I Spent 22 Days On The Douglas Mawson Ship: My Full Review

In November 2025, Aurora Expeditions launched a brand-new expedition ship, the SY Douglas Mawson. 

And I was one of the first journalists on board.

In fact, I’m currently typing this on a sea day two-thirds of the way through the Douglas Mawson’s very first trip to Antarctica – an incredible privilege when, as you can imagine, places on this trip were highly sought after and the ship is fully booked! 

So I’m taking this opportunity to also be the first to write a full review of the ship and my personal experience as we spend 22 days travelling from Australia to East Antarctica and then back to New Zealand.

I’ll look at the Douglas Mawson through my experience of three weeks on board – from the practical details of the ship, daily life at sea, excursions, activities, food and drink, and the atmosphere among guests and crew. 

If you’re considering a polar voyage, or a European cruise on the Douglas Mawson, and want to know whether it’s right for you, hopefully this will help you decide.

Note: I was hosted by Aurora Expeditions in exchange for articles in various publications. I was not required to write this blog post – I’m doing it because I want to. I do not accept press trips or freebies in exchange for positive coverage and what follows is my honestly held opinion, based entirely on my personal experience. This post may contain affiliate links. 

About my trip on the Douglas Mawson

You may have read other reviews of the Douglas Mawson ship in newspapers or online, but most of these will have been summarised from press releases or – at best – written by a journalist who did a quick tour while the ship was docked in Sydney. 

This review is the real deal. As one of just two writers – and the only blogger – on the maiden voyage to Antarctica, I’ve had plenty of time to explore every corner, try every activity, and see how the ship performs, both on our 17 sea days (which is a LOT!) and on landings and zodiac cruises.

Every word was written by me (no AI, promise!), and all the photos are mine except for the ones OF me, which were mostly taken by my brilliant friend Georgie.

This is literally the first time the Douglas Mawson has been to the polar regions or even seen real ice – so of course we’ve all been making nervous jokes about taking a new ship on its maiden voyage to an area filled with icebergs… 

Extra note: Since I am the only blogger on board this maiden voyage, this will be the first, in-depth review of the Douglas Mawson published online. So I fully expect the AI bots to turn up any second now and steal all my hard work. I’ve peppered this review with my personal opinions and anecdotes, so if you see them popping up elsewhere, you’ll know they were nicked from me.

About my polar and cruise travel experience 

I’m well-qualified to review a polar expedition cruise. A few years ago I visited the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica with Quark Expeditions, which I wrote about extensively here on Passport & Pixels, and last summer I went to Svalbard with Swan Hellenic which I wrote about for Adventure.com.

I’ve also experienced luxury cruising with Viking, Ritz-Carlton and Silversea – which means I can judge the Douglas Mawson ship not in isolation, but against a range of expedition and premium cruise ships, and assess where it excels and where it sits in the wider market.

(And yes, I know that ships are usually ‘she’ – but given the male name it feels weird to call the Douglas Mawson ‘she’, so I’m going with ‘it’. Sorry, boat pedants!)

Read more: 30 Antarctica Questions And Answers: What To Know Before You Go

Introducing the SY Douglas Mawson

The SY Douglas Mawson is the third purpose-built ship in the Aurora Expeditions fleet, following the Greg Mortimer (more about him in a moment) and the Sylvia Earle.

This new polar class 6 sailing yacht (that’s what the SY stands for) was designed to take adventure travellers and scientists to the ends of the earth, but in considerably more comfort than the polar explorers who went before us.

While not an icebreaker, the Douglas Mawson is kitted out to operate in some of the most challenging environments on the planet, with Antarctica and the subantarctic islands the main destinations. But there will also be trips to the Arctic, Subantarctic islands and summer voyages around the UK and Ireland, and the Mediterranean.

This is not a luxury cruise ship with a spa and champagne on tap. Nor is it a horrendous 5000-person floating resort with casinos and waterslides.

It’s an expedition vessel, where the priorities are adventure, scientific discovery, education, and access to some of the world’s most remote places.

