Let’s say you are familiar with cruising and have experienced some of the following destinations: the Caribbean ,Alaska, Europe. Perhaps Hawaii, Australia and Asia as well. You are looking for something beyond the ocean and river cruises you are familiar with. Enter the world of Expedition Cruising. These tours are one of the fastest growing segments of the cruise industry and for good reasons. They are specifically designed to provide a more in-depth study of nature. There are a number of locations to examine but in my opinion, the Galapagos tours are a good introduction as well as exotic and beautiful.
Your first decision is to find the best cruise line. Each has its own unique culture so take your time making a choice. There are a number of them including Celebrity, Ecoventura, Uncruise, Avalon, Hurtigruten, and Lindblad/National Geographic. I would suggest examining them all. Let’s take a look at two of these lines: Celebrity and Lindblad/National Geographic
Celebrity is a well-known line that provides all types of cruises. In fact, it is Royal Caribbean’s big sister. Its Galapagos tours provide compact ships designed to travel through the small and remote areas of the island. Naturalist guides lead the expeditions and provide enlightening information. Guests can also enjoy snorkeling and kayaking with the sea creatures. If you are looking for an eco-conscious, well-researched, luxury cruise this is a line that needs your consideration.
Lindblad Expedition &National Geographic provide well respected tours that work well for family and multi-generational groups. National Geographic leads the tours and often have their photographers with them. They are great for kids who enjoy personal attention and well-explained commentary tailored specifically for them. These small ships have private balconies, hot tubs, libraries and locally sourced meals.
Galapagos Tours are both informative and a lot of fun! There are also destinations for other Wildlife tours which I will explore in a future post.
There are things I hadn’t thought of in this discussion. Thank you for the inspiration.
We’ve talked about the Galapagos Islands and like the idea of a cruise there. You mention Uncruise above and that is an interesting name. I am wondering how it is different than other cruises. Do you have further information on it?