These Over-the-top Antarctica Cruises Are 40% Off Right Now — and You May See a Total Solar Eclipse

Travelers dreaming of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Antarctica can now cash in on a discount as one tour operator is putting trips to the seventh continent at reduced prices just in time for the start of the travel season there.

Adventurous travelers can now head to Antarctica on a luxury cruise for 40 percent off the cost of a cabin with Scott Dunn, the company shared with Travel + Leisure. The sale, which lasts through Oct. 31, is available on all sailings on the SH Minerva for 2021 and 2022.

"The Antarctica sailing season runs from November to March, with varied seasonal highlights depending on when you travel," Jonathan Brunger, a senior travel specialist with Scott Dunn, told T+L. "To make use of this special offer, travel during December to February at the height of the continent's austral summer, when the local wildlife is most active. Expect to see penguins, seals, and birds everywhere, and you may even spy a penguin chick hatching!"

A trip to Antarctica is not cheap — a 10-day voyage with Scott Dunn starts at about $10,000 per person, for example — and often involves a two-day crossing of the Drake Passage (which can either be the "Drake Lake" or the "Drake Shake," depending on your luck). But a sale like this can make a trip that feels possibly out of reach more like a doable splurge.

To take advantage of the sale, travelers can call Scott Dunn to book.

Those who board the new, modern SH Minerva, first arriving in November, will be greeted with onboard lectures and alfresco dining, taking full advantage of the beauty and history of Antarctica.

Guests can nibble on wood-fired pizzas in the club lounge or sip a glass of Argentinian red in the observation lounge. Enjoy the lack of light pollution in Antarctica on the stargazing deck, or relax with some time spent in the sauna and outdoor jacuzzi.

Travelers who visit Antarctica this winter may be treated to the year's only total solar eclipse on Dec. 4, 2021. After this event, the Earth won't see another total solar eclipse until 2023, and Antarctica won't experience one again until 2039.