Read more: 60+ Awesome Antarctica Photography Tips

So who was Douglas Mawson anyway?

The ship is named after Sir Douglas Mawson, one of the most significant figures in Antarctic exploration. 

Mawson was a contemporary of both Ernest Shackleton and Robert Falcon Scott, and took part in Shackleton’s 1907-1909 British Antarctic Expedition, where he was part of the first team to climb Mount Erebus and reach the South Magnetic Pole.

More famously, he led the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-1914, during which both his companions died and he lost most of his supplies into a crevasse, and had to walk over 100 miles, starving, frostbitten and alone, across the Antarctic wilderness.

He survived, and went on to become a vocal conservationist and an influential figure in Antarctic governance. To Australia, he’s as important Shackleton is to the Brits, and loads of Australian places and institutions are named after him. He also appeared on the old Australian $100 bill. 

Key facts about the Douglas Mawson ship

For fans of stats and numbers, here’s some at-a-glance information about the Douglas Mawson.

• Type: Expedition cruise ship
• Built: Constructed at the CMHI Haimen shipyard in China
• Officially launched: Sydney, 27^th November 2025.
• Godmother: Emma McEwin, Sir Douglas Mawson’s great-granddaughter. 
• Length: 104.4 metres
• Ice class: Polar Class 6. This is not an icebreaker, but the ship is designed to cope with medium first-year sea ice.
• Where she sails: Antarctica, the Arctic, Subantarctic islands, and European destinations in the summer.
• Number of guest cabins: 86 cabins and suites.
• Number of guests: Up to 154 guests on summer cruises and limited to around 130 guests on expedition voyages
• Decks: 8 (decks 3-8 are for guest use).
• Speed: 10-12 knots (about 18-22 kmph)
• Onboard amenities: Heated outdoor pool, two jacuzzis, two restaurants, two bars, a gym, sauna, library, lecture theatre, observation gallery and a small onboard shop

Who are Aurora Expeditions?

Aurora Expeditions is an Australian-owned expedition cruise company that’s been operating in the polar regions for more than three decades. 

It was founded in 1991 by explorer and adventurer Greg Mortimer – one of the first two Australians to climb both Everest and K2 – and his wife Margaret.

They sold the company in 2008 to a consortium of investors, though they remain involved – and to my delighted surprise, Greg turned up as our expedition leader!

Greg named his company Aurora after the SY Aurora, the ship used by Douglas Mawson during his famous Australasian Antarctic Expedition. Given this, I’m actually amazed it took them so long to name one of their ships after him.

While their trips aren’t cheap, Aurora Expeditions is not a ‘luxury’ cruise company. Instead, they specialise in small ship adventure travel with a focus on sustainability, science and conservation.

Their voyages focus on adventure, science and learning, and while the experience is comfortable, well designed and thoughtfully run, the focus is on the destinations, not indulgent frills.

If you’re in the UK, it’s worth noting that the company rebranded as AE Expeditions due to a trademark dispute over the Aurora name. That can be confusing, but basically AE Expeditions and Aurora Expeditions are the same thing. 

Read more: A South Georgia & Antarctica Holiday: The Trip Of A Lifetime

Our route on the Douglas Mawson

This post is mainly a review of the ship and the on-board experience, but it’s worth mentioning where we went, since your experience will vary depending on where you go.

For example, if you’re thinking of booking a European summer cruise, many of my comments about landings and the cold won’t apply! 

For the inaugural trip to Antarctica we did the 24-day Mawson’s Antarctica itinerary, following in the footsteps of Sir Douglas Mawson’s famous expedition. 

We began in Hobart, Tasmania, where Mawson and his crew departed from, and headed south towards Macquarie Island, a windswept Australian subantarctic island that’s home to huge colonies of king and royal penguins. It was here that Mawson dropped off some of his team to set up a wireless relay station.

After Macquarie, we then had another three sea days heading to East Antarctica.

