Antarctica21 or Aurora Expeditions: which is better for Antarctica?

No score and no verdict of ours: what Antarctica21 and Aurora Expeditions each publish on their own websites, read 9 November 2026, topic by topic, each line linked to the page it came from.

Antarctica21 or Aurora Expeditions: which is better for Antarctica?

Neither is better for everyone: Antarctica21 flies guests over the Drake Passage, takes up to 88 guests on its air-cruises and prices the Magellan Discoverer Inaugural Air-Cruise, December 2026, from US$16,995 per person in a double cabin, while Aurora Expeditions carries 130 passengers on expedition and prices Spirit of Antarctica, 11 days, from US$15,436 per person twin share for departures from December 2026.

What is each line?

Antarctica21 runs air-cruises that fly guests over the Drake Passage to Antarctica, plus sea voyages to Antarctica, the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia and Patagonia; it says it pioneered the Antarctica fly-cruise in 2003. Source

Aurora Expeditions runs small-ship expedition voyages under its own name and was founded in 1991 by Greg and Margaret Mortimer. Source

Which ships does each line sail?

Antarctica21 sails Magellan Explorer (launched in 2019) and Magellan Discoverer, which is being built at the ASENAV shipyard in Valdivia, Chile, for service from the 2026-27 season. Ocean Nova has left its fleet. Source

Aurora Expeditions sails three ships under its own name: the Greg Mortimer (built 2019), the Sylvia Earle (2022) and the Douglas Mawson (2025). Source

How many guests are on board?

Antarctica21 takes up to 88 guests on air-cruises and 96 on sea voyages on each ship, Magellan Explorer and Magellan Discoverer. Source

Aurora Expeditions carries 130 passengers on expedition on each ship; maximum capacity is 130 on the Sylvia Earle, 148 on the Greg Mortimer and 154 on the Douglas Mawson. Source

Where does each line sail?

Antarctica21 sells the Classic Antarctica Air-Cruise and Antarctica Express to the Antarctic Peninsula, the Polar Circle Air-Cruise to the Antarctic Circle, Falklands and South Georgia voyages plus a Patagonia & Chilean Fjords sea voyage from Puerto Montt to Ushuaia. Source

Aurora Expeditions sells named voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula, the Antarctic Circle and the Weddell Sea, the Ross Sea, South Georgia and the Falklands, Svalbard, Norway, the Scottish isles, the Northwest Passage and southern Patagonia. Source

What ice class are the ships?

Antarctica21's Magellan Explorer is ice class LR PC6 and Magellan Discoverer is ice class PC6. Source

Aurora Expeditions does not publish this on the pages read.

Who leads the landings?

Antarctica21 says each expedition is led by at least 12 polar guides, including expedition leaders, lecturers in natural and human history, a polar historian and glaciologists. Source

Aurora Expeditions gives an Expedition Team-to-Expeditioner ratio of 1:7 and a staff-to-expeditioner ratio of 1:1.5; its team includes naturalists, historians, marine biologists and geologists. Source

How much time ashore?

Antarctica21 says only 100 tourists may be ashore at a time and its ships carry fewer than 100 guests, so all guests can land at once; a second excursion of the day follows in the late afternoon. Source

Aurora Expeditions says IAATO and AECO limit landings to 100 people ashore at a time; it aims for two to three landings a day in Antarctica and includes daily Zodiac cruises and guided walks, weather permitting. Source

What can you do off the ship?

Antarctica21 includes Zodiac cruises and guided landings; sea kayaking is an optional extra for a maximum of 20 guests per expedition in two groups of 10; hiking and snowshoeing are extras with a minimum age of 15. Source

Aurora Expeditions includes the polar plunge, Zodiac cruising and guided walks; kayaking, diving, snowshoeing and camping are optional extras, each needing a deposit of 25% of the activity cost. Source

What does a voyage cost?

