Expeditions and Nature Cruises

There are still some less explored areas to be visited by the more adventurous, who want to experience them before they are spoiled

Passengers joining expeditions tend to be more self-reliant and more interested in doing or learning than in being entertained. They become “participants” and take an active role in almost every aspect of the voyage, which is destination-, exploration-, and nature-intensive.

Naturalists, historians, and lecturers (rather than entertainers) are aboard each ship to provide background information and observations about wildlife. Each participant receives a personal logbook, illustrated and written by the wildlife artists and writers who accompany each cruise – a fine souvenir.

You can walk on pack ice in the islands and land masses in the Arctic Ocean and Arctic Circle, explore a huge penguin rookery on an island in the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands or South Georgia, or search for “lost” peoples in Melanesia. Or you can cruise close to the source of the Amazon, gaze at species of flora and fauna in the Galápagos Islands (Darwin’s laboratory), or watch a genuine dragon on the island of Komodo – from a comfortable distance, of course.

Briefings and lectures bring cultural and intellectual elements to expedition cruise vessels. There is no formal entertainment as such; passengers enjoy this type of cruise more for the camaraderie and learning experience, and being close to nature. The ships are designed and equipped to sail in ice-laden waters, yet they have a shallow enough draft to glide over coral reefs.

Travel In Comfort
Despite being rugged, expedition cruise vessels can provide comfortable and even elegant surroundings for up to 200 passengers, and offer first-class food and service. Without traditional cruise ports at which to stop, a ship must be self-sufficient, be capable of long-range cruising, and be totally environmentally friendly.

Lars-Eric Lindblad pioneered expedition cruising in the late 1960s. A Swedish American, he turned travel into adventure by going to parts of the world tourists had not visited. After chartering several vessels for voyages to Antarctica, he organized the design and construction of a small ship capable of going almost anywhere in comfort and safety. In 1969, Lindblad Explorer was launched; it soon earned an enviable reputation in adventure travel. Others followed.

To put together cruise expeditions, companies turn to knowledgeable sources and advisors. Scientific institutions are consulted; experienced world explorers and naturalists provide up-to-date reports on wildlife sightings, migrations, and other natural phenomena. Although some days are scheduled for relaxation, participants are kept physically and mentally active. Thus it is unwise to consider such an adventure cruise if you are not completely ambulatory.

Adventure cruise companies provide expedition parkas and waterproof boots, but you will need to take waterproof trousers for Antarctica and the Arctic.

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		Berlitz 2010 Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships

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Berlitz Ocean Cruising & Cruise Ships 2009 by Douglas Ward © Apa Publications 2008-2009 www.berlitzpublishing.com

Berlitz Trademarak Reg.US Patent Office and other countries. MarcaRegistrada. Property of Berlitz Investment corporation and used under license by Apa Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG, Singapore Branch