The plan was to sail to Commonwealth Bay, notoriously the windiest place on Earth, and set foot on shore at Cape Denison where Mawson landed and where his original expedition huts still stand. We even had representatives from the Mawson’s Huts Foundation on board, who were obviously extremely keen to visit them. 

But unfortunately, Commonwealth Bay was packed with sea ice and getting in there was impossible. The crew then tried to plot a course via a less iced-up route so we could land further along the coast, but sadly the winds and weather were against us and that proved impossible too. 

Read more: The Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica Expedition: Our Epic Itinerary

So we ended up having to leave Antarctica without seeing the continent, setting foot on shore, or seeing Mawson’s historic huts – much to everyone’s disappointment.  

We’re now spending five more days at sea heading back to Dunedin, New Zealand, via some of the New Zealand subantarctic islands. 

As you can see, while Aurora do advertise an itinerary, plans can and do change. As with all polar expedition itineraries, nothing is guaranteed and you have to come with a heavy dose of patience and flexibility, as things rarely turn out the way you expect.

But again, your experience will vary and if you’re travelling on the Douglas Mawson to Europe or the Arctic, you shouldn’t have those issues.

Read more: 32 Awesome Animals In Antarctica (And Birds Too!)

Inside the Douglas Mawson

Ok now, you have all the background, here’s my review of the actual ship and what it’s like. 

The cabins

I stayed in a standard stateroom on the Douglas Mawson, which felt like a sensible baseline for judging what most guests will experience. 

My cabin, which I shared with my friend Georgie in a twin configuration, is a decent size for an expedition ship and the private veranda is a genuine highlight. 

On sea days like today it’s become a great place to nip outside and watch the Southern Ocean roll by without having to pile on layers and schlep up to the viewing decks. 

There are also larger suites, smaller cabins without balconies, and ten single cabins for solo travellers (with no single supplement). Solos on a budget can also choose to pay the twin-share rate and be paired with another solo traveller of the same gender.

The layout and décor of the cabin seem like a pretty standard design, with a desk area, a small sofa, and plenty of plug points (including by the bed – yay!). 

Storage, however, could have been arranged better. There is space, but it’s not used as efficiently as it could have been, and the cabinetry has an IKEA feel that doesn’t really match the price point of the trip. 

In the bathroom there’s very limited surface space to put your stuff. We also have an adjoining cabin, which means there’s a door through to the next cabin that’s taking up valuable wall space! 

The bathroom itself is small but big enough, and I love the heated floor which was a great place to lay our damp clothes to dry after getting rained on at Macquarie Island.

Our beds are narrow (as you might expect from a small twin room) but comfortable enough, but we only have one thin pillow each. I imagine you may be able to ask for another though.

The amenities also feel a bit budget: there are no slippers for the pool/hot tub, no supply of cotton buds and other useful bits, the robes are quite thin, the shampoo and conditioner feel basic, and the hairdryer is small and plasticky. 

Overall I would describe my cabin as comfortable, functional, but with some slightly disappointing budget touches.

But it’s important to remember that this is an expedition, not a luxury cruise, and while it comes at a high price, you’re paying for access to the remotest parts of the planet and the considerable expertise of the crew and expedition team, not for thread counts and an all-inclusive minibar. 

Restaurants and food

Cape Denison restaurant

Food on the Douglas Mawson is centred around the main restaurant, Cape Denison, named after the site where Mawson landed and built his huts to overwinter in Antarctica. 

Breakfast and lunch are excellent buffets with a huge choice of dishes, while dinner is à la carte. Each evening there’s a choice of four starters, four mains and two desserts, alongside a handful of classics such as steak or a Caesar salad that you can order every day. 

Desserts were fine rather than memorable and some were a bit dry and/or bland.

Tables are large and guests are encouraged to mingle, make friends or sit with expedition staff. As a frequent solo traveller, I did enjoy the sociable vibe and how easy it was to chat to people. 

