Terra Nova Expeditions ~ Cruise Norway

Terra Nova Expeditions

Terra Nova Expeditions creates intimate journeys by limiting small-ship expeditions to fewer than 100 guests. The flagship St Helena carrying just 98 passengers, and the specialized sailing vessel Icebird accommodating only six/ The company delivers some of the most inclusive and intimate small-ship experiences to the White Continent.

The smaller vessel sizes allow Terra Nova Expeditions to provide significantly more time ashore for its guests than the majority of the industry. This unique approach ensures every landing feels like a private discovery, while creating a community large enough to share the wonder with fellow explorers.

Terra Nova Expeditions believes the vessel is more than just transport; it is your essential base camp, your window to the world, and your comfortable home at sea. The carefully selected ships offer distinct styles of expedition experiences, prioritizing comfort, safety, and deep immersion.

Antarctica remains one of the world's most exclusive destinations. Fewer than 130,000 travelers make it to the White Continent each year. That tiny number is roughly the equivalent of filling a modern sports stadium just once, or the total visitors the Great Wall of China sees in a single peak-season day. Those fortunate few who travel to Antarctica consistently describe the same, profound experience: nothing prepares you for the sheer scale, the absolute silence, and the close proximity to wildlife that has never learned to fear humans. Explore here more than 170 Antarctica expedition cruises offered by Cruise Norway.

Icebird

The Icebird is a polar thoroughbred, built to handle the world’s most demanding waters. This Australian-owned, custom 61-foot aluminum expedition yacht was designed by Van de Stadt and constructed to exacting standards at the renowned Trintella Shipyard in the Netherlands. Purpose-built for polar conditions, she is classified for operation in all oceans, including the Arctic and Antarctic.

The Icebird's ice-reinforced aluminum hull is engineered for maximum safety, featuring six watertight compartments. The yacht is fully insulated and climate controlled throughout with a hot water radiator system and air conditioning, ensuring comfort even in the harshest conditions—right down to heated towel rails in the bathrooms. The heated, double-glazed pilothouse saloon offers panoramic views of the spectacular Antarctic landscapes as the yacht navigates through ice and sea.

At the heart of her sailing performance is a unique, nearly indestructible AeroRig—a 100-foot rotating carbon spar with a fixed boom—allowing for efficient, no-fuss handling in the Southern Ocean. The Icebird can be tacked or gybed with a simple turn of the wheel. With her 3.3-meter keel extended, she sails upwind with ease and can run square before the wind when needed.

On the Icebird, every voyage is your personal Antarctic playground. Whether you join us for a single day or a longer expedition, you can tailor your journey with a range of optional adventures. Guests can slip beneath the surface to snorkel or dive among ice formations and curious seals, carve fresh tracks on a cross-country ski tour, conquer a snowy peak on a guided climb, or glide silently through iceberg-studded bays by kayak. Her aft garage provides generous storage for all expedition equipment, including a rigid aluminum-hulled inflatable boat, skis, kayaks, and diving gear.

Icebird is more than a yacht—she is strong, self-sufficient, and elegantly simple, offering a rare blend of capability and comfort for small-group Antarctic exploration.

Adventurer

FOR A TRUE EXPEDITION EXPERIENCE

Purpose-built for exploration, Terra Nova Adventurer is an ice-strengthened expedition vessel with decades of experience in the Arctic and Antarctic. Proven across more than 600 polar voyages and trusted by thousands of expedition travellers, she combines serious polar capability with the warmth and comfort of a true small-ship experience.

Onboard, guests will find a range of comfortable cabins, welcoming social spaces, exceptional dining and expert-led enrichment, all designed to complement days spent exploring some of the most remote places on Earth.

Today, Terra Nova Adventurer begins a new chapter with Terra Nova Expeditions. Refreshed for the journeys ahead while retaining the character, practicality and expedition spirit that have made her such a loved polar ship, she remains a highly capable platform for authentic Antarctic adventure.

Every activity included

Zodiac cruises, guided landings, kayaking, camping, and snowshoeing — all included in your fare, led by expedition leaders and naturalists who know this continent well. Most expedition activities are included as standard, with Day Sailing aboard Icebird available as an optional extra on selected departures.

Tried, tested and made for exploration.

A proven expedition ship with more than 600 polar trips behind her, Adventurer is built for the realities of polar travel. Her 1B Ice Class, retractable stabilisers, bow thruster and positioning capabilities support confident navigation and manoeuvrability in remote waters, while her expedition-ready layout is designed around efficient Zodiac operations and getting guests out into the environment.