Beyond the Peninsula: The new wave of expedition cruises offering deeper Antarctic exploration

An article in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism recently noted that a record 125,000 passengers visited Antarctica during the 2023-24 season. It further predicted that travellers to Antarctica could top 452,000 in a decade. And shouldering much of this increase will be its most accessible point, the Antarctic Peninsula, which receives 75% of all visitors. The peninsula is reached by a two-day sail from Ushuaia in southern Argentina down the Drake Passage—the quickest and most cost-effective access, typically featuring itineraries of 10-12 days.

“More and more voyages are venturing further down the peninsula with Antarctic Circle-crossings, a mainstay of most companies, whereas such products were fairly rare a decade ago,” says Steffan Danino, Product and Operations Manager of Albatros Expeditions. 

Such numbers will inevitably raise concerns that over-tourism might have harmful negative impacts on the ecology of the 7th continent. There are, of course, things we can do as responsible travellers to ensure Antarctica remains pristine. For instance, choosing a vessel based on its owner’s commitment to sustainability and protection of the Antarctic ecosystem. And on land, following the guidance set by expedition shore landing teams, in keeping a respectful distance from wildlife.

In recent years, exciting new options have arisen to explore Antarctica and the subantarctic islands. The likes of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, for instance, offer a 31-day trip from Ushuaia to Christchurch, retracing the paths of legendary explorers like Scott and Shackleton. Their landings at Cape Adare, McMurdo Station, and the Ross Ice Shelf allow guests to experience remote polar frontiers and encounter emperor penguins, massive tabular icebergs, and volcanic coastlines.

“With more people visiting, it’s become increasingly important to look at lesser-known areas that offer just as much wonder,” says Mario Bounas, general manager for UK & Ireland at Swan Hellenic. “We’ve designed voyages that venture further into the Weddell Sea where vast tabular icebergs drift through rarely visited waters and to South Georgia. These alternative routes not only offer a deeper sense of exploration but also play a part in easing the pressure on the peninsula itself, helping preserve its fragile environment.” 

Alexander Loizou, Director of Sales & Marketing at Mundy Adventures, concurs. “The diversification of itineraries available for Antarctic expedition is a very positive thing for the destination, reducing the impact on landing sites and allowing them more recovery time whilst also inviting the most intrepid of travellers to discover even more,” he adds. 

Yet the growth in voyages to further-flung outposts remains relatively modest, says Steffan Danino, who wonders if increasing passenger numbers will be beneficial in the long run. “Antarctic tourism traffic is concentrated at certain highly popular sites which comprise the majority of visits, such Port Lockroy post office, with nearby sites going unvisited,” says Danino. “It’s arguable that it’s preferable to restrict traffic to a smaller number of sites to minimise overall wear and tear on Antarctic landing sites”.

“Scientific evidence suggests that the impact from visitors to Antarctica is minimal, largely due to strict guidelines agreed through the International Antarctic Association of Tour Operators (IAATO). Spreading the load of Antarctic visitors to a larger number of landing sites may minimise sightings of other ships and enhance the ‘wilderness’ effect but also risks exposing naïve wildlife to previously rare human contact,” adds Danino.

It could be IAATO eventually establishes an agreement to cap visitor numbers to Antarctica, much like the Galapagos has done, capping the amount of ship passengers who can be within its national park each evening. For now, options beyond straight voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula are slowly emerging, offering a next-level sense of exploration and wonder to this magnificent continent.

Weddell’s gyrating icefloes

While most Antarctic Peninsula voyages venture down its western Bellingshausen Sea flank, relatively few enter the Weddell Sea’s icefloes down the peninsula’s eastern side. Expect huge Adelie penguin colonies and feel Shackleton’s presence where his ship Endurance came to grief. Just below Snow Hill Island is the most northern colony of emperor penguins. Mundy Adventures’ exciting 15-night The Emperor Penguins of the Weddell Sea  voyage seeks to reach the emperors through dramatic icefloes. 

Next departure 11th November 2025, from £22470 per person.

Crossing continents

An extravagant adventure from Hobart to Cape Town that would leave Shackleton salivating is Ponant’s 29-day Unexplored East Antarctica & French Southern lands. Their luxurious ship, Le Commandant Charcot, trailblazes northern and eastern Antarctica to reach the magnetic south pole and visits Queen Mary Island, discovered by the legendary expeditionary, Douglas Mawson in 1912.

Next departure 17th February 2026, from £80,010 per person for a privilege suite.

Don’t ignore South Shetland 

South Shetland Islands resemble a dramatic halo perched above the Antarctic Peninsula. Typically they’re a brief bolt-on to Antarctic Peninsula voyages with ships pausing at the flooded Deception Island volcano. Albatros Expeditions’ 10-day South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula voyage deservedly puts this magnificent island-chain to the fore. Mountainous Half Moon Island has huge penguin and fur seal colonies while the columnar basalt peak at Edinburgh Hill is one of the great geological wonders.

Next departure 2nd January 2026, from $8,697 per person.

Follow the Albatross

Few ocean voyages to Antarctica are more ambitious than Swan Hellenic’s 20-day South Atlantic cruise: from South Africa to Antarctica. This epic voyage in the flightpath of majestic albatross scarcely encounters another ship during a South Atlantic traverse from Cape Town via Tristan da Cunha and South Georgia, before reaching Antarctica. Only a handful of ships call by Tristan da Cunha each year - the remotest inhabited island on Earth.

Next departure 23rd October 2026, from £13,480 per person.

Rare penguins & enchanted islands

Snares and Campbell are two of New Zealand’s subantarctic islands in the East Antarctic region famed for their endemism and visited by few. These UNESCO World Heritage-listed outliers are conservation zones protecting the likes of Buller’s albatross, tokoeka kiwi birds, and rare Snares crested penguins. Discover the World sells a remarkable 15-days exploration of them from Dunedin called: Subantarctic Island Discovery. 

Next. Departure, 2nd January 2026, from $15,295 per person.

South Georgia in depth

South Georgia’s stellar biodiversity features colossal king penguin colonies and over 5 million Antarctic fur seals, plus the gravesite of the legendary Sir Ernest Shackleton. Itineraries typically combine the South Georgia with the Falklands and Antarctic Peninsula, allocating just 3-5days on South Georgia, which never feels like enough. Oceanwide Expeditions however has a standalone 15-day trip called South Georgia Explorer enabling its magic to be enjoyed in far greater depth.

Next departure 13th November 2025, from €9900 per person.