Weddell Sea
The ice-bound sea east of the Antarctic Peninsula: which voyages go in and what they cost, the odds of reaching the Snow Hill emperor penguins, and where Shackleton's Endurance lies.
Where is the Weddell Sea, and can you visit it?
The Weddell Sea is the icy sea east of the Antarctic Peninsula, where Shackleton's Endurance sank in 1915. Expedition ships from Ushuaia enter through the Antarctic Sound on 11 to 28 day voyages between October and March, with 2026-27 fares from $10,863. Helicopter trips try for the Snow Hill Island emperor penguin colony each November and December, but ice and weather can stop them.
Facts checked October 15, 2026 against 24 sources.
Weddell Sea at a glance
- July: no trips
- August: no trips
- September: no trips
- October: in season
- November: best
- December: best
- January: in season
- February: in season
- March: in season
- April: no trips
- May: no trips
- June: no trips
Best Season
- Type
- Sea or passage
- Location
- 71°00′S, 45°00′W
- Part of
- Antarctica
- Season
- Ships enter from October to March. Emperor penguin voyages to Snow Hill Island sail in November and December; the longest voyage into the deep south leaves in February.
- Best months
- November to December
- Getting there
- By expedition ship from Ushuaia (some fares include a flight from Buenos Aires or Santiago): two days across the Drake Passage, then in through the Antarctic Sound. ALE also flies guests from Punta Arenas to a camp at the Gould Bay emperor colony.
- Wildlife
- Emperor penguins at Snow Hill Island and Gould Bay; Adélie penguins at Paulet Island, Devil Island and Brown Bluff, with gentoos at Brown Bluff; crabeater, leopard and Weddell seals on the ice; humpback, orca and minke whales.
- Landings
- Each site has an Antarctic Treaty guideline: Paulet Island and the Snow Hill hut take ships of up to 200 passengers, Brown Bluff up to 500. Emperor visits are a helicopter flight and a walk over the ice. IAATO has asked members not to plan visits to the Endurance wreck.
The Weddell Sea is the great bay of the Southern Ocean east of the Antarctic Peninsula, closed in by the Peninsula's east coast, the Filchner and Ronne ice shelves and the coast of Queen Maud Land, and it keeps at least some sea ice even at the late-summer low point for sea ice around Antarctica.12 It is where Shackleton's Endurance was trapped and sank in 1915, and where expedition ships try each November and December to reach the emperor penguins of Snow Hill Island.183 Most Weddell Sea voyages see only its northwestern corner, on trips from Ushuaia that slip in through the Antarctic Sound at the tip of the Peninsula.314
Where is the Weddell Sea?
The Weddell Sea lies east of the Antarctic Peninsula, between it and Queen Maud Land, south of the South Orkney Islands. Its official boundary runs from Joinville Island, off the Peninsula's tip, to Clarence Island, the South Orkneys and Southern Thule, across to Kapp Norvegia in Queen Maud Land, then back along the Caird and Luitpold coasts, the Filchner and Ronne ice fronts and the east coast of the Peninsula.1 Weddell sailed into it as far as about 74°15'S, 34°17'W on February 20, 1823 and named it the Sea of George IV, after the king; it was later renamed for Weddell himself.1
For a traveler there are two Weddell Seas:
- The northwestern corner, reached in a day or two from the Peninsula: the Antarctic Sound, the Erebus and Terror Gulf, and the islands around it, including Paulet, Devil, Vega and Snow Hill islands.312 This is where the 11 to 16 day voyages go, after two days crossing the Drake Passage from Ushuaia.312
- The deep south, along the Brunt Ice Shelf, the Luitpold Coast and the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, which only one voyage in this guide attempts: Oceanwide's 28-day Remote Weddell Sea Explorer.13 On February 5, 2026, its ship Ortelius reached 78°05.60'S in Vahsel Bay, which Oceanwide calls the farthest south reached in the Weddell Sea by a passenger ship that is not an icebreaker, beating its own record from the season before.5
Why is the Weddell Sea so icy?