The Hut

The second restaurant, the Hut, is a smaller, more intimate dining room on the 8^th floor that you have to book – it only seats around 20 diners per evening. It offers a grill-style menu with dishes like steak, lamb chops, chips and mash, which doesn’t change.

While it was nice to enjoy the views and escape the bustle of the main dining room, I thought the food in Cape Denison was just as good, if not better, and the static menu in The Hut could have done with at least one refresh during a 24-day trip.

Still, after more than three weeks of generous portions and limited movement, even with my near-daily gym visits, my clothes were noticeably tighter. I strongly advise you to pack stretchy trousers!

Read more: An Antarctica Clothing List: What to Pack

Tea, coffee and snacks

There are no in-room tea and coffee facilities for safety reasons. The main tea and coffee station is in the lounge on Deck 5 and it also has an all-day supply of cookies, which is frankly dangerous if you’re a sugarholic like me! 

As a Brit with tea coursing through my veins I really didn’t love the brand of tea they supplied, so if you’re fussy like me, bring your own!

At 4 pm they also bring out a small amount of cake and sandwiches, but you have to be quick because it disappears in a flash (probably just as well, TBH). 

There are also tea and coffee machines in the library and in the Observation Lounge on Deck 8.

Bars and drinks

The Douglas Mawson has two small bars: the Aurora Bar by the lecture theatre on Deck 5 and the Nimrod Bar in the observation lounge on Deck 8, so you can watch the views with a glass of wine. 

Both are relaxed and functional rather than glamorous, which fits the overall expedition tone. This is not a party ship, and it does not try to be.

House wine (a basic Australian Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio) and beer are included with dinner only. If you want a drink at any other time, they’re chargeable and there are no all-inclusive beverage packages. 

You can, however, buy wine bundles, which might make sense over a longer voyage if you want to drink something other than the house wine.

Cocktails and other drinks aren’t too pricey, with cocktails coming in at around US$8 dollars which seemed reasonable considering we are a captive market! There was also a half price Happy Hour between 9-10 pm.

However some guests I spoke to did feel that the booze situation was a bit stingy – dinner wine is cut off as soon as dessert is served. Only on one or two occasions, such at the first welcome drinks and on the last evening, were a pre-dinner drink offered to us.

For the non-drinkers, however, soft drinks are free at all times and there are filtered water stations all over the ship to fill your (provided) Aurora Expeditions water bottle.

The atmosphere in the bars is chilled rather than boisterous. Guests grab a drink before evening recap or a post-dinner nightcap, but the bars close at 11 so there isn’t much late-night partying – though my friend Georgie and some of her ship buddies did sit up late just chatting. 

So you won’t be boozing your way through sea days (probably for the best with those rolling waves!) and if you’re looking for lively nightlife, you won’t find it aboard the Douglas Mawson.

Fitness and wellness

The gym

For an expedition ship, the gym on the Douglas Mawson is actually quite good, and I managed near daily workouts – very necessary on all those sea days.

It’s small but well-equipped, with a rowing machine, two spin bikes, two treadmills, two ellipticals and a couple of weight machines (but no free weights for safety reasons).

Sitting on the rowing machine or the bike on a rolling sea is a confusing feeling, a bit like being on a very slow rollercoaster. I almost felt like I was helping to power the ship across the ocean!

The sauna

I’m not really a sauna person but it’s a decent size – though they missed a trick by not giving it a window to the cold outside like the one on my Arctic trip. There is no cold plunge pool, but Georgie managed to get the same effect by doing laps of the deck in her swimsuit!

There are no spa treatments on board, which felt like a missed opportunity on long sea days when a massage or a facial would have been very welcome.

There are also no organised fitness classes such as yoga or HIIT, though I’m not sure where they’d hold them as there’s not much space and I didn’ t much fancy the idea of deck yoga in Antarctica!

The pool

The outdoor pool (see the photo at the top of this post) is more like a large hot tub – great for sitting out in the cold but mostly closed throughout our trip.

