The captain makes an announcement over the loudspeaker well past bedtime. “A polar bear, starboard side!” I zip up my parka over my PJs, don my boots and beanie and run    outside to witness the bear calmly gazing up at us before ambling on, so close you could hear his giant paws trudge on the ice. Nothing can prepare you for the excitement of seeing your first polar bear in the wild.

On board Ponant’s icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot on a voyage up the east coast of Greenland, I averaged just a few hours’ sleep every night. I didn’t want to miss anything, from animal spotting to the ever changing ice landscapes. It was a life-affirming adventure. This chance for this sort of mind-blowing experience is just one of the reasons why expedition cruises are soaring in popularity.

According to Cruise Lines International Association, expedition cruises are the fastest-growing segment of the global cruise industry, with a colossal 71 per cent growth in patronage from 2019 to 2023.

“Expedition cruising has become one of the most exciting areas in travel,” Joel Katz, CLIA’s managing director in Australasia, tells me. “Travellers are hungry for unspoilt locations and cultural authenticity, and many are looking to these journeys as a way to discover destinations that might have previously seemed out of reach. An expedition cruise allows you to visit untouched wilderness and pristine landscapes in comfort and with ease, sailing in style aboard a smaller vessel. It’s an incredible experience.”

Here’s how expedition cruising differs from ocean and river sailings, and why this sort of voyage should be on any traveller’s wishlist.

FREE RANGE

Those new to expedition cruising might notice the itineraries are rather vague. Unlike big ship ocean cruising, there is often no strict schedule where you know you will sail into one port at a certain time, and then sail away to reach the next port by the scheduled time. This is because for many expedition cruises weather and ice conditions are the main factors steering the course. And often, landings are not at ports as such but what’s known as “wet landings”. That means there are no docks. Instead expeditioners board Zodiacs and disembark directly on the shore or ice. This, of course, adds to the adventure.

On Scenic’s 24-day East Antarctica and the Ross Sea sailing from Hobart to Dunedin, the itinerary states that days 10 to 17 are spent in “Antarctica’s Ross Sea region”. Only when the captain gives the go-ahead can guests explore this area that explorers Scott and Shackleton used as a gateway. Conditions permitting, you’ll be out there kayaking or boarding a Zodiac to see such sights as Adélie penguins and Weddell seals. The voyage departs January 8, 2025.

SEA SAFARI

Like a safari on land, expedition sailing in areas such as the Arctic or Antarctic comes with a caveat. It’s more than likely you will see wildlife, from polar bears to orcas, but exactly when and where is not guaranteed, after all nature is not a zoo. But it helps when you are in sailing in a protected UNESCO area.

On HX Hurtigruten Expedition’s nine-day In Darwin’s Footsteps voyage to the Galapagos Islands expeditioners may spot birds such as blue-footed boobies as well as giant tortoises, marine iguanas and lava lizards. The itinerary explores the islands of San Cristóbal, Sante Fe, Santa Cruz, and Española, and includes two nights in Ecuador’s capital Quito.

ACCESS RARE AREAS

The beauty of expedition cruising is you can explore where few have ventured before. Expedition ships can go to areas that cannot be otherwise accessed by land or air.

In September, the world’s only luxury icebreaker, Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot, will embark on a 21-day transpolar maritime route that is inaccessible to traditional ships. The Quest for the Two North Poles voyage will aim to forge through ice from the Bering Strait to the ice-covered land of Svalbard. It’s a route few have undertaken.

The skilled captain will attempt to reach the elusive magnetic and geographic North Poles. The ship’s PC2 class hull allows it to sail through drifting sea ice. It’s also designed to minimise its impact on the environment, being the first hybrid-electric polar exploration vessel powered by liquefied natural gas. Joining the crew on board will be a large team of scientific researchers and expert naturalists.

INCREDIBLE LANDSCAPES

Because of their size and capabilities, expedition ships are able to get closer to the action. View landscapes such as Norwegian fjords as they unfold up close, from the comfort of your suite or outside on the deck. Large ocean ships cannot get this sort of access.

On Silversea’s 18-day Edinburgh to Norway sailing aboard the 220-guest Silver Endeavour, adventurers will experience the dramatic sea cliffs of the Shetland Islands and narrow fjords flanked by steep, beautiful mountains. Be prepared to photograph lush slopes with waterfalls tumbling over smooth rocks. The journey concludes amid Svalbard’s rugged peaks and towering aqua-blue glaciers, yet another magnificent landscape to witness while sipping a coffee or Champagne in the Observation or Explorer lounges.

BