cruise ships. Like HX Expeditions’ Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen, they aren’t able to land all or even most of their passengers at once in Antarctica. But they’re still able to land passengers at Antarctica landing sites relatively efficiently in multiple waves.

Like the two Scenic vessels, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris carry submarines for underwater exploring, as well as kayaks.

Additionally, in what was a first for polar expedition cruise vessels when they debuted, every cabin on the vessels has floor-to-ceiling glass walls that slide partially open from the top to create a balconylike feel. Public areas feature the same elegant Scandinavian design found on Viking’s ocean ships and river ships, as well as such familiar Viking venues as Italian restaurant Manfredi’s and a top-of-the-ship, glass-walled Explorers’ Lounge.

The details: Fares for 12-night Antarctica trips start at $14,995 per person, based on double occupancy. Fares include a precruise hotel stay in Buenos Aires; beer and wine with lunch and dinner; and shipboard Wi-Fi.

Planning an Antarctica cruise expedition? Start with these stories:

• I just camped on the ice in Antarctica — here’s how you can, too
• How to get to Antarctica: The pros and cons of flying vs. cruising
• I jumped off a cruise ship in Antarctica and lived to tell the tale