With demand increasing to experience a once-in-a-lifetime Antarctica expedition, Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours has unveiled the early release of its 2025/2026 Antarctica program. It offers guests a chance to follow in the footsteps of the world’s greatest explorers by exploring the most remote parts of Antarctica aboard the Scenic Eclipse Discovery Yachts. The company’s ultra-luxury ships offer a range of exploration options and carry only 200 guests on board while in Antarctica to maximize opportunities for multiple landings each day with extended time on shore. The Polar Discovery Team of up to 20 experts use their knowledge to design the voyages daily, making the most of the 18-20 hours of daylight, and lead guests on guided kayak and paddleboarding excursions, nature walks, and Zodiac tours. The program also includes a collection of Antarctica Voyages that break down the varying types/levels of expedition travel, including Christmas or New Year’s options, allowing guests to explore ‘Antarctica Your Way.’
“Our exclusive voyages to East Antarctica and the Ross Sea were introduced in response to requests from guests who have already experienced Antarctica and were looking for more once-in-a-lifetime polar journeys,” Ken Muskat says, Managing Director of Scenic Group USA. “Scenic Eclipse II will be the newest and most modern ultra-luxury expedition ship operating in this remote region and will be entering areas that are rarely visited. Exclusive experiences include exploring the McMurdo Dry Valleys, a landscape that has been compared to the surface of Mars and is only accessible by helicopter.”
Antarctica Highlights
The 13-day Antarctica in Depth tour is recommended for individuals visiting the region for the first time and departing from Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Scenic Eclipse cruise ship commences its journey from Ushuaia. It sails through the Beagle Channel, providing guests with stunning views of the Andean Mountains of Tierra del Fuego from their private verandahs or the heated plunge pool on Deck 10. The subsequent week is spent exploring the Antarctica Peninsula. Multiple Zodiac landings and explorations each day provide guests with close-up views of unique wildlife and the opportunity to visit the remains of a derelict whaling station, stand ashore as penguins traverse back and forth on their ‘penguin highways,’ or climb to the rim of a volcanic crater, among other things. There are five departures between November 2025 and February 2026, with fares starting at $19,225 per person, double.
Explore Further
The 20/23-day Antarctica, South Georgia, and Falkland Islands voyage targets guests seeking a more extended expedition. After spending a night in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the guests embark on Scenic Eclipse in Ushuaia and begin their journey, with a stop in Montevideo, Uruguay, before exploring the Antarctica Peninsula, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands. The highlights of the expedition include a Scenic Discovery excursion at the Falkland’s Gypsy Cove, walking the wildlife trail to see the Magellanic penguin colony, Zodiac cruises along the 10,000-foot mountain range that forms the spine of the long, narrow island of South Georgia, walking tours of the thriving community of Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands, and five full days taking in much of what Antarctica has to offer. The fares for four departures start at $28,208.
Ultimate Expeditions
The 16-day Antarctica in Depth tour combines popular sites on the Antarctic Peninsula with an adventurous journey to reach latitude 66° 33′ south and beyond. The departure on Dec. 21, 2025, promises a unique Christmas experience as guests explore areas that have been scarcely visited before by crossing the Antarctic Circle. During the trip, guests can witness the region’s natural wonders, including the changes in the landscape due to an increase in sea ice, and observe the abundant wildlife living off the krill-rich waters. The Scenic Discovery excursions allow guests to visit areas rich in penguins, seals, and whales and explore a deserted British base and derelict whaling station. The journey culminates with a summit of the seventh continent on the rim of a volcanic crater. The prices for this adventure start at $21,246.
On the 25-day Mawson’s Antarctica: Along the East Coast journey departing from Queenstown, New Zealand, travelers get to explore the wild east coast of Antarctica, which is known for its dramatic windswept landscapes, legendary history, and diverse wildlife. This sailing follows the path of Douglas Mawson’s Antarctic expedition, who was a South Australian geologist and accompanied Ernest Shackleton during the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911–14. During this adventure, guests navigate through the icy landscapes to Mawson’s Hut at Cape Denison, one of six huts that have survived the ‘heroic era’ of Antarctic exploration. Additionally, guests get to visit the remote Balleny Islands, which were discovered in 1839 and are heavily glaciated and rarely visited. The islands have various wildlife, including humpbacks, fin and minke whales, crabeaters, Weddells, elephants, and leopard seals. The journey departs on Dec. 13, 2025, and travelers will enjoy Christmas and New Year’s in one of the world’s most remote areas before ending in Hobart. The fares for this trip start at $29,543.
The 24-day Antarctica’s Ross Sea: Majestic Ice and Wildlife aboard Scenic Eclipse II offers an opportunity to discover Antarctica’s elusive Ross Sea region. The ship departs from Hobart on Jan. 6, 2026, sails to Dunedin, and returns to Dunedin on Jan 29. The itinerary, subject to weather conditions, includes a visit to Ross Island, which provides the ultimate experience of Antarctica. Guests can view Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano on Earth, and visit the historical hut of Sir Ernest Shackleton on clear days. Cape Adare offers guests the chance to take in the largest Adélie penguin rookery in Antarctica, while Franklin Island’s volcanic past provides an opportunity to explore penguins and otherworldly landscapes, such as the Mars-like Dry Valley, only accessible by helicopter. The price for the trip starts at $33,123.
Scenic Eclipse and Scenic Eclipse II are two yachts that have been purpose-built to navigate the Antarctica region. With a Polar Class 6 rating, oversized stabilizers, and Azipod engines, both yachts offer efficient and comfortable navigation to remote locations that few other ships can reach. The GPS Dynamic Positioning system allows the yachts to maintain their location without dropping anchor onto sensitive seabeds, which makes for quick embarkation and disembarkation procedures.
The ultra-luxury Discovery Yachts offer guests various spacious indoor and outdoor spaces for relaxation and sightseeing, ranging from 345 square feet to 2,659 square feet, and come equipped with elegant furnishings and state-of-the-art amenities, complete with personalized butler service. The yacht’s Senses Spa covers an expansive 5,920 square feet area and offers holistic therapy sessions, yoga, and Pilates classes for guests’ overall well-being. Scenic Eclipse yachts provide a range of dining experiences that cater to every taste, preference, and mood, with 10 all-inclusive dining options and nine bars and lounges. Guests can use one of two state-of-the-art helicopters to explore the skies or venture beneath the ocean’s surface.
All Scenic Eclipse voyages are all-inclusive, covering internal flights, transfers, fine dining experiences, premium branded beverages, once-in-a-lifetime immersive excursions, gratuities, and other expenses. However, helicopter and submarine excursions come at an additional cost, as do any spa services like massages or hairstyling.
