Heritage Expeditions vs Aurora Expeditions: which is better?

No score and no verdict of ours: what Heritage Expeditions 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.

Heritage Expeditions vs Aurora Expeditions: which is better?

Neither is better for everyone: Heritage Expeditions takes 140 or 130 guests or 18 on its yacht and prices a 12-day Antarctic Peninsula voyage from US$10,900 (down from US$13,500) for departures from 22 November 2027, while Aurora Expeditions carries 130 passengers on expedition and prices Spirit of Antarctica from US$15,436 for departures from December 2026.

What is each line?

Heritage Expeditions runs small-ship expedition cruises on three ships it operates; it was formed in 1984 and is still family-owned and run. 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?

Heritage Expeditions sails Heritage Adventurer (built in 1991 at Finland's Rauma shipyard), Heritage Discoverer (renovated in 2018, 2023 and 2026) and the expedition yacht Heritage Explorer. 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?

Heritage Expeditions takes 140 guests on Heritage Adventurer, 130 on Heritage Discoverer and a maximum of 18 on the yacht Heritage Explorer. 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?

Heritage Expeditions sells named voyages to the Ross Sea, the New Zealand and Australian Subantarctic Islands, the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia and the Falklands, Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland, the British Isles, the Kimberley, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea plus coastal New Zealand including Fiordland and the Marlborough Sounds. 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?

Heritage Expeditions says Heritage Discoverer has a 1A ice-class rating; it describes Heritage Adventurer as designed for Polar exploration. Source

Aurora Expeditions does not publish this on the pages read.

Who leads the landings?

Heritage Expeditions says it aims for a guide-to-client ratio of 1:12, with naturalists, botanists, historians and other experts on each voyage. 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?

Heritage Expeditions plans daily landings, hikes, Zodiac excursions and ship cruises on its Antarctic Peninsula voyage, with four or five days in Antarctica. 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?

Heritage Expeditions offers optional sea kayaking with an expert guide on its Antarctic Peninsula, Subantarctic, Iceland, Scotland and Svalbard voyages, plus citizen science and a polar plunge in the Ross Sea; it does not say whether kayaking costs extra. 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?

Heritage Expeditions prices its 12-day Antarctic Peninsula Expedition Cruise on Heritage Discoverer from Ushuaia from $10,900 USD per person, down from $13,500 USD, for departures from 22 November 2027. 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?

Heritage Expeditions' Heritage Explorer fares in New Zealand include landing fees, transfers by helicopter or coach, accommodation with meals, all shore excursions and activities, GST, house drinks and naturalist guides; personal items, laundry, domestic flights, extensions and travel insurance 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?

Heritage Expeditions sells single cabins at a set fare rather than quoting a supplement: Main Deck Single at US$11,230 and Superior Single at US$12,115 on Heritage Adventurer's New Zealand Coastal Odyssey of 11 November 2026; Wandering cabins with one single berth on Heritage Explorer. 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?

Heritage Expeditions asks a non-refundable deposit of 25% of the total price, with the balance due 90 days before departure on Heritage Adventurer and Heritage Discoverer (120 days for Antarctica) and 60 days before on Heritage Explorer. Source

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

What happens if you cancel?

Heritage Expeditions refunds in full less a USD$750 per person fee (USD$315 on Heritage Explorer) more than 180 days out; from 179 to 91 days the deposit is lost and within 90 days (60 on Heritage Explorer) the whole fare. A change of date or destination counts as a cancellation. Source

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

Is your money protected?

Heritage Expeditions has deposits held by Heritage Security Ltd on behalf of Heritage Expeditions (2018) Ltd under a customer deposit agreement. Source

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

What insurance do you need?

Heritage Expeditions requires comprehensive travel insurance, with medical and emergency evacuation cover of at least USD$150,000 per person on Subantarctic expeditions and USD$250,000 per person on Antarctic expeditions. 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?

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

Heritage Expeditions does not publish this on the pages read.

When is each not the fit?

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

• Heritage Expeditions: not the fit if your dates may move: it treats any change of departure date or destination after booking as a cancellation, with its cancellation charges. 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.

• 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