What Are Expedition Cruises? (And Should You Take One?)

When you picture a cruise ship, chances are it’s a giant vessel with thousands of passengers sailing around the Caribbean or Alaska. In contrast, expedition cruises are small-ship voyages that venture into relatively remote and tucked-away places. With a capacity of perhaps 100 to 200 passengers (or sometimes less), they tend to be more exclusive than regular cruises, attracting a discerning clientele seeking to travel with a purpose and who appreciate the focus on discovery and exploration. If this sounds appealing, find out more about expedition cruises and a few of the most popular itineraries around the world.

The Basics of Expedition Cruises

If you’re hoping to explore Arctic regions, venture to Antarctica, sail up the Amazon, or island hop through the Galápagos, an expedition cruise might be what you’re looking for. Typically, you’ll come ashore on smaller craft such as Zodiacs and be given the opportunity to join guided activities like snorkeling, snowmobiling, or hikes to viewpoints and other scenic spots. 

Such cruises regularly have an educational focus, with expert guides to provide context about the places and wildlife that you see. On board, a lecture program might feature talks by experts such as marine biologists, historians, or naturalists. On some cruises, professional photographers offer practical workshops to help passengers capture better images of the most memorable moments on deck and ashore. Below are a few of the most popular operators of expedition cruises and what you can expect to experience on each.

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions offers voyages all over the world, to places as far-flung as Patagonia and the South Pacific Ocean. There are more than 100 expedition cruise itineraries, spanning all seven continents and an impressive 70-plus countries. Guests can tick off an array of bucket-list-worthy experiences, including penguin encounters, underwater cave adventures, and thrilling Jeep rides. 

Days at sea are broken up with lectures on curated topics such as photography, conservation, and music. Passengers can take advantage of the ship’s open-bridge policy to see how the ship operates, get absorbed in a field guide for an upcoming destination in the well-stocked ship library, or enjoy a massage from an onboard wellness professional.

Quark Expeditions

Quark Expeditions, headquartered in Seattle, specializes in expedition cruises to polar regions. From May through September, the focus is on the Arctic, with sailings to Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, and the Canadian Arctic. Come November, the company pivots to the Southern Hemisphere, with voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia Island, the Falkland Islands, and Patagonia. 

Passengers can expect remarkable views of icebergs and snowy landscapes, along with a variety of location-dependent wildlife sightings including whales, walruses, polar bears, and penguins. The company aims to get guests off-ship as much as possible, so expect helicopter flightseeing, tranquil kayaking trips, Zodiac excursions, and immersive camping experiences, too.

HX Expeditions

HX Expeditions promises “extraordinary journeys to the world’s wildest places, where the unexpected awaits.” Guests can choose from a slew of adventurous destinations, among them Antarctica, Alaska, Canada’s Northwest Passage, and Arctic gems such as Greenland, Iceland, and the spectacular Norwegian coast. For instance, you might get to experience the midnight sun in Svalbard or get acquainted with giant tortoises in the Galápagos Islands. Itineraries are deliberately fluid, allowing the ship to be responsive in changing conditions, such as the seasonal flow of pack ice or tip-offs about recent wildlife sightings.

Swan Hellenic

Swan Hellenic specializes in expedition cruises to off-the-beaten-track destinations in Asia and the Pacific. Enjoy cultural encounters and community interaction in Papua New Guinea, for instance, or unlock the secrets of the Solomon Islands as you sail from Guadalcanal to the Sepik River. 

Likewise, itineraries to the Philippines, Japan, and South Korea center on experiential travel. Admire the ancestral mansions of Vigan in the Philippines, delve into samurai heritage in the Japanese city of Kagoshima, or tour the temples and tombs of Gyeongju, South Korea. Elsewhere, activities transport guests into paradisiacal locations, whether snorkeling over reefs teeming with tropical fish or hiking unspoilt rainforest trails. 

Silversea

Silversea’s expedition cruise arm has built a reputation on charting overlooked waters, sailing to a wide range of remote locations. While at sea, guests can enjoy an enviable ratio of almost one guest to one crew member. 

Off-ship activities are just as remarkable, from Zodiac excursions to surreal lava landscapes in the wildlife-rich Galápagos to river rafting in Chilean Patagonia. Alternatively, take to the air, peering out at four-tiered Mitchell Falls — a gem in the Kimberley region of Western Australia — through the windows of optional helicopter excursions.

Hapag Lloyd

While many expedition cruise specialists focus on polar regions, Hapag Lloyd seeks out warmer climates. For instance, you might explore the extraordinary boulder-strewn beaches of the Seychelles and the giant tortoises of its UNESCO-listed Aldabra Atoll. Or perhaps you’d rather venture to the upper reaches of the Amazon as you set off in search of pink river dolphins, water buffalo, and the world’s largest water lily.  

Another appealing expedition itinerary involves island hopping around the beautiful Azores, one of the world’s top whale-watching spots. While ashore, hike to volcanic caldera lakes, soak in geothermal hot springs, and savor the taste of the sweet, juicy pineapples grown here.