From Ice Cutters To Luxurious Cruises: How Antarctica Became The Ultimate Travel Hotspot

In winter, Antarctica is covered by the world’s largest ice sheet, spanning roughly 19 million square kilometres (7.3 million square miles). This remote, stunningly barren land holds the title of the coldest place on Earth, and reaching there is a difficult task for tourists. Yet, despite the harsh conditions, it’s fast becoming one of the world’s most sought-after travel spots, according to a report by CNN.

The news portal reported, quoting the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), which has been tracking the number of tourists to visit the white continent since the early 1990s, that the surge in travel to Antarctica started well before the post-Covid travel boom. 

In the winter of 2017, just under 44,000 tourists visited Antarctica. This year, that number surpassed 122,000 visitors. And they’re coming in such numbers because travel to the Earth’s coldest continent has never been easier – or more luxurious.

A couple of decades ago, Antarctic travel meant visiting on smaller ships, many of them former “ice cutters” from Russia, Canada, and other polar nations. It was anything but a luxury experience.

“Many of the boats back then were equipped with bunk beds and shared bathrooms. You put your name on a board for spaghetti or lasagna every night,” Robin West, Seabourn’s vice president and general manager of expeditions, took his first trip to the region in 2002, told CNN.

Few of the ships even had windows to see outside. The experience today is quite different. Colleen McDaniel, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic, credits Lindblad and National Geographic cruise lines with opening up Antarctic travel to more visitors about a decade ago.

“They were really the pioneers in bringing the Antarctica experience to a more traditional traveler. But those initial sailings were less luxurious than we see today,” McDaniel said.

“Lately Ponant, Silversea, Seabourn, and Scenic have made huge leaps with that top-of-the-market luxury experience, offering incredible onboard suites, exceptional dining, and even spas. Cruise lines like Quark are creating products for adventure-seekers, offering things like cross-country skiing and camping.”