Antarctic Cruises from New Zealand & Australia

Cruises from Australia and New Zealand are much longer and more expensive than cruises from South America, but don’t let this deter you as the destinations visited will offer incredibly mind blowing experiences.

Cruises typically depart from either Hobart in Australia or Invercargill in New Zealand and focus on either the Commonwealth Bay area or the Ross Sea. These are some of the most remote regions of the earth and only a few hundred people are able to visit each year. Wildlife is abundant and it is in this region that the relics of the ‘heroic period’ of Antarctic exploration can be seen and experienced. Some of the wildlife you might experience while exploring the Ross Sea include the Antarctic and Snow Petrel, the Adélie and Emperor Penguin, and south polar skua. Marine mammals in the Ross Sea include Orca, the Antarctic minke whale, Weddell and Crabeater seals, and the formidable leopard seal.


There are also a few shorter cruises offered each season which focus on visiting the so called sub-Antarctic islands such as Macquarie Island, Campbell Island, Snares Island and Auckland Island. home to the southern royal albatross. These remote islands are home to a rich diversity of plants, seabirds and marine mammals, many of which are endemic to the region. Often the longer cruises to the Ross Sea will include a stops at some of these islands.

With a landscape that almost defies description, a journey to Antarctica is simply life-changing. Travellers are invited to join us on a small ship expedition cruise as we explore the planet’s most remote continent with its unspoilt, awe-inspiring scenery and incredible wildlife encounters.

Antarctica is the fifth largest, coldest and driest continent on Earth. Not only are travellers given the opportunity to observe the abundance of wildlife it has to offer from the comfort of their expedition vessel, but also to gain inspirational insights from a dedicated and knowledgeable crew.

Many consider Antarctica as the last frontier, and few get to experience its marvels. Travel to the end of the earth and explore the vast wilderness of the great white continent on one of our many incredible Antarctic expeditions.


FEATURED TOURS
Unseen Fiordland, Stewart Island and The Snares: Exploring New Zealand's Remote Backyard
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Unseen Fiordland, Stewart Island and The Snares: Exploring New Zealand's Remote Backyard

Join Heritage Expeditions, pioneers in authentic small ship expedition cruising, as we explore New Zealand's remote southern backyard on this…

Duration: 8 Days
Ship: Heritage Adventurer
Next Departure Date: 01 Mar 2024
Beyond Fiordland: <br>New Zealand's Wildest Islands
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Beyond Fiordland:
New Zealand's Wildest Islands

Begin your adventure in Queenstown, New Zealand, and cruise the rugged and unique southern coastline of New Zealand's South Island,…

Duration: 12 Days
Ship: Heritage Adventurer
Next Departure Date: 20 Dec 2023
Galapagos of the Southern Ocean: <br> New Zealand and Australia's Subantarctic Islands
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Galapagos of the Southern Ocean:
New Zealand and Australia's Subantarctic Islands

This is without doubt one of the most inspirational and informative journeys or expeditions into the Southern Ocean ecosystem that…

Duration: 12 Days
Ship: Heritage Adventurer
Next Departure Date: 25 Nov 2023
On Sale
Expedition to New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands

We invite you to discover the wild and untouched beauty of New Zealand's Fiordlands and Subantarctic Islands. Set sail on…

Duration: 15 Days
Ship: Le Soleal
Next Departure Date: 23 Dec 2023
Birding Down Under: Subantarctic and Chatham Islands
Birding Down Under: Subantarctic and Chatham Islands

Listen to the names: Snares, Bounty, Antipodes, Auckland, Campbell, Macquarie and Chatham Islands. They are music to the ears of…

Duration: 17 Days
Ship: Heritage Adventurer
Next Departure Date: 05 Dec 2023
In the Wake of Scott & Shackleton: Ross Sea Antarctica
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In the Wake of Scott & Shackleton: Ross Sea Antarctica

The Ross Sea region of Antarctica is one of the most remote places on Planet Earth and one of the…

Duration: 28 Days
Ship: Heritage Adventurer
Next Departure Date: 09 Jan 2024
From Dumont d’Urville to Mawson: retracing Heroic Age expeditions
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From Dumont d’Urville to Mawson: retracing Heroic Age expeditions

Curiosity, surpassing oneself, being open to the world. Humans have always looked toward what some would call the ‘impossible elsewhere’.…

Duration: 27 Days
Ship: Le Commandant Charcot
Next Departure Date: 06 Feb 2024
Unexplored Antarctica between Two Continents
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Unexplored Antarctica between Two Continents

Charcot, Bellingshausen, Dean, Fisher, Ross, Amundsen… Aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the names of these legendary explorers resonate at every moment.…

Duration: 30 Days
Ship: Le Commandant Charcot
Next Departure Date: 07 Jan 2024