Have You Heard of These 3 Under-the-Radar Antarctica Cruise Lines?

When considering an expedition cruise to Antarctica, there are about a dozen lines that might pop up on a client’s radar. But have you ever heard of Albatros Expeditions, Antarctica21 and Oceanwide Expeditions? Here’s the rundown on their offerings.

Albatros Expeditions

Albatros Expeditions might not be a household name, but chances are you already know its fleet of expedition ships. Denmark-based SunStone Ships builds and owns vessels including its recent Infinity class of six distinctly X-Bow-equipped  ships that charter out to American Queen Voyages (AQV), Aurora Expeditions and, yes, Albatros. Specific to Albatros are the namesake Ocean Albatros and Ocean Victory, the latter of which alternates its charter with AQV.

Scandinavian-born, family-owned Albatros Travel was founded in 1986 by biologist and author Soren Rasmussen, who still serves as its chairman. The operation began with tented safaris in Africa before expanding further into international hotels, bush camps, bus companies and cruise ships. The Albatros Expeditions brand was established in 2017, and now also carries guests to the Arctic, as well as Antarctica.

Its 189-passenger ships embark on Antarctic itineraries that range in length from nine to 19 days, also visiting South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Besides their wave-smoothing X-Bow technologies, Albatros and Victory each feature two restaurants, alfresco dining, a Nordic bar, a wellness area and a lecture lounge. Unique to Albatros are a panoramic sauna, plus a dozen single-occupancy staterooms without a single supplement for solo travelers.

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Antarctica21

Also less well known among U.S. travelers — but around since 2003 — is Antarctica21, which claims to have “pioneered air-cruise expeditions in Antarctica,” with two ships and a trio of aircraft. Most recently, the company introduced its private Explorers House club facility in Punta Arenas, Chile, as a basecamp for its guests preparing to fly to Antarctica for a cruise without a Drake Passage crossing.

In fact, the brand was first established in Punta Arenas, considered the gateway for the earliest Antarctic explorers. Its “skip-the-Drake” itineraries minimize seasickness and maximize time spent on the White Continent thanks to an hours-long flight versus a two-day sailing each way. Abbreviated routes are around eight to 10 days in length.

Among its two ships, the 67-passenger Ocean Nova was built in 1992 and last refurbished in 2006, and the 76-passenger Magellan Explorer was newly constructed in 2019. For the line’s air-cruises, each are limited to 67 and 76 guests, respectively. Explorer has an ice-strength rating of Polar Class 6 (PC6) and further features a scenic observation lounge, a state-of-the-art presentation room, a dining room, a bar, a library, a meeting room, a gym, a sauna and a fleet of 10 Zodiac boats.

Oceanwide Expeditions

Oceanwide Expeditions is another to tout 30 years of experience as “pioneers of ship-based expeditions, inventors of Basecamp Antarctica and one of the first companies to take travelers to the remote Arctic island of Spitsbergen,” according to the operator. 

Like Antarctica21, Oceanwide’s oldest Antarctic vessels — the 1976-built Plancius and the 1989-built Ortelius — first appear dated, but each have been recently refurbished (in 2023 and 2019, respectively). The newer, 170-guest Hondius, meanwhile, was constructed in 2019 and claims to be the world’s first registered PC6 vessel. Its contemporary amenities extend to an observation lounge with a bar and coffee corner, a library, a lecture room, a dining room, a reception lobby, a retail shop and convenient Zodiac boarding areas.

A second sister ship, Janssonius, was expected in 2023, but details on its delayed arrival are currently sparse. In the meantime, Oceanwide’s varied Antarctic itineraries can extend to longer than three weeks on Hondius and encompass helicopter flights from onboard Ortelius. Those looking beyond Antarctica might even consider the line’s unique Rembrandt van Rijn, a three-mast passenger schooner that heads to Greenland and Spitsbergen.