3 Reasons You Should Take an Expedition Cruise

Photo Credit: Hurtigruten Expeditions

You’ve been to the world’s most celebrated cities, visited iconic landmarks, and returned time and again to a favorite resort. Maybe it’s time to unleash your inner explorer, experience something different and unexpected – and view our planet from a completely new perspective.

If you’re ready for the adventure of a lifetime – a vacation that takes you to remote, pristine corners of the world – consider an expedition cruise.

Photo Credit: Hurtigruten Expeditions

Here’s why:

You’ll travel to exotic, bucket-list destinations

Discover Antarctica and the Arctic, Patagonia, the Falkland Islands, Iceland, the legendary Northwest Passage, or the unspoiled archipelago of the Bissagos Islands in West Africa. Instead of familiar places and landscapes, you can marvel at new-to-you breathtaking, rugged, and unspoiled environments that you can marvel at from the ship, or explore ashore.

Expedition cruises are normally on small, agile vessels that can transport you to places large ships can’t navigate – whether that’s sailing into the heart of the world’s largest fjord system on the east coast of Greenland, landing at Cape Horn in southern Chile’s Tierra del Fuego (the magical spot where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet), or dropping anchor at little-visited natural harbors and beaches in the Scottish Hebrides.

Photo Credit: Hurtigruten Expeditions

You’ll have unforgettable, authentic experiences

Land excursions make an expedition cruise truly worthwhile. Hurtigruten Expeditions, for example, can bring you inside Viking longhouses, let you ascend snow-capped mountains via cable car, or put you in a kayak above reefs teeming with sea turtles. You can set foot in the lost Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. Explore a village preserved in volcanic ash in El Salvador. Attend a midnight concert in the Arctic Cathedral in Norway. Or spot elusive saltwater hippos while cruising tangled mangroves on a boat safari through the African archipelagos of Cape Verde.

For thrill-seekers, there’s camping in the Antarctic Peninsula, snorkeling in Belize’s famed barrier reef, donning a headlamp to explore the ice caves of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, traversing Iceland’s fjords, hiking through the glacial terrain of the Arctic, and much, much more. But you don’t have to be an intrepid traveler at the peak of physical fitness – you set your own pace with activities to suit all levels of ability.

As you relish in these experiences, you’ll learn about the surrounding wildlife and ecology, as well as local cultures and beliefs. Opportunities for discovery and adventure abound.

photo credit: Hurtigruten Expeditions

You’ll enjoy a ship experience that’s intimate and personal

Unlike conventional cruise ships, Hurtigruten’s vessels are scaled for immersion and engineered for exploration. They’re small enough to dock at local ports to get you closer to nature. There are no black-tie dinners, no noisy casinos, no crowds, no dress codes. Instead, the focus, as it has been for more than a century, is on science, education, and discovery. Nature is brought right into the heart of the ship, where passengers become citizen scientists, working alongside onboard scientists to contribute to important research.

Yet luxury is never sacrificed. Hurtigruten ships feature stylish cabins designed for comfort and relaxation, as well as sophisticated onboard restaurants. Hurtigruten chefs use regionally inspired and locally sourced ingredients, and offer a diversity of exquisite seafood, meat, and plant-based options.

Explore with Hurtigruten

Hurtigruten Expedition cruises bring you unexpected, unique, and life-changing adventures from the comfort of luxurious-yet-unpretentious small ships.

An expert in polar sailings, with nearly 130 years of experience, Hurtigruten is also a world leader in sustainability. Among the company’s fleet are the world’s first hybrid electric-powered ships, with several on-board programs focused on reducing waste and protecting our oceans.

Click here to learn more about Hurtigruten Expedition cruises.