Polar Regions Antarctica Cruise

Southern Ocean Odyssey: Ross Sea & East Antarctica

Experience some of the most remote, historic sectors of the deep South in comfort on this exploratory Polar Expedition aboard the luxurious Douglas Mawson. These are historic waters, where the explorers of the Heroic Age staged their bold assaults on the South Geographic Pole. Hear the stories of their expeditions and attempt to land at some of their remarkably well-preserved huts. Polar Expeditions prioritize the experience over the itinerary, adapting daily to offer the optimal experience per weather, wildlife, tides and ice conditions.

Your journey begins and ends among the subantarctic Islands, where yellow-eyed penguins waddle through wizened rātā forests and royal albatross nest amid megaherb moors. Collectively designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site, these uninhabited islands are a wildlife paradise and home to 15 birdlife species you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

In between, cross the Antarctic Circle and cruise the pack, keeping watch for emperor and Adélie penguins porpoising along the ice edge, orcas patrolling for prey, and snow petrels soaring against a backdrop of the vast Antarctic Ice Sheet. 

Embrace the spirit of adventure and either continue along the Victoria Land Coast and into the Ross Sea, where the Antarctic Ice Sheet flows into the world’s largest floating ice shelf. Or head east towards Commonwealth Bay and the fabled Cape Denison. Conditions permitting, make landfall to explore what remains of Mawson’s main base, and attempt to position over the South Magnetic Pole.

Cruise aboard adventure-ready polar expedition ship Douglas Mawson or Greg Mortimer for its state-of-the-art design and technology, plus excursion-minded preparation rooms and multiple boarding platforms for efficient embarkation and disembarkation. These small ships average 132-154 guests, with a selection of dedicated single cabins, and an educational and engaged team of expedition guides providing programming aimed at immersion into the surrounding polar wilds.

Read on for details about this trip, or learn more about AdventureSmith’s Antarctica cruises and trips to Antarctica.