Antarctica – free of mankind, homophobia and city noise!
A vast landscape of snowy ice caps and monumental glaciers, home to an assortment of creatures that couldn't survive anywhere else… now THIS is the ultimate Winter Wonderful!
What used to be a destination only for scientist and explorers, Antarctica is fast becoming a popular tourist destination with many luxury cruises on offer. Gay travellers who wish to plant the rainbow flag in Antarctica can now do this whilst aboard a fabulous gay cruise!
We've rounded up the best gay cruises to Antarctica for LGBTQ travellers. So grab your cuddly Olaf toy and live out your Elsa fantasy on the world's most remote continent!
Note: all the gay cruises mentionned here are made of gay groups joining a larger expedition trip with other (i.e. non-gay!) travellers.
What we cover in this guide
01
HE Travel Antarctica Adventure and Gay Cruise
5 – 15 February 2020*
The cruise at a glance
- Prices start from $10,900 per person
- Dates: February 5th – 15th, 2020*
- Large eco-friendly and comfortable expedition ship
- Ushuaia – Drake Passage – Vernadsky Research Base
Starting off in charming Ushuaia, you'll spend a leisurely afternoon exploring the very tip of South America. From here you wave goodbye to civilisation as you know it before heading south towards Antarctica.
Crossing through the Drake Passage, you'll be treated to some marvellous sights. It generally takes two days to make the trip, so you'll get the time to just chill, kick your feet back and gasp in awe at the towering glaciers and icecaps.
This gay cruise, in particular, takes a deep dive into all the surrounding islands of the mainland like Melchior, Brabant and Anvers. Here you can see penguins, sea lions and if you're really lucky, a few blue whales. You'll have the option to join shore excursions on Zodiac boats, allowing you to cross off ‘walking on Antarctica' from your bucket list. The best part? You don't have to worry about checking your surroundings before indulging in any PDAs as there's no such thing as a homophobic penguin!
You'll also get to learn about all of the fascinating projects conducted by scientists who call Antarctica their home. They do various research studies, discovering all sorts of secrets of the Earth. You'll swing by The Vernadsky Research Base – where the hole in the ozone layer was first discovered. And to top it all off, there's a visit to the world’s southernmost bar for some Antarctica inspired cocktails!
The gay cruise takes place on the m/v Hondius, a very comfortable polar expedition ship that's also one of the most environmentally friendly ships out there. This means you get to enjoy the incredible landscapes and wildlife of Antarctica while impacting them as little as possible. The rooms vary in size but with a high standard of comfort. If you're looking for a splurge, you can book a grand suite, which has its own private balcony.
* This cruise also takes place from January 26 – February 5, 2021
HeTravel is offering our readers an exclusive 5% discount valid for their gay cruise to Antartica. Click the button below to find out more.
02
Out Adventures Antarctica Gay Expedition
2020 December dates to be announced!
The cruise at a glance
- Prices start from $15,395 per person
- Dates: December 2020 (exact dates to be announced)
- Large luxurious expedition ship
- Ushuaia – Drake Passage – Antarctic peninsula
Out Adventures is one of our favourite gay cruise companies out there, and their annual gay Antarctica cruise is notorious!
The group starts in Ushuaia, located right on the southern tip of Argentina. Here you'll kiss the world of grass and rocks a final goodbye before heading out into the icy waters…and beyond!
Penguins and seals and whales, OH MY! When you think about it, Antarctica is very much like Oz. Spot as many of these creatures as you can, as you're unlikely to see them anywhere else.
This gay cruise will take you on an exploration of the Drake Passage – a vast body of water between South America's Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. Whilst the waters around here can be unpredictable, the South Shetland Islands are a big highlight of the cruise. You get to go on Zodiac boat excursions onshore to visit penguin rookeries and seal spotting. You also have the option to go kayaking and do stand-up paddleboarding. You can even take a plunge into the freezing Antarctic waters…(if you dare!), in what is coyly referred to as “The Polar Plunge!”
The Out Adventure gay cruise to Antartica takes place aboard the luxurious World Explorer expedition ship. The ship features luxurious rooms, all with exterior views. Some have private balconies so you can watch the icebergs sliding by. There are plenty of open spaces for relaxing and socialising, like the glass-domed Observation Lounge and the ship's library. You can also keep fit in the small gym, or go for a run on the outdoor track. There's even a sauna and spa to relax in after the daily excursions.
Out Adventures is offering our readers an exclusive $150 discount valid for their cruise to Antartica. Click the button below to find out more.
