90 Antarctic expeditions departing in December 2027, from $9,550 per person. Compare ships, cabins and operators for the month.
December brings peak season: the warmest temperatures so far (0 to +8 °C on the Peninsula), nearly 20 hours of daylight, and the first penguin chicks hatching around the solstice — colonies turn into noisy nurseries. Whale sightings pick up week by week.
Christmas and New Year departures are the most sought-after (and priciest) of the year; celebrating the New Year at midnight in broad daylight is a story in itself. Book these sailings 12–18 months out.
Antarctica21 · Magellan Explorer
Dec 20, 2027 – Dec 27, 2027 · 8 days · from Punta Arenas, Chile
9 cabin offers
Lindblad Expeditions · National Geographic Explorer
Dec 20, 2027 – Dec 29, 2027 · 10 days
9 cabin offers
Silversea Cruises · Silver Cloud
Dec 20, 2027 – Dec 30, 2027 · 18 days · from Puerto Williams
8 cabin offers
Quark Expeditions · World Voyager
Dec 21, 2027 – Jan 7, 2028 · 18 days · from Ushuaia, Argentina
Hiking & snowshoeingKayaking & paddlingPhotographyPolar plunge
5 cabin offers
Lindblad Expeditions · National Geographic Orion
Dec 21, 2027 – Dec 29, 2027 · 9 days
8 cabin offers
Aurora Expeditions · Douglas Mawson
Dec 21, 2027 – Jan 4, 2028 · 15 days · from Ushuaia
Diving & snorkellingHiking & snowshoeingKayaking & paddling
20 cabin offers
Silversea Cruises · Silver Endeavour
Dec 22, 2027 – Dec 28, 2027 · 6 days · from King George Island
9 cabin offers
Antarctica21 · Magellan Discoverer
Dec 22, 2027 – Dec 29, 2027 · 8 days · from Punta Arenas, Chile
7 cabin offers
Swan Hellenic · SH Vega
Dec 22, 2027 – Jan 4, 2028 · 13 days · from Ushuaia
4 cabin offers
Antarctica21 · Magellan Explorer
Dec 25, 2027 – Jan 1, 2028 · 8 days · from Punta Arenas, Chile
11 cabin offers
HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) · MS Fram
Dec 25, 2027 – Jan 16, 2028 · 23 days
CampingKayaking & paddlingShore excursions
1 cabin offer
HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) · MS Roald Amundsen
Dec 26, 2027 – Jan 10, 2028 · 16 days
CampingKayaking & paddling
1 cabin offer