However it’s a strange design: too small to swim in but with no benches for sitting, and with high sides and a frosted glass panel all the way around which means that when you’re in it, you’re too low to see the views.

It was briefly open while the ship was moving and the water sloshed from side to side like a wave machine, making it more of a core stability workout than a place for relaxing.

It will probably be better in the Mediterranean – as will the sun loungers that surround it which were no use to us at all! 

Jacuzzis

The two jacuzzis only have room for 3-4 people each, but are a great place to sit and watch the views when conditions allow.

However, for most of our trip they were also closed. I suspect they too will get much more use when the Douglas Mawson heads to its summer destinations. 

Other areas around the ship

Beyond the headline facilities, the Douglas Mawson has a number of practical spaces that feature heavily in daily life on board:

Outdoor viewing decks

These became some of my favourite places on the ship. Standing at the back, photographing petrels and albatrosses wheeling in our wake, was absorbing as long as I could stand the cold and the wind chill. 

Read more: The Best Camera Gear For Antarctic Photography

Library

This was one of my favourite places on the ship: cosy, quiet, with great views out towards the front, and full of books and games. There are backgammon and chess sets, jigsaw puzzles, nonfiction books about the places the ship visits, novels, a book swap, and two shared computers for backing up your photos or sharing images with your fellow guests.

Lecture theatre and lounge

A good size, with plenty of seating and screens so you can see the presentations from any angle. We spent a lot of time in here listening to talks – though you can also watch the lectures on your in-room TV, which was great for the morning lecture when I wasn’t quite ready to get out of bed!

This is also where the tea and coffee station (and cookie jars!) are, so is the main hub of ship life.

Lifts and stairs

The Douglas Mawson has one central lift connecting all the decks, and a central staircase. It’s important to note that for safety reasons the lift shuts off during ocean crossings, big swells and rough seas – which meant it was off most days.

I always take the stairs anyway, but for some of the less mobile passengers on board this was a big issue, especially as the steps on the staircase are a little higher than usual too. But if you don’t mind climbing stairs it’s a good workout and helps burn off a few extra calories!

Mud room

Located on Deck 4, this is where excursions begin, where boots and lifejackets are stored, where you gear up for Zodiac operations, and where we cleaned our outer layers between landings for biosecurity reasons. 

You can leave damp clothes in here, but it’s not very warm – I think the ship lacks enough drying space for wet gear.

Pool bar

So far during our voyage this has not been open. It felt rather optimistic in Antarctica but again is probably one for the summer cruises.

Laundry

Annoyingly there is no free guest laundry room on board the Douglas Mawson. All your laundry must be handed in and paid for, which on a three-week voyage meant I ended up racking up an AUD$100+ laundry bill which I was not too happy about.

The bridge

Where the captain and crew sit and make all the important navigation decisions. When there are no operations underway, passengers are welcome to step inside, see the navigation systems in action and ask questions. 

On board technology

The Douglas Mawson has a bunch of cool features designed to make polar travel safer and more comfortable. I’m not a technical person and there was masses more going on behind the scenes that you will never know about – but these are the bits that made a palpable difference to my trip:

The X-bow design: This is the ‘flagship’ feature, the one they shout about the most. It gives the ship its distinctive pointy nose and is said to reduce pitching by cutting through the waves rather than surfing over them. While it can’t quell the seas entirely, I definitely noticed a much smoother ride.

Modern navigation systems and weather data: These allow the crew to monitor winds, currents and ice in real time and change plans accordingly. When strong winds and rough seas were forecast during our journey across the Southern Ocean, the team was able to navigate around them and ride the currents, giving us a much more comfortable journey and saving fuel too. 

Stabilisers: These ‘fins’ were deployed during sea crossings and had an incredible calming effect on the rolling of the ship. When they had to retract them in areas where they could have been damaged by ice, the difference was immediate and obvious.

Dynamic positioning: Rather than anchoring, the Douglas Mawson can use GPS and a system of thrusters to hold its position offshore, which allows the ship to remain steady while waiting to launch Zodiacs or sit off a landing site.

