New Zealand to Subantarctic Islands Cruises

Wildlife havens of the Southern Ocean

Save up to 20%* per person on select cruises when you book by 30 April 2025.

Discover a world-class wilderness and wildlife experience. All World Heritage sites and Nature Reserves, the Snares, Campbell, Auckland, Bounty, Antipodes and Macquarie Islands are administered with the highest protection – tourism is only allowed under special license. These islands lie in the ‘Albatross Isles’ – 10 of the world’s albatross species breed in the region.

From endemic Snares and Erect-crested Penguin breeding grounds to soaring albatross and petrels; from tapestries of flowering megaherbs to New Zealand Sea Lion colonies, dramatic coastlines and Australia's Macquaire Island with its Royal and King Penguin colonies and lazing Elephant Seal 'Weaners', each day is an epic adventure of discovery. Whether you’re a birder, photographer, wildlife enthusiast, or simply an adventurous spirit, these expeditions offer an unparalleled travel experience.

Join us, New Zealand's family-owned and -operated pioneering expedition cruise company, as we explore the Subantarctic Islands aboard our luxury 140-guest flagship. Purpose-built for adventure, Heritage Adventurer, boasts the highest passenger ship ice class rating (1A Super) and has a fleet of Zodiacs for landings and excursions.

View Trips

Subantarctic Islands Season

Join us on an extraordinary voyage through New Zealand and Australia's Subantarctic Islands

Forgotten Islands of the South Pacific: Subantarctic Islands

8 DAYS

21 – 28 Dec 2025 SAVE 10%*
27 Dec 2026 – 3 Jan 2027 SAVE 20%*

Queenstown-Bluff, New Zealand and return
Aboard 140-guest luxury Heritage Adventurer

Island Groups: Snares, Aucklands, Campbell
Dec 2025 voyage includes the option to join a sea kayaking excursion
Watch Yellow-eyed Penguins make their way to and from the sea to feed hungry chicks
Hiking on Enderby Island
Explore wildlife-rich rugged coastlines
Carpets of flowering endemic daisys on Campbell Island
Southern Elephant Seals haul out on Northwest Bay, Campbell
Observe nesting Southern Royal and Light-mantled Sooty Albatross, and numerous endemic birds
Rare Hooker’s or New Zealand Sea Lions and their pups on Enderby Island
Human history - Coastwatcher’s Huts, early settlements and shipwreck tales
Flowering Rata Forests, rolling hills of flowering megaherbs, large tree daisies
Options to climb spectacular Mt Honey or hike Col Lyall Saddle
Look for the elusive Subantarctic Snipe on Auckland and Campbell Islands

*Book by 30 April 2025 and save 15%. Landing fees not included, per person, new bookings only.

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Beyond Fiordland: New Zealand's Wildest Islands

12 DAYS

21 Dec 2025 SAVE 20%*
27 Dec 2026 SAVE 20%*

Bluff, New Zealand and Return
Aboard 140-guest luxury Heritage Adventurer

Special Guest: Join acclaimed Rachel Bigsby for exclusive 8-person Subantarctic wildlife photography workshops with personalized seabird expertise on 21 Dec 2025 departure.

Visit remote World Heritage Sites: The Snares, Auckland Islands and Campbell Island, and explore Stewart and Ulva Islands, Fiordland (Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound and Acheron Passage, Astronomer’s Point and Pickersgill Harbour)
Dec 2024 voyage includes the option to join a sea kayaking excursion
Discover the primordial majesty and unspoiled beauty of Fiordland
Explore sea caves and observe wildlife in spectacular numbers
Zodiac cruise glittering waterways between podocarp forests looking penguins and dolphins
Spend the day hiking the unforgettable landscapes of Enderby and Campbell Islands
Look for the elusive Campbell and Auckland Island Snipe
Wade waist deep through fields of flowering megaherbs
Experience the rarely-seen early Albatross courting ritual known as gamming
Explore wildlife-rich rugged coastlines
Human history - Coastwatcher's Huts, early settlements and shipwreck tales
Visit some of New Zealand's most remote and iconic locations, many only accessible by expedition ship

*Book by 30 April 2025 and save 20%. Landing fees not included, per person, new bookings only.