Because the Weddell reaches farther south than the rest of the Southern Ocean, which keeps the water colder and the ice growing for longer each winter, and because its floating ice is caught in a clockwise gyre instead of drifting north into warmer water to melt.2 Ice that survives a summer becomes multi-year ice, which around Antarctica is generally about 7 feet (2 m) thick.2 "Because of the presence of ice through the summer and the generally thicker multi-year ice," sea ice researcher Walt Meier told NASA, "the Weddell is never a friendly place for a ship that is not ice-strengthened."2
On a voyage, that means the itinerary is a hope, not a schedule. Oceanwide's emperor penguin voyage gives a "less than 50 %" probability that the route to Snow Hill Island is free of multi-year pack ice, and plans around helicopters because of it.3 Its own records show the odds: attempts between 2012 and 2019 did not always succeed, and helicopter landings at the colony worked in 2013, 2017 to 2019, and 2022 to 2024.3 The island is "almost always ice-locked and therefore inaccessible even by ice-strengthened vessels," Oceanwide wrote after its 2022 landing.4
The reward for that uncertainty is the ice itself. Oceanwide describes the huge tabular icebergs that mark the entrance through the Antarctic Sound, and HX calls the sound home to some of the largest tabular icebergs.314
Can you see emperor penguins in the Weddell Sea?
Yes, at Snow Hill Island near the Peninsula and at Gould Bay on the far southern coast, but only by helicopter or plane, and only early in the season. Emperor penguins' largest colonies, of more than 15,000 breeding pairs, are in the Weddell and Ross seas, according to BirdLife International.11
Snow Hill Island. Oceanwide calls this the northernmost emperor colony.13 Estimates of its size depend on who is counting: about 2,000 penguins (Oceanwide, 2022), 4,000 breeding pairs (Scenic) and 8,000 birds (Quark Expeditions).486 How each operator tries to get there:
- Quark, which says it was the first company to bring travelers to the colony, in 2004, spends five days near Snow Hill on its 14-day Emperor Penguin Quest aboard Ultramarine, with two helicopter sightseeing flights and one helicopter landing included.6 In 2023 the ship got within 20 nautical miles of the island; 208 guests on two voyages flew in its Airbus H-145 helicopters to a staging site and each walked several kilometers over the sea ice to the colony.7
- Oceanwide Expeditions includes helicopter flights on its 11-day voyage aboard Ortelius. Each helicopter carries 4 to 5 passengers, and the walk from the landing site to the colony can take up to 45 minutes and be hard going in places.3 In 2022, each passenger had about an hour and a half near the rookery.4
- Scenic sells the helicopter flight as an extra on its Weddell Sea voyages aboard Scenic Eclipse and Scenic Eclipse II, followed by a 1.5 km (1 mile) walk with its guides.8 When Scenic introduced the trip in 2023, the flight cost US$1,500 per person.9 Scenic says the emperors are at Snow Hill only at the start of the season, so only a couple of voyages offer it.8
Gould Bay. This is a fly-in camp, not a cruise. Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions (ALE) flies guests from Punta Arenas to its Union Glacier camp and on to a tented camp by the Gould Bay colony, "on the remote coast of the Weddell Sea," on a 9-day trip listed at $64,595, including the round-trip flight from Punta Arenas, meals and tents.10 When we read it, the November 18, 2026 departure was full and November 26, 2026 was available.10
Which cruises go to the Weddell Sea, and what do they cost?
