What is expedition cruising all about?

Expedition cruising in growing in popularity and attracts passengers of all ages seeking adventure and exploration. Expedition cruising is much like traditional cruising, but with more emphasis placed on the experience ashore, excursions and ports of call – many of which are much more off-the-beaten-track than mainstream cruises.

You will generally be onboard with National Geographic or photography experts as well as an on-board expedition team comprising scientists, scholars, naturalists and more.

Expedition ships are smaller than ocean ships, so they can navigate and gain access to ports most other ships can’t reach. This makes the itineraries exciting and unique with destinations such as the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica and the Falkland Islands. Zodiacs are used to in many places as opposed to tender boats to get on and off the ship at

Aside from offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences, expeditions also promote environmentally friendly cruising. Following the introduction of the Polar Code in January 2018, expedition ships holding a Polar Ship certificate are required to comply with specific standards concerning the ships’ construction, equipment and training of the crew when operating in the Polar Regions. This ensures that the ships are safe, and staff pay attention to environmental pollution. You will often see on expedition cruises at several ports the ships staff (and sometimes customers) collecting plastic from the shores placing them in large containers ready to be removed. Hurtigruten are launching the first hybrid ship with 0% emissions and with hybrid technology aim to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20%.

There's a variety of expedition ships on offer ranging from 4* to 6* experiences so there is a cruise for everyone. The more informal ships will not require you to change attire for your evening meal and will generally include beer and wine at mealtimes whilst the more luxurious ships will have a formal dress code for dinner with evening entertainment. The 6-star experiences are generally all inclusive but don't just include beverages this will also include all excursions.

If you want a once in a lifetime experience visiting unique destinations expedition cruising is for you. It's certainly been added to my bucket list!