Antarctica21 prices the Magellan Discoverer Inaugural Air-Cruise, 10 days from Punta Arenas in December 2026, from $16,995 USD per person in a double cabin. Source

Aurora Expeditions prices Spirit of Antarctica, 11 days, from USD $15,436 per person twin share (brochure price $19,295), with departures in December 2026 and February, November and December 2027. Source

What does the fare include?

Antarctica21's air-cruise fares include group transfers, a welcome dinner, hotel nights in Punta Arenas, the Antarctic flight and cruise, guided landings and Zodiac excursions, meals with wine, beer and soft drinks, loan of waterproof boots and the IAATO passenger fee; sea kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing and international flights are extra. Source

Aurora Expeditions' fares include all meals, drinks with premium spirits and wine (from the 2026/2027 Antarctica season), Starlink wifi, a 3-in-1 polar jacket, use of Muck boots, daily shore excursions and Zodiac cruises, port surcharges and landing fees; optional activities cost extra and a gratuity of USD $20 per person per day is added to the onboard account. Source

What do solo travellers pay?

Antarctica21 charges no supplement in its dedicated Single Cabins, 85% in a limited number of Porthole and Veranda cabins on Magellan Explorer and Deluxe Veranda cabins on Magellan Discoverer; 100% in other categories. On Magellan Explorer solo travellers can share a Porthole or Veranda cabin with a guest of the same gender. Source

Aurora Expeditions offers dedicated solo cabins with no single supplement, 10 on the Greg Mortimer and the Sylvia Earle and 4 on the Douglas Mawson, plus a stateroom-sharing service; the usual solo supplement is 50%. Source

How much is the deposit?

Aurora Expeditions asks a deposit of 25% of each ticket within 7 working days of booking; final payment is due at least 120 days before departure. Source

Antarctica21 does not publish this on the pages read.

What happens if you cancel?

Aurora Expeditions keeps the deposit if you cancel 121 days or more before departure and 100% of the ticket price from 120 days; its Voyage Assurance Program instead offers a credit equal to the deposit (121 days or more) or to 50% of the fare (90 to 120 days), valid for 24 months. Source

Antarctica21 does not publish this on the pages read.

Is your money protected?

Aurora Expeditions places all voyage deposits in a separate trust account, the Aurora Passenger Trust, under its Deposit Protection Program; deposits are released from the trust 180 days before departure. Source

Antarctica21 does not publish this on the pages read.

What insurance do you need?

Antarctica21 requires medical insurance that includes aero-medical evacuation from Antarctica; it names no minimum amount. Source

Aurora Expeditions requires comprehensive travel insurance with medical and emergency evacuation cover of at least USD $250,000, with proof emailed no later than 60 days before departure. Source

Can children come?

Antarctica21 takes children from age 8 on air-cruises and from age 12 on sea voyages, if at least 1.20 m tall and 30 kg with a responsible adult who signs a waiver; children under 12 get 5% off the rate per person. Source

Aurora Expeditions takes bookings from age 6; under-18s must be with an adult at all times and children aged 6 to 15 pay the adult price unless a promotion applies. Source

When is each not the fit?

The limits below are published by each line on their own websites.

• Antarctica21: not the fit if you travel with children under 12 on a sea voyage: it welcomes children aged 12 and above on sea voyages. Source
• Aurora Expeditions: not the fit if you may cancel late: from 120 days before departure the cancellation fee is 100% of the full ticket price. Source

How do their reviews compare?

Their figures per platform, read 9 November 2026, each from a listing under the line's own name; a whole-company profile is marked. Figures are never added together.

• Antarctica21: Google: 4.6 out of 5 from 75 reviews; Trustpilot: 4.0 out of 5 from 17 reviews, newest 5 November 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
• Aurora Expeditions: Google: 4.4 out of 5 from 107 reviews. Read 9 November 2026.

The lines at a glance

One card each, as on every Uncompromised Travel expedition page: what each sells, why to choose each, what to ask for and the limits each publishes.

Richard Jasinski · Uncompromised Travel · written from Valencia · first published 9 November 2026 · updated 9 November 2026