Eight voyages we checked enter the Weddell Sea, with 2026-27 fares from $10,863 to $26,770 per person; Ponant's, at $29,600, sails only in 2027-28.14815 Most visit only its northwestern corner as part of a Peninsula trip, and the voyage list at the foot of this page adds longer South Georgia voyages that try for the Weddell Sea if ice allows.1213 Fares are the lowest the operator listed when we read its page in October 2026, per person with two or more sharing, sorted from cheapest:
| Voyage | Ship, days | Lowest fare and what it buys | Weddell Sea focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| HX, Iconic Antarctica: The Explorer's Route | Roald Amundsen, 16 days from Buenos Aires | $10,863 on March 4, 2027 (was $13,861) with HX's 130th anniversary offers; the extra anniversary discount applies only to bookings by November 9, 2026; includes a Buenos Aires hotel night and flights to and from Ushuaia1424 | One of several areas, with the South Shetlands, Antarctic Sound and Gerlache Strait14 |
| Oceanwide, Elephant Island, Weddell Sea and Polar Circle | Plancius, 15 days from Ushuaia | $11,700 for a berth in a shared quadruple, March 12, 2027 (1 cabin left); twin window $15,000; no flights22 | Point Wild, Erebus and Terror Gulf, then south across the Antarctic Circle12 |
| Oceanwide, Weddell Sea: In Search of the Emperor Penguin | Ortelius, 11 days from Ushuaia | $12,100 for a quadruple berth on November 25 or December 5, 2026 (was $13,450); helicopters included; no flights22 | Snow Hill emperors by helicopter3 |
| Swan Hellenic, Expedition to Antarctica: Weddell Sea | SH Minerva, 12 days from Ushuaia | $15,675 for a balcony stateroom, January 23, 2027; includes a Buenos Aires hotel night, charter flights, drinks and gratuities17 | Tabular icebergs and the waters where Endurance was lost17 |
| Oceanwide, Remote Weddell Sea Explorer | Ortelius, 28 days from Ushuaia | $22,150 for a quadruple berth, February 7, 2027 (was $27,700); twin $27,550; no flights22 | South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, the deep south and Elephant Island13 |
| Quark, Emperor Penguin Quest | Ultramarine, 14 days from Buenos Aires | $26,090 brochure fare in an Explorer Triple on November 3 or 15, 2026; includes a Buenos Aires hotel night and charter flights23 | Five days near Snow Hill6 |
| Scenic, Antarctica and the Weddell Sea | Scenic Eclipse, 16 days from Buenos Aires | $24,434 Select Fare in a Grand Deluxe Verandah Suite, December 3, 2026, if booked by November 3, 2026 (Full Fare $28,265); Scenic Eclipse II sails December 22 from a $26,770 Select Fare, if booked by November 22, 2026; flights from Buenos Aires included, helicopter extra8 | Snow Hill by optional helicopter8 |
| Ponant, Setting sail for the ice of the mythical Weddell Sea | Le Commandant Charcot, 14 days from Ushuaia | 2027-28 season only: $29,600 for a lower deck balcony on December 16, 2027 after the 20% PONANT Bonus; Santiago hotel night and flights included1516 | Two spells of Weddell Sea exploration around the north Peninsula15 |
The cheapest Oceanwide fares are single berths in a four-berth quadruple cabin, sold by gender ("2 Female 1 Male" were left on the February voyage); a twin cabin costs more.22 For the whole market, see our Antarctica trip cost guide, and compare the operators in Quark vs Oceanwide.
What happened to Shackleton's Endurance, and can you visit the wreck?
Endurance was trapped and crushed by Weddell Sea ice and sank on November 21, 1915; its wreck lies 9,869 feet (3,008 m) down and no tourist can visit it.18 Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition set out to make the first crossing of Antarctica, from the Weddell Sea via the South Pole to the Ross Sea.18 Endurance, a 144-foot (44 m) ship built in Norway in 1912, entered the pack ice on December 7, 1914, was trapped on January 18, 1915, and drifted north with the ice for 10 months; the 28 men left her on October 27, when she began to break up.18
After months camped on the floes, they took the lifeboats to Elephant Island. Shackleton and five others then sailed the lifeboat James Caird 800 miles (1,300 km) to South Georgia, three of them crossed its mountains to the whaling station at Stromness, and Shackleton went back for the men on Elephant Island without losing one.18 He is buried at Grytviken.
