AdventureSmith Explorations Launches New Exclusive Antarctica Cruises for 2025-26

AdventureSmith Explorations has unveiled an exciting array of new Antarctica cruise itineraries for the 2025-26 season. These unique voyages are set to take guests to some of the most remote and seldom-visited destinations in Antarctica, including East Antarctica, the Ross Sea, and the Subantarctic islands—areas that only about 1.5 percent of Antarctic travelers explore each year.

Guests will embark on these extraordinary journeys aboard the Douglas Mawson, a state-of-the-art 154-guest ship owned by Aurora Expeditions. In celebration of these new offerings, AdventureSmith Explorations is providing an early bird discount, offering savings of up to 20 percent for trips booked by June 30, 2024.

Todd Smith, founder and president of AdventureSmith Explorations, highlighted the uniqueness of these itineraries: “Very few ships venture across Antarctica’s remote Southern Ocean, but the rewards are great. 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, enjoying access to varied landscapes, endemic wildlife, and rarely visited historic explorer huts.

The newly announced itineraries include:

• Epic Antarctic Odyssey: Crossing the 7th Continent – A 34-day cruise departing from Dunedin, New Zealand, to Ushuaia, Argentina, in February 2026. This voyage will explore the Subantarctic Islands, as well as the Ross Sea, the Bellingshausen Sea, and the Antarctic Peninsula.
• Ross Sea Odyssey – A 24- or 25-day voyage with departures in December 2025 and January 2026. This itinerary gives travelers the opportunity to visit Macquarie Island and the Auckland and Campbell Islands.
• Mawson’s Antarctica – A 24-day journey that retraces the path of Douglas Mawson’s historic 1911 voyage to East Antarctica. Highlights include a visit to Mawson’s hut at Commonwealth Bay in George V Land, Antarctica. The ship will also attempt to position itself over the South Magnetic Pole, which has migrated out to sea.

These cruises promise an unparalleled exploration experience, combining adventure with ecological and historical education, appealing to the most adventurous and environmentally conscious travelers. With the launch of these itineraries, AdventureSmith Explorations continues to solidify its position as a leader in innovative, small-ship expedition cruising.