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Galapagos of the Southern Ocean: Subantarctic Islands

12 DAYS

26 Nov – 7 Dec 2025 SAVE 15-20% on Select Cabins*
31 Dec 2025 – 11 Jan 2026 SAVE 15-20% on Select Cabins*

22 Nov – 3 Dec 2026 SAVE 15-20% on Select Cabins*
17 – 28 Dec 2026 SAVE 15-20% on Select Cabins*

Queenstown-Bluff, New Zealand and return
Aboard 140-guest luxury Heritage Adventurer

Visit remote World Heritage Sites: The Snares, Auckland Islands, Macquarie Island and Campbell Islands
Explore Macquarie Island with Park Ranger guides
Observe the raucous antics of Macquarie Island's Royal Penguin and King Penguin colonies
Watch lumbering Elephant Seals challenging each other on Macquarie Island
Zodiac cruise Lusitania Bay - one of the largest penguin breeding colonies on the planet (Macquarie Island)
Spend the day hiking the unforgettable landscapes of Enderby and Campbell Islands
Look for the elusive Campbell and Auckland Island Snipe
Wade waist deep through fields of flowering megaherbs
Experience the rarely-seen early Albatross courting ritual known as gamming
Explore wildlife-rich rugged coastlines
Human history - Coastwatcher's Huts, early settlements and shipwreck tales

*Book by 30 April 2025 and save 15% off Worsely Suites and 20% off Heritage Suites. Landing fees not included, per person, new bookings only.

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Birding Down Under: Subantarctic and Chatham Islands

17 DAYS

6 – 22 Dec 2025 SAVE 15-20% on Select Cabins*
2 – 18 Dec 2026 SAVE 15-20% on Select Cabins*

Queenstown-Bluff, New Zealand and return
Aboard 140-guest luxury Heritage Adventurer

Special Guest: Join acclaimed Rachel Bigsby for exclusive 8-person Subantarctic wildlife photography workshops with personalized seabird expertise

Island Groups: Snares, Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, Macquarie Island & Chatham Islands
Incredibly rare Chatham Island Black Robin and Taiko (Magenta Petrel), and Forbe's/Chatham Parakeet
Visit the only breeding sites of the Erect-crested Penguin and home to the world's rarest shag the endemic Bounty Island Shag in Antipodes and Bounty Islands
Pyramid Rock, the only breeding place of the Chatham Island Albatross
Cross the Chathams Rise, known location of Wandering Royal and Salvin's Albatross, and Cape, Westland Black and Cook's Petrel
Observe the raucous antics of Macquarie Island's Royal Penguin and King Penguin colonies
Watch lumbering Elephant Seals challenging each other on Macquarie Island
Zodiac cruise Lusitania Bay - one of the largest penguin breeding colonies on the planet (Macquarie Island)
Look for the elusive Campbell and Auckland Island Snipe
Experience the rarely-seen early Albatross courting ritual known as gamming

*Book by 30 April 2025 and save 15% off Worsely Suites and 20% off Heritage Suites in 2026. Landing fees not included, per person, new bookings only.

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In the Wake of Scott and Shackleton: Ross Sea Antarctica

28 DAYS

2026 - SAVE 15-20% on Select Cabins*
10 Jan – 6 Feb
5 Feb – 4 Mar

2027 - SAVE 15-20% on Select Cabins*
6 Jan – 2 Feb
1 – 28 Feb

Bluff, New Zealand and Return
Aboard 140-guest luxury Heritage Adventurer

12 incredible days to explore remote Antarctica
Walk in Sir Ernest Shackleton’s footsteps at his hut at Cape Royds
Venture back in time at Borchgrevink’s Hut at Cape Adare
Gaze at the towering figure of Mt Erebus amongst a dramatic landscape of glacial ice
Visit Subantarctic Snares, Auckland, Campbell & Macquarie Islands
Spend the day hiking amongst megaherbs on the unforgettable landscapes of Enderby and Campbell Islands
Visit Enderby Island in sea lion breeding season and watch beach master bulls defend their harem
See the festivities of Royal Penguins on Macquarie Island at their peak
Marvel at the abundance of wildlife with Emperor Penguins, Royals, Kings, Adelie Penguins, whales, seals and more.
Observe the raucous Adelie Penguins with chicks about to start fledging
Catch the peak flowering of the megaherbs in the Subantarctic Campbell Island
Experience the beauty of 24-hour sunlight in the Ross Sea
Spot Orca feeding amongst the ice, especially in McMurdo Sound
Navigate through pack ice that guards the entrance to the Ross Sea

*Book by 30 April 2025 and save 15% off Worsely Suites and 20% off Heritage Suites in 2027. Landing fees not included, per person, new bookings only.

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About Heritage Expeditions

Ambassadors for conservation, pioneers of discovery, and leaders in expedition travel to the world’s best-kept secrets.

Experience

For 40 years, Heritage Expeditions has pioneered voyages to some of the most wild and biologically rich regions on the planet. Our mission is to increase awareness and conservation of the natural world through responsible expedition travel.

Expert Team

Our team of naturalists, historians, biologists and ornithologists bring an enormous wealth of experience, knowledge and passion to our expeditions, both in the field and onboard our ship during our lecture series.