The Endurance22 expedition found the wreck on March 5, 2022, 100 years to the day after Shackleton's burial, about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of where it was thought to have sunk.18 It is protected as Antarctic Historic Site and Monument No. 93; IAATO, the tour operators' association, has asked its members not to plan visits, and no tourist vessel has a submersible able to reach that depth.18 The closest a traveler gets is on Oceanwide's Remote Weddell Sea Explorer, which sails through the area where Endurance was trapped and abandoned but says it cannot get close to the site.13
On the same trail, Oceanwide's March and February voyages head for Point Wild on Elephant Island, where the marooned men survived: Plancius offers "activities around the point" and Ortelius takes Zodiacs to Point Wild, both only if conditions allow.1213
What can you see on a Weddell Sea landing?
On the shorter voyages, ships land at a handful of sites around the Antarctic Sound and the Erebus and Terror Gulf, each with its own Antarctic Treaty visitor guideline:
| Site | What is there | Limits for ships |
|---|---|---|
| Paulet Island | An extensive Adélie penguin colony on an island 1.6 km (1 mile) across with a 350 m (1,150 ft) volcanic cone; a stone hut built in February 1903 by survivors of the wrecked ship Antarctic under Carl A. Larsen, of Otto Nordenskjöld's Swedish South Polar Expedition (Historic Site No. 41)19 | Ships of up to 200 passengers, 2 a day19 |
| Brown Bluff | A landing on the continent itself, below towering red and brown cliffs, with Adélie and gentoo penguins breeding and Weddell seals hauled out20 | Ships of up to 500 passengers; at most 3 ships a day, only 1 of them over 200 passengers20 |
| Snow Hill Island hut | The wooden hut Nordenskjöld's main party built in February 1902, now a museum run by Argentina and Sweden (Historic Site No. 38)21 | Ships of up to 200 passengers, one at a time; 100 visitors ashore at once21 |
| Devil Island | A large Adélie colony and a hill with a wide view for hikers3 | An option on Oceanwide's emperor voyage when ice allows3 |
The limits matter when you choose a ship: one carrying more than 200 passengers cannot land at Paulet Island or the Snow Hill hut at all.1921 For the general rules ashore, see our guide to Antarctica visitor rules.
When is the best time to go to the Weddell Sea?
November and December if you want emperor penguins; February and March for the longer, deeper voyages. The emperor trips all sail early: Quark on November 3 and 15, Oceanwide on November 15 and 25 and December 5, and Scenic on December 3 and 22, 2026.23228 Scenic says the birds are at Snow Hill only at the start of the season.8 ALE's Gould Bay camps leave on November 18 and 26, 2026.10
The deep-south voyage leaves on February 7, 2027, the time of year Ortelius reached Vahsel Bay in 2026; Swan Hellenic sails in January, HX and Oceanwide's Elephant Island voyage in March.225171412 For month-by-month conditions across the continent, see the best time to visit Antarctica.
Is a Weddell Sea voyage worth it?
It is worth it if emperor penguins, Shackleton or big tabular ice are why you are going, and if you accept that the ice may decide the trip. The emperor voyages carry a clear premium: on the same ship and in the same Explorer Triple cabin, Quark's 14-day Emperor Penguin Quest costs $26,090 at the brochure fare, against $18,890 (sold out when we checked) for its 12-day Antarctic Explorer on Ultramarine in December 2026.23
Skip it, or pick a voyage that only touches the Antarctic Sound, if you want the most reliable landing program or the lowest price; our guide to the cheapest way to Antarctica starts there. And if the emperor colony is the whole point, know the odds: Oceanwide, which has flown guests to Snow Hill since at least 2013, says its attempts did not always succeed.3
Voyages that visit Weddell Sea
Landings depend on weather and ice, so no operator can promise a specific site.
Iconic Antarctica: The Explorer's Route
HX Expeditions · Roald Amundsen · 16 days · Buenos Aires, Argentina (flight to Ushuaia included) to Buenos Aires, Argentina (flight from Ushuaia included) · Sail both ways · October to December, March
Fare details
Lowest published fare, per person with two sharing, on Roald Amundsen, Mar 4, 2027, after HX 130th anniversary discounts (was $13,861; the extra anniversary discount applies only to bookings made by Nov 9, 2026); includes a Buenos Aires hotel night and economy flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia. All 2026-27 departures are on Roald Amundsen.
