Expedition Cruises

About Expedition Cruises

Antarctic

Expedition cruises to Antarctica allow guests to experience dramatic scenery dominated by snow and ice in the last unexplored place on Earth, where nature is at its most sublime and haunting. Kayak silently among the icebergs, stand in the middle of a thousand noisy penguins or listen to the melting ice and the distant echo of a calving glacier. The spectacular landscape and teeming wildlife will leave you speechless but with memories to last a lifetime. Enjoy spending time ashore, hiking, and seeing penguins, seabirds and seals up close. Some Antarctic cruises also include landings at the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.

Antarctic cruises take place during the winter months, between October and March. Around November, the temperatures tend to be colder than later in the season. By the end of November, you may spot nests of penguin eggs. December to early February have the most sunlight and temperatures are usually at their warmest. Penguins chicks begin hatching at it’s the best time to spot penguins. February and March are the best times to spot whales but by the end of March most of penguins chicks have grown and started to fledge.

Arctic

Explore the Arctic wilderness of Svalbard and Greenland.

Located halfway between Norway and the North Pole, Spitsbergen is part of the Svalbard Archipelago. It is home to more than 3,000 polar bears and cruising into the high Arctic increases the chance of seeing this solitude animal. There are more ice drifts in the high Arctic, so polar bears often use these as platforms to cross the sea. Colonies of Walrus are also often seen in Spitsbergen, along with the Arctic fox and reindeer.

In Greenland, the landscapes towering mountains create a backdrop to the icy seas, fjords and glaciers. Meet the local Inuit community and learn about the Norse heritage. Look out for whales, seals and seabirds.

Arctic expedition cruises take place during the summer months, during which Svalbard experiences the Midnight Sun.

Northwest Passage

The Northwest Passage is the ultimate expedition for explorers. Explore the wild terrain as the ship navigates the isolated sea passage between Kangerlussuaq in Greenland and Nome in Alaska. Look out for walrus and polar bears as you explore this remote region, surrounded by vast mountain ranges and dramatic glaciers. The extreme conditions of the Northwest Passage means only a few cruise companies have the expertise to offer this destination.

Galapagos

Aside from the polar regions, the volcanic Galapagos Islands are another of the most popular destinations for expedition cruising. The Galapagos Islands lie about 600 miles from Ecuador, and can either be explored as a Galapagos expedition cruise, or as an extension to a cruise along the coast of Chile and Peru.

The Galapagos Islands are a year-round destination. December to May is known as the rainy season, however they are short spells of showers mainly in the afternoon. At this time of year, marine iguanas become brightly coloured as they begin their mating season, giant tortoise eggs start hatching and frigate birds start nesting. January to March is also the best time for snorkelling as there is peak visibility underwater during these months and the sea temperature is more favourable. June is the beginning of the cold, dry season in the Galapagos Islands. From June, seabirds are more active and blue-footed boobies can be seen nesting on the shores. In September, there is a high chance of spotting baby sea lions, whilst October is a good time to see the chicks of Blue-footed boobies.