Top reasons to join our Antarctic Christmas Expedition
Are you dreaming of a Christmas holiday that you’ll remember forever? Are you tired of the usual holiday routine? Then join us for an unforgettable Christmas and New Year’s in Antarctica! Pack your festive attire and enjoy sumptuous meals, try traditional mince pies and spend a wonderful Christmas Day aboard the Sea Spirit sailing the Weddell Sea. Mix active exploring, Zodiac cruising, kayaking and camping ashore with relaxing moments aboard the beautifully decorated expedition ship. With expeditioners from around the world, you’ll get to know other holiday traditions and customs.
Take your family and friends along on this journey, join in on the festivities of various holiday traditions from around the world and celebrate with like-minded travelers! Take pictures with penguins, cute penguin chicks, seals, icebergs and snow-covered landscapes for the best holiday cards of your lifetime. This is also the best time to spot humpback whales in the Southern Ocean.
Spend the holidays with us in Antarctica and we can guarantee a white Christmas: plenty of ice and snow await us. We’ll have everything that makes celebrating Christmas special, including a Christmas tree aboard! And watch out, even Santa Claus may crash our party!
Expedition Highlights
A guaranteed white Christmas
Snow-covered landscapes, icebergs and glaciers – if you want a white Christmas, then come aboard! Give yourself and loved ones a unique gift with this cruise.
A very special New Year
Instead of watching fireworks in a crowded city, set your sights on icebergs, glacier-covered mountains and iconic wildlife. Stand aboard the Sea Spirit with a glass of ice-cold bubbly to ring in the New Year.
Iconic wildlife
See iconic wildlife on your way down south. Spot gentoo, chinstrap, king and adélie penguins, weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, and even humpback and killer whales.
South Shetland Islands
Discover the history and landscapes of the South Shetland Islands with their adjoining krill-rich waters. Look out for seabirds and other wildlife while exploring the volcanic beaches.
Gerlache Strait
The perfect place for your holiday pictures! Pose in front of pristine landscapes, spectacular glaciers and beautiful mountain peaks.
Lemaire Channel
Known as the “Kodak Gap” for its picture-perfect scenery, this narrow iceberg-filled channel is one of the most stunning spots for wildlife viewing and photography in the world.
About Antarctica during Christmas and New Year’s
Climate and weather
During our cruising season, temperatures are mild at around 1 to 2 °C in January. During the winter months, temperatures range from -15 to -20°C. While you find little to no precipitation in continental Antarctica, the Antarctic Peninsula gets rain occasionally.
Wildlife preservation and ecotourism
The Antarctic Peninsula and its waters are rich in krill and attract an abundance of marine mammals and seabirds. The Antarctic Treaty System protects the unique ecosystem of the Antarctic region. Ecotourism and sustainable tour operators like us comply with its rules, thereby minimizing human impact.
History
Cuddle up aboard with a warm cup of tea and enjoy the heroic stories of Antarctic explorers of the past. Learn about Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated journey aboard the Endurance, Robert Falcon Scott’s attempt to reach the South Pole and the rise and fall of the whaling industry in the region.
Itinerary for our Christmas cruise
Day 1: Arrival in Ushuaia
Day 2: Board the Sea Spirit and start your Christmas cruise to Antarctica. Get your signature expedition parka and settle in. Join our briefings, get to know our expedition team and explore the ship.
Day 3-4: Cross the infamous Drake Passage and spot humpback and fin whales on your way.
Day 5-8: It’s time to celebrate! Passing the Shetland Islands on your journey en route to the Antarctic peninsula, we will celebrate the holidays with gourmet meals, dancing and music. Take the most memorable holiday photos ever with icebergs, glacier-covered mountains and penguins! Share this magical Christmas with fellow travelers and meet Santa Claus before continuing south.
Day 9-10: Cross the Drake Passage on your way back to port, enjoy the Captain’s Farewell Cocktail and end-of-voyage slideshow.
Day 11: Disembark in Ushuaia and start planning your next polar adventure!
Plan your Antarctic New Year’s cruise
How to get to the departure port of your expedition
You’ll cover the airfare to and from Ushuaia or Buenos Aires, Argentina (depending on the cruise) by yourself. We’ll pick you up from the airport, accommodate you for the first night in a local hotel and board the Sea Spirit the next day.
Visa control
You may require a visa to enter Argentina depending on your nationality. Contact us if you need help.
