Comfort & Adventure

Original Fly & Cruise Luxury Adventure

4.7/5 From 59 Reviews

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Original Fly & Cruise Luxury Adventure

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Fly over the Drake Passage in just 2 hours, both to and from Antarctica. ​Ideal for those ​wanting a high comfort level, but ​who have limited time or ​are ​anxious sailors. ​An outstanding program, successfully operated for over 15 seasons.​ Limited December to March departures only.

Trip Summary

  • 4 full days in Antarctica = 8 planned ‘off ship’ excursions
  • We like this ship's exclusivity – with only 76 guests and spacious suites​ (balconies available)
  • Antarctic operational experience since 2003
  • A low expedition staff to guest ratio of 1:6 
  • Kayaking and snowshoeing ​(on select departures at additional cost)
  • One of the very few ​air-cruise ​trips to offer reserved plane seating
  • Includes pre-flight hotel night in Punta Arenas and complimentary drinks with meals
  • Exclusive access to Explorers House – your home-from-home private club & expedition centre while in P. Arenas

Trip Overview

Route
Trip length
8 Days
Ship Comfort
Comfort & Adventure
Ship
Magellan Explorer
Total guests
76

From

$17,283 - $42,642

Operator's Itinerary

Start from Punta Arenas and end at Punta Arenas

Landmarks potentially visited on Original Fly & Cruise Luxury Adventure

NOTE: While choosing to fly to/from Antarctica is the most expedient option, it's also more weather dependent than travelling by ship across the Drake Passage. Charter flights to/from Antarctica operate on a very flexible schedule to accommodate the changeable weather conditions. As a result, flight timings may be brought forward or delayed to ensure safe operating conditions. To discuss in more detail, please get in touch. This itinerary is for guidance only, as each voyage will vary depending on ice and weather conditions as well as taking advantage of impromptu wildlife opportunities.

Why our customers love Swoop

The Antarctic Experts.
No Compromises

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Our team has visited Antarctica over 150 times and has 100 collective years of polar experience, so from which trip is right for you to what shoes to bring - there’s no question we can’t answer.

Expert impartial advice at no extra cost

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Choosing the right voyage is complicated, Swoop makes it easy. We offer no-nonsense advice on 1500 voyages across 30 ships to find you the right trip, cabin, price - and we don’t charge a fee.

The only B Corp certified Antarctic specialist

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We want to protect Antarctica for future generations - which is why we became a certified B Corp and set up our own conservation fund. So your adventures can be a force for good.

A full concierge service, unlike booking direct

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We leave nothing to chance in delivering your perfect trip and have over 6500 happy travellers to show for it. With a dedicated Antarctic co-ordinator & support throughout - you’re in safe hands.

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What our customers think of Original Fly & Cruise Luxury Adventure

Original Fly & Cruise Luxury Adventure trips scored 4.7/5 from 59 reviews

Nature, wildlife trips beat every other travel experience, especially something as immersive as this.

Travelled: March 2024

Alysha Vazirally - India

10/10 - The expedition staff and the ship’s crew were excellent and all so nice. Cabin was great. Food was great. Excursions were great.

Travelled: February 2024

David DeMaria - USA

10/10 - Excellent staff from the engine room up to the bridge. Everyone full of answers to our questions. Food and service 5 star quality!!! I can't think of 1 negative thing on this expedition.

Travelled: February 2024

Terry Goodyear - Canada

10/10 - Great crew, great adventure, excellent weather made for opportunities for many excursions and sights.

Travelled: February 2024

Ali Begeja - USA

10/10 - The attention to detail was incredible. Everything was explained thoroughly by the expedition team. They were very helpful and knowledgeable. The precision of getting on and off the zodiacs was impressive.

Travelled: January 2024

Stephanie Litz - USA

10/10 - The ship's crew and staff went out of their way to make sure you had an amazing experience. If weather was going to be bad, they would change where we were going on a dime. The ship was clean and simple and beautiful. I would recommend the fly and cruise to everyone.

Travelled: January 2024

Karen Aydt - USA

10/10 - No Drake...... 2 hours.... Very well organized.

Travelled: January 2024

Craig Collins - USA

10/10 - The voyage exceeded my highest expectations in terms of quality, luxury and adventure. The crew, hospitality staff and expedition staff were all outstanding. The service was on par with a top-tier hotel.

