Spirit of Antarctica
Starts and Ends in
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Departing
31 Dec 2000
Duration
12 days
Activity Level
Daily shore excursions, guided hikes & outings
Moderate
Season
2025, 2026, 2027, 2028
Polar Expeditions
Zodiac Cruising, Orne Harbour, Antarctica, Pia Harboure
Antarctica | Credit: Pia Harboure
Gentoo Penguins, Half Moon Island, Antarctica, Adrian Wlodarczyk
Half Moon Bay, Antarctica | Credit: Adrian Wlodarczyk
Kayaking at Curtis Bay, Antarctica, Pia Harboure
Antarctica | Credit: Pia Harboure
Leopard Seal Resting, Paradise Harbour, Antarctica, Matt Horspool
Recess Cove Zodiac Cruise, Antarctica, Niamh Wood
Snowy Landscape, Pleneau & Port Charcot, Antarctica, Matt Horspool
Antarctica
Spirit of Antarctica
Highlights
Aurora Expeditions is actively monitoring developments around Avian Influenza outbreaks closely and are is in constant communication with key authorities such as IAATO. We have implemented enhanced biosecurity measures for arrival in Antarctica and reinforced our onboard protocols, and our expedition team will continue to closely assess each landing site to ensure to determine any risks.
In the spirit of expedition travel, we encourage you to adopt a flexible and adventurous attitude when joining our voyages. This itinerary is a guide only and is subject to change due to weather, sea state and other conditions beyond our control.
Steve Forrest
Oceanites Researcher
Steve Forrest is a research biologist, conservationist, and attorney from Truckee, CA by way of Montana.
This will be Steve’s 31st field season in Antarctica, working as Associate Director and Senior Advisor to the Antarctic Site Inventory. The ASI has become the largest repository of penguin population data and trends for the Antarctic Peninsula for the past three decades, the majority of which has come from data collected by ship-based ASI researchers and collaborators. Steve has coauthored numerous peer-reviewed articles on penguin species abundance and population trends along the Antarctic Peninsula. In 2015, Steve coordinated a joint expedition of the Lynch Lab and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution that led to the first documentation of a “supercolony” of hundreds of thousands of Adelie penguins in the Weddell Sea, now designated as one of the “hotspots” for marine bird conservation in the Antarctic Peninsula. He is former advisor to the Expert Panel of the Association of Responsible Krill Fishers and participates as a member of the Oceanites delegation to the Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), an Antarctic treaty organization.
When not in Antarctica Steve works in research and science-based advocacy for some of North America’s most endangered grassland species. Steve holds a B.S. from Oregon State University, an M.S. in Forest Science from the Yale University School of Forestry, and a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law.
Steve Forrest will be a special guest on our Spirit of Antarctica voyage departing 10 December 2025 & Antarctica Complete voyage departing 20 December 2025.
Melissa Rider
Oceanites Researcher
Melissa is a 31-year veteran of the Antarctic, having begun her polar career in 1994 in one of the most glamorous positions available - Waste Management Technician at the United States Antarctic Program’s (USAP) McMurdo Station. Melissa ultimately capped her USAP career as Manager of Science Support Planning overseeing over 200 Antarctic field science projects from the South Pole to the Antarctic Peninsula.
Melissa has been affiliated with Oceanites since 2004, when she managed the National Science Foundation-supported field camp operations and penguin monitoring Oceanites conducted for 5 years at Petermann Island. Melissa has continued her association with the Antarctic Site Inventory, Oceanites, and Oceanites’ collaborator the Lynch Lab at Stony Brook University, joining multiple subsequent expeditions and serving as the medical officer as well as biologist on the Dalio Expedition in 2015, which documented “supercolonies” of Adelie penguins and numerous previously unknown new colonies of penguins in the northeast reaches of the Weddell Sea.
Melissa’s Antarctic work has taken her to all three USAP Stations - McMurdo, South Pole, and Palmer Stations, and she has sailed in support of science on USAP research vessels, the RVIB Laurence M. Gould and the RV Nathaniel B. Palmer. Her work for USAP earned her the Polar Medal in 2008. Melissa resides in Truckee, California, where she practices as a Physician Assistant with the Tahoe Forest Hospital District. Her pastimes include hiking and climbing in wilderness areas around the world when not thawing out on warm beaches.
Melissa Rider will be a special guest on our Spirit of Antarctica voyage departing 10 December 2025 & Antarctica Complete voyage departing 20 December 2025.
Meet our Expert Special Guests
With education and enrichment at the heart of how we explore, our Special Guests Program features experts in fields such as exploration, conservation, science, photography, art, and culture. These special guests join select voyages to share their unique perspectives and experiences. Guest appearances vary by departure — explore the bios below to discover who is joining this expedition.
Included Activities
Bird Watching
Lectures on wildlife, our environment, history and destinations
Marine Mammal Spotting
Photography
Polar Plunge
Scenic Cruising
Trips Ashore
Walking
Wildlife Watching
Zodiac Cruising
Our Ships
The Sylvia Earle
Capacity
130 Passengers Maximum
Year built
2022
Cabins
71
Length
104 m
Decks
8
Speed
10-12 knots
The Douglas Mawson
Capacity
154 Passengers Maximum (130 on Expedition)
Year built
2025
Cabins
86
Length
104.4 m
Decks
8
Speed
10-12 Knots
The Greg Mortimer
Capacity
130 Passengers Maximum
Year built
2019
Cabins
76
Length
104m
Decks
8
Speed
10-12 Knots
Extension Tours
Loyal Travelers
We love celebrating our loyal expeditioners who return to explore with us. After your first Aurora Expeditions voyage, you’ll automatically achieve Bronze Adventurer status. The more voyages you embark on, the higher you climb—progressing to Silver and eventually Gold!
Solo Travelers
Voyages with Aurora Expeditions are such a fantastic choice for solo travelers, giving you the chance to experience the world’s most remote and incredible destinations with like-minded travelers and our expert guides, while on board our small, social and welcoming ships.
Your Big Adventure Awaits: Preview a Real Expedition
See what an expedition with us is really like. For every expedition, we produce a Voyage Log to send to all passengers. The log is a beautifully crafted, day-by-day recap featuring breathtaking photos, real guest experiences, and a complete list of wildlife sightings. From dramatic landscapes to daily activities, it’s the perfect way to envision your own journey. Browse a recent Voyage Log and start imagining your big adventure.