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Expedition Cruises

Luxury expedition cruises, to the places most people only see on screen.

A luxury expedition cruise takes you somewhere wild and brings you back to a warm suite and a real dinner. Antarctica, the Arctic, the Galápagos, the Amazon. You land by Zodiac in the morning and hear about what you saw from a scientist over wine that night.

I'm a certified PONANT Explorations Expert, and I'm also certified with Silversea, Scenic and Viking. I match you to the ship that fits where you want to go, how adventurous you are and how much comfort you want waiting at the end of the day.

PONANT Explorations Expert | Silversea | Scenic | Viking | CLIA

Where expedition ships go

Antarctica

Penguin colonies, ice that's older than anything on land at home, and whales close enough to hear. Most voyages leave from Ushuaia in Argentina and cross the Drake Passage. Some include a charter flight to the ship.

The Arctic

Svalbard, Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. Polar bears, walrus, seabird cliffs and the midnight sun.

The Galápagos

Wildlife with no fear of people. Small ships with naturalist guides are required to visit, and the smaller the ship, the more personal the landings.

Warm-water expeditions

The Kimberley in Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Amazon, the Mekong and the islands of Indonesia. Same small-ship idea, with swimsuits instead of parkas.

The ships I recommend

Le Commandant Charcot (PONANT)

PONANT calls it the first luxury polar exploration ship built as a true icebreaker. It's Polar Class 2, runs on hybrid electric and LNG power, and carries 245 guests. Dinner is at Nuna, a restaurant by Alain Ducasse. It's also a working research ship with two labs, so the scientists aboard are doing real fieldwork.

PONANT's polar ships

Le Boréal, L'Austral, Le Soléal and Le Lyrial carry 264 guests each and hold ice class 1C. They're the ships PONANT sends most often to Antarctica and the Arctic.

PONANT's Explorer ships

Six ships of 184 guests, every room with a balcony, built mostly for warmer expedition waters. Each has the Blue Eye, an underwater lounge where you can hear whales and dolphins through the hull.

Scenic Eclipse I and II

Discovery yachts that carry up to 228 guests, or 200 in polar waters. Polar Class 6, with two helicopters and a submarine aboard.

Viking expedition ships

Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris carry 378 guests and two six-guest submarines each. They sail Antarctica and the Great Lakes.

Silversea expeditions

Silversea runs a fleet of expedition ships, including Silver Origin in the Galápagos, with 100 guests and the service Silversea is known for.

Aqua Expeditions

PONANT's sister brand, with small expedition yachts in the Galápagos, the Peruvian Amazon, the Mekong and Indonesia. It's a line I book.

Lindblad, Quark, Aurora and HX

Expedition lines I also book, each with its own style and price range. I'll tell you plainly which one fits you better.

Why PONANT stands out

PONANT is the only small-ship expedition line partnered with The Explorers Club. It sails with Smithsonian Journeys experts aboard and works with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. PONANT was also the first cruise line to stop using heavy fuel oil.

For you, that means the people leading your landings and talks are serious about these places, and you come home knowing why what you saw matters.

Why ship size matters on an expedition

In Antarctica, rules limit how many people can be ashore at one site at a time. On a smaller ship, you spend more of the day on land and less of it waiting for your group's turn.

A smaller ship also means a quieter landing, fewer people in your photos and a crew that learns your name.

Is an expedition cruise right for you?

It fits you if

  • You'd rather learn about a place than just see it.
  • You're comfortable getting in and out of a Zodiac with help.
  • You want wild places with a warm suite and a real chef waiting.
  • Weather changing the plan sounds like part of the adventure.

It's not the best fit if

  • You need a fixed schedule that never changes.
  • You get badly seasick and the route crosses the Drake Passage. I can look at fly-in options or a warmer route.
  • You want casinos, shows and a big-ship pool deck.

Questions

Questions I get asked

The season runs November through March. November has fresh snow, December and January bring penguin chicks and the longest days, and February and March are best for whales.

Curious, seasoned travelers who want somewhere truly different, with comfort at the end of the day. Many guests have never cruised before and wouldn't call themselves cruisers.

Anyone who wants a predictable schedule or big-ship entertainment. Expedition days are set by ice, weather and wildlife.

The ships are very different from each other, and the right one depends on where you're going and how you travel. I compare the real totals, including flights, gear, gratuities and excursions, and I know which voyages carry which experts.

Book your flights to arrive a day early. Expedition ships don't wait, and one late connection can cost you the voyage.

Ten to twelve nights for a classic Antarctica voyage from Ushuaia. Seven nights in the Galápagos. Longer voyages add places like South Georgia.

Twelve to eighteen months for Antarctica, especially for December and January or a specific suite. Nine to twelve months for the Galápagos and the Arctic.

It depends on the ship, the route and the suite, so I quote each voyage directly. Many include meals, drinks, landings, expert talks and gear like a parka, and some include charter flights. I show you the full price up front.

You'll connect through a hub like Minneapolis, Chicago, Denver or Dallas. Antarctica usually goes through Buenos Aires to Ushuaia. The Galápagos goes through Quito or Guayaquil in Ecuador.

Tell me the place you've always wanted to see before it changes. I'll find the ship that gets you there.

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