Antarctic Peninsula: The Classic Voyage
A well-paced first expedition to Antarctica, pairing two days at sea each way with five flexible days of landings and zodiac cruising.
Discoverer
Why we picked it
Polar Latitudes offers this 12-day Classic Voyage on Ocean Victory, Ocean Albatros and Discoverer. Five scheduled expedition days give the team room to explore while keeping a clear Peninsula focus.
Discoverer carries up to 140 guests and has a traditional small-ship atmosphere. Ocean Victory carries up to 175 guests, with a modern X-Bow design and a broad choice of balcony cabins. Ocean Albatros operates the November 2027 Classic departures. Match the ship and cabin to your chosen date; the featured March 2028 sailing is Ocean Victory.
First-time Antarctic travellers who want a small ship, a strong expedition programme and a clear Peninsula focus.
Five flexible exploration days give the team room to respond to ice, weather and wildlife rather than follow a rigid port schedule.
This voyage does not include the Falklands, South Georgia or the Antarctic Circle. Choose it when the Peninsula itself is the priority.
The Expedition Advisory difference
Why book this voyage with us?
Choose your voyage and cabin with confidence. We’ll help with the rest of your journey.
Operator Pricing
You pay the expedition operator’s fare. We check applicable offers and promotions for your voyage. Our advice and booking support cost you nothing extra.
Independent Advice
Compare this voyage with other Antarctic options. We match the ship, season and cabin to your priorities. We search all available itineraries from our partner operators, including voyages not listed on our website.
Field Experience
Our polar guiding experience helps you understand the crossing, time ashore and daily expedition life before you choose.
Beyond the Cruise
Your trip overview brings together recommended flight routes, buffer days, travel and packing tips. You can also book a hotel and transfer package through us.
Personal advice · No obligation · No advisory fees
Voyage overview
The programme begins with an included hotel night in Ushuaia. After embarkation, your selected ship sails the Beagle Channel and crosses the Drake Passage, where seabirds and expert briefings build the anticipation.
Five expedition days are planned around the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. Possible experiences include gentoo penguin colonies, sculpted iceberg fields, sheltered zodiac cruises and historic landing sites. The exact route is intentionally flexible: the captain and expedition leader choose the strongest safe option each day.
Experience Antarctica with Polar Latitudes
Two short films introducing the landscapes, wildlife and expedition experience that shape a voyage south.
Antarctica with Polar Latitudes
Exploring Antarctica with Polar Latitudes Expeditions
Day-by-day plan
Arrive in Ushuaia
You are met at Ushuaia airport and transferred to the included pre-voyage hotel. Use the afternoon to recover, walk the waterfront or explore Tierra del Fuego’s compact gateway city.
We recommend arriving earlier if international connections allow. A buffer protects the expedition from flight disruption and gives Ushuaia the time it deserves.
Your gateway to Antarctica
Argentina’s southernmost city is the practical starting point for the voyage and a worthwhile destination in its own right.
Embark your expedition ship
After time in Ushuaia, transfer to the pier and board your selected ship. Meet the expedition team, settle into your cabin and complete the safety briefing before sailing along the Beagle Channel.
Cross the Drake Passage
Lectures and briefings introduce Antarctic wildlife, history and landing procedures. Spend time on deck watching for albatrosses, petrels and the first signs of ice as the ship approaches the South Shetland Islands.
The crossing is part of the expedition
The ship’s observation areas and expedition programme turn two open-ocean days into useful preparation for Antarctica.
Explore the South Shetlands and Antarctic Peninsula
The official outline allocates days 5-6 to the South Shetland Islands and days 7-9 to the Antarctic Peninsula. The expedition team aims for two outings on suitable days, combining shore landings with Zodiac cruises. Locations may include penguin colonies, iceberg-filled bays, historic sites and narrow channels along the western Peninsula and nearby islands.
No two departures follow an identical route. Weather, ice and wildlife determine the daily plan, with the team choosing the strongest safe experience available.
Sail north across the Drake
Head back towards Tierra del Fuego with time for wildlife watching, talks, photography and the expedition recap. Conditions shape the pace, and the final approach through the Beagle Channel brings the voyage full circle.
Return to Ushuaia
Disembark after breakfast on the final day of your selected departure. Scheduled group transfers are provided to the airport, an Ushuaia hotel or a central location, subject to the operator’s arrangements. We will advise on sensible onward flight timing and any post-voyage stay.
Wildlife and the season
November
Fresh snow and remaining sea ice frame the early season. Penguin courtship, nest building and egg tending are characteristic sights, with ice influencing access to landing sites.
January and February
Long summer days provide time for watching wildlife and photographing ice. Penguin chicks and increasing whale activity shape the experience as the season progresses.
March
Late summer is particularly appealing for whales and changing light. Penguin chicks molt and colonies become less populated as birds head to sea. Choose March for the broader wildlife and landscape experience, rather than expecting peak nesting activity.
Sightings, landing sites and daily outings depend on weather, ice and wildlife. Five scheduled expedition days do not guarantee a fixed number of landings.
Ocean Victory: 1-12 March 2028
12 days / 10 nights aboard, maximum 175 guests and five scheduled expedition days. Arrive for the included Ushuaia hotel night on 1 March, embark on 2 March and disembark on 12 March.
