AdventureSmith Explorations is booking new itineraries on a brand new expedition ship that offer a rare, extended opportunity to explore seldom visited sites.
As adventurous travelers continue to seek out expedition trips to Antarctica, AdventureSmith Explorations, the leader in small-ship adventure cruises, is offering new itineraries to seldom visited, remote regions of Earth’s least-populated continent. Starting in 2025 aboard the brand new, 154-guest expedition ship Douglas Mawson, three epic Antarctica cruises will take travelers across the Antarctic Circle and into diverse regions, including East Antarctica, the Ross Sea, and Subantarctic Islands that only 600 visitors – 1.5% of the tourists who visit Antarctica – access annually. The ship will embark on its maiden voyage in December 2025.
“Very few ships venture across Antarctica’s remote Southern Ocean but the rewards are great,” said AdventureSmith Explorations founder and president Todd Smith. “For those who want a truly comprehensive and unique experience in Antarctica, these epic itineraries aboard the brand-new Douglas Mawson are without a doubt, bucket-list trips. Travelers can embark from Australia and New Zealand and access varied landscapes, endemic wildlife and rarely visited historic explorer huts.”
34-day Epic Antarctic Odyssey: Crossing the 7th Continent
With just a single departure set to cruise from Dunedin, New Zealand to Ushuaia, Argentina in February 2026, 154 expeditioners will explore the Subantarctic Islands and all of western Antarctica (Ross Sea, Bellingshausen Sea and the Antarctic Peninsula) on this semi-circumnavigation that very few people have done before.
As the ship navigates through gleaming pack ice and remote areas, the trip’s many highlights will surely include the rich marine ecosystem and wildlife, and reflecting on the remarkable achievements of the Heroic Age explorers whose historic huts have been beautifully preserved.
24- to 25-day Ross Sea Odyssey
Featuring two itineraries and only two departure dates (December 2025 and January 2026), these routes both include extensive exploration of the uninhabited Subantarctic islands. Travelers will visit Macquarie Island, home to four penguin species: Gentoo, Kings, Rockhopper and the endemic Royal, plus the Auckland and Campbell Islands, the only location to view yellow-eyed penguins.
History buffs will appreciate the 24-day Mawson’s Antarctica itinerary that follows its namesake’s pioneering 1911 voyage to East Antarctica. Including a visit to Mawson’s hut at Commonwealth Bay in George V Land, Antarctica, the ship will travel along the East Antarctic coast and attempt to position itself over the South Magnetic Pole, which has migrated out to sea.
The 25-day Ross Sea Odyssey sails along the Victoria Land Coast and into the globally significant wildlife sanctuary of the Ross Sea. With the spirit of adventure, this itinerary navigates prevailing weather and ice conditions in search of the Ross Ice Shelf, the world’s largest body of floating ice, as well as Antarctica’s largest Adélie penguin colony, the largest known emperor penguin colony, and a newly discovered emperor penguin colony found just one year ago.
Getting to Antarctica with Expert Insight
Want to go, but not sure where to start? AdventureSmith’s seasoned travel specialists have decades of first-hand experience planning unforgettable experiences on the White Continent and have extensive resources to offer both first-time and experienced adventurers.
“I’ve personally been aboard Douglas Mawson’s sister ship, the Greg Mortimer, and our team has compiled an Antarctica cruise guide that is among the most authoritative resources available for travelers researching Antarctica cruises. From the best time to visit to in-depth cruise reviews, expert tips and insights, we’re here to help plan and book the perfect itinerary for you,” said Smith.
Booking early has its advantages. AdventureSmith Explorations is offering an Early Bird Deal that provides savings of up to 20% if booked by June 30, 2024. Learn more about AdventureSmith’s Antarctica cruise options online at or by calling their travel specialists at 866-575-2875.
