Expedition cruise lines specialize in voyages to remote and pristine destinations, often inaccessible to larger cruise ships. These cruises focus on immersive, educational experiences, with expert guides leading excursions via Zodiacs, kayaks, and guided hikes. Below are links to our favourite expedition cruise companies.
Best Expedition Cruise Lines
Lindblad National Geographic Expeditions
For more than 20 years, National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions have collaborated to connect curious travelers with transformative experiences. Together, they offer over 100 expedition cruises around the world, in more than 70 countries and on all seven continents. Every voyage brings together the legacy of National Geographic, with its long commitment to sharing and protecting world wonders, and the unparalleled expertise of Lindblad Expeditions, with its 50+ years of taking travellers to the planet’s remote and wild places.
Quark Expeditions
Polar-obsessed since 1991, Quark’s team of polar experts is made up of the most seasoned, passionate and respected guides in the industry. Built for polar exploration, Quark Expedition vessels provide an intimate experience and are fully equipped with the latest in expedition technology, ensuring you can safely and comfortably explore hard-to-reach polar destinations others don’t. Whether you’re on the ship, in a helicopter, Zodiac or kayak, biking, camping, hiking, or immersing in local culture, Quark offer countless ways to explore on each voyage.
Ponant
Whether it’s a polar, tropical or subtropical expedition, from Antarctica to Papua New Guinea, PONANT gets you up close and personal with unspoilt nature and rich cultures, far from the traditional cruise routes. With more than 20 years of experience in extreme regions, PONANT is a true Polar Specialist. Refinement, curiosity, authenticity are Ponant’s unique travel philosophy which reinterprets cruising and invites you to discover or rediscover iconic destinations. Their Luxury Culture and Relaxation cruises offer you a new way to travel, by combining cultural enrichment with time to unwind in a luxury setting and sites that only insiders know about.
Seabourn
Think of it as an ultra-luxury Safari at Sea. Seabourn’s two new Polar Class 6 ships are your richly-appointed base camps. Your guides are an elite Expedition Team and your 4 x 4 is a Zodiac , kayak, or six-person submarine that allows you to encounter rare creatures in the wild where unexpected discovery unfolds every day. Their ultra-luxury purpose-built expedition ships with PC6 ice-strengthened hull and advanced maneuvering technology give superior stability, safety and comfort. With inclusive experiences at every stop, such as curated shore excursions, cultural tours, guided Zodiac cruises, hikes, nature walks, and snorkeling you will be spoilt for choice on a Seabourn expedition cruise.
HX
Since 1896, HX have been taking curious travellers on mindful adventures to the world’s most awe-inspiring places on comfortable, purpose-built ships which will change the way you see the world. Every day, handpicked experts from a range of fields will lead you on discoveries onshore and onboard including hikes, community visits, kayaking, talks and more.
Aurora Expeditions
As a Certified B Corporation™ and proudly Carbon Neutral, Aurora believe adventure and responsibility go hand in hand. Their small ships feature cutting-edge technology, and every voyage blends adventure, conservation and education, so you can explore the world while helping to protect it. Guided by some of the world’s best remote area specialists, every journey is enriched with fascinating lectures and insights that bring each destination to life. Whether you’re embarking on your first expedition or returning for another adventure, Aurora’s mission remains the same: to take you beyond the ordinary, offering immersive, unforgettable experiences that stir the soul and inspire a lifelong connection to the natural world.
Scenic
Enjoy unrivalled, all-inclusive exploration of extraordinary polar destinations on an all-inclusive Scenic Eclipse voyage. Enjoy unrivalled, immersive exploration led by a Discovery Team of up to 20 experts. From helicopter and submersible experiences, to wildlife excursions by Zodiac and kayak. Scenic’s World’s First Discovery Yachts have been purpose-built for Expedition Voyages to the most remote and extreme environments, with a Polar Class 6-rating and state-of-the-art technology and design.
Hurtigruten
Experts in expedition since 1896, To commemorate the 130-year anniversary of their Original voyages Hurtigruten have launched Signature voyages: The Svalbard Line and The North Cape Line. These all-inclusive, award-winning sailings explore special places along the coast often overlooked by non-Norwegian cruise lines. With the most extensive science programme in the industry, they bring learning right into the heart of the journey with onboard scientists and experts onboard. “Today, we go further, exploring from pole to pole. But our core remains the same: still seeking out the unfiltered, raw beauty of the world’s wildest places.”
Poseidon Expeditions
Poseidon Expeditions is a leading operator of polar expeditions in the cruise industry. For 26 years they have been offering voyages to the Arctic and Antarctica that combine the spirit of adventure with a generous measure of onboard comfort and well-being. Poseidon’s ‘edutainment’ program and friendly atmosphere ensure that guests are not only active outdoors but also enjoy every single moment aboard. Polar experts and special guests provide fascinating lectures and presentations, bringing the world of the Arctic and Antarctica closer to passengers.
Aqua Expeditions
Aqua Expeditions’ fleet of six showcases the perfect blend of adventure and luxury, setting a new standard for expedition cruising in the waters they sail. From the Amazon River of Peru and the Mekong River in Southeast Asia to the Galapagos of Ecuador, the Seychelles and Tanzanian isles of East Africa, and the pristine coastal waters of Eastern Indonesia, the signature Aqua Experience remains at the core of each of Aqua’s expeditions.
Eclipse Travel
Eclipse Travel is an Australian owner-run company that specialises in travel to incredible, unique and sometimes remote destinations such as Antarctica, the Arctic, Africa, and South and Central America. Travel to the end of the Earth and explore the vast wilderness of the great white continent on one of their many incredible small ship expeditions.
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Pixsell Travels 