When Should I Book My Antarctica Expedition Cruise?

Drawing on years of experience working with both operators and specialist sellers, there is a clear benefit to taking a very here’s an expert guide to when you should book your Antarctic adventure, and why planning ahead matters.

Most expedition cruise operators now release their Antarctic programs around 24 months in advance. This shift to earlier sales reflects lessons learned from the pandemic, when schedules and availability were highly disrupted.

By the time you’re booking 12–18 months ahead, the recommended window for securing your place, others will already have reserved their preferred cabins six months earlier. These early birds often secure the most comfortable locations on board, such as mid-ship cabins for smoother sailing, or suites closest to outdoor access and amenities.

The Antarctic cruise season runs only from late October through early March, the austral summer. Outside of these months, sea ice makes voyages impossible.

Because of this short window, demand is consistently high and supply is limited. Strict international regulations also cap the number of passengers and landings allowed, further reinforcing the importance of securing your place well ahead of time.

Booking early gives you the flexibility and confidence to:

• Choose your ideal cabin or suite category. The best-value and most comfortable cabins sell first. And doing your research on what cabin is right for you is essential, as there are many factors to consider. These include accessibility, ship location, outdoor areas like balconies and verandas, and enhanced service from specialised crew members. Please speak to our experts about what will be right for you. 
  
  
• Secure your preferred itinerary. Some routes include coveted extras like South Georgia or the Falkland Islands. If you would rather fly than sail the Drake Passage, fly-cruises to King George Island are likely to sell faster as plane capacity on such charter flights is limited and schedules are tight. 
  
  
• Align with your schedule. Travel on the dates you want, rather than fitting into what’s left. Shorter sailings, as short as 8 days, are very popular due to annual leave options and time limitations; they will always sell quickly. 
  
  
• Sole occupancy cabins will always sell very quickly and are often limited on expedition ships, due to their size. Expedition cruise lines have low passenger numbers and operate costly programmes. This is why fares are higher than traditional cruises and why they need to apply sole occupancy supplements to traditional cabins if you wish to travel solo. However, many expedition operators have dedicated solo occupancy cabins with zero supplements, for those who book early and secure. 

And importantly, booking 12–18 months out often means lower prices for the best cabins, before tiered pricing pushes fares up.

While last-minute discounts may look appealing, they often come with fine print:

• Lead-in fares (The headline fare you see advertised) are always advertised at the lowest possible price available, which may mean that the cost would mean sharing a cabin with strangers or booking quad cabins priced per person.
  
  
• Guarantee fares assign you a cabin at a fixed rate, but you won’t know where it is until closer to departure. This can be problematic on rough crossings like the Drake Passage, when location on the ship matters for comfort. The cabin could suffer from engine noise or vibration, for example. You may not know until you arrive at port after a very long journey. 

With expedition cruises, prices tend to rise as cabins sell. Booking earlier usually saves hundreds, sometimes thousands, compared to waiting for a “deal.” This is not always the case, but it is how the pricing system is designed to work. 

These are both life-affirming and often life-changing trips, where you will encounter extraordinary wildlife and nature at its finest, so it is essential to get the planning and timing right. 

For the most suitable cabins, best prices and choice of itineraries, book your Antarctica expedition cruise 12–18 months before your preferred travel date, especially for the ever-popular December–January departures.

At ExplorEarth, we work with approved partners and represent over 50 expedition ships, giving you impartial, expert advice. Our members enjoy exclusive benefits, including access to fares often reserved for repeat guests, along with the confidence of knowing they’re getting the best possible price and service.

If Antarctica is on your horizon, we’ll help you plan the journey of a lifetime, expertly, seamlessly, and at the very best value.