Aurora Expeditions

Aurora Expeditions was founded in 1991 by Australian mountaineer Greg Mortimer, the first Australian to climb Everest without supplementary oxygen. The company began taking small groups to Antarctica and still operates with the same bias toward getting people off the ship rather than entertaining them on it.

The fleet is small and purpose-built for expedition work, with X-BOW hulls designed to cut through swell rather than ride over it, which matters on the Drake Passage. Ships carry small guest numbers by cruise standards, with a high ratio of expedition staff to passengers, which determines how quickly everyone can get ashore.

Voyages now run to all seven continents, with Antarctica and the Arctic as the core programs alongside destinations such as Costa Rica, Scotland and the Kimberley.

Optional activities are a significant part of the offering and are booked separately, often well in advance because places are limited. Sea kayaking runs in groups of four to ten paddlers covering five to fifteen kilometres per outing. Snorkelling, diving, climbing, camping ashore and snowshoeing are available on selected departures, with equipment supplied.

Aurora suits travellers who want an expedition rather than a cruise with landings attached, and who intend to use the Zodiacs every day.