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Master Expedition Route · 11 days 1 upcoming departure

Christmas Season in Antarctica

Polar Latitudes · 11 days · Ushuaia → Buenos Aires

Christmas Season in Antarctica — Key Facts At a Glance
Operator Polar Latitudes
Available departures 1
Typical duration 11 days · Ushuaia → Buenos Aires
Price range (per person, USD) $11,895 – $32,291
ships Ocean Victory
Prices last verified 48-hour verification methodology

Upcoming departures — Christmas Season in Antarctica

Departure Ship Duration Availability From Action
Dec 18, 2026 – Dec 28, 2026 Best price Ocean Victory · 175 guests 11 days Available
$11,895

Day by day

Route 9 waypoints

Itinerary and landing sites are indicative and subject to change based on weather, sea ice, and wildlife conditions.

Daily schedule
DAY 1 Arrive and Explore in Ushuaia

After a friendly welcome at the airport, we'll transfer you to one of our partnered premium hotel resorts nestled in the breathtaking Patagonian nature, where you can take some time to unwind or go explore the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia. Our optional evening briefing is your opportunity to ask questions and meet some of your fellow explorers.

DAY 2 All Aboard!

Spend your morning relaxing at the hotel, visiting a museum, or exploring the shops in Ushuaia, before our mid-afternoon escort to the ship. Our Expedition Team and ship staff will welcome you on board and get you settled in, followed by a safety and orientation briefing and our Captain’s welcome dinner. We’re on our way to Antarctica!

DAYS 3–4 Drake Passage

Join our Polar Experts as they share their vast knowledge of Antarctica, from its enchanting wildlife to its bold history. Participate in our pioneering Citizen Science program or sit back and take in this fabled journey while catching glimpses of rarely seen wildlife. Keep your binoculars handy to identify the many seabirds that escort our ship as we cross the Antarctic Convergence into Antarctica’s waters and noticeably cooler temperatures.

DAYS 5–7 Merry Christmas, Antarctica!

Time to put our explorer’s spirit to full use. Antarctica offers astounding landscapes and wildlife encounters at every turn, as the last truly unspoiled place on earth, populated only by its original wild inhabitants. Prepare yourself to encounter numerous species of penguins, seals, and whales, who will be there to share the holidays with us along the rugged coastlines and in the sea. We’ll also take full advantage of every opportunity to visit some of the several active scientific bases and historic landing sites on the peninsula. This voyage promises to be a holiday memory you’ll cherish forever. Our team always has something fun planned for Christmas Day.

DAY 8 South Shetland Islands

Over time, the volcanic activity of the South Shetland Islands has created a geology unlike any other. Here, you can expect a spectacular display of mountains, glaciers, and wildlife including Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins; and it’s not uncommon to share the water’s edge with Elephant and Fur seals. Whales are often spotted as well. So, we’ll settle into our Zodiacs and spend most of our day exploring. And kayakers, it’s time to get your first taste of gliding just inches off the pristine Antarctic water. Whether on land or sea, in Zodiac or kayak, be prepared for a fully immersive introduction to this incomparable part of the world.

DAYS 9–10 Drake Passage

We leave this magical place and make our way north, once again heading across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage. We have one last hurrah as we celebrate the conclusion of our expedition with a special slideshow and a final meal together.

DAY 11 Ushuaia Disembarkation

With huge smiles on weary, content faces, we disembark in the morning, letting you catch a flight to Buenos Aires or stay in Ushuaia for more sights and adventure.

Ships operating this itinerary

Ocean Victory

Ocean Victory

175 guests 2-group rotation Ice class: 1A / PC6 Dual-rated: Finnish-Swedish 1A/1A+ and Polar Class 6 for navigating medium first-year polar ice. Built 2021
Vessel profile →

Activities

4

4 optional add-ons

Polar adventure guide
Optional add-on from $350

Kayaking & paddling

Paddle in near-silence through mirror-calm glacial bays, drifting alongside iridescent ice sculptures and listening to the deep exhales of surfacing humpback whales.

Water & Ice 2 options
Optional add-on from $395

Camping

Roll out your bivouac bag directly onto the snow beneath the southern heavens, falling asleep to the rumble of distant calving glaciers and calling gentoo penguins.

Specialty
Optional add-on from $150

Hiking & snowshoeing

Crunch through pristine snow up glaciated ridges and volcanic vantage points for breathtaking 360° panoramas over iceberg-choked straits and penguin rookeries.

Land & Alpine
Optional add-on

Photography

Specialized workshops and excursions guided by professional polar photographers to capture the ethereal midnight sun, dynamic wildlife action, and sculpted blue ice.

Specialty

Visited Regions

4
Polar destination guide
United States · All-Inclusive Expedition

Polar Latitudes

Polar Latitudes operates dedicated polar expedition voyages to Antarctica with experienced expedition teams.

IAATO Member 4 ships 19 itineraries
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Wildlife on this route

Penguins

Emperor Penguins

The world's largest penguin breeds only in Antarctica's brutal winter. A rare and unforgettable sight.

Penguins

Gentoo Penguin

A stocky, orange-billed penguin of the genus Pygoscelis, closest kin to the Adélie and Chinstrap. Its loud, trumpeting call, delivered with head thrown back, carries across the shoreline colonies where expedition landings are made.

Whales & Dolphins

Humpback Whale

A 14–17 metre baleen whale known for breaching and long pectoral fins, often seen feeding on krill in loose groups along the ice edge.

Whales & Dolphins

Orca

Black and white apex predator instantly recognizable by its pale eye patches, the orca is the largest of the dolphins and one of the ocean's most capable hunters. Sightings often involve a tight-knit family pod working the ice edge together.