Silversea in Antarctica: Fly Over the Drake Passage or Sail It?
Silversea now offers two ways to reach Antarctica from Puerto Williams, Chile: a charter flight to King George Island that skips the Drake Passage, or the classic crossing by sea. The right one depends on your time, your stomach and how you feel about the journey itself.
- Fly cruise: about six days, with a charter flight over the Drake Passage to King George Island, on Silver Endeavour.
- Classic voyage: ten days round trip from Puerto Williams on Silver Cloud, with roughly two days at sea each way.
- A hybrid sails one way and flies the other: nine days on Silver Wind.
- The fare includes charter flights, the hotel in Puerto Williams when required, Zodiac landings, expedition gear, drinks and gratuities.
The short answer
Fly if you have about a week, are prone to seasickness or simply want the most time on the ice for the fewest days away. Sail if the crossing is part of the adventure for you: the Drake Passage brings albatrosses, the first iceberg and the sense of having earned the continent. Silversea runs both from Puerto Williams, Chile, the southernmost town in the world, along with a hybrid that sails one way and flies the other.
The two routes compared
- Antarctica Fly Cruise. About six days. A charter flight from Puerto Williams lands on King George Island, in the South Shetlands, where you board Silver Endeavour. No Drake crossing in either direction. Published departures include November 28, 2027, and February 20, 2028.
- Classic Drake Passage voyage. Ten days round trip from Puerto Williams on Silver Cloud, with roughly two days at sea each way and the days between on the Antarctic Peninsula. Published departures include January 8, 2027, December 20, 2027, and February 8, 2028.
- One way by sea. Nine days on Silver Wind from King George Island to Puerto Williams, departing March 10, 2027: you fly south and sail home.
These are published departures; your advisor confirms availability.
Flying the Drake: what it is really like
The flight from Puerto Williams to King George Island takes about two hours and replaces two days at sea. The trade-off is the weather: flights operate when the conditions on King George Island allow, so the schedule builds in flexibility and a night at the hotel before and after. For a full account, see our guide to flying the Drake Passage.
The hotel at the end of the world
Silversea built its own base for these voyages. The Cormorant at 55 South, in Puerto Williams, has 150 rooms and is where fly-cruise guests begin and end the expedition. Charter flights between Santiago and Puerto Williams are part of the program, so the journey south is handled from the Chilean capital onward.
What you do in Antarctica
Days are built around Zodiac landings and cruises among the ice with the Expedition Experts: penguin colonies, seals on the floes, whales in the channels and, conditions allowing, kayaking. Silversea has run expeditions since 2008 and sails with nearly one crew member for every guest, so the comfort on board is that of its ocean ships, with butler service in every suite.
What is included
- A suite with butler service, all dining and beverages, gratuities and Wi-Fi.
- Charter flights and the hotel stay before and after the voyage, when the itinerary requires them.
- Zodiac excursions, landings and lectures with the expedition team.
- Expedition gear, including a parka.
International flights to Santiago are additional.
When to go
The season runs from November to March. November and early December bring pristine snow and courting penguins; mid-December and January have the longest days and the first chicks; February and March are the best weeks for whales. See the best time to visit Antarctica and our Antarctica guide.
What it starts from
As a planning guide, a luxury Antarctic expedition starts from around US$25,000 per person, and rises with the suite, the length of the voyage and the month. Your advisor confirms the fare for your departure and the Virtuoso privileges that apply to it; those differ by sailing, so they are confirmed for each booking, not assumed. Forest Travel's planning fee is US$250 per itinerary. For the wider picture, see how luxury expedition travel works.
Start the conversation
Tell a Forest Travel advisor how many days you have and how you feel about the crossing, and they will match the ship and the route. Request your private consultation →
Questions, answered.
Fly if you have about a week or are prone to seasickness; sail if the Drake Passage is part of the experience you want. Flying replaces about two days at sea each way with a flight of about two hours, but depends on the weather at King George Island.
About six days, starting and ending in Puerto Williams, Chile, with a charter flight to King George Island to board Silver Endeavour. The classic voyage across the Drake Passage takes ten days on Silver Cloud.
Roughly two days by ship in each direction, depending on the weather and the vessel.
A suite with butler service, dining, beverages, gratuities, Wi-Fi, Zodiac excursions and landings, lectures, expedition gear including a parka, and the charter flights and hotel stay when the itinerary requires them.
In Puerto Williams, Chile, reached by charter flight from Santiago. Fly-cruise guests stay at The Cormorant at 55 South, Silversea's 150-room hotel there, before and after the voyage.
As a planning guide, a luxury Antarctic expedition starts from around US$25,000 per person. The figure rises with the suite, the length of the voyage and the month, and your advisor confirms it for your departure.
![Silversea guests watching penguins in Antarctica [j27:si-hero]](https://d244q4odvshuum.cloudfront.net/media/images/j27-si-hero-f6dc876f.2e16d0ba.format-jpeg.fill-768x432.jpg)
Antarctica
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