What Expedition Cruising Is Really All About

Gone are the days when expedition cruising was a minimalist, primarily scientific endeavor. Today’s ships rival the accommodations and cuisine of a luxury hotel, and the staff provides white glove service along with enriching educational opportunities. Here is what this elevated experience of expedition cruising is really all about.

Floating boutique hotel
Today’s expedition ships are comparable to a 5-star floating boutique hotel offering contemporary sophistication. Chic, spacious, and well-planned cabins feature generously sized bathrooms and comfortable in-room dining facilities; most have balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows with unobstructed views of the incredible destinations visited. The upscale accommodations provide a luxurious place for guests to relax and recharge for the next day’s adventures.

Observation lounges with spectacular, panoramic views are the natural choice for edutainment by day, and cocktails with fellow explorers by night to talk about the adventures of the day. Furthermore, the ships feature pools, hot tubs, wellness centers, and spas. So guests can, “get their fingers dirty offboard and then get pampered onboard,” as an executive from one leading expedition cruise operator says. The vessels, of course, also house the latest adventure equipment, such as sea kayaks and Zodiacs, and some even have helicopters.

Delectable cuisine
With high-end chefs (some with Michelin stars) onboard and fine dining experiences as the norm, guests enjoy an elegant and elevated culinary discovery at sea. Menus feature exquisitely prepared international and local cuisine to satisfy a variety of taste buds.

When visiting the polar regions, for instance, guests might sample gourmet food made with local ingredients they never tasted before. Or, in the Mediterranean on a small expedition ship, the chef might opt to purchase 100 squid at the local market to serve up to guests in a special soup or other culinary creation that is rooted in that region. What is for sure is that the cuisine and handcrafted cocktails onboard will be delectable.

Enriching excursions
Expedition cruising is no longer just about hopping on a Zodiac to see Orcas up close or partaking in scientific experiments at the South Pole. On today’s voyages, operators take guests to some of the most remote and inaccessible places on Earth, where they are immersed in incredible landscapes, ancient sites, diverse cultures, and legendary civilizations – the types of places that have intrigued curious travelers for centuries.   

The natural wonders of the world come alive, whether venturing to the wilderness of the polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctica, to the extraordinary landscapes of Africa and Latin America, or enticing small islands and ports in the Mediterranean.

In addition to the outdoor adventures, some of the leading expedition cruise operators also provide opportunities for cultural immersion to the remote destinations visited. They have the privilege of visiting places and learning about the local people that mainstream travelers will never experience.

The cornerstone of the expedition cruise is the expedition team and guest lecturers. The friendly onboard expedition experts are renowned in their respective fields, from historians and archeologists and naturalists, to meteorologists and botanists and marine biologists. Hand-in-hand with guests on the sailings, they bring unparalleled knowledge, insightful perspectives, and scintillating excitement to the journeys.

The guest lecturers also share their wealth of specialized knowledge related to the destinations explored, including fascinating facts about the local history, culture, flora, and wildlife. What’s more, in the heartfelt state of camaraderie onboard, guests are encouraged to discuss their experiences in a friendly atmosphere during briefings before disembarkation and recap sessions afterwards.

White glove service
On top of (or more accurately, as the foundation of) the luxurious accommodations, the sumptuous gastronomy, and the refined excursions and lectures, is the white glove service. The well-trained crew is adept at discerning every need of the guests, and caters to them with intuitive personal service. And yet, the Old Guard pretentiousness is nowhere to be found onboard, as crew and guests comfortably interact with and get to know each other.

The impressive staff-to-guest ratio also makes it possible for today’s expedition cruise operators to deliver sublime adventure and cultural experiences that personify the bucket list tier of travel.

Expect Surprises
What might surprise expedition cruisers the most are the unexpected, breathtaking moments they encounter. Imagine, for instance, sitting on the top deck of a state-of-the-art expedition vessel, bundled up in a parka (provided by the cruise operator) in 29-degree weather in the Arctic, fully entrenched in the scene unfolding before you, watching cities of icebergs float by on the horizon – feeling as if you are on a seemingly different planet altogether.

Or envision yourself in Greece journeying to a small island where just 800 people live. And there you are greeted by a family of 500-pound sea turtles, while you sit on the deck imbibing a plate of luscious afternoon appetizers and locally produced wine. The overarching sentiment in that precious moment is that all is well with the world.

Small expedition ships go to places where larger vessels cannot, and they provide guests with uncommon adventure and cultural experiences that will live forever in their memories as unforgettable moments of travel, exploration, and personal expansion. Isn’t that exactly what travel is all about?

FROM THE SPONSOR:
Swan Hellenic is an established, well-respected, owner-operated heritage brand with more than seven decades of expertise in undiscovered destinations. Our brand-new fleet of expedition ships are cutting edge, but the core values that underpinned the brand and served its guests so well from its inception remain in place. Swan Hellenic prides itself on taking its guests to see what others do not, visiting small and lesser-known ports of special cultural, geographical, or wildlife interest, as well as bucket list famous cities. Above all, our guests visit many uniquely remote places beyond these ports of call, boarding Zodiac boats and exploring at sea level to come ashore in rich unspoiled areas of our planet that often cannot be accessed in any other way.

For more information about Swan Hellenic’s latest promotions, visit: https://www.swanhellenic.com/promotions. Our Facebook Travel Advisor Page is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793940561748667.