Antarctic expedition cruise by Terra Nova Expeditions to offer budget-friendly adventures

• Chimu Adventures co-founder Greg Carter has launched Terra Nova Expeditions, a new polar line.
• Its flagship vessel, St Helena will offer Antarctic expeditions in December 2026.
• Itineraries have been designed so that travellers can spend more time on the ice.

Chimu Adventures co-founder Greg Carter has launched Terra Nova Expeditions taking  budget-conscious adventure seekers to the polar regions.

The cruises are priced from around $13,000 per person – comparitively, Viking’s Expedition offerings start from around $23,000 per person.

Silversea’s nine-day Puerto Williams to King George Island is priced from $18,200 per person; Scenic’s 13-day Antarcica in Depth is priced from $26,740 per person and Ponant’s 18-night Journey to Austral Lands and Valdes Peninsula cruise starts from $24,240 per person.

For boutique expedition cruise lines, Aurora Expedition’s voyages start from around $22,000 per person, and family-run Heritage Expeditions’ 28-day In the Wake of Scott & Shackleton: Ross Sea Antarctica voyage ir priced from $45,275.

Its flagship vessel, St Helena, a former cargo ship has been refurbished into a 98-passenger, classic expedition ship for modern Antarctic adventures.

The first expeditions to the Antarctic will be in December 2026.

St Helena which once serviced the remote British overseas territory of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, has undergone a USDS$10.8 million renovation into a comfortable expedition ship with spacious cabins. It will also have a science laboratory onboard and offer special VR headsets designed to reduce seasickness.

“We long for the return of true expedition travel where the focus is on the destination, not the ship…This isn’t travel from a distance—it’s an authentic connection. Expedition first. Comfort always. Hidden costs never,” Carter said on the company’s website.

It’s tailored-itineraries have been designed for travellers looking to spend longer time on the ice. Other expeditions include South Georgia and the Falklands.

There will be a range of activities on offer including snowshoeing, kayaking, hiking and camping.

Bookings are now open. Fares for an 11-day expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula start at USD$8790 per person.

For more information, click terranova-expeditions.com.