There is a downside though. When the thrusters engage they can be loud and you can feel the vibrations throughout the ship. 

This was most noticeable when we were positioned off the coast of Macquarie Island in difficult conditions. Many of us slept badly for two consecutive nights as the thrusters worked constantly to keep us in place – something that’s worth being aware of if you are a light sleeper.

Activities on the Douglas Mawson

Shore landings and zodiac cruises

Obviously the main reason you’re on the ship is to get off it and go see stuff!

On polar expeditions, when conditions allow, you either head ashore by Zodiac to explore landing sites, wildlife colonies and Antarctic landscapes on foot, or you take Zodiac cruises, weaving through sea ice or along the coastline.

There’s also an optional kayaking programme available to book in advance. This is a full-commitment option for experienced kayakers, where you kayak instead of taking part in regular shore excursions whenever conditions allow.

On my voyage, we had many more days at sea with no excursions than on a typical Antarctic Peninsula trip. It’s a long way south and weather, ice and distance all dictate what is possible.

Add to that the fact that we were unable to reach the continent and we ended up with many more sea days than planned.

I did find this frustrating and challenging at times, but the team did their best to keep us entertained, and I had plenty of time to attend lectures, go to the gym, edit my photos, and even write this blog post!

This uncertainty is just the nature of the beast when you’re travelling to somewhere as remote as East Antarctica. No one, not even the expedition team, knows what’s going to happen tomorrow. If you want to experience Earth’s wildest places, this is the trade-off.

However, if you’re traveling on the Douglas Mawson to Europe, you’ll be doing more traditional cruise excursions to cities and historic sites and your itinerary will be much more predictable. 

Read more: The 8 Types Of Penguins In Antarctica: A Photo Guide

Lectures

There are lectures almost every day, usually one in the morning and one in the afternoon, on topics related to the route and the destinations.

In our case, that meant everything from ice formation and plate tectonics to Antarctic history, seals, whales and penguins, photography tips and techniques, and of course everything to do with Sir Douglas Mawson’s life and exploits.

Every day before dinner there’s a daily recap and briefing, with bonus information related to what’s happened that day, and updates on the plans for tomorrow. 

In addition to the expedition team who are incredibly knowledgeable, we have an impressive group of guest experts on board, including observers from IAATO and Australian Parks, representatives from Macquarie Island and the Mawson’s Huts Foundation, as well as scientists hoping to conduct research in the polar regions.

I’ve been genuinely impressed that Aurora has given up valuable cabin space to host them when those berths could easily have been sold: another clear demonstration of the company’s commitment to science, conservation, and ethical travel. 

Games and crafts

There are also optional activities you can sign up for, including a daily trivia quiz, a yarn club for knitting or crocheting, social backgammon, and a beading workshop. Guests are also encouraged to form their own interest groups and find others to join.

Citizen science

Aurora also partners with several citizen science programmes, taking advantage of its rare access to remote places to help collect data.

On our voyage we could take part in cloud surveys in partnership with NASA, seabird counts for Cornell’s eBird project, recording whale sightings with Happywhale, and a handful of other projects when location and weather allow. 

Obviously the exact projects will vary depending on your route and destinations.

Read more: 70+ Stunning South Georgia Photography Tips

Evening entertainment

What has surprised and disappointed me a little has been the distinct lack of evening entertainment. There’s no live music, and almost no evening events apart from two film nights and a couple of after-dinner talks.

Even on nights without early starts most people simply drifted back to their cabins after dinner, which I felt might have made the solo travellers feel a bit lonely.

I am not a fan of forced fun, but a daily low key evening option would have been welcome on such a long voyage.

Not something that will apply if you do a Mediterranean cruise, of course, but if you’re sailing on the Douglas Mawson to Antarctica or the Arctic, weather permitting you should get the chance to do a polar plunge.

As usual, I somehow ended up doing it twice – which was definitely not my intention!

