Polar Expedition Cruises
The big polar voyages, sorted by trip type and what each one really involves.
Get Polar Expedition QuotesPast the Classic Trip
Most polar expedition cruises are ten-day trips to the Antarctic Peninsula or a week around Svalbard. They are wonderful, and our sister sites cover them in depth. This site is about the bigger undertakings: the voyages people save for, plan years ahead and talk about for the rest of their lives.
Polar Cruise Expeditions sorts those voyages by trip type. There is the run across the frozen Arctic Ocean to the geographic North Pole, the long sea route east from Ushuaia to the Falklands and South Georgia, the push south across the Antarctic Circle, the helicopter search for emperor penguins in the Weddell Sea, and the remote Ross Sea on the far side of the continent. Each has its own season, its own kind of ship, and its own trade-off between time, comfort and the chance of success.
If you are still deciding between the Arctic and Antarctica, or want to understand how a first expedition works, start with Cruising Antarctica for the White Continent and Polar Cruise Adventures for the far north, then come back here when you are ready for something more ambitious.
The Big Polar Expeditions at a Glance
North Pole cruise
Days of steaming through pack ice to 90 degrees north, with bears possible along the ice edge.
Reaching the Pole →
South Georgia cruises
King penguin beaches, Shackleton’s grave and the island with the strictest biosecurity in the south.
South Georgia in depth →
Antarctic Circle cruises
Continuing south past 66°33′ to Crystal Sound and, in a good ice year, Marguerite Bay.
Crossing the Circle →
Emperor penguin cruise
Spring voyages into the Weddell Sea that try to fly guests to the Snow Hill Island colony.
The emperor voyages →How These Voyages Differ
| Trip type | Usual season | Typical length | The main uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geographic North Pole | Northern summer, July to September | About two weeks round trip from Svalbard | Ice thickness and drift on the way north |
| Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica | Austral spring and summer | Often around three weeks from Ushuaia | Wind and swell at South Georgia’s exposed beaches |
| Antarctic Circle crossing | Austral summer, best later in the season | Usually longer than a classic Peninsula trip | Sea ice south of the Circle |
| Emperor penguins at Snow Hill | Austral spring, around November | Under two weeks | Whether helicopters can fly and land near the colony |
| Ross Sea | Mid-summer, around January | About four weeks from New Zealand | Sea ice blocking landings at the historic huts |
Season windows are patterns, not promises. Every one of these trips is sold as an attempt, and the expedition leader decides each day what the ice allows.
What Every Big Polar Expedition Has in Common
Each of these voyages leans harder on the ship than a classic trip does. Pushing through multi-year ice to the Pole calls for one of the strongest passenger hulls afloat; reaching South Georgia means days across the open Southern Ocean; flying to an emperor colony needs a ship that carries helicopters. When you compare departures, look first at what the vessel was built to do. The international Polar Code sets the safety baseline for ships in polar waters, and our sister site has Polar Class ratings explained.
They also share a booking pattern. Departures are few, cabins are limited and the most capable ships fill first, often a year or more out. Insurance matters more than usual: medical evacuation from the Weddell Sea or the high Arctic is slow and costly, and our sister site Cruise & Travel Insurance explains what to look for.
Gateways and Getting There
Southern voyages mostly start in Ushuaia, Argentina, with some fly-cruise options from Punta Arenas in Chile and Ross Sea trips from New Zealand. Plan a spare night before sailing; RoomsCheap.com lists Ushuaia hotels, and South America Shore Excursions covers port tours at the South American gateways. Northern voyages to the Pole begin in Longyearbyen on Svalbard, usually with a charter flight arranged by the line. For the classic Antarctic crossing question, read Drake Passage or fly-cruise on Cruising Antarctica.
Polar Expedition Questions
What counts as a polar expedition cruise?
A voyage to the Arctic or Antarctic on a small, ice-strengthened ship that carries its own landing boats and an expedition team of guides and naturalists. Plans follow ice and weather rather than a fixed port schedule.
Which polar expedition is the hardest to get on?
Voyages with few departures each year, such as the North Pole sailings and the emperor penguin trips to Snow Hill Island, have the least space. Ask early and keep a second choice in mind.
Do these voyages run every year?
The main routes do, but schedules, ships and dates change from season to season. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise check the current year’s departures before they quote.
Who Is Behind This Site
Polar Cruise Expeditions is part of the Smart Traveler network, led by Mister Cruise. He has sold travel since 1972 and worked full-time in the industry since 1977. He has sold or originated more than $500 million in cruises and has trained more than 500 travel agents.
When you ask for a quote, our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise handle it personally — not a call center — and book everything for you. Meet Mister Cruise →
Browse more cruise companies and specialists in the Official Cruise Directory, or everything travel in the Official Travel Directory. Love the idea of selling voyages like these? See Be a Travel Agent.
Plan a Big Polar Expedition
Tell us which voyage is on your list and which seasons you could travel. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will check current departures and send free quotes.
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