Expedition Cruises

When we think of cruise ships we often think of giant ships carrying thousands of passengers and offering a multitude of onboard entertainments. Expedition cruise ships are much smaller, carrying a few hundred passengers at most. The emphasis with an expedition cruise is not endless onboard entertainments but the destination itself.

Expedition cruises will take you to locations like Alaska, the Arctic, the Galápagos Islands, The Kimberley, the South Pacific and Antarctica. The smaller cruise ships allow you to get to more isolated spots which you will explore via small zodiac landing craft. Dependent on the region you are visiting there will be opportunities to kayak, snorkel, hike. All of this led by location specific experts; think renowned scientists, naturalists, photographers.

If you want your cruise ship to have a casino, wave rider, climbing wall and 24\7 dining and drinking options - then expedition cruising isn’t for you! What you can expect is an excellent standard of cabin (no internal cabins on these smaller ships), delicious and plentiful food and themed evening talks which might cover photography tips, cultural history, or environmental issues. If that all sounds a bit dry, don’t worry there will also be music, laughter and fun. And dependent on the cruise line you choose there might be the opportunity for a soak under the stars in a hot tub or for a massage or beauty treatment in the spa!

How much is that going to set me back? I hear you ask. Well, these are bucket list adventures and that comes with a price tag. I’ve featured a Silversea Antarctic expedition today, for no other reason than that it’s an expedition cruise I want to take myself one day (just putting that out there, Universe). I would say the pricing here is mid to high range* for an Antarctic cruise.

To get the best value for your money, I would strongly encourage you to go through a travel agent when planning your expedition cruise. Your travel agent can advise you on which voyage works best for you. There’s a lot to consider here; the onboard facilities, the opportunities for onshore activities and which cruise line includes what with their pricing.

Silversea would be my personal choice for this adventure for many reasons. The price is all-inclusive so I know I can drink as much champagne as I like and not have a hefty bar bill! On a more practical note, I know the ticket price includes any clothing and equipment I might need; wetsuit and snorkelling gear, outer wear and boots and a branded Silversea parka (mine to keep). I also know I won’t have any extra excursion costs and that even my airfares are covered on the door-to-door price. I know there’s a spa on board and that any spa treatments I have are an extra cost, so I can budget for that. Also, I quite like the idea of my butler having a cup of Baileys laced hot chocolate ready for me after my dip in the Antarctic Ocean!

The butler, spa and champagne might not feature so highly on your expedition cruise shopping list. If so, other crise lines and price points are available.

(* This blog post was originally featured on Travel Lightly social media. A 15 day Silversea Antarctic cruise will cost in the region of £17000pp)