Cruises to Antarctica

Antarctic Weather

Witness some of Earth’s most beautiful scenery in one of Earth’s least hospitable environments. Antarctica is the coldest, highest, windiest, and driest of all Earth’s continents, though it grants our cruise passengers access to many of the most dazzling sights our planet has to offer. Gray rock peaks punch out of the wind-carved snow, passing icebergs dot the dark blue waters, and wildlife abounds that can be seen nowhere else – all serving to remind us that we are truly in another world.

Along the Antarctic coasts (where we travel on our cruises) temperatures can reach as high as 10°C (50°F) during a hot summer day, and on a regular day can plummet to barely above freezing. But just because you’re in the coldest spot on Earth doesn’t mean you have to be uncomfortable: Our vessels are consummately designed to make your voyage as pleasant as possible. And if you’re still unsure what clothing to pack, we’ll give you all the information you need to stay warm and dry before you join us on our exploration of the Antarctic.

Facts About Antarctica

• Antarctica is larger than Europe
• Because Antarctica experiences so little precipitation, it is technically a desert
• The name “Antarctica” comes from a Greek phrase meaning “opposite to north”
• Almost 62% of the freshwater ice on Earth exists in Antarctica. If all that ice melted today, the world’s oceans would swell by about 60 meters (197 feet)
• The coldest temperature ever recorded was at the Antarctic research station Vostok, on July 21, 1983, when the thermometer dropped to a teeth-chattering -89.2°C (-128.6°F), cold enough to shatter steel
• Despite the cold, the biggest documented mass of living creatures — a 10,000,000-ton school of krill — was spotted in the Antarctic
• The first confirmed sighting of Antarctica was in 1820, though it would take almost a century — until 1911, to be exact — before a human being set foot on the continent

Travel to Antarctica

An Antarctic cruise means visiting a part of Earth that has remained largely unchanged since Aristotle first gave rise to the notion of Terra Australis, or the ”Land of the South”.

Taking one of our cruises also means acquainting yourself with the real survivalists of the Antarctic: the seals, whales, and so many penguins who call the region home.

Our Antarctica cruises offer you an experience unlike any you’ve had. Take a Zodiac cruise among the towering blue-white icebergs, kayak alongside curious whales, introduce yourself to the inquisitive penguins, dive into a new world under the sea, camp beneath the polar sky, or climb to a rugged vista for a bird’s-eye view of the landscape. To see a list of all your many options, check out our dedicated Antarctica cruise page.