Antarctica: Sail South, Fly Home
Silversea · Silver Wind · Puerto Williams to King George Island · 28 December 2027 to 6 January 2028
New Year’s Eve in Iceberg Alley, five days of Zodiac landings, then a two-hour flight home over the Drake Passage instead of two days at sea. All-inclusive, with a butler for every suite, and the charter flights and hotels included.
From A$27,250 per person*
Enquire NowThis is Silversea’s Antarctica Bridge: sail south across the Drake Passage from Puerto Williams, the southernmost town in the world, then fly back from King George Island in about two hours. It halves the time on open ocean and gives you more of Antarctica for the days you have. You will see the year in among the icebergs of the Antarctic Sound, then spend four days on the Antarctic Peninsula and a day in the South Shetland Islands, ashore by Zodiac with the expedition team whenever the weather allows. Silver Wind is a small, ice-class expedition ship, and the fare covers a hotel night in Santiago before, the charter flights to Puerto Williams and back, a hotel night after, and all the drinks on board.
Why this voyage
- One Drake Passage crossing instead of two: you fly back from King George Island in about two hours
- New Year’s Eve in the Antarctic Sound, the gateway to the Weddell Sea known as Iceberg Alley
- Five expedition days, with Zodiac landings and cruising led by the expedition team
- Hotel nights and charter flights from Santiago included, with a butler for every suite
- Departs
- 28 December 2027
- Ship
- Silver Wind
- Route
- Puerto Williams to King George Island
- Dates
- 28 December 2027 to 6 January 2028
- Length
- 9 nights
- Voyage code
- WI271228009
The line’s offer
Silversea’s current offer: save up to A$8,400 per suite (A$4,200 per person), already taken off the fares below, with deposits from 15%. Ends 2 November 2026.
Included in the fare
- Hotel night in Santiago before the voyage
- Charter flight Santiago to Puerto Williams
- Charter flight King George Island to Puerto Williams, a hotel night, and the flight on to Santiago
- Butler service in every suite
- All meals and drinks on board, including champagne, wines and spirits
- Zodiac landings and cruising with the expedition team, and expedition gear
Suites and fares
| Suite | From, per person* | For two |
|---|---|---|
| Vista Suite | A$27,250 | A$54,500 |
| Classic Veranda Suite | A$30,100 | A$60,200 |
| Deluxe Veranda Suite | A$31,450 | A$62,900 |
| Medallion Suite | A$47,650 | A$95,300 |
| Silver Suite | A$49,100 | A$98,200 |
| Royal Suite | A$53,300 | A$106,600 |
| Grand Suite | A$59,100 | A$118,200 |
| Owner's Suite | A$64,800 | A$129,600 |
*Lead-in fares per person, twin share, in Australian dollars, including taxes, fees and port expenses, as published by each cruise line on 20 October 2026. Fares and offers change, and suites sell out: we confirm the fare, the suite and the offer with the line before you pay a deposit.
Itinerary
Day 0Santiago, ChileMon, 27 DecDetails
Included hotel night in Santiago.
Day 1Puerto Williams, ChileTue, 28 DecDetails
Included charter flight from Santiago to Puerto Williams, on Navarino Island, and on board. Sails 9:00pm.
Day 2–3Drake PassageWed, 29 DecDetails
Two days south across the Drake, with lectures and briefings from the expedition team.
Day 4Antarctic SoundFri, 31 DecDetails
New Year’s Eve among the tabular icebergs of Iceberg Alley, at the edge of the Weddell Sea.
Day 5–8Antarctic PeninsulaSat, 1 JanDetails
Four days of landings and Zodiac cruising among the bays and channels of the Peninsula, chosen day by day for the ice and weather.
Day 9South Shetland IslandsWed, 5 JanDetails
Glaciers, penguin colonies and the last landings of the voyage.
Day 10King George IslandThu, 6 JanDetails
Ashore at 5:30am for the charter flight over the Drake to Puerto Williams (about two hours, weather permitting), an included hotel night, and the flight to Santiago.
Expedition itineraries are a plan, not a promise: the captain and expedition leader choose each day’s landings and cruising by the ice and the weather.
Antarctica, answered
When is the Antarctic cruise season?
November to March, the southern summer. November brings fresh snow and penguins courting; December and January have the warmest weather, penguin chicks and up to 20 hours of daylight; February and March are the best months for whales. Every month in the season is a good one, and the earliest and latest voyages are often the best value.
How rough is the Drake Passage?
It is the stretch of open ocean between Cape Horn and the Antarctic Peninsula, about two days’ sailing each way. Some crossings are calm (the “Drake Lake”), some are lively. The expedition ships have stabilisers and the crossing days are filled with lectures from the expedition team. If you would rather skip it, a sail and fly voyage flies you over it in about two hours instead.
Will I actually step onto Antarctica?
On an expedition ship, yes: Zodiac landings on the continent and its islands, conditions allowing, usually twice a day. Antarctic treaty rules (IAATO) allow no more than 100 people ashore at a site at once and no landings from ships carrying more than 500 guests, so a larger cruise ship, such as Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam, sails the same waters and glaciers but views them from the deck. It costs far less, and you see Antarctica without setting foot on it.
How do I get there from Australia?
Antarctic voyages leave from the tip of South America. From Sydney and Melbourne there are direct flights to Santiago, about 13 hours, and on to Buenos Aires, Punta Arenas or Puerto Williams. We price the flights and a hotel night before the voyage with the cruise, so it all fits together, and we allow a day spare in case a flight runs late.
What should I pack?
Layers: thermal underwear, a fleece and a waterproof outer layer, plus gloves, a warm hat and sunglasses (the glare off the ice is fierce). Most expedition lines give you a parka to keep and lend you waterproof boots for the landings. We send a full packing list with your booking.
Do I need special travel insurance?
Yes. Expedition lines require cover that includes emergency medical evacuation from Antarctica, which ordinary policies may not. We can arrange a policy that meets the line’s requirement.
How far ahead should I book?
Twelve to eighteen months is usual. The expedition ships carry only a few hundred guests and the best suites and the December and January dates go first. Fares generally rise as a voyage fills, so the line’s best offers are usually early in the booking window.
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Enquiring about: 9 night Antarctica Sail and Fly, Silver Wind (Silversea), departs 28 December 2027 (WI271228009)
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Talk to a specialist
Call 1300 214 840 or email us. We price the voyage, the flights to South America and a hotel the night before, in Australian dollars, and one specialist looks after the booking from quote to homecoming.
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