from $10,863about $679 a day
ViewAntarctica: Elephant Island, Weddell Sea and Polar Circle (Plancius)
Oceanwide Expeditions · Plancius · 15 days · from Ushuaia, Argentina · Sail both ways · March
Fare details
Lowest published fare, one berth in a shared quadruple porthole cabin on Plancius, Mar 12, 2027 (one cabin showing when read); twin porthole berths at $14,350 were waitlisted and a twin window is $15,000 per person; flights to Ushuaia not included; read Oct 15, 2026
from $11,700about $780 a day
ViewWeddell Sea: In Search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters (Ortelius)
Oceanwide Expeditions · Ortelius · 11 days · from Ushuaia, Argentina · Sail both ways · November to December
Fare details
Lowest published fare, one berth in a shared quadruple porthole cabin on Ortelius, Nov 25 or Dec 5, 2026, shown discounted from $13,450 (the Nov 15 departure was $13,450, down to its last berths); helicopter transfers included, with no flight time guaranteed; flights to Ushuaia not included; read Oct 14, 2026
from $12,100about $1,100 a day
ViewFalkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula (Plancius)
Oceanwide Expeditions · Plancius · 19 days · from Ushuaia, Argentina · Sail both ways · November to December
Fare details
Lowest published fare, one male berth in a shared triple porthole cabin on Plancius, Nov 23, 2026 (the $15,100 quadruple berths and every other cabin were waitlisted when read); the Dec 11 birding departure starts at $15,100, waitlisted; South Georgia travel authorization included; flights to Ushuaia not included; read Oct 15, 2026
from $12,575about $662 a day
ViewExpedition Antarctica: South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises · Hanseatic Inspiration · 14 days · Ushuaia, Argentina (charter flight from Buenos Aires included) to Ushuaia, Argentina (charter flight to Buenos Aires included) · Sail both ways · February
Fare details
Balcony Cabin, Category 4 (27 m² including a 5 m² balcony), Feb 11, 2028, US$17,526 in the booking engine; €16,140 before an early-booking discount that ends Feb 28, 2027. Outside, Panoramic and French Balcony cabins were sold out. PLATINUM fare, per person with two sharing; includes full board, selected soft drinks, Zodiac landings, gratuities, harbour fees and a loaned parka and boots. Route: South Georgia, the South Orkneys, South Shetlands, Weddell Sea and Antarctic Peninsula. Read Oct 15, 2026.
from €15,240about €1,089 a day
ViewExpedition to Antarctica: Weddell Sea (SH Minerva)
Swan Hellenic · SH Minerva · 12 days · Ushuaia, Argentina (Buenos Aires hotel night and charter flight included) to Ushuaia, Argentina (charter flight to Buenos Aires included) · Sail both ways · January
Fare details
Balcony stateroom on SH Minerva, Jan 23, 2027: $15,675 per person, two sharing (solo travelers pay a single supplement), Cruise Plus fare; Oceanview showed Price on request; read Oct 15, 2026. The lowest Weddell Sea fare in Swan Hellenic's 2026-27 listing; SH Diana (Jan 17, from $15,725) and SH Vega (Jan 22 from $21,175, Feb 11 from $16,450) also sail it. Includes a Buenos Aires hotel night on Jan 22, charter flights both ways, drinks, gratuities and port taxes. Six days are planned around the Peninsula and the Weddell Sea.
from $15,675about $1,306 a day
ViewExpedition to Antarctica: Weddell Sea (SH Diana)
Swan Hellenic · SH Diana · 12 days · Ushuaia, Argentina (Buenos Aires hotel night and charter flight included) to Ushuaia, Argentina (charter flight to Buenos Aires included) · Sail both ways · January
Fare details
Balcony stateroom on SH Diana, Jan 17, 2027: $15,725 per person, two sharing (solo travelers pay a single supplement), Cruise Plus fare; Oceanview showed Price on request and Junior Suites start at $19,100; read Oct 15, 2026. Includes a Buenos Aires hotel night on Jan 16, charter flights both ways, drinks, gratuities and port taxes. Six days are planned around the Peninsula and the Weddell Sea.