Cabins and current availability
For Ocean Victory, 1-12 March 2028, ask us to compare a private Porthole Stateroom or a balcony category for two travellers sharing one cabin. We will confirm current pricing, cabin availability, bed arrangement and any applicable offers with your quote.
Superior Balcony Staterooms add private outdoor space. Ask us to compare the cabin layout and position for your departure.
Enquire about this voyagePersonal advice · No obligation · No advisory fees
Life aboard Ocean Victory
Ocean Victory operates 1-12 March and 21 March-1 April 2028. This modern X-Bow vessel carries a maximum of 175 guests. Observation decks, a heated mudroom and multiple access points support the expedition day; the restaurant, bistro, gym, spa and two Jacuzzis provide space to relax between outings.
Ocean Victory cabins and video tours
The Porthole Stateroom is a practical private cabin option for two travellers. Balcony and Superior Balcony Staterooms add private outdoor space. We will confirm cabin position, bedding and current layout for your departure. The operator's tours below use earlier category names; they show Ocean Victory interiors and are not a promise of a specific cabin allocation.
Ocean Victory - operator Category D cabin tour
Ocean Victory - operator Category C SP cabin tour
2027/28 departures and ships
Dates below include the arrival hotel day. Embarkation is the following day. The shared Classic Voyage programme is five expedition days around the South Shetlands and Antarctic Peninsula; the ship, cabin layout and optional activities vary by departure. Schedule checked 4 October 2026; request a quote for current availability.
| Departure | Ship |
|---|---|
| 7-18 Nov 2027 | Ocean Albatros |
| 26 Nov-7 Dec 2027 | Ocean Albatros |
| 19-30 Jan 2028 | Discoverer |
| 9-20 Feb 2028 | Discoverer |
| 19 Feb-1 Mar 2028 | Discoverer |
| 1-12 Mar 2028 Featured departure | Ocean Victory |
| 21 Mar-1 Apr 2028 | Ocean Victory |
| 11-22 Mar 2028 Halal-friendly departure | Discoverer |
Need the current fare? Tell us your preferred date, cabin and travelling party. We will check live availability, current pricing and any applicable offer.
Enquire about this voyagePersonal advice · No obligation · No advisory feesDiscoverer · maximum 140 guests
Discoverer combines the intimate scale of a classic expedition vessel with comfortable contemporary interiors and the practical spaces needed for twice-daily operations. At 140 guests, she sits directly within the small-ship range many travellers prefer, while still offering generous observation areas and a choice of cabin categories.
Why the ship matters: the guest count supports an intimate onboard atmosphere and efficient expedition operations. Accommodation runs from dedicated Solo Vista cabins and practical porthole categories to balcony staterooms.
Expedition Advisory will confirm the live fare, cabin availability, activity space and booking terms for your group. Polar expedition inventory changes frequently, so this page is a guide rather than a live booking engine.
Life aboard Discoverer
The following ship and cabin images apply only to Discoverer departures. They do not show Ocean Victory or Ocean Albatros.
Discoverer is designed around the expedition day: practical embarkation areas, comfortable lounges, observation space and welcoming shared spaces for briefings, meals and time between outings.
Main lounge video tour
Spa video tour
Discoverer cabin examples
These images show Discoverer only. Private porthole and balcony options offer different positions and outdoor access; ask us to compare the right cabin for your date.
View largerPorthole Stateroom
Discoverer Porthole Stateroom - an outward-facing cabin option. Ask us to confirm the bed setup and position for your date.
View largerBalcony Stateroom
Discoverer Balcony Stateroom - a separate ship-specific cabin option. Ask us to confirm the layout, bed setup and balcony arrangement for your date.
Activities
Included for everyone
Scheduled landings and Zodiac excursions are included, conditions permitting. Join the citizen-science programme and make use of the onboard photography coach throughout the expedition.
Go further
Discover Kayaking is a paid occasional paddling option. Immersive Kayaking is a separate paid programme for experienced paddlers who want to kayak throughout the voyage, conditions permitting. Advance booking is recommended; ask us to confirm places and costs for your departure.
Sleep on the ice
Camping is a paid activity on selected departures with places remaining. Check availability before planning to camp; a departure listing alone does not guarantee a place.
Optional photography and snowshoeing programmes vary by departure. Ask us to confirm the activities, requirements, availability and costs for your chosen voyage.
What the voyage includes
- One pre-voyage hotel night with breakfast; scheduled group transfers
- Accommodation aboard
- Meals and complimentary coffee/tea
- Selected house drinks at lunch and dinner; wine with dinner only
- Expedition team and planned excursions
- Medical doctor and onboard clinic
- Voyage photographer and photography coach
- Take-home 3-in-1 expedition jacket from 2027/28; loan boots
- 1GB Wi-Fi card and all port/landing fees
Plan separately for: flights, travel and evacuation insurance, additional hotel nights, optional paid activities, gratuities and personal spending. We will confirm the full inclusions and exclusions for your chosen departure before you book.
Let’s find your expedition
Tell us your wishes, dates and questions. We’ll help you choose with confidence.
Personal advice · No obligation · No advisory fees