Travelled: December 2023

Timothy Kleiman - USA

It was an excellent trip. Service standards of the hotel side are fantastic. The scenery is awesome.

Travelled: December 2023

Anthony Charlemagne Cham Yu - Philippines

10/10 - It was a great mix of learning, adventure, and just enjoyment.

Travelled: December 2023

Jeanette Karon - USA

10/10 - The cruise was beyond anything I expected or have ever done. The entire staff of the ship was incredible, friendly, approachable, helpful & knowledgeable. Everything was very well organized & well thought out. It could not have been better!

Travelled: December 2023

Linda Karon - USA

Most memorable moment? Seeing icebergs and jumping in the Southern Ocean.

Travelled: December 2023

Patrick Auer - USA

Most memorable moment? Standing on a ridge on the Antarctic Peninsula with the sun shining down. Standing next to a penguin colony with no civilization close. The water smooth with ice floating.

Travelled: December 2023

Michelle Anderson - USA

Expedition team clearly loved where they were and what they were doing; they were focused on safety as well as providing an up-close encounter with the continent and its fauna. The whole of the team was fantastic.

Travelled: February 2023

Saebom Lee - USA

10/10 - I was so glad to find a fly vs water option across the Drake Passage. It was a deal breaker in both the time element, and for me, motion sickness.

Travelled: February 2023

Carolyn Ferraro - USA

10/10 - So easy to fly over, the flight was very smooth and painless. Even though the whole trip is very weather dependent, and plans can change in an instant, the team is very communicative and upfront about it, and to me, it just added to the sense of adventure. The expedition guides were all fantastic.

Travelled: February 2023

Aaron Stewart - USA

Well organized - daily tours, lectures, diversity of activities, knowledgeable guides, great service and options to return to ship when you wanted/needed

Travelled: February 2023

Larry Mcgrath - USA

10/10 - Everything was perfect, the food, the service, the animals, the entire experience.

Travelled: February 2023

Tom Aldrich - USA

The expedition team were great. There wasn't a question we couldn't get answered and their individual knowledge was impressive. All the lectures were informative and we enjoyed all of them.

Travelled: January 2023

Robert Wenze - USA

The cruise was truly an exciting adventure every day with a friendly and knowledgeable expedition staff.

Travelled: January 2023

Gary Puhl - USA

LOVED the team- they had amazing energy, knowledge and expertise about the continent and wildlife, and focus on safety throughout

Travelled: December 2022

Marissa Bych - USA

10/10 - Talented and experienced expedition staff: guided kayak and Zodiac adventures by experienced and knowledgeable eco-tourism staff. High energy but low key adventures. Hiking on land to penguin rookeries with an option to snowshoe - WOW.

Travelled: December 2022

Kenneth Bych - USA

Whether hiking up to the penguins or being among the humpback whales while they came up for air or just looking at the different icebergs and their colors, the Antarctic scenery and wildlife was amazing.

Travelled: December 2022

Mary Buchino Johnson - USA

10/10 - It was a luxury adventure, and the treatment by the cruise staff for our honeymoon was literally indescribable, short of feeling like royalty.

Travelled: December 2022

Tyler Steffenson - USA

Mike, Karen, Willy, Sophie, Annaliese, Ken, Bill, and the rest of the expedition staff were so professional and knowledgeable and everyone had a very clear skill set they brought to the table

Travelled: December 2022

Tyler Steffenson - USA

10/10 - best run trip I have ever taken.

Travelled: December 2022

Susan Rothchild - USA

The expedition team were extraordinary. I was blown away by their professionalism, knowledge, and kindness. Truly amazing people.

Travelled: December 2022

Carol Smith - USA

The entire experience was well planned with necessary information given to trip participants in a timely manner. And besides logistics, the number and variety of off-ship excursions were outstanding, allowing us to see and experience so much of what Antarctica has to offer even in a short visit.

Travelled: January 2022

Fred Delcomyn - USA

Temper your expectations. Don't think every day is going to be filled with gorgeous sunshine, as photos tend to suggest. If you concentrate on the incredible landscapes and fantastic wildlife, you will have an unforgettable adventure even if the weather is not the best.

Travelled: January 2022

Fred Delcomyn - USA

Most memorable moment: clear blue skies, zero wind, flat ocean with icebergs floating around everywhere, in a zodiac with penguins popping up all over us, and a seal belly-flopping up on an iceberg 20ft from us

Travelled: January 2022

Todd Mackey - USA

Beautiful new boat. Very comfy and nice.