from $15,725about $1,310 a day
ViewExpedition Antarctica: Highlights first hand
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises · Hanseatic Inspiration · 22 days · Buenos Aires, Argentina to Ushuaia, Argentina (charter flight to Buenos Aires included) · Sail both ways · November
Fare details
Outside Cabin, Category 1 (22 m²), Nov 26, 2027, US$19,538.50 in the booking engine; €18,890 before an early-booking discount that ends Jan 31, 2027. The solo surcharge is 25% in categories 1 to 8. PLATINUM fare, per person with two sharing; includes full board, selected soft drinks, Zodiac landings, gratuities, harbour fees and a loaned parka and boots. Route: the Falklands, South Georgia, South Orkneys, South Shetlands, Weddell Sea and Antarctic Peninsula. Read Oct 15, 2026.
from €16,990about €772 a day
ViewFalkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica (Hondius)
Oceanwide Expeditions · Hondius · 19 days · from Ushuaia, Argentina · Sail both ways · January
Fare details
Lowest published fare, one berth in a shared quadruple porthole cabin (waitlist when read), Jan 16, 2027; a twin porthole is $21,450 per person; South Georgia travel authorization included; flights to Ushuaia not included; read Oct 14, 2026
from $17,400about $916 a day
ViewRemote Weddell Sea Explorer, incl. helicopters (Ortelius)
Oceanwide Expeditions · Ortelius · 28 days · from Ushuaia, Argentina · Sail both ways · February
Fare details
Lowest published fare, one berth in a shared quadruple porthole cabin on Ortelius, Feb 7, 2027, shown discounted from $27,700 with no end date (two female and one male berths showing when read); a twin porthole is $27,550 per person (was $34,450); helicopter tours listed as free; visits South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, the deep Weddell Sea and Elephant Island; flights to Ushuaia not included; read Oct 15, 2026
from $22,150about $791 a day
ViewAntarctica and the Weddell Sea
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours · Scenic Eclipse · 16 days · Buenos Aires, Argentina (hotel night and flight to Ushuaia included) to Buenos Aires, Argentina (flight from Ushuaia included) · Sail both ways · December
Fare details
Select Fare in a Grand Deluxe Verandah Suite DD (Deck 5) on Scenic Eclipse's Dec 3, 2026 departure, per person with two sharing, read Oct 15, 2026. The Select Fare takes 15% off the cruise-fare part of the $28,265 Full Fare (port charges are not discounted) and ends Nov 3, 2026; the Verandah and Deluxe Verandah Suites (from $23,645 Full Fare) were not available. Ten days in Antarctica, including the Weddell Sea, with an optional helicopter trip to the Snow Hill Island emperor colony at extra cost. Includes the Buenos Aires hotel night, flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, drinks, tips and Wi-Fi; helicopter flights and submersible dives cost extra. Scenic Eclipse II sails the same itinerary on Dec 22, 2026 from $26,770.
from $24,434about $1,527 a day
ViewEmperor Penguin Quest: Expedition to Snow Hill
Quark Expeditions · Ultramarine · 14 days · Buenos Aires, Argentina (charter flight to Ushuaia) to Buenos Aires, Argentina · Sail both ways · November
Fare details
Lowest published brochure fare, Explorer Triple on Ultramarine, Nov 3 and Nov 15, 2026; includes Buenos Aires hotel night and charter flights to and from Ushuaia; ship limited to 150 guests
from $26,090about $1,864 a day
ViewAntarctica and the Weddell Sea
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours · Scenic Eclipse II · 16 days · Buenos Aires, Argentina (hotel night and flight to Ushuaia included) to Buenos Aires, Argentina (flight from Ushuaia included) · Sail both ways · December
Fare details
Select Fare in a Deluxe Verandah Suite DA (Deck 5) on Scenic Eclipse II's Dec 22, 2026 departure, per person with two sharing, read Oct 15, 2026. The Select Fare takes 5% off the cruise-fare part of the $28,035 Full Fare (port charges are not discounted) and ends Nov 22, 2026; the Verandah Suites ($24,745 Full Fare) were not available. Ten days in Antarctica including the Weddell Sea, returning Jan 6, 2027. The itinerary offers a helicopter trip to Snow Hill Island at extra cost but says the emperor penguins are only there at the start of the season. Includes the Buenos Aires hotel night, flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, drinks, tips and Wi-Fi; helicopter flights and submersible dives cost extra.
