A hosted group departure on HX Expeditions' Highlights of Antarctica voyage is open for booking, with ocean-view cabins starting below $8,500 for the November 19–30, 2026 sailing. The 12-day itinerary runs from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia and back, crossing the Drake Passage and spending five full days along the Antarctic Peninsula.
The format is expedition rather than classic cruise: daily Zodiac landings, ice cruising among glaciers and icebergs, and time with penguin colonies, seals and (weather permitting) whales. Everything is bundled — Wi-Fi, open bar, gratuities and lectures from the onboard expedition team — so the fare covers the trip end to end. Routes shift in real time based on ice and wildlife, which is the point.
HX, the rebranded Hurtigruten expedition line, runs the only hybrid-electric ships operating in Antarctica, plus a citizen science programme and onboard lab that guests can join. Optional add-ons go further than most lines allow: camping ashore, sea kayaking near icebergs, and snowshoeing excursions to higher, remoter ground. Suite guests get extras like fine-dining access, laundry service, premium drinks and day access to the Arakur spa in Ushuaia before departure.
The timing is the real pitch. Late November is early season — fewer ships, fresh unmarked snow, and icebergs at their largest after winter. Wildlife-wise, you catch the start of the summer rather than the middle: penguins courting and nest-building, seal pups being born, and whales just arriving. Photographers tend to rate it the best window of the year, and the departure overlaps Thanksgiving, cutting down on PTO needed.
Pricing breaks down as Polar Outside ocean-view cabins from under $8,500, Arctic Superior balcony cabins around $10,000, and expedition suites from roughly $11,000. Group perks include 10% off the fare plus a €90 onboard credit per guest, with a hotel night in Buenos Aires bookending the trip. Solo travellers can book a full double-occupancy room from about $10,000, and children are allowed with discounts.
Worth knowing: this is a hosted departure led by a repeat Antarctica traveller (their fourth season), aimed at a group dynamic rather than an independent booking. If you'd rather go it alone, the itinerary itself — 12 days, five on the peninsula, all-inclusive pricing — is a solid benchmark for comparing other operators like Seabourn, Silversea or Swan Hellenic, some of which cap activities such as camping.
For anyone who has Antarctica parked on the someday list, an early-season sailing under the typical price floor, with a daylight-friendly calendar gap, is about as practical a window as this continent offers.
