Exploring remote places is at the heart of expedition cruising, and more travellers than ever are jumping onboard. This type of travel attracts people looking for an authentic, in-depth experience.
Expedition cruises have a flexible itinerary, an expedition leader and team of specialised guides work with the captain to make the most of every day through small group excursions. It is like a safari at sea. For luxury travellers, there are creature comforts like drying rooms, heated floors, saunas, hot tubs, gyms, spa treatments, and wellness rooms. There are libraries, citizen science labs, art spaces, theatres, photography classes, guest speakers for enrichment, and exploration essentials such as Zodiacs, kayaks, snorkelling, diving and snowshoeing equipment, in addition to signature features.
In our seventh annual Luxury Cruise Awards, 19 Australian cruise and travel industry experts voted on the world’s best expedition cruises.
World’s best luxury expedition ships
1. Seabourn
Onboard luxury meets onshore exploration on a Seabourn expedition cruise to remote destinations that can only be accessed by specialised ships.
2. Silversea
Silversea’s fleet of specialised expedition ships voyage to unspoilt corners of the world, where guests can join destination experts on innovative itineraries.
3. Scenic
Discover polar frontiers from a helicopter or submersible, listen to educational lectures and encounter remarkable wildlife on an expedition cruise with Scenic.
Finalists: Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Ponant, Quark Expeditions, Swan Hellenic, True North Adventure Cruises, Viking Expeditions
World’s best premium expedition ships
1. Quark Expeditions
Quark Expeditions’ exploration cruises exclusively visit secluded polar regions with a team of seasoned expert guides that lead immersive shore excursions. Its ships are suitably equipped for a variety of destinations and provide onboard amenities that appeal to the luxury traveller. But it is the excursions, activities and experiences that set it apart. Ultramarine has two helicopters that are designed to fly deeper into the polar regions than any other helicopter in its class. These helicopters ensure guests can go further from the ship, for helihiking, ice-sheet landings and more. Ultramarine has an internal Zodiac hangar so its 20 vessels can be utilised quickly for off-ship adventures.
2. Aurora Expeditions
Committed to providing perspective-altering and sustainable expeditions, Aurora Expeditions’ fleet of small ships delivers meaningful itineraries. With environmental initiatives informed by partnerships with industry experts and conservation leaders, Aurora Expeditions’ impressive ships, Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle, were purpose-built and the first in the world to feature the Ulstein X-Bow – cleverly designed to make ocean crossings more comfortable. Sylvia Earle is certified 100 per cent Climate Neutral and also has a fully equipped Citizen Science Centre for guests to broaden their knowledge of the wild places the ship visits.
3. HX Expeditions
Remote exploration experts since 1896, HX Expeditions offers voyages to the world’s wildest locations, promising transformative experiences. Onboard guests can expect a warm, informal atmosphere with a full science centre, daily lectures, Zodiac landings, locally inspired dining, wellness facilities and hands-on citizen-science opportunities.
Finalists: Albatros Expeditions, Antarctica21, Aranui Cruises, Coral Expeditions, Heritage Expeditions, UnCruise Adventures
What is an expedition ship?
Expedition ships go where conventional cruise ships can’t. Typically carrying between 100 and 300 passengers and built for extreme conditions, they manoeuvre into far-flung tropical coves, navigate through glacier-filled bays, and cross the roughest stretches of water on the planet, to touch a place and be touched by it.
An expedition cruise isn’t a standard vacation sailing. An expedition ship is smaller than a traditional ocean cruise ship and is purpose-built for navigating difficult environments, such as the Antarctic. Expedition ships can respond to changing weather quickly, and move more nimbly through difficult routes.
While expedition ships are primarily designed for exploration, the interior of the ship is crafted to ensure guests can relax in comfortable accommodations. Most vessels have cabins with private balconies, and communal spaces that facilitate conversation and the development of a community. Others may have restaurants, spas, gyms, pools and other luxurious features.
What is an expedition cruise?
An expedition cruise is governed by two simple goals: to learn and explore. An expedition cruise takes passengers to remote and pristine destinations, such as Greenland, the Arctic, the fjords of Northern Europe, Costa Rica, the Great Barrier Reef and beyond. These voyages are usually led by conservation, wildlife, science and adventure experts who educate guests on the flora, fauna, geology and culture of their destination through hands-on experiences, tours and wildlife encounters.
What types of excursions and activities happen on expedition cruises?
The types of activities undertaken on expedition cruises are largely dictated by the destination and the cruise line with which you choose to sail. That is, a tropical locale means snorkelling, scuba diving, swimming with whales and stand-up paddleboarding are all on the table. In an icy zone, Zodiac tours, kayaking, or guided tours of a significant site may be more appropriate. Hikes and wildlife watching are other possible inclusions, and some vessels are even equipped with submarines and helicopters.
When was the first expedition cruise?
Expedition cruising began in January 1966. Lars-Eric Lindblad took 57 intrepid adventurers on the first ‘citizen explorers’ cruise to Antarctica. Lindblad hoped that if people experienced a place firsthand, they would become ambassadors for its protection. Up until that time, the great southern continent had been the domain of pioneering explorers and scientists. In February 1967, he clocked up another first, this time to the Galápagos, and in 1984, led the first tourist expedition through the Northwest Passage. Now in Lindblad Expeditions has sixteen ships, including two PC5 Polar Class icebreakers, conducting 100 itineraries across all seven continents and a strong partnership with National Geographic.
Signature Luxury Travel & Style Luxury Cruise Awards
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