from $26,770about $1,673 a day
ViewSetting sail for the ice of the mythical Weddell Sea
Ponant · Le Commandant Charcot · 14 days · Ushuaia, Argentina (Santiago hotel night and flight to Ushuaia included) to Ushuaia, Argentina (flight to Santiago included) · Sail both ways · October to December
Fare details
Lower deck balcony stateroom on Le Commandant Charcot, Dec 16, 2027, per person with two sharing, after the 20% PONANT Bonus shown on the page (an early-booking discount with no published end date that shrinks as the cruise fills), on sale when read on Oct 15, 2026. Includes 12 nights on board, a Santiago hotel night and economy flights between Santiago and Ushuaia. The other departures cost more: Nov 8, 2027 from $31,180; Nov 20 from $33,110 (both balcony categories sold out); Oct 27 from $33,360 (the advertised $32,770 lower deck balcony sold out). Booked by quote, not online.
from $29,600about $2,114 a day
ViewAntarctica, South Georgia & Falkland Islands
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours · Scenic Eclipse · 20 days · Buenos Aires, Argentina (hotel night and flight to Ushuaia included) to Buenos Aires, Argentina (flight from Ushuaia included) · Sail both ways · November, January
Fare details
Select Fare in a Verandah Suite A (Deck 8) on Scenic Eclipse's Nov 15, 2026 departure, per person with two sharing, read Oct 15, 2026. The Select Fare takes 5% off the cruise-fare part of the $33,595 Full Fare (port charges are not discounted) and ends Oct 16, 2026; the Verandah Suites C and D ($29,995 Full Fare) were not available. The Jan 8, 2027 departure was waitlisted at $33,495, as was Scenic Eclipse II's Jan 27 sailing of the same itinerary. Two days in the Falklands, three at South Georgia and five in Antarctica. Includes the Buenos Aires hotel night, flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, drinks, tips and Wi-Fi; helicopter flights and submersible dives cost extra. The page offers a helicopter trip to the Snow Hill Island emperor colony at extra cost and notes that Scenic's helicopters do not operate in South Georgia.
from $32,064about $1,603 a day
ViewAntarctica, South Georgia & Falkland Islands
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours · Scenic Eclipse II · 22 days · Buenos Aires, Argentina (boards the ship in port) to Ushuaia, Argentina (flight to Buenos Aires included) · Sail both ways · November
Fare details
Full Fare in a Deluxe Verandah Suite BA (Deck 7) on Scenic Eclipse II's Nov 10, 2026 departure, per person with two sharing, read Oct 15, 2026; no discounted fare was shown, and the Verandah Suites (from $34,545) and Deluxe Verandah Suites CA, DA and DB ($39,270) were not available. The ship sails from Buenos Aires to two days in the Falklands, four at South Georgia and five in Antarctica, with an optional helicopter trip to the Snow Hill Island emperor colony at extra cost; Scenic does not fly its helicopters in South Georgia. Ends in Ushuaia with an included flight to Buenos Aires. Includes drinks, tips and Wi-Fi.
from $40,530about $1,842 a day
ViewUltimate Chilean Fjords, Glaciers & Antarctic Wildlife Explorer
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours · Scenic Eclipse · 31 days · Valparaíso, Chile (listed as Santiago on Scenic's calendar) to Buenos Aires, Argentina (flight from Ushuaia included) · Sail both ways · November
Fare details
Full Fare in a Deluxe Verandah Suite BA (Deck 7) on Scenic Eclipse's Nov 4, 2026 departure, per person with two sharing, read Oct 15, 2026; no discounted fare was shown, and the Verandah and cheaper Deluxe Verandah Suites (from $45,425 Full Fare) were not available. Sails the Chilean fjords, Punta Arenas and Cape Horn to Ushuaia, then two days in the Falklands, three at South Georgia and five in Antarctica, with an optional helicopter trip to the Snow Hill Island emperor colony at extra cost. Includes drinks, tips, Wi-Fi and the flight from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires at the end.
