Silversea, the leading experiential luxury and expedition travel brand, has successfully concluded its 2025/2026 Antarctica season.
Between October 5, 2025, and March 5, 2026, Silver Endeavour, Silver Cloud, and Silver Wind welcomed guests on 38 voyages to the region’s dramatic landscapes – demonstrating the power of immersive, expertly led exploration.
This comes ahead of the opening of The Cormorant at 55 South, the brand’s 150-room hotel in Puerto Williams, which is expected to provide guests with seamless access to the continent beginning with the 2026/2027 Antarctica season.
“Antarctica continues to be one of the most transformative destinations on Earth, offering extraordinary moments of discovery for even the most experienced travelers,” said Bert Hernandez, president, Silversea.
“What makes Silversea’s approach truly unique is the variety of ways we invite guests to experience the polar region – whether through our Antarctica Fly Cruises, which offer seamless access for those with limited time, our classic expeditions that include the iconic Drake Passage crossing, or our extended voyages to remote destinations like South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, rich with wildlife and exploration history. With the opening of The Cormorant at 55 South, we are entering an exciting new era in luxury polar travel that makes these journeys even more immersive, comfortable, and accessible.”
DEFINING MOMENTS OF THE 2025/2026 ANTARCTICA SEASON
With 2026 marking 125 years since Captain Scott’s Discovery expedition left British waters for the Antarctic, there was historical significance to this season’s polar voyages.
Silversea’s three expedition ships offered guests flexibility in reaching the southernmost continent, with 20 voyages crossing the legendary Drake Passage and 18 Antarctica Fly Cruise sailings, available to those who preferred to fly directly to King George Island.
Among the 2025/2026 season’s unforgettable moments were:
- Silver Wind opened Silversea’s Antarctic season, delivering early continental landings and varied wildlife sightings – from humpback and fin whales to orcas and leopard seals. Several voyages featured extraordinary whale behavior, including bubble net feeding and sightings from immersive Zodiac tours.
- Silver Cloud offered intimate exploration with memorable landings at Orne Harbour and Cuverville Island, along with a rare emperor penguin sighting at Wilhelmina Bay. Guests also experienced historic enrichment in Grytviken and scenic cruising through the Antarctic Sound and the Lemaire Channel.
- Silver Endeavour delivered a standout season with multiple unique continental landings, notable whale activity, and rare wildlife sightings, including emperor penguins and Arnoux’s beaked whales. Guests also enjoyed dramatic sea ice navigation in the Weddell Sea, scenic transits through locations such as the Lemaire Channel, and remarkable South Georgia experiences at the world famous king penguin colonies.
- A favored activity among guests, the 2025/2026 season saw hundreds of guests participate in the bucket-list polar plunge, with one record-breaking voyage seeing nearly 140 guests jump into the icy Antarctic waters.
Across all three ships, guests enjoyed enriching wildlife sightings, access to diverse landing sites, expertly guided exploration and enrichments provided through Silversea’s exclusive partnership with the Royal Geographical Society, and the highest expedition staff to guest ratio in experiential luxury cruising – all hallmarks of Silversea’s commitment to delivering meaningful and immersive travel.
THREE SHIPS, ONE UNMATCHED POLAR FLEET
Silversea’s fleet of expedition ships continues to set the standard for luxury adventure travel, blending exploration with all-inclusive comfort, offering personalized service, fine dining, and ocean-view suites.
Built to PC6 polar class specifications, Silver Endeavour is designed for polar exploration, carrying state-of-the-art amenities, cutting-edge navigation and exploration technology, along with a team of up to 28 expedition experts made up of biologists, geologists, naturalists, and historians, supported by a fleet of versatile Zodiacs.
The team’s vast knowledge, along with the ship’s unparalleled access to the region, make for authentic moments of discovery in one of Earth’s most secluded regions.
Silver Cloud and Silver Wind, both meticulously refurbished and ice strengthened, also offer an intimate and immersive expedition experience, with access to narrow channels and lesser visited sites. Together, the three ship expedition fleet delivers unparalleled variety for guests.
The breadth and flexibility of Silversea’s Antarctica offering is designed to meet the expectations of today’s luxury traveler. From Antarctica Fly Cruises – ideal for guests with limited time who wish to immerse themselves in the destination – to classic expedition voyages that include the legendary Drake crossing as a bucket list experience, Silversea offers multiple ways to reach Antarctica.
For those seeking deeper exploration, extended itineraries venture beyond the Antarctic Peninsula to some of the world’s most remote and storied destinations, including South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, rich in wildlife, history, and the legacy of early polar exploration.
A NEW CHAPTER: THE CORMORANT AT 55 SOUTH
Silversea now looks ahead to its 41 voyage Antarctica season for 2026/2027 – the first to feature experiences at the brand’s new hotel, The Cormorant at 55 South, in Puerto Williams, Chile, the southernmost city on Earth.
Expected to open in October 2026, the 150 room hotel will provide a seamless gateway for guests traveling to Antarctica, offering a chance to immerse themselves in the destination ahead of their expedition.
The Cormorant’s inaugural season will support 29 Antarctica Fly Cruise voyages between October 20, 2026, and March 10, 2027.
Guests will also have opportunities to sail the Drake Passage on 12 expedition voyages, continuing Silversea’s commitment to offering flexible, deeply enriching ways to experience the polar region.
View Silversea’s upcoming voyages to Antarctica:
https://www.silversea.com/destinations/antarctica-cruise.html
For more information on The Cormorant at 55 South and Silversea’s Antarctica Fly Cruise program, visit:
https://www.silversea.com/lp-antarctica-fly-cruise.html
Source: Silversea Press Center
Images: © 2026 Silversea Cruises LTD.
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