Intrepid Travel

Is Intrepid Travel good for Antarctica?

Intrepid is a convenient way to book a Polar Latitudes voyage, but it no longer runs an Antarctic ship of its own. Its 2026-27 season page says every voyage on Ocean Nova, Ocean Albatros and Ocean Victory is "operated by our polar partner Polar Latitudes Expeditions", and its 2027 Arctic trips are run the same way.¹² On October 15, 2026, the cheapest Intrepid Antarctic fare we could see with space was $9,333.75 per person for an Explorer Twin on Ocean Nova, 11 days from Ushuaia on November 16, 2026, shown against a "was" price of $12,445.³

What Intrepid adds is a familiar brand, its own trip pages and agents, Antarctic fares that matched Polar Latitudes' own booking form on the departures we compared, and Arctic fares with the flights from Europe built in.^4562728 What it does not add is its usual small-group format: group sizes on these voyages run up to 80 or 175.³⁴ We have not traveled with Intrepid; this page uses its trip pages, departure prices and FAQs, IAATO's records and trade press.

Who actually runs Intrepid's Antarctica cruises?

Polar Latitudes does. Each trip page carries special booking conditions stating that the voyage "is operated by our Polar partner Polar Latitudes" and pointing you to Polar Latitudes' booking conditions.³ Intrepid itself does not appear among the 132 entries in IAATO's member directory, while Polar Latitudes is listed as an operator of ships under 200 passengers and describes itself to IAATO as founded in 2010.⁷⁸ IAATO's preliminary 2026-27 figures put all three ships under Polar Latitudes: Ocean Nova for 18 voyages and 1,404 passengers, Ocean Albatros for 14 and 2,380, and Ocean Victory for 13 and 2,210.⁹

Intrepid, founded in 1989 by two friends, Darrell and Geoff, calls itself the world's largest purpose-led adventure travel company and holds B Corp status.¹⁰ Its season page shows 17 Antarctic trips for 2026-27 and an average review score of 4.7 from 233 reviews, which are Intrepid's own customer reviews.¹

What happened to Intrepid's Ocean Endeavour?

Intrepid's former Antarctic ship has left polar tourism. Ocean Endeavour carried Intrepid-branded Antarctic voyages for three seasons, ending with 2024-25, and in September 2024 Intrepid sold its stake in the Antarctic specialist Chimu Adventures to Nordic Hamburg as the lease ended. Chief executive James Thornton said that "with our ship lease ending, it is the right time for us to re-evaluate our approach".¹¹

The ship sailed a farewell season for Adventure Canada in 2025, which ended in mid-October, and was offered for sale.¹² In July 2026 Critical Minerals Corporation bought it for €7.5 million, about $8.6 million, to house workers at its Tanbreez minerals project at Qaqortoq in Greenland, subject to the Greenland government's approval to moor it there.¹³ Intrepid's Antarctica FAQ page still says "Our Ocean Endeavour ship accommodates up to 200 customers", so treat that page as out of date.¹⁴

Which ships do Intrepid's 2026-27 Antarctic trips use?

Three ships, all run by Polar Latitudes, and the ship changes by departure date even within one trip name.³

Ocean Nova is the reason to look at Intrepid: its 2026-27 Antarctic dates do not appear on Polar Latitudes' own rates page, which lists Ocean Nova only from January 2028.¹⁶ At 80 guests it is the smallest of the three, and its cabins are compact: 87 to 150 sq ft (8 to 14 m²), every one with a picture window.¹⁵ It has a lift, though you need stairs to reach the gangway.³ Intrepid estimates the 11-day Ocean Nova trip at 962 kg of CO2-e per person per day. For the bigger ships, see our small versus large ship guide.³

How much does an Intrepid Antarctica cruise cost?

Most Intrepid trips cost about $820 to $1,000 per person per day at the cheapest fare with space, before flights. Every trip below sails from Ushuaia and back across the Drake Passage and includes one hotel night before boarding, so 11 days means nine nights on the ship.³ Prices are per person sharing, read October 15, 2026; per day is our arithmetic.

The lowest prices printed on Intrepid's pages are often not the ones you can book. On November 16, the Ocean Nova Quad shows $7,556.25, but it had no places left, and Intrepid sells that cabin only to four people traveling together.³¹⁵ Discounted Ocean Nova fares carry a "was" price but no end date, and Intrepid says its prices can rise or fall with demand at any time.³ Many cabins, including every Ocean Albatros and Ocean Victory cabin, were flagged "on request" in Intrepid's departure data rather than instantly bookable.⁴⁵ Our Antarctica trip cost guide covers flights and extras.

Is Intrepid cheaper than Polar Latitudes, Oceanwide, Quark or G Adventures?