from $54,275about $1,751 a day
ViewExpedition Antarctica: wildlife worlds (intensive)
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises · Hanseatic Inspiration · 20 days · Ushuaia, Argentina (charter flight from Buenos Aires included) to Ushuaia, Argentina (charter flight to Buenos Aires included) · Sail both ways · January
Fare details
Booked up: Hapag-Lloyd's page showed 'Booked up!' and no fare when read on Oct 15, 2026. Jan 24 to Feb 13, 2027, on HANSEATIC inspiration, bilingual German and English. Route: the Falklands, South Georgia, South Orkneys, South Shetlands, Weddell Sea and Antarctic Peninsula.
Price on request
View
Lowest published price per person in the operator's currency, checked October 15, 2026. Taxes, flights and single supplements vary.
Places in Weddell Sea
Sources
- 1.Weddell Sea (Gazetteer of the British Antarctic Territory, ID 111864), UK Antarctic Place-names Committee, via the SCAR Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Data Centre). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 2.Enduring Antarctic Sea Ice (March 2022), NASA Earth Observatory. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 3.Weddell Sea: In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters, m/v Ortelius, 15 to 25 November 2026 (OTL22-26), Oceanwide Expeditions. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- 4.Fourth consecutive Snow Hill landing, Oceanwide Expeditions. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- 5.Oceanwide Expeditions Sets a New World Record in Antarctica's Weddell Sea for the Second Time, Oceanwide Expeditions. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- 6.Emperor Penguin Quest: Expedition to Snow Hill, Quark Expeditions. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- 7.Snow Hill Success: Quark Expeditions Goes Beyond in Antarctica, Quark Expeditions. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- 8.Antarctica and the Weddell Sea 2026 (tour 501S), Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 9.Scenic Eclipse Uses Helicopters to View Emperor Penguins, Cruise Industry News. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 10.Emperor Penguins (9-day Gould Bay camp trip), Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions (ALE). Accessed October 14, 2026.
- 11.Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes forsteri: species factsheet, BirdLife International (Data Zone). Accessed October 14, 2026.
- 12.Antarctica: Elephant Island, Weddell Sea, Polar Circle, m/v Plancius, 12 to 26 March 2027 (PLA31-27), Oceanwide Expeditions. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 13.Remote Weddell Sea Explorer, incl. helicopters, m/v Ortelius, 7 February to 6 March 2027 (OTL28-27), Oceanwide Expeditions. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- 14.Iconic Antarctica Expedition Cruise: The Explorer’s Route (16 days, round-trip flights from Buenos Aires), HX Expeditions (Hurtigruten Expeditions). Accessed October 14, 2026.
- 15.Setting sail for the ice of the mythical Weddell Sea: from Dec 16, 27 to Dec 28, 27 | PONANT United States, PONANT. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 16.The PONANT Bonus | PONANT United States, PONANT. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 17.Expedition to Antarctica: Weddell Sea cruise, SH Minerva, Jan 23, 2027 (M0227012311), Swan Hellenic. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 18.Endurance Shipwreck (conservation management plan page and FAQ), UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 19.Site Guidelines for Visitors: Paulet Island (2025), Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 20.Site Guidelines for Visitors: Brown Bluff (2019), Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 21.Site Guidelines for Visitors: Snow Hill Hut, Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 22.Dates & Rates: Antarctica & Arctic Cruises (m/v Ortelius and m/v Plancius tables, 2026-27 to 2027-28), Oceanwide Expeditions. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 23.Dates and Rates, Quark Expeditions. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- 24.HX Expeditions unveils new fleet enhancements for 2026 and beyond (press release, 1 September 2026), HX Expeditions (Mynewsdesk newsroom). Accessed October 14, 2026.