Australia sits just 2,500 kilometres north of Antarctica, yet the majority of Aussies bound for the frozen continent fly all the way to South America to then make the 800km journey across the Drake Passage.
We’ll let you in on a bit of a secret; Antarctica cruises also depart from Australia and nearby New Zealand. That means you can skip the 20+ hours flying to South America and getting to remote departure ports and instead take a regional flight or even drive to a port to catch your cruise.
Antarctica cruise departure points
While the vast majority of Antarctica-bound ships do depart from Argentina and Chile, there are some available from both Australia and New Zealand. Not only is it much easier to get to the ports, sailings from the Antipodes also visit the opposite side of Antarctica to the peninsula. There will be fewer tourist boats around and you don’t have to cross the Drake Passage.
Antarctica cruises departing from Australia
Hobart is the only port city where Antarctica cruises are currently departing from within Australia. At the southernmost tip of the country (excluding overseas territories of course), Hobart is accessible to Antarctica and easy to get to from just about everywhere in the country and all major Australian airlines fly there.
Which cruise lines sail to Antarctica from Hobart?
Antarctica cruises departing from New Zealand
Dunedin and Port of Bluff on the south coast of New Zealand’s South Island also act as departure points for Antarctic cruises headed toward the Ross Sea. Swap the Andes for the South Island’s Alps and you’ve got a similar landscape to what you’d get with Argentina and Chile departures with a flight that’s only a fraction of the length.
Which cruise lines sail to Antarctica from New Zealand?
- Aurora Expeditions (Dunedin)
- Heritage Expeditions (Port of Bluff, with transport from Queenstown provided)
- Ponant (Dunedin)
Seasonality
Also being in the southern hemisphere, Antarctica’s seasons are the same as Australia’s. Summer peaks in December, while winter peaks in June.
No matter where you’re headed to in Antarctica, the cruising season falls during the summer months, aligning with Australia’s warmer seasons. The first expedition ships begin departing in November, and the last ones return in March.
Destinations you’ll sail to from Australia and New Zealand
Rather than the classic Antarctica Peninsula itinerary, Antarctica expeditions departing from Australia and New Zealand will head due south toward the and the Ross Sea.
Sub-Antarctic Islands
Between eastern Antarctica and the coasts of Australia and New Zealand lie a series of islands dubbed the “Sub-Antarctic Islands".
The Snares, Auckland Island and Campbell Island are all part of New Zealand and sit directly south of the country. To the southeast of those sits Macquarie Island, which is technically part of Australia.
Packed with unique wildlife and milder weather than Antarctica proper, these islands offer much more than just a stop-off point on the way south. Rare sea lions, seals, whales, penguins and albatross all live on these islands and can be easily spotted on guided expeditions.
Commercial flights don’t fly to any of these islands and specialty cruises are the easiest way to access them.
If it’s an area you’re keen to explore more in-depth, lines like Ponant offer cruises to multiple islands and the South Island of New Zealand without actually heading all the way to Antarctica.
East Antarctica and Ross Sea
About 2,400km south of New Zealand and sitting entirely within the Antarctic Circle, the Ross Sea is remote, pristine and untouched; it’s Antarctica at its finest. Cliffs of ice that are multiple storeys tall, Adelie penguin colonies and even active volcanoes call this region home.
This region is where you can walk in the footsteps of Antarctica’s greatest explorers and even visit their huts preserved in the ice.
The majority of Antarctic expedition cruises visit the opposite side of the continent, the Antarctic Peninsula and the Weddell Sea, while the Ross Sea is much quieter and less-visited, practically reserved for just you and your ship-mates.
The massive Ross Shelf, an ice shelf that’s hundreds of metres thick and roughly the size of Spain, is a huge draw card to the area. It’s what Ernest Shackleton’s party crossed on their (failed) attempt to reach the South Pole.
Cost of cruises from Australia and New Zealand
Antarctica-bound cruises are similarly priced whether they’re departing from South America or the South Island. However, cruises to the Ross Sea and Sub-Antarctic Islands do tend to have longer itineraries, which can make them seem more expensive.
On average, a cruise to this part of Antarctica are at least 20 days and prices start around $43,000.
Similar-length cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula start around $30,000. This doesn’t include the cost of getting to and from Antarctica, or pre-/post-cruise hotels, which are recommended due to unpredictable weather in the region. This can easily add on $5,000-$10,000 to the cost of your journey. Even more if you choose to fly business class.
At the end of the day, there’s not a huge cost variance between cruises from Australia or New Zealand compared to South America.
