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This Antarctic Peninsula cruise delivers you into a landscape of rugged rock, pure white snow, and a fantastic variety of wildlife. Come say hello to whales, seals, and penguins.
Highlights
• Whale safari - One of the greatest sources of joy and wonder found on our cruises is when we make contact with the gentle giants of the seas, the whales.
• Petermann Island - Located just south of the Lemaire Channel, Petermann Island is a stony and partially glaciated landmass known for its Adélie penguins
• Paradise Bay - A breathtakingly beautiful bay offering classic views of colossal ice formations and iconic Antarctic wildlife
• Lemaire Channel - A classic route for our expeditions to Antarctica, this iconic waterway serves as the gateway to the southern Antarctic Peninsula
• Neko Harbour - A pleasant beach in Antarctica’s larger Andvord Bay, Neko Harbour is a scenic landing site that offers great views of gentoo penguins and a nearby glacier
• Wilhelmina Bay - Between the glacial Gerlache Strait and the west coast of Graham Land lies Wilhelmina Bay, its expansive waters scattered with islands and icebergs
• Neumayer Channel - A glacier-fringed waterway just southeast of Gerlache Strait, Neumayer Channel separates Anvers Island from Wiencke Island
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Day 1: End of the world, start of a journey
Your voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed “The End of the World,” and sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.
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Day 2 – 3: Path of the polar explorers
Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you enjoy some of the same experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale spouting up sea spray. After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Not only does the marine life change, the avian life changes too. Wandering albatrosses, grey-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels are a few of the birds you might see.
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Day 4 – 7: Entering Antarctica
Gray stone peaks sketched with snow, towers of broken blue-white ice, and dramatically different wildlife below and above. You first pass the snow-capped Melchior Islands and Schollaert Channel, sailing between Brabant and Anvers Islands.
Sites you may visit include:
Danco Island – Activities here may focus on the gentoo penguins nesting on the island, in addition to the Weddell and crabeater seals that can be found nearby.Neko Harbour – An epic landscape of mammoth glaciers and endless wind-carved snow, Neko Harbour offers opportunities for a Zodiac cruise and landing that afford the closest views of the surrounding alpine peaks.
Paradise Bay – You may be able to take a Zodiac cruise in these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where there’s a good chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales.Pléneau & Petermann Islands – If the ice allows it, you could sail through the Lemaire Channel in search of Adélie penguins and blue-eyed shags. There is also a possibility you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales here, as well as leopard seals.
Port Lockroy – After sailing through the Neumayer Channel, you may get a chance to visit the former British research station – now a museum and post office – of Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. You may also be able to partake in activities around Jougla Point, meeting gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags.
At the nearby sites, such as Damoy Point there may be the opportunity for snowshoeing to the old ski-way, this is also one of our favourite camping sites.Wilhelmina Bay & Guvernøren – This is a great place to spot humpback whales. You also may embark on a Zodiac cruise ending at the ghostly wreck of the Guvernøren, a whaling vessel that caught fire here in 1915. Around the Melchior Islands, amid a frozen landscape peopled with icebergs, you may encounter even more whales, leopard seals, and crabeater seals.
Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.
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Day 8 - 9: Familiar seas, familiar friends
Your return voyage is far from lonely. While crossing the Drake, you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south. But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.
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Day 10: There and back again
Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.
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Please note:
Itineraries are subject to change.
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23 March, 2026 to 01 April, 2026
1 porthole
2 upper & lower berths
Private shower & toilet
Desk & chair
Flatscreen TV
Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
Hair dryer
Ample storage space
This cabin is suitable for families traveling with children, or passengers who do not require a twin or more luxurious cabin
1 porthole
1 upper berth & 2 lower berths
Private shower & toilet
Desk & chair
Flatscreen TV
Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
Hair dryer
Ample storage space
This cabin is suitable for families traveling with children, or passengers who do not require a twin or more luxurious cabin
1 porthole
2 lower berths
Private shower & toilet
Desk & chair
Flatscreen TV
Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
Hair dryer
Ample storage space
1 window
2 lower berths
Private shower & toilet
Desk & chair
Flatscreen TV
Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
Hair dryer
Ample storage space
2 windows
2 lower berths
Private shower & toilet
Desk & chair
Flatscreen TV
Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
Hair dryer
Ample storage space
These cabins are corner cabins and are slightly more spacious than the normal twin porthole/window cabins
2 windows
1 double bed
1 sofa bed
Private shower & toilet
Desk & chair
Flatscreen TV
Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
Refrigerator
Coffee & tea maker
Hair dryer
Ample storage space
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26 March, 2027 to 04 April, 2027
1 porthole
2 upper & lower berths
Private shower & toilet
Desk & chair
Flatscreen TV
Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
Hair dryer
Ample storage space
This cabin is suitable for families traveling with children, or passengers who do not require a twin or more luxurious cabin
1 porthole
2 lower berths
Private shower & toilet
Desk & chair
Flatscreen TV
Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
Hair dryer
Ample storage space
1 porthole
1 upper berth & 2 lower berths
Private shower & toilet
Desk & chair
Flatscreen TV
Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
Hair dryer
Ample storage space
This cabin is suitable for families traveling with children, or passengers who do not require a twin or more luxurious cabin
1 window
2 lower berths
Private shower & toilet
Desk & chair
Flatscreen TV
Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
Hair dryer
Ample storage space
2 windows
2 lower berths
Private shower & toilet
Desk & chair
Flatscreen TV
Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
Hair dryer
Ample storage space
These cabins are corner cabins and are slightly more spacious than the normal twin porthole/window cabins
2 windows
1 double bed
1 sofa bed
Private shower & toilet
Desk & chair
Flatscreen TV
Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
Refrigerator
Coffee & tea maker
Hair dryer
Ample storage space
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Plancius
Plancius
Vessel Type: Expedition
Length: 89 metres
Passenger Capacity: 108 - 116
Built / refurbished: 1976 / 2009
Plancius is an ice-strengthened expedition ship purpose-built for oceanographic work and later rebuilt for passenger exploration, giving it a solid, capable feel that suits remote polar travel. Its diesel-electric propulsion keeps vibration low, while wide open decks, a walk-around viewing level, and a large observation lounge support long hours of wildlife watching. Cabins are simple, functional, and consistent in layout, all with private facilities, while shared spaces such as the lecture room and bar-lounge form the centre of the ship’s educational and social life.
The vessel carries 108 passengers and a full expedition team, supported by a large, international crew that maintains steady operations even in challenging conditions. Zodiac capacity and dual gangways ensure efficient landings, maximising time ashore throughout Antarctica and the Arctic. Plancius is not styled as a luxury ship; its value lies in reliability, stability, and an expedition-first approach that prioritises learning, terrain access, and time in the field.
