Kari and Bill smile on the deck of their cruise ship with towering Antarctic peaks, glaciers, and floating ice behind them. We almost skipped this Bucket List trip because of the price until we discovered a more affordable option.
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Packing for Antarctica can feel overwhelming when every photo shows heavy parkas. Here’s what Bill and I actually packed for scenic cruising, what kept us warm, and what we never used.

Creating a packing list for Antarctica was challenging. Every packing list I found said I’d need a bulky parka, insulated boots, and enough winter gear for an icy survival course. Since we were taking a 17-night scenic Antarctica cruise round-trip from Buenos Aires on our four-month South America trip, I didn’t want to fill a whole suitcase with clothing I’d only wear for a few days.

In this guide, I’m sharing the packing list for Antarctica that Bill and I actually used, what we wore, what stayed in the suitcase, and what I’d pack again. My goal is to save you from buying things you don’t need while helping you feel prepared for one of the most incredible Bucket List destinations on Earth.

Kari smiles in her green fleece jacket as she sits on the tender from the ship to the shore.

Quick Packing List for Antarctica Tips

  • Plan for the 3 Ws – warmth, waterproof and windproof
  • Dress in layers for maximum flexibility
  • Prepare for cold, wet and windy weather
  • Choose items you can use elsewhere on the trip if you will explore South America before and after your cruise
  • Keep reading and I’ll show you how all this works.
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Scenic Cruise vs. Expedition Cruise Packing

Before you start buying cold-weather gear, make sure you’re packing for the right type of Antarctica cruise.

Bill and I chose a scenic Antarctica cruise, which meant we spent four unforgettable days sailing through the Antarctic Peninsula without setting foot on the continent. We viewed glaciers, icebergs, whales, seals, and penguins from the ship, so our clothing needed to keep us warm and comfortable on deck—not dry during Zodiac rides or shore landings.

If you’re taking an expedition cruise, you’ll likely spend hours outdoors, ride in Zodiac boats, and may walk through snow or shallow water during landings. Most expedition companies provide waterproof boots and a waterproof outer jacket, but what’s included varies by operator, so always check before you pack.

This packing list is specifically for a scenic Antarctica cruise like ours. Antarctica’s weather can change quickly, so I’d still pack for colder, windier, or wetter conditions than we experienced. Flexible layers worked well for us, but if you’ll feel more comfortable in a warm winter coat or insulated boots, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with packing them.

If you’re still deciding which type of cruise to take, read my Scenic vs. Expedition Antarctica Cruise Guide before buying any gear.

Bill wore his down puffer jacket for this cruise.

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How I Layered for Antarctica Without Packing a Bulky Parka

The key is the three Ws – Warmth, Waterproof and Windproof. You never know what the weather will throw at you, so you need to be prepared for these three elements.

After multiple trips to REI trying on bulky parkas and winter coats, I realized that I already had exactly what I needed. I built my outfit in layers using pieces I already had.

The layering approach worked well for our scenic cruise, but if you’ll be more comfortable in a warm winter coat, bring it. The goal is to stay warm and enjoy Antarctica—not prove you can survive Antarctica with the fewest layers.

Here’s exactly what I wore:

Base layer

Top: Long-sleeve merino wool shirt in black
Bottom: Thin black leggings

The merino wool shirt kept me warm and the leggings added just enough extra insulation without being bulky. Since these were clothes I could also wear throughout our four-month South America trip, they earned a permanent place in my suitcase.

Kari stands on the ship wearing a black shirt, black pants, and athletic shoes before adding insulating layers. Starting with lightweight clothing made it easy to build warmth without packing bulky winter gear.

Second layer

Top: Columbia Benton Spring Long fleece jacket
Bottom: Baleaf long black travel Pants 
Gloves: Thermal Merino Gloves

Most of the time, adding my Columbia Benton Spring Long fleece jacket was all I needed. It has a hood and is long enough to provide extra coverage. Even while spending hours outside on our balcony and the public decks watching glaciers, whales, penguins, and icebergs, I stayed comfortable in this combination during the sunny 30-35 degree weather we experienced in the Antarctica Peninsula.

My thin wool gloves were perfect because they didn’t take up much room in my suitcase and they allowed me to take thousands of photos with my camera without getting cold. A thicker glove would have made that tough.

Kari wears a Columbia fleece jacket over her base layer while standing on the deck of the cruise ship. This became her everyday outfit during four days of scenic cruising through Antarctica.

Third layer

Top: Waterproof/Windproof raincoat
Bottom: Waterproof rain pants
Hat: Knit hat

My raincoat was there as my windproof and waterproof outer layer. Luckily, I never needed it during our four days of scenic cruising in Antarctica because the weather was sunny and calm. The only time I wore it was during our rainy catamaran excursion in the Beagle Channel near Ushuaia.

I packed waterproof rain pants for the same reason—to be prepared if conditions turned wet or windy—but never needed those either. Even so, I’d still bring both again because Antarctica’s weather can change quickly, and I’d rather have them in my suitcase than be wishing I’d packed them.

Kari wears a waterproof rain jacket with the hood up while standing outside on deck. The rain jacket was only needed once in Ushuaia but was still worth packing for Antarctica's unpredictable weather.

Packing List for Antarctica: Cold-Weather Clothing

These are the cold-weather clothing items I packed for our scenic Antarctica cruise. Some became everyday essentials, while others stayed in my suitcase—but I was still glad I had them in case the weather changed.

  • Long-sleeve merino wool shirt – This was the foundation of my layering system. It kept me warm without feeling bulky and was comfortable enough to wear throughout our South America trip.
  • Columbia Benton Spring Long fleece jacket – This was the MVP of my Antarctica wardrobe. I wore it every day we cruised through Antarctica.
  • Waterproof raincoat – You for sure want something to protect you from wind and water.
  • Thin black leggings or yoga pants – Worn under my travel pants, these added just enough warmth without making me feel overdressed. I even wore them with my black wool shirt and black flat shoes to formal nights!
  • Baleaf travel pants – My Baleaf travel pants were comfortable on deck, easy to move around in, lots of pockets.
  • Waterproof overpants – Thankfully these never left my suitcase, but because they’re lightweight, I’d pack them again for the peace of mind.
  • Thick socks – A few pairs of thick socks helped keep my feet comfortable during long periods outside.
  • Thin Merino gloves – Taking photos was much easier because the gloves kept my hands warm without feeling overly bulky.
  • Knit hat – This came along as a backup layer but only made one appearance during our cruise. Bill’s hat had ear flaps to keep him warm.
  • Down puffer jacket – Bill wore his lightweight down puffer jacket every day in Antarctica and found it to be the perfect insulating layer.
  • Hand and foot warmers (optional) – We packed disposable hand and foot warmers but never needed them thanks to the surprisingly mild conditions.
Cold-weather clothing, gloves, socks, rain gear, fleece, and leggings are neatly arranged on a bed. Seeing everything together makes it easier to judge how little clothing was actually needed for a scenic cruise.
- A close-up shows Kari wearing black insulated gloves over a fleece jacket sleeve. Warm gloves made it comfortable to stay outside photographing glaciers and wildlife for long stretches.
Bill stands on the ship's balcony wearing a black puffer jacket, gloves, knit hat, and athletic shoes. His layering system kept him warm throughout the Antarctica portion of the cruise.

Shoes for a Scenic Antarctica Cruise

Because we stayed on the ship while cruising through Antarctica, I didn’t need heavy winter boots. Comfortable shoes that I could wear throughout our South America trip worked perfectly, although I’d still recommend packing for the possibility of colder or wetter weather than we experienced.

  • Comfortable tennis shoes – I wore my regular New Balance tennis shoes every day and never wished I’d packed anything heavier. However, had it been wet, I might have been in trouble out on the balcony or deck without a waterproof shoe.
  • Black flats or another simple dinner shoe – One pair of nicer shoes was all I needed for formal nights and specialty dining.
  • Winter boots (optional) – If you’ll feel more comfortable in insulated or waterproof boots, there’s nothing wrong with bringing them. Lots of people did. We simply didn’t need them during our scenic cruise.

Camera Gear for Antarctica

If you’re anything like me, your camera gear may take up almost as much room as your clothing. Antarctica offers incredible wildlife and scenery, so I wanted to be ready for everything from distant whales to towering icebergs.

  • Binoculars – Bill used our binoculars constantly to spot whales, seals, penguins, and birds long before they came close enough for everyone else to notice. We’ve used our Swarovski binoculars on Bucket List trips around the world, and they’ve been worth every penny.   
    For less expensive options, check out this pair of binoculars or this pair. REI provides helpful tips about choosing a pair of binoculars.
  • Camera with a great zoom lens – I use my Canon SX70 HS for all my wildlife and travel photography. It’s 65x zoom allows me to take closeups of wildlife from hundreds of feet away.
  • Camera accessories – I also packed extra batteries, chargers, memory cards, a card reader, an extra long selfie stick, and a padded camera strap so I was prepared for long days of photography. The one thing I really wish I’d packed was a tripod.

If photographing penguins, whales, and seals is one of your biggest goals, my Antarctica Wildlife Guide shares the species we saw and photography tips.

A close-up shows Swarovski binoculars hanging from Bill's neck over a black puffer jacket. Quality binoculars made it much easier to spot whales, seals, penguins, and seabirds before anyone else on deck.
Kari photographs the Antarctic coastline from the promenade deck with a camera and zoom lens. Spending hours with a camera in hand made packing lightweight gloves and warm layers even more important.
The Canon SX70
The Canon SX70

What to Wear Around the Cruise Ship

Although Antarctica was the highlight of our trip, it was only four days of a 17-night cruise. For the rest of the voyage, we dressed much like we would on any other cruise.

Keep in mind that we sailed round-trip from Buenos Aires, where temperatures were in the high 80s and low 90s. As we traveled farther south, the weather became progressively cooler before warming up again as we sailed north toward Uruguay. That’s why I packed clothing for a wide range of temperatures instead of just cold weather.

  • Regular shirts – I packed mostly lightweight tops, along with a few warmer options for the cooler days farther south.
  • Pants or shorts – Both came in handy since we experienced everything from summer-like heat to Antarctica’s chilly temperatures.
  • Swimsuit – Don’t forget one if you plan to use the pools, hot tubs, or spa.
  • Sleepwear
  • Underwear and socks

What to Pack for Cruise Dinners and Formal Nights

Princess Cruises hosted a couple of formal nights during our voyage, along with several specialty restaurants where we enjoyed dressing up a little. That said, “dressy” doesn’t have to mean packing an entirely separate wardrobe.

  • Black pants – One pair worked for multiple dinners and formal nights. Hint: I wore my thin leggings.
  • Nicer shirt or top – I packed a few tops that looked a little dressier than what I wore during the day. I even wore my plain black wool shirt a few times!
  • Simple jewelry – A few favorite pieces helped dress up my outfits without taking up valuable suitcase space.
  • Dress, sport coat, or another formal outfit (optional) – Some guests went all out, while others kept things much more casual. Wear whatever makes you comfortable.
  • Comfortable dress shoes or flats – One pair was plenty for the entire cruise.
  • For our cruise, we skipped gowns, tuxedos, and anything overly formal. A few nicer outfits were all we needed to feel appropriately dressed for formal nights and specialty dining. If you enjoy dressing up, you’ll be in good company. Plenty of guests wore dresses, jackets, and dressier sparkly outfits on formal nights.
Kari and Bill pose together dressed for formal night. Most guests dressed somewhere between business casual and cocktail attire rather than black-tie formalwear.
Us being “fancy” on formal night, wearing our base layers for outdoors

Sun, Wind, and Everyday Cruise Essentials

  • Sunscreen – The sun reflecting off the ice can be surprisingly intense.
  • Sunglasses – Polarized sunglasses made the scenery much more enjoyable.
  • A secure hat – Choose one that won’t blow away on deck.
  • Toiletries, beauty products, and prescription medications – Pack whatever you’d normally bring on any cruise. There is a gift shop on the ship for any forgotten items
  • Motion sickness remedies – We brought both Bonine and Dramamine. We never needed ours, but I’m still glad we packed it.
  • Reusable water bottle

Electronics and Charging

  • Phone and charger
  • Laptop (optional) – I always travel with my lightweight Acer Swift 3 laptop for journaling and downloading my photos
  • Ceptics International Adapter Kit – most cruise ships have standard US electrical outlets so we didn’t need an adapter on the ship, but we did for our time in South America before and after the cruise.

What We Packed but Did Not Use

Thankfully, we overpacked a little. I’d much rather bring a few things I don’t use than wish I’d packed them.

  • Waterproof overpants
  • Knit hat (only used once)
  • Motion sickness medication
  • Hand and foot warmers

Even though these stayed in our suitcase, I’d still pack most of them again. Antarctica’s weather can change quickly, and another sailing could have been completely different.

Laundry and Packing Less

We did laundry twice during our 17-night cruise using the self-service laundry rooms. You’ll need to purchase tokens for the washers and dryers, although the ship also offers laundry service for an additional fee.

Doing laundry made it much easier to pack for the entire cruise. Instead of bringing bulky Antarctica-only clothing, I packed versatile layers that worked from Buenos Aires to Antarctica and simply washed them as needed.

Curious what our actual cruise was like? My Sapphire Princess guide includes everything I wish I’d known before boarding.

Kari and Bill smile together with Antarctica's dramatic mountains, glaciers, and floating ice filling the background. Thoughtful packing meant they could focus on the incredible scenery instead of worrying about being cold.

Final Thoughts on A Packing List for Antarctica

Packing for Antarctica doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Focus on versatile layers, prepare for weather that’s colder than you hope for, and pack the clothing that will make you feel comfortable. Whether that’s a fleece and rain jacket like I wore or your favorite winter coat, you’ll be ready to enjoy one of the most unforgettable cruises in the world.

More Info on Antarctica

Here are some more guides about Antarctica. If you’d like to receive emails when I’ve posted new content to the site, please complete the short form above.

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