03
Pied Piper Travel South America and Antarctica Cruise
2 – 16 February 2020
The cruise at a glance
- Prices start from $2,489 per person
- Dates: February 2nd – 16th, 2020
- Huge luxury cruise ship
- Buenos Aires – Cape Horn – Falkland Islands
Follow the sweet trails of the Pied Piper. Just like the character in the old fable, this cruise has such a magnificent charm about it. Firstly, it's a massive ship, that can welcome almost 3,000 passengers onboard. Like a floating hotel, every detail within is picked for maximum comfort.
Starting the new year off right, the Pied Piper takes you from the mountainous South American tip to the stunning whiteness of Antarctica.
With 10 days to explore Antarctica, this gay cruise offers up some of the most magnificent views. You'll also have ports of call in Puerto Madryn (Argentina), Cape Horn (Chile) and Port Stanley (the Falkland Islands), allowing you to explore more of South America and its wildlife as part of this cruise. From Paradise Bay to Elephant Island, the Pied Piper leads you on a trail that you'll never forget. A highlight of the trip is exploring the Gerlache Strait – the only strai(gh)t thing about this tour! With mountainous glaciers that look like giant mushrooms and cotton candy on the horizon, you'll be starkly reminded of how far from home you are.
There's also plenty of breaks and rest times between excursions so you can soak up the majesty of the ship: the Celebrity Eclipse. This is one of the largest and most luxurious cruise ships, with a wide variety of entertainment options onboard.
NOTE: this is a cruise without any stops in Antarctica. So whilst you get to see Antarctica from the ship, you won't be walking on it.
04
Zoom Antarctica Gay Adventure Cruise
19 – 26 February 2020
The cruise at a glance
- Prices start from $16,495 per person
- Dates: February 19th – 26th, 2020
- Large luxurious expedition ship
- Punta Arenas – Antarctic Peninsula
Zoom! Chase your dream, and explore Antarctica amongst other fabulous LGBTQ people aboard a luxury cruise ship.
For those of us (like our Seby!) with nervous stomachs, this cruise does you the favour of skipping the sailing through the rough Drake Passage waters and flies you over it instead, which is also good because it gives you more time to explore Antarctica.
The cruise starts on the South Shetland Islands from where you explore the Antarctic Peninsula. Unlike most other Antarctica cruises, Zoom's allows you to camp overnight on the mighty ice continent. Keep your eyes peeled for Adélie and Gentoo penguins as well as whales and seals.
The Zoom Antarctica cruise is onboard the luxurious World Explorer expedition ship. The din dining rooms area super cosy and we love that it has a library stocked with books and games. Gym bunnies will be relieved to know there is a gym onboard, as well as a swimming pool and sauna.
The Zoom cruise also gives you the option to add on a 2-4 night stay in Buenos Aires, which has one of our favourite gay scenes in Latin America. Be sure to check out our gay guide to Buenos Aires for more inspiration.
05
Source Events Antarctica Luxury Voyage
30 January – 9 February 2021
The cruise at a glance
- Prices start from $10,699 per person
- Dates: January 30th – February 9th, 2021
- Large eco-friendly and luxurious expedition ship
- Ushuaia – Drake Passage – Weddell Sea
If you missed the 2020 cruise, bookings for 2021 are open!
Climb aboard the Ponant’s Le Lyrial ship, with 5-star treatment, three elevators and an open bar – you can count us in!
Not only is the ship luxurious but it's also equipped with the most eco-friendly technology available. We love that it combines luxury whilst being eco-friendly at the same time.
Starting off from, yep you guessed it, Ushuaia, the Source Events Luxury Voyage takes you off through the Drake Passage. Throughout the trip, you'll explore the Pleneau Islands and Port Lockroy. You'll also sail on the Wedell Sea, with its blindingly blue waters and fresh, crisp air. Got a letter to post? You're in luck! Port Lockroy is home to the southernmost post office in the world! Though we don't know the cost of their stamps and it would certainly take a while for your package to be delivered…!
The ship offers truly luxurious accommodation, with capacity limited to just 199 guests, which means every guest gets a private balcony! The package also includes all meals, roundtrip airfare from Buenos Aires and 1 night in a hotel in Buenos Aires as well.
For more inspiration:
- If you prefer some warmer destinations, make sure you also check out our bumper guide to the best upcoming gay cruises worldwide
- And if you like a bit of sunbathing au naturel these are the best gay nude cruises out there!
- For more cheeky nudity, these are the best nude beaches worldwide
- Speaking of beaches, these are our favourite beaches in Barcelona
- As well as our gay city guide to Barcelona
- Find out what it's like to attend gay Pride in Barcelona
- And then read about the biggest gay pride events in the world
- Get inspired by these fabulous gay pride outfit ideas as well
- And don't forget to pack these must-have pride accessories!
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