Ross Sea cruises, Antarctica

“Expedition opportunities will be offered as they present themselves – so say ‘yes’ to walking on the ice at 2am,” says Isaac Wilson, from our partner Heritage Expeditions. “You can sleep on the way back.”

You’re somewhere very special indeed. From space, the Ross Sea at this time of year can look green, not blue, as one of the largest phytoplankton blooms on Earth takes place, and microscopic organisms stain the blue ice green, brown and even red.

This nutrient rich sea is very special – it’s a feeding ground for krill, fish, penguins and whales. Humpback whales travel here from the South Pacific, minke and southern right whales dine here too, and Type C orcas, the world’s smallest orca, have made the sea their home. Some 40 fish species are found nowhere else, making the Ross Sea an unusual pocket of biodiversity near the pole.

The sea is one of the few places where an ecosystem can be seen playing out completely naturally with minimal human intervention. In 2017 the Ross Sea became a Marine Protected Area after a campaign that highlighted the irresponsibility of toothfish fishing operations which had been taking place in the area: the large fish is a keystone species. If the Ross Sea is something of a last Eden now, it may become even more crucial in the future. As sea ice disappears from other parts of Antarctica due to climate change, this sea will become one of the last refuges for species that depend on the ice.

For now, though, it’s still an epic adventure. Just 280 passengers come a year with our partner. “It’s a powerful shared experience,” says Isaac. “You will form enduring connections and friendships with like-minded travelers.”

Ice tongues, ice shelves, icebergs, fast ice and sea ice – don’t expect a warm welcome in the Ross Sea. At the south end of the sea is the Ross Ice Shelf – a sheet of ice the size of France, 600km long and up to 50m high, from which icebergs are birthed.

The Ross Ice Shelf feels like the end of the world – but of course it was only the beginning for South Pole explorers, who had to overcome what they named simply ‘the Barrier’ in order to journey to the pole itself. The rich sea life of the Ross Sea could sustain explorers at their bases as they prepared to head even further south.

You can see huts set up by three legendary explorers, including Borchgrevink – the first explorer to spend winter on the Antarctic mainland – plus Scott and Shackleton, who also set out from here on polar expeditions. If conditions allow, you can visit the huts of all three explorers. “Visiting all of the huts was the highlight of my voyage,” says Alex Hogg, a traveler on this expedition. “We were lucky to have been able to do that.”

You can also visit modern research stations whose inhabitants are conducting scientific research at various locations around the sea. Your own visit here can contribute to research by photographing logging the whereabouts of whales and other animals as you cruise.