Aurora Expeditions has tweaked its maximum passenger capacity on voyages to polar regions in advance of the 2024/25 Antarctic season and ahead of the launch of its third vessel Douglas Mawson in December 2025.

Effective immediately, the Australian-owned adventure travel company will cap its numbers in Antarctica and the Arctic at 130 guests on the 132-passenger sister ships, Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle.

With a maximum capacity of 154-guests on Douglas Mawson, Aurora Expeditions’ decision to limit numbers on the newest fleet member is “reassuring for guests that we are maintaining the intimate and small ship experience in polar waters,” a spokesperson for the expedition line told LATTE.

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“With passenger landing limits in Antarctica and some areas of the Arctic, we wanted to reinforce our commitment to providing the small ship experiences our passengers know us for, with more time off ship and more immersive activities.

“This change solidifies our position as one of the most intimate small ship offerings in our class for the polar regions,” said Michael Heath, CEO of Aurora Expeditions.

“We also recognise 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.”

Aurora Expeditions’ 2024/25 season commences in October and runs through until early April 2025. Aurora Expeditions released its Antarctica 2025/26 season in April, featuring a variety of Antarctic voyages across three purpose-built ships, including new departures to East Antarctica and the Ross Sea from Hobart, Australia and Dunedin, New Zealand.