Aurora Expeditions Australia, renowned for its commitment to responsible small-ship expedition travel, has announced a new maximum passenger capacity for its polar region voyages ahead of the 2024-2025 Antarctic season.
Effective immediately, the company will limit the number of passengers to 130 across its fleet of purpose-built small ships, which includes the Greg Mortimer, Sylvia Earle, and the newly launched Douglas Mawson, set to sail in December 2025.
Aurora Expeditions’ 2024-2025 Antarctic season will commence in October and run until early April 2025. The company has also unveiled its Antarctica 2025-2026 season, featuring a variety of voyages across its 3 specialized vessels, with new departures to East Antarctica and the Ross Sea from Hobart, Australia, and Dunedin, New Zealand.
Michael Heath (Aurora Expeditions’ CEO) said that with passenger landing limits in Antarctica and some Arctic destinations, they wanted to reinforce their commitment to providing the small ship experiences passengers know them for, with more off-ship time and more immersive activities. This change solidifies their position as one of the most intimate small ship offerings in their class for the polar regions.
"We also recognize our responsibility to protect and preserve the remote places we travel to, and we are proud to be one of the few companies visiting Antarctica and the Arctic with under 150 passengers. We remain steadfast in our commitment to responsible travel and our vision to be the global leader in sustainable expedition travel."