Not cheaper than Polar Latitudes itself, and in the middle of the budget field. On Ocean Albatros on March 18, 2027 and Ocean Victory on February 12, 2027, Intrepid's triple fares of $9,895 and $14,295 were identical to the prices on Polar Latitudes' own booking form, and its $10,960.75 porthole fare on Ocean Albatros on February 28 matched Polar Latitudes' $10,961.⁴⁵¹⁷⁶

For two people who want a two-bed cabin to themselves on an Antarctic Peninsula round trip from Ushuaia, these were the cheapest such cabins open to book on each operator's own site:

Intrepid lands close to Oceanwide per day, but Oceanwide's Hondius trip gives you a tenth night on the ship, while Intrepid and G include a hotel night in Ushuaia that Oceanwide's ship-only fares do not.^3212223 G Adventures is cheaper only while its sale lasts: at its regular fare G's twin costs $973 a day, more than Intrepid's.²¹ The cabins are not identical. Intrepid's Explorer Twin is 106 sq ft (10 m²) with two lower and two upper berths, and Quark's Ocean Explorer has no porthole twins, so its cheapest open two-person cabin was a 200 to 205 sq ft (about 19 m²) Veranda Suite with a balcony, at about twice Intrepid's price.¹⁵²⁴ If price comes first, read the cheapest way to Antarctica.

What is included in an Intrepid Antarctic trip?

On the 11-day Ocean Nova trip, the fare covers one hotel night in Ushuaia with an arrival transfer and a welcome briefing, nine nights on the ship with 27 meals in all, Zodiac excursions and landings, lectures, the citizen science program and an end-of-trip transfer to the airport or town.³ You get an insulated inner jacket to keep, with boots and an outer expedition parka on loan.¹⁵

Flights to Ushuaia are extra, as are bar drinks, Wi-Fi data and laundry.³¹⁵ On Ocean Nova, Discover Kayaking costs USD 350, camping USD 395 and snowshoeing USD 150; you reserve through your agent before travel and pay on board, and space depends on weather and ice. See our kayaking and camping guide.³

What are Intrepid's booking terms for Antarctica?

Intrepid asks for a non-refundable deposit of 20% of the voyage price per person, and full payment at booking if you book within 120 days of departure.³ For cancellations it refers you to the Polar Latitudes booking conditions on its own site, which we did not read. Polar Latitudes' current terms on its own site charge $1,250 per person if you cancel 181 days or more before departure, the 20% deposit from 120 to 180 days, and 100% of the fare inside 120 days.²⁵

Is Intrepid a good fit for younger or solo travelers?

Intrepid runs an 18 to 35s theme, but its Antarctic voyages are filed under its Polar and Wildlife themes, in its Comfort style, with a minimum age of 8, and it publishes no age profile for these ships.¹⁰³

On Ocean Nova, how a solo traveler is housed depends on the cabin. In a Triple or Explorer Twin, Intrepid matches you with another solo traveler of the same gender, which may mean an upper bunk; the Explorer Twin also lets you pay to have it alone. Classic Twin, Explorer Double and Comfort Twin require a single supplement, and Single cabins are for one person only.¹⁵ On November 16 the Classic Twin supplement was $8,956.³

Does Intrepid go to the Arctic in 2027?

Yes, on Ocean Albatros and Ocean Victory, again operated by Polar Latitudes.² Several trips start and end in a European capital and include the charter flight north, which Polar Latitudes adds as a separate mandatory charge of $1,000 per person on its own Svalbard invoices and $1,300 on Disko Bay.²⁶¹⁶ These are the same departures Polar Latitudes sells, so compare Intrepid's all-in fare with Polar Latitudes' fare plus that charge. On June 21 Disko Bay, Intrepid's porthole cabin was $8,876 against $7,347 plus $1,300, or $8,647, booked direct. On May 18 Svalbard, Intrepid's porthole was $8,853.70 against $7,901 plus $1,000 for the one porthole berth, for a woman, left on Polar Latitudes' form.^2827616

The Svalbard trips sail from Longyearbyen toward the edge of the pack ice, where Intrepid says you may see the polar bear, and the Disko Bay trip visits the Ilulissat Icefjord.²⁷²⁸ For other options, see our guides to Svalbard cruises and Greenland cruises.

Who should not book Antarctica with Intrepid?

Skip Intrepid if you want its trademark small groups: these are ship voyages for up to 80 or 175 guests, run by another company.³⁴ Skip it if you need a confirmed cabin on the spot, since many cabins are on request, or if you want to fly over the Drake, since every 2026-27 trip sails from Ushuaia and back; see fly or sail the Drake.⁴³ And if you are flexible on ship, check Polar Latitudes, Oceanwide and G Adventures for the same week before you pay; our guide to choosing an Antarctica cruise explains what to weigh.