Travelled: January 2022

Todd Mackey - USA

Awesome team!!! Very knowledgeable and accessible.

Travelled: January 2022

Todd Mackey - USA

Having experts with us to explain the ecology and processes made such a difference.

Travelled: December 2021

Chris Dixon - UK

They are inspirational. Alison encouraged me on the science boat, Wendy explained the bird life and I enjoyed a survey with her. Nigel was so amazing on the zodiac when we had our day of many many humpback whales! Hadleigh was the best leader, completely and it was easy to put all our trust in him.

Travelled: December 2021

Chris Dixon - UK

I prefer a smaller expedition experience, with more excursions. I also really appreciated the flight over the Drake Passage that saved us 4 days and enabled us to sail on a smaller ship.

Travelled: December 2021

Jeannette Shull - USA

The epitome of a vessel to ply the waters in Antarctica. Unmatched staff. The food service, world class. The lectures onboard, fantastic.

Travelled: December 2021

Ray Applebaum - USA

From the moment we arrived in Antarctica on the jet, I realized that I had landed in a world that I could have never have envisioned being in. It was certainly life changing.

Travelled: December 2021

Ray Applebaum - USA

I can't say enough good things about the the expedition team. That were genuinely excited to be on the cruise with us and it showed.

Travelled: December 2021

Jeannette Shull - USA

Antarctica is like no other place on earth.

Travelled: February 2020

Patty (Patricia) Hunt - United States Of America

Everything went very smoothly from check in to check out. There was always staff available to help. The personnel on the trip were all terrific from the hospitality workers to the guides. They were very friendly and knowledgeable.

Travelled: February 2020

Carol Clarke - United States Of America

I’m still thinking about the privilege of taking this adventure which I guess means that it has at least enhanced my perspective.

Travelled: December 2019

Donald Emeigh - United States Of America

The ship was fantastic; perfect size and beautifully appointed. My cabin and cabin mate was excellent, couldn't have been better. For folks with motion sickness or disabilities, I would highly recommend this trip by air and sea. All worked out as expected. All documents were in order. Ange was great with reservations.

Travelled: February 2019

Jane Alexander - United States Of America

An extraordinary trip so unique was hard to have had expectations. It was like leaving the planet. The ship, the food, the crew, the fellow passengers, the daily agenda on and off the ship (and a stretch of good weather) made this trip not only informative but totally enjoyable!

Travelled: February 2019

Peter Sherin - United States Of America

Everywhere you looked was a unique picture-moment. Encountering the humpback whales while in the zodiacs was incredible. Beautiful - exceeded my expectations.

Travelled: February 2019

David Sherin - United States Of America

Each day was magical! We saw an avalanche and even an iceberg turning over!

Travelled: February 2019

Irina Prishchepa - United States Of America

The ship's service and efficiency were great. The staff were enthusiastic and always aimed to please with a great depth of knowledge.

Travelled: February 2019

Cary Poropatich - United States Of America

Antarctica transcended me to a new, almost surreal, world of majestic landscapes and wildlife, unlike any other place that I had experienced.

Travelled: February 2019

Dennis Roy - United States Of America

The ship and expedition staff were the most professional and informative group. They all worked well together and went out of their way to interact with the passengers. The best part about the team was how quickly they adjusted to weather conditions. This allowed us to not miss out on our landings and expeditions.

Travelled: December 2018

Terrie Mandina - United States Of America

We highly recommend the kayaking to anyone making this trip. The kayaking staff was so great we immediately felt at home in the water. You gain an entirely different perspective on the wildlife while in the water. Plus you will get spectacular photographs from a completely different viewpoint. We still had time at the end of each kayaking excursion to also go hiking. So we had the best of both worlds.

Travelled: December 2017

Chris & Amy - Florida

Our trip was so wonderful! I would definitely recommend our ship. The food and our cabin was amazing. The service staff were amazing as well. The entire experience was just top notch.

Travelled: December 2017

Lori - Texas

The trip was exceptional! One of the things I most enjoyed and was a surprise to me was hearing a leopard seal singing into an iceberg underwater! I didn't know they did that, and it was such a beautiful sound. The expedition team were phenomenal and went above and beyond to ensure we had a wonderful time and were well-informed.

Travelled: January 2017

Colette - UK

Review:

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