Antarctic Christmas cruise ships
We’ll celebrate Christmas aboard our small expedition ship, the Sea Spirit, with a maximum of 114 passengers. Choose your desired level of comfort from our many cabin categories: porthole, picture window and balcony. We offer various suite types, triple and double cabins and for our solo travelers – ask us about the single occupancy option, for that extra level of privacy! We recommend booking your Antarctica cruise December 2023 as soon as possible, as Christmas and New Year cruises are extremely popular among travelers. Also, for our Antarctica cruises 2024, we recommend not delaying your booking. For our holiday expedition cruise, our ship will be beautifully decorated to bring you into the holiday spirit. From our spacious deck, you can enjoy amazing vistas on the mesmerizing beauty of Antarctica and spot iconic wildlife. The ship also features a restaurant, bar, outdoor bistro, 24-hour tea and coffee station, polar library, lecture hall and gym.
Packing list
Pack warm undergarments (wool or synthetics, not cotton), middle layers (polar fleece, wool), wind- and water-proof clothes for the top layers. Bring comfortable footwear for the ship and we’ll provide boots for landings. Don’t forget your cameras, spare batteries, chargers, personal hygiene products and medications (if applicable).
Deck plan and cabin descriptions
View the full deck plan here.
Cabins:
En-suite facilities, wardrobes or walk-in closets, in-room safe, refrigerator, satellite telephone access, TV/DVD, temperature control and hair dryer are available in all categories.
Triple Suite
This 21m2 picture-windows cabin for 3 offers two twin beds (convertible to a king size bed) and one sofa bed. It’s located on the Oceanus Deck.
Main Deck Suite
This 23m2 suite for 2 people is equipped with portholes and offers two twins or a king size bed. It’s located on the Main Deck.
Classic Suite
Designed for 2, this 21m2 suite features picture windows and is located on the Oceanus Deck. Choose twin beds or a king size.
Superior Suite
These 20m2 two-person suites are located on the Club Deck and feature picture windows overlooking the walkway. Choose twin beds or a king size.
Deluxe Suite
Designed for 2 people, this 24m2 suite comes with a private balcony. Choose twin beds or a king size.
Premium Suite
This 2-person suite with 30m2 of space is located on the Sun Deck and features a private balcony. Choose twin beds or a king size. It also features a lounge area.
Owner’s Suite
As only one of its kind aboard, this 63m2 suite is located on the Sun Deck and features a king size bed, a sofa bed, a private living room with a game and meeting area, a BOSE stereo system and plasma TV. You’ll have your own private deck and a jetted bathtub in addition to en-suite facilities.
What is included
Airport pickup and the first night in a hotel are included in your cruise cost. Onboard accommodation and meals, celebrations aboard, the signature Poseidon Expeditions parka, 24-hour tea and coffee station, Zodiac cruising, rubber boots for the duration of your cruise, lectures, use of the polar library, free Wi-fi access and gym are also included.
For a full list of items included and not included in the cruise fee, check the cruise page.
FAQ
How cold is the expedition?
As we cruise in the Antarctic summer, so temperatures will average around 0°C.
What currency do you accept and how much money should I bring?
Consider tips, souvenirs, alcoholic beverages and other expenses. You can pay with USD Dollars, but you don’t have to bring cash because we also accept major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX). We don’t accept traveler’s checks. Accommodation and all meals aboard the Sea Spirit, one night in a hotel before your departure, as well as airport pickup are included in the price.
How do we celebrate Christmas in Antarctica?
We’ll enjoy a sumptuous feast, a beautifully decorated expedition ship with an artificial Christmas tree, hot chocolate, music and dancing. Even Santa Clause may crash our party!
What is the best month to go to Antarctica?
The best time to cruise is during the Antarctic summers. We organize cruises from December to March, where you can also expect the best wildlife viewing options. Temperatures during these months are around 0°C.
Does Antarctica have Christmas trees?No, there are no trees at all on the continent of Antarctica, nor on the subantarctic islands (such as South Georgia, Bird Island, South Shetland and the South Sandwich Islands). The last time Antarctica featured a lush forest was roughly 90 Million years ago. However, for our Christmas cruise, we’ll take our own Christmas tree aboard to bring the holiday magic to the White Continent!
How do you say Merry Christmas in Antarctica?Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Frohe Weihnachten, s Rozhdestvom… say it in any language of the world. Antarctica does not belong to any one nation. While English generally prevails aboard many cruise and expedition ships, different languages are spoken at the international research stations across the continent. Organizations such as the British Antarctic Survey and the Argentine Antarctic Program (to name a couple) maintain several bases across the White Continent.
How much does it cost to go on a cruise to Antarctica?
We have cruises for various budgets, depending on your schedule and preferences. Cruises start from around 8795 USD per person. Check out our program for 2022 and 2023 and sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date for discounts and special offers.