High-End Expedition Cruising
Welcome to the golden age of ocean travel. These days there’s a cruise for everyone, with hundreds of ships and routes to choose from. Recently, cruise lines have responded to travellers’ wishes for opulence and adventure, making space in the industry for a niche that is growing in popularity: high-end expedition cruising.
Expedition cruising is much like traditional cruising in terms of the on-board offering but places more emphasis on the on-shore experience, excursions, and ports of call – many of which are more off-the-beaten-track than mainstream cruises.
Embarking on an expedition cruise, you’ll be travelling to some of the world’s most remote and pristine pockets, where nature reigns supreme and you can enjoy the unique flora and fauna of each destination, learning about the untouched territories from a team of expert guides.
Navigating the North Pole, admiring endemic wildlife, losing breath over views that few of us get to see in a lifetime: it's a small wonder why expedition cruising is soaring in popularity—not just with cruisers, but all types of adventurers.
SILVERSEA CRUISES
Silversea Cruises is the leading ultra-luxury and expedition cruise line, acclaimed for both its all-inclusive lifestyle offering and its global destination portfolio. Voyages with Silversea include butler service in every suite category; a choice of restaurants on every ship, as well as in-suite dining around the clock, complimentary sustainable caviar on-demand 24/7, and premium beverages served throughout the ship; and a true door-to-door service, with private executive transfers and flights, among other inclusions.
Expeditions with Silversea are unlike any other form of travel — thrilling, awe-inspiring and humbling all at the same time. They will take you to some of the most remote regions of the planet and immerse you into the culture, landscape, and habitat.
From the lush rainforests of the equatorial Pacific to the polar extremes at the very edge of the world, Silversea expedition ships sail to 900 destinations across all seven continents. You can explore pelagic wonderlands, admire volcanic plateaus gushing with geysers, or enter the realm of the Polar Bear. But no matter where you go, you’ll enjoy a uniquely immersive experience, expanding your global perspective and prompting you to re-evaluate what really matters. And rest assured- no creature comfort will be denied on an expedition cruise with Silversea.
QUARK
As the Leader in polar adventures, Quark explores the Artic and Antarctic regions differently to everyone else. When you travel with Quark Expeditions, you’re exploring alongside the most experienced polar experts on earth, setting foot where few ever will, and doing what few ever dream.
Their expeditions are perfect for avid travellers who don’t just want to explore off the beaten path but want to go where there are no paths at all. They’re designed for travellers who aren’t just content to cruise but who would prefer to cruise 1,000 feet over untouched wilderness in a twin-engine helicopter. With Quark Expeditions you won’t just be on vacation—you’ll be on the expedition of a lifetime.
The vessels in Quark Expeditions’ fleet accommodate anywhere from 128 to 199 passengers. Their smaller ships have a plethora of benefits, including the ability to take you to remote areas that large ships simply can’t reach. Small expedition ships can take you to remote, tiny villages and settlements, often through narrow fjords and channels. This ability to get off-the-beaten-path and avoid overcrowded shore landings means you have a much more authentic polar experience. Most indigenous settlements, for example, simply cannot accommodate huge numbers of visitors from those larger expedition vessels.
Smaller groups of passengers—as opposed to huge contingents of guests on larger ships—also often have a lot more time at each landing site; and they often promise a more personal, intimate setting.
AURORA EXPEDITIONS
An experience with Aurora is life changing. Founded by legendary adventurer Greg Mortimer more than 30 years ago, the company’s expert expedition teams have been sharing their knowledge and understanding of some of the most remote and unspoiled destinations on the planet ever since.
On an expedition, Aurora’s approach is to follow the experience, not the itinerary and they believe that: “If you want to see something you’ve never seen, you have to go somewhere you’ve never been.” Their purpose-built small ships, Zodiacs, and immersive activities take you to undiscovered areas, to the heart of nature; while their itineraries are full of adventure as well as history and cultural experiences.
Designed in close consultation with the company’s expedition team and drawing on centuries of collective experience, Aurora ships are purpose-built for expeditions to the most remote places on earth.
Although they’re on the smaller side – accommodating an average of 132 passengers per voyage – Aurora ships are decked out with expansive observation decks, inviting communal areas and unsurpassed environmental credentials, offering the perfect base camp for adventures at the outer limits of human exploration.
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 are polar specialists.
From the coniferous forests of the North to the glaciers of Antarctica, from the banks of the Amazon River to the idyllic beaches of New Caledonia, from the ancient traditions of the Inuits to the millennium-old cultures of Vanuatu, discover new cultures and remote corners of the earth on board a modern, luxurious ship.
An expedition with PONANT guarantees top quality comfort, despite exploring some of the most remote places on the planet. The comfort of the ship and staterooms, personalised and attentive service, and refined gastronomy will make you feel as though you’re on your own private yacht.
Whether it’s the polar regions or along the Amazon River, the smaller size of PONANT ships and their shallow draught mean you can get in as close as possible to these hard-to-access areas. This close proximity offers you the opportunity to explore often inaccessible locations and see rare sights. PONANT teams are trained to be on the lookout for any unexpected surprises and moments that are part and parcel of an expedition cruise, and their flexibility allows them to adapt to these – which is the true meaning of exploration travel.
TRUE NORTH
The highly acclaimed TRUE NORTH allows discerning adventurers to experience wilderness in surroundings in line with a personal luxury mega yacht that would look as at home in the world’s most exclusive harbours as it does in the Kimberley. Guests can take advantage of several stylishly appointed vantage points including a sundeck, forward observation lounge, ship’s lounge and an alfresco bar. The ship’s naturalist presents interpretative information on plasma screens and, an internet café enables convenient communication with the outside world.
The TRUE NORTH is the ONLY adventure-cruise ship in the southern hemisphere that travels with a full-time ship's helicopter - an air conditioned Eurocopter. The True North allows discerning adventurers to experience wilderness in surroundings more akin to one of the world's most exclusive hotels.
All cabins feature stylish decor, en-suite facilities, in-cabin entertainment, and satellite telephones. The Explorer and River Class staterooms offer king size beds that can be converted to singles whilst the Ocean Class twins feature roomy singles.