The Best Antarctica Cruises for Catching 2021’s Solar Eclipse

Departing: “Great Explorers” on November 24; “Ultimate Expedition” on November 22

Book now: “Great Explorers” starting at $14,855; “Ultimate Expedition” starting at $17,804

Ponant

Science has a long and storied legacy on Antarctica, and you can join the ranks of all those who have searched for answers in the ice and water by joining Ponant’s 15-day voyage aboard the elegant Le Commandant Charcot. In addition to taking icy scuba dives and the chance to hot air balloon above snowy mountains and tabletop icebergs, guests can assist on-board scientists with research tasks like collecting water samples or setting up monitoring stations, through Ponant’s Participative Science program. This trip will also give guests the best possible view of the eclipse, as the ship charts a course further south than most sailings, through the shifting ice floes of the eastern Weddell Sea. When it’s time for the big show, guests will actually disembark to view the eclipse from atop floating slabs of ice.

Departing: November 29

Book now: Starting from $17,790

Aurora Expeditions 

With their emphasis on small group trips aboard cozy, refined vessels, the Australia-based Aurora Expeditions provides a highly intimate, personalized experience—and a multi-pronged effort to reduce their environmental impact on every sailing. Though one of their eclipse itineraries has already sold out, there’s another sailing we’d hop on: Departing Ushuaia to cross the Drake Passage for the Peninsula, their 16-day “Solar Eclipse: Antarctica” cruise devotes nearly all of its time to hopscotching along the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, helping guests see as much of Antarctica as possible. In addition to excursions for hiking and honing wildlife photography skills, there’s plenty to do onboard the Sylvia Earle, which features state-of-the-art perks like an ocean-view sauna, a quiet library where for reading up on Antarctic history, and stately lounge and deck areas for taking in the views. Thanks to the ship’s revolutionary bow design, seasickness is also likely to be less of an issue.

Departing: November 23

Book now: Starting at $18,445

Oceanwide Expeditions

With their superb fleet of ice-strengthened ships and immersive basecamp cruise concepts (which include camping on the continent itself and technical activities like mountaineering), Oceanwide Expeditions knows the seventh continent and its seas like few others. On their newest vessel, the m/v Janssonius, launching October 2021, they’re offering a 20-day Grand Tour that checks off all the top spots on your Antarctic must-see list, like the Peninsula, South Georgia, and the Falklands. The eclipse will be viewed near the South Orkney Islands close to the Weddell Sea pack-ice. Perfect for hardy adventurers, their hands-on itinerary includes snowshoeing and hiking, as well as wildlife observation to see King, Gentoo, and rockhopper penguins, seals, and more. While the Janssonius is the pick of the litter, with environmentally friendly engineering, charming cabins, and spacious observation deck, Oceanwide is sending two other ships, the m/v Plancius and m/v Hondius, that depart around the same time and follow similar itineraries.