Find out a whole load more about what’s involved, what it’s like, and why I seem to keep doing it twice, in my polar plunge blog post.

The Aurora Expeditions team

The expedition team on my Douglas Mawson voyage were a hugely experienced, knowledgeable, enthusiastic bunch.

Many team members have worked with Aurora Expeditions for years and spoke warmly about the company, which says a great deal in an industry where staff turnover can be high.

The level of experience is exceptional. The Aurora team includes scientists and specialists who’ve spent years, and in some cases decades, working in Antarctica.

We had geologists, biologists, historians, climatologists and ecologists and more, many of whom have lived on research bases or overwintered on the continent. 

This depth of knowledge filtered into everything, from lectures and casual conversations over dinner, to the decision-making that goes into planning our route and conducting excursions. 

We were also incredibly fortunate to have the legendary Greg Mortimer himself as our expedition leader. Calm, likeable and hugely experienced, he inspired trust in both crew and guests. 

We were kept in the loop every day, so when plans changed or things got cancelled, we knew what what happening and could understand the sound reasoning behind it.

Read more: The Best Camera Gear For Antarctic Photography

Is the Douglas Mawson ethical or sustainable?

Cruising is, to put it bluntly, pretty horrible for the environment. No cruise ship is carbon neutral and travelling to Antarctica carries a large footprint, particularly once you factor in flights. 

Shipping as a whole accounts for roughly 2 to 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and while cruise ships are only a fraction of that, they are still part of the problem. Antarctic expedition cruising sits at the least bad end of the spectrum, but it is never impact free.

That said, expedition cruising represents only 2% of the wider cruise industry and an even smaller proportion of global shipping. These ships carry far fewer passengers, operate under strict regulations and allow you to access places there’s simply no other way to reach. 

Unlike Venice or Dubrovnik, It’s not like there are buses or independent hotels and restaurants in Antarctica! 

This will never be a low-carbon holiday and some argue – possibly correctly – that we should not go to Antarctica or the Arctic at all.

But if you want to reduce your footprint, eating less meat or not buying stuff from China will have a far greater impact than one bucket-list expedition. 

Aurora Expeditions’ ethos

Aurora Expeditions is one of only a tiny handful of cruise companies that’s B-Corp certified and carbon neutral. To me this is ultra important.

As a brand new expedition ship, the Douglas Mawson has been designed to minimise its impact where possible, with advanced fuel efficiency systems, waste management controls and microfibre filters in the laundry to reduce microplastics entering the ocean. 

The Aurora team did not shy away from discussing difficult issues like climate change and our carbon footprint, and encouraged us to talk about this stuff when we get home.

The ship also supports research and innovation through onboard sensors, hosting scientists, and citizen science projects that contribute to climate and ocean research.

I was also impressed by how seriously ethics and sustainability were taken on my trip. Biosecurity was drilled into us relentlessly, with strict cleaning of boots and clothing before every landing. Behavioural rules in Antarctica were clearly explained and firmly enforced, particularly around wildlife and sensitive environments.

Read more: Ethical Travel Photography: How To Capture With A Conscience

Who is the Douglas Mawson ship for?

If you’re adventurous and love the great outdoors, and if you prefer exploration and learning to parties and ‘Instagrammable locations’, then this is the ship for you.

For polar trips, you need a decent level of fitness and agility. The lift was frequently out of action in choppy seas, so you may have to do a lot of stair climbing between decks, and getting in and out of Zodiacs requires balance and confidence. 

Flexibility and patience are also essential. Weather and ice will dictate the schedule, plans will change and some landings will inevitably be missed.

The East Antarctica routes are an excellent option for people who have already visited the Antarctic Peninsula and are looking to go more off the beaten track. Though bear in mind that it’s a long way, you will have many more sea days, and landings are never guaranteed.

This is very much an expedition, just one conducted in far greater comfort than anything Sir Douglas Mawson himself endured. If you’re prepared for unpredictability, long sea days and the need to adapt, the Douglas Mawson offers access to places very few travellers ever see.

