Expedition cruises: The ultimate guide to cruising to remote, hard-to-reach places

Table Of Content

• Why Viking
• Expedition Cruises – Complete Guide to Cruising Remote Destinations
• Why Expedition Cruising Is Booming — and What to Know Before You Book
• Sign up to receive updates from Viking
• Grand Expedition Cruises
• Explore More for Less: Save up to 25%
• Solo travellers: Pay no single supplement on select expedition cruises in 2024

Particularly memorable, both for the effort it took and the rewarding vistas it provided, was a hike that involved a steep climb on a hastily improvised switchback trail. That said, I've seen many travelers with mobility issues on expedition cruises enjoying the experience, even if the landings part of the trip came with some difficulty. In addition, many well-known tour companies such as Abercrombie & Kent and Overseas Adventure Travel market expedition trips on vessels chartered in whole or in part from other companies. Abercrombie & Kent, for instance, operates trips to polar regions on vessels chartered from Ponant. The wildlife-filled Galapagos, where most islands are uninhabited, is another classic expedition cruise market — one with an expedition vessel ecosystem all its own, thanks to unusual local regulations. A ship rated PC7 is only designed to sail through thin first-year ice, and ships without polar-class ratings should steer clear of icy areas.

Why Viking

We understand that time is the greatest luxury, which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal, a drink, or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world. We have noticed that these cruises attract like-minded individuals, making them a perfect choice for solo travelers or those looking to connect with fellow explorers. Ideal for those in relatively good shape with a thirst for knowledge and an appetite for exploration, these cruises appeal to nature enthusiasts, wildlife photographers, history buffs, and cultural explorers alike. Expedition cruises are tailor-made for the curious and adventurous traveler, eager to delve beyond the surface of traditional tourist destinations. From the awe-inspiring Glacier Bay National Park to the historic towns of the Inside Passage, Alaska is a land of beauty and adventure. We have been to Alaska four times and each time we visit, we discover something new and fall in love with it all over again.

Coral Expeditions joins Expedition Cruise Network - Cruise and Ferry

Coral Expeditions joins Expedition Cruise Network.

Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2024 09:38:57 GMT [source]

Expedition Cruises – Complete Guide to Cruising Remote Destinations

Just because you're on an expedition cruise doesn't mean that you have to eat like pioneering Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. Imagine sailing through a sea of icebergs while enjoying foie gras and wild boar with a sparkling glass of Champagne on the side. Equal parts exhilarating adventure and travel by cruise ship, expedition cruising is one of the best ways to experience some of the most remote, and visually stunning, destinations on the planet. The list of fascinating destinations for expedition cruises is virtually endless. Explore Alaska’s rugged coastline and witness its stunning fjords, glaciers, and wildlife.

Why Expedition Cruising Is Booming — and What to Know Before You Book

There is no need to pack a ball gown or suit and tie; travelers can relax in their hiking pants and fleece jackets after they trekked through the rugged environments. As I've written about before, there are pros and cons of both types of Antarctica trips. Don’t forget a thing on your next adventure with this comprehensive packing list of 68 essential travel accessories. You’ll spend very little time in your cabin on this type of cruise, so don’t pay for one with a balcony if you want to economize.

Sign up to receive updates from Viking

The Galapagos comprises 19 larger islands, all but four uninhabited, and the typical weeklong Galapagos cruise includes stops at just five or six of them. That said, many lines offer back-to-back itineraries that include stops at different islands, allowing you to create a longer sailing that is more diverse in its stops. On some Canadian Arctic itineraries, for instance, expedition ships will stop at one or more of the Inuit settlements that dot the region. Sometimes an Inuit guide will be along for the voyage to talk about Inuit culture and life.

For most, a Grand Expedition Cruise is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We’ll do our very best to show you a range of wildlife spots and activities that’ll make it an unforgettable expedition. From discounted voyages to flight inclusive deals - we have a range of unmissable offers to help you experience some of the world's most breathtaking destinations. As the most discerning, up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel, Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse, offering both inspiration and vital intel.

Explore More for Less: Save up to 25%

Welcome to ExpeditionCruise.net, the web’s most authoritative information portal on adventure and expedition cruising. Our mission is to provide up to date and comprehensive information on traveling to the Arctic, Antarctica and further afield, so that your experience is as fulfilling and safe as possible. An expedition with Silversea luxury cruises is unlike any other form of travel — thrilling, awe-inspiring and humbling all at the same time. Join us on our immersive and responsible expeditions on new purpose-built small ships to the world’s wildest and most remarkable destinations – Antarctica, the Arctic and beyond. The Arctic is a realm of stark contrasts, where the seemingly endless polar ice meets the lush, green tundra. Here, you can observe majestic polar bears, narwhals, and walruses in their natural environment.

