12-Day Antarctica Cruise Holiday: Itinerary Summary

This classic 12-day polar expedition delivers the definitive Antarctic experience, taking you from the tip of South America straight into the heart of the frozen continent. Centred around the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, this journey is designed for those who want to experience iconic polar landscapes, immense tabular icebergs, and high-density wildlife colonies up close.

Your journey begins in the colourful Argentinian port of Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. From here, you set sail across the historic Drake Passage, accompanied by soaring albatrosses. Once across the Antarctic Convergence, the landscape transforms completely into a world of towering glacial peaks, pristine sea ice, and glass-like bays.

Over the course of several days, you will use your small-capacity vessel as a mobile base camp to explore the wilderness. You will enjoy daily private Zodiac excursions, step directly onto the continental mainland, paddle sea kayaks amongst brash ice, and walk amidst thousands of chinstrap, gentoo, and adélie penguins. Expert polar naturalists and historians guide every excursion, transforming this holiday into a deeply educational, conscious, and unforgettable expedition.

Featured Vessel: The Greg Mortimer

For this specific 12-day itinerary, we utilize the pioneering Greg Mortimer (and its state-of-the-art sister ship, the Sylvia Earle). Carrying a maximum of just 130 passengers, this vessel completely redefines the standard for modern polar exploration, combining rugged, high-performance engineering with the warm, refined hospitality of a boutique heritage hotel.

Key Features of Your Floating Base Camp:

• The Revolutionary X-Bow Hull: The ship’s most defining feature is its patented, inverted wave-piercing bow. By slicing cleanly through the swells rather than slamming against them, it significantly dampens vibrations and rolling. This ensures an exponentially smoother, quieter, and faster crossing over the Drake Passage, drastically reducing the risk of seasickness.

• 100% Simultaneous Disembarkation: Because the ship carries fewer than 200 guests, it complies perfectly with strict IAATO conservation laws. Unlike large cruise liners where guests must wait in long shifts, the Greg Mortimer can empty its entire passenger list into the Zodiacs at the exact same time—maximising your valuable hours exploring the ice.

• Hydraulic Viewing Platforms: Fold-out observation wings extend directly over the water from the ship’s sides. This provides photographers and wildlife enthusiasts with completely unobstructed, top-down views of dolphins, whales, and seabirds moving alongside the hull.

• Boutique Onboard Comfort: Every cabin on board is an exterior stateroom featuring an ocean view, private en-suite bathroom, and individual climate control (with the vast majority offering private walk-out balconies). After a chilly shore landing, guests can unwind in the glass-enclosed observation lounges, 180-degree wellness centre, or the outdoor heated hot tubs on the top deck.

• Deep Commitment to Conservation: The ship utilizes advanced virtual anchoring systems to hold its position via GPS, entirely eliminating the risk of dropping heavy anchors onto fragile sea-floor ecosystems. It operates under a strict zero-single-use-plastics mandate and utilizes highly fuel-efficient engines that reduce emissions.

Itinerary Highlights for the 12-Day Expedition

This 12-day voyage is designed to deliver the quintessential Antarctic experience, maximizing your time navigating through iconic waterways, massive ice structures, and bustling wildlife habitats.

• Navigating the Mirror-Like Lemaire Channel: Experience one of the most breathtaking navigation routes on the planet, clipping between towering mountain peaks and vertical glacial cliffs that reflect perfectly on the calm water.

• Zodiac Safaris in Wilhelmina Bay: Head out on small-boat excursions to view humpback and minke whales bubble-net feeding against a dramatic backdrop of active, calving glaciers.

• Stepping Foot on the Continental Mainland: Savour the unforgettable moment of setting foot directly onto the actual Antarctic Continent, accompanied by expert glaciologists and polar historians.

• Exploring Volcanic Deception Island: Sail through the narrow opening of Neptune’s Bellows into a flooded volcanic caldera, where black volcanic sands steam against the polar ice.

• Smooth Drake Passage Crossings: Complete the legendary journey across the open sea in maximum comfort, utilizing the Greg Mortimer’s revolutionary, wave-piercing X-Bow hull design.

Our Suggested Day By Day Itinerary

Antarctica

PACKAGE DETAILS

From £8,270  Per Person
Based on 2 sharing a Room

Business Class Flights Upgrades Are Available