Meanwhile, the summer European routes prioritise history and culture over partying, so are ideal for travellers who prefer a calmer, quieter time with a focus on learning and visiting less touristy places.

How much does a Douglas Mawson expedition cruise cost?

An Antarctic expedition is not a cheap trip, and the Douglas Mawson sits in the premium expedition category rather than the ultra-luxury end of the market. 

Aurora Expeditions’ Antarctica voyages start from around £10,300 per person sharing for the shorter Antarctic Explorer Express itinerary. 

The far more ambitious 24-day, 23-night Mawson’s Antarctica voyage that I sailed on starts from approximately £23,178 per person sharing.

That price covers one night’s hotel accommodation in Hobart before embarkation, all meals and snacks on board, soft drinks throughout the day and beer and house wine served with dinner. All Zodiac cruises and shore excursions are included, as are lectures, guiding services and the full expedition programme.

You are also provided with an expedition parka and water bottle to keep, and free Starlink WiFi, which has been pretty good considering how far away we are from anything!

What’s not included: flights to and from Australia, travel insurance, gratuities and most alcoholic drinks outside dinner are extra. 

The real luxuries here are the destinations, the ship’s capability and the calibre of the team, rather than spacious suites and champagne on tap.

Three things I loved about my trip on the Douglas Mawson

• The genuine sense of adventure. We were kept fully informed about sea ice, wind, weather and the decision-making process on a daily basis, which made the whole experience feel transparent. Because everyone understood what was happening and why, there was far less frustration when plans changed, even when we were disappointed. I felt like we were on a real expedition, rather than a tourist cruise. 
• The sense of community. The atmosphere was friendly, with guests and staff who were interesting, engaged and passionate about our destinations. All of them were well-travelled adventurers, with none of the entitled, superior vibe you can get on some luxury trips.
• The amazing views from every angle. Even though we didn’t get to land, there were so many ways to take in Antarctica, from the windows in the dining room to my own balcony, as well as outdoor decks at the bow and stern.

Three things I liked less about my trip on the Douglas Mawson

• Some obvious budget choices. For such an expensive expedition, certain details felt a bit too basic, particularly the cabin amenities, the cheap wine served at dinner and the lack of bonus touches that can make you feel welcome.
• The lack of evening entertainment. I neither expected nor wanted flashy shows, but the fact that there were almost no evening options was surprising. A daily lecture, film night or low-key live music would have helped break up long sea days and evenings.
• The design of the pool area. Compared with ships like the SH Vega which I travelled on in Svalbard, where the sauna and hot tub are designed to maximise views, the Douglas Mawson’s pool area feels like a missed opportunity. Not being able look out at the scenery at the same time was disappointing in such an extraordinary environment.

The Douglas Mawson: Final thoughts

The Douglas Mawson is an impressive expedition ship that largely delivers on what it promises. It’s capable, well designed for polar travel and backed by one of the most experienced and well-respected expedition teams in the industry. 

For a maiden voyage, both the ship and the team handled everything incredibly well in difficult conditions, and while some things didn’t work out and there are a few details that need ironing out, there’s very little that can’t be fixed.

If you want to travel to the ends of the earth in comfort and safety with a company that genuinely cares about its impact and the future of our planet, then this is the ship for you.

It’s a far cry from what Sir Douglas Mawson endured, but it still feels like an adventure. 

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Where to next?

If you enjoyed this Douglas Mawson cruise ship review, why not try some of my other Antarctica, cruise or wildlife posts?

• Wildlife Wonders on an Epic South Georgia Cruise
• A Falkland Islands Cruise: A Magical Wildlife Adventure
• Best Camera For Wildlife Photography: Gear, Lenses And More
• Doing The Freezing Polar Plunge In Antarctica
• An Antarctica Clothing List: What to Pack
• The Best Camera Gear For Antarctic Photography
• Arctic vs Antarctic Expedition Cruise: Which Should You Pick?
• 19 Easy Wildlife Photography Tips For Beginners

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