Our Ship

Our new flagship, the 140-guest Heritage Adventurer, combines the highest passenger ship iceclass rating with an international flair and luxury amenities. Guests enjoy spacious suites, elegant common areas and cuisine prepared by top chefs.

Heritage Adventurer

Heritage Adventurer, formerly known as MS Hanseatic, is a true pioneering expedition vessel of exceptional pedigree. Originally designed for 184 guests, Heritage Adventurer now welcomes just 140 travellers ensuring spacious, stylish and comfortable voyages, and with a fleet of 14 Zodiacs to maximise the adventure. Savor daily international gourmet cuisine from talented chefs across two lavish restaurants, and settle into spacious and well-appointed accommodations each night. Enjoy 360-degree views and comfortable sun loungers on the Observation Deck, relax in the Observation Lounge with library, bar and panoramic views, and reinvigorate in the heated salt water pool, well-equipped gym, hot tub, sauna and steam room.

Technical Specs

Year Built: 1991

Shipyard: Rauma, Finland

Classification: Lloyds 1AS, GL E4

Accommodation: 140 guests

Length: 124 metres

Cruising Speed: 12 knots

Zodiacs: 14

What our travellers are saying:

Galapagos of the Southern Ocean: Subantarctic Islands

Let me be the first to say, the Subantarctic is the stuff of legends. A refuge for some of the most abundant wildlife colonies on earth, New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands are perhaps the most overlooked and pristine islands I've ever set foot on. Situated in the latitudes in between the Roaring Forties, Furious Fifties and Screaming Sixties, this is a place so savagely beautiful it'll take your breath away – literally.

Liz Carlson

Galapagos of the Southern Ocean: Subantarctic Islands

Heritage Expeditions knows its stuff. If you love pelagic birds, penguins, sea lions and unique flora, you cannot be disappointed by the islands of the Subantarctic. The roaring forties and furious fifties awaken the spirit of adventure – this is a sea voyage as much as a biodiversity overload. More than just a sensory experience, you feel connected on a deeper level with the thousands of penguins on the islands and the constant companionship of albatross at sea. Thank you so much to the expedition team and crew of the Professor Khromov for memories to last a lifetime.

Neale Frazer

Galapagos of the Southern Ocean: Subantarctic Islands

I spent Christmas and New Year on the Galapagos of the Southern Ocean trip and it is the coolest thing I have ever done. The birding is incredible, the wildlife is stunning. We had pretty calm weather compared to other trips, and the crew on Professor Khromov made the whole trip an absolute dream expedition. I have recommended Heritage Expeditions and this trip to everybody I know!

Tamzin Goldsworthy

Forgotten Islands of the South Pacific: Subantarctic Islands

I want to pass on a very big thank you to everyone at Heritage. My research work went very well, and the trip was an absolute pleasure. Everything about the trip exceeded my expectations: the staff in the office and onboard were absolutely fantastic, exceptional planning to ensure that the needs and desires of all the passengers for particular shore excursions were balanced with safety and weather concerns, incredible knowledge and communication skills of the guides, amazing food the chefs prepared even in challenging conditions, the Russian crew’s friendliness and enthusiasm despite the language barrier. And of course, what a magical place the Subantarctic Islands are!

Jocelyn

Forgotten Islands of the South Pacific: Subantarctic Islands

My trip to the Subantarctic Islands was just amazing!! I just loved the fields of mega herbs and the wildlife. There were times when there were no words to describe it all. One highlight was the day I got to the top of the boardwalk on Campbell Island--magnificent! The meals were wonderful--fresh and healthy--and your staff sure did look after us! I was very impressed with the young staff; they were very reliable, confident, and made me feel safe and secure. The management of all aspects of everyone onboard was well done. Thank you to Heritage Expeditions for a memorable adventure!

Thelma

Birding Down Under: Subantarctic and Chatham Islands

Just home after a fabulous trip to the sub-antarctic islands of New Zealand. Hard to tell what is most memorable, but seeing a baby Southern Royal Albatross being fed a half-dozen whole squid just a few feet away from us was amazing. The birds were fantastic, headlined by the mythical Taiko, which buzzed the ship early one morning. The Heritage team did a great job of keeping us safe and teaching us about the wonders of these magical destinations.

Peter Kaestner

Choose Your Adventure!

Select your voyage(s) to receive the e-Brochure

Expeditions:

Beyond Fiordland: New Zealand's Wildest Islands

Galapagos of the Southern Ocean: Subantarctic Islands

Forgotten Islands of the South Pacific: Subantarctic Islands

Birding Down Under: Subantarctic and Chatham Islands

In the Wake of Scott and Shackleton: Ross Sea Antarctica

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