Onboard Obsession: Snorkeling With Manta Rays on an Expedition Cruise to Palau's Rock Islands - Condé Nast Traveler

Onboard Obsession: Snorkeling With Manta Rays on an Expedition Cruise to Palau's Rock Islands.

Posted: Fri, 29 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

On an expedition cruise, the focus is on remote wilderness areas and the wildlife that inhabits them. This could be Antarctica's rocky, ice-lined shoreline, with its massive penguin colonies, or the uninhabited islands of the Galapagos, with their giant tortoises and Darwin's finches. Alaska offers some of the best expedition cruises in the Northern Hemisphere. From the iconic Inside Passage cruise to the Glacier Bay cruise, you will experience a rich variety of National Park and glacier scenery on an Alaska cruise, as well as lots of wildlife.

In the Science Centre, at the heart of the ship, you’ll discover more about the places you sail to and listen to talks by the Expedition Team. With key expedition features and technology, MS Fram is primed to bring you on a journey of discovery to our planet’s most alluring and unspoiled regions. Alaska’s rugged wilderness is a prime destination for traditional cruises which we have taken ourselves. But we have also visited Alaska while expedition cruising, offering us a unique chance to explore remote fjords, glaciers, and wildlife. UnCruise Adventures, for instance, is a specialist in adventurous, outdoorsy, ship-based trips in remote parts of Alaska, although it also offers expedition cruises in the Sea of Cortez and other parts of Central America.

If you're thinking about an expedition cruise, then you probably already have a fierce curiosity and interest in wildlife and unique experiences. That's why you'll find that expedition voyages offer an extra dimension, depending on the itinerary, by bringing onboard historians, biologists, climatologists, ornithologists, photographers and other erudite experts. National Geographic Sea Bird sailed into Crow Butte in the early morning while guests on the bow enjoyed viewing the Columbia River, which forms the border between Washington and Oregon. Guests had the option of an aerobic hike, nature hike, photo hike, and history walk around Crow Butte and Crow Butte Campground. The beauty of the area awed guests, sporting views of local vineyards, dams, wildlife refuges, and the dry sagebrush-step ecosystem that dominates the area. Guests spied a variety of wildflowers and birds of prey, including spotting a golden eagle.

Unlike traditional cruising, expedition cruises focus on adventure, exploration, and education. But Alaska also is the stomping ground of a handful of expedition cruise operators — most notably UnCruise Adventures and Lindblad Expeditions — that offer expedition cruises into the wilderness areas of Southeast Alaska. On these trips, the focus is not on the region's towns but on its scenic wild lands and wildlife. We take you to some of the planet's most remote regions and show them to you intimately.

“So once you identify the cruise lines of interest to you, sign up for their promotions, just in case there are last-minute deals,” Speer says. As we traverse different areas of the world, we’ll discover a spectacular variety of animals. From whales, seals and penguins in the colder climes, to the exotic fauna of the tropics, the Grand Expedition Cruise you choose will offer plenty of opportunities to get up close and marvel at the creatures of the natural world.

The day ended with a spectacular sunset with everyone in attendance on the bow of the ship. If all of the above sounds like something you wouldn't enjoy doing, you might want to skip an expedition cruise and focus on more traditional cruises instead. Lindblad Expeditions was founded in 1979 by Sven-Olof Lindblad, whose father, Lars-Eric Lindblad, led the first expedition trips to Antarctica (in 1966) and the Galapagos (in 1967). Lindblad Expeditions later pioneered expedition cruise voyages to places like Baja California and parts of the Arctic. Cruise lines will generally break the islands into north, south, east and west loops.

Look for cruise lines prioritizing sustainability and establishing partnerships with local communities. If you’re a loyalty member of one of the regular cruise lines now launching expedition ships, Rob Clabbers with Q Cruise + Travel recommends inquiring whether the line will extend your past-guest discounts to its expedition sailings. “Booking your expedition cruise while you’re on one of the line’s regular cruises may result in savings and/or benefits as well,” Clabbers says.

They can require a bit of deft maneuvering to step into (and out of). We started our crisp and sunny morning with a ride into the boat basin at Sacajawea Historical State Park. The park is home to the October 16-17, 1805 campsite of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and also the Confluence Project Story Circles installed by the acclaimed artist, Maya Lin. As this is a Food and Wine expedition, we departed for Dunham Cellars, with some passengers going to the Whitman Mission National Historic Site. This is the scene of the tragic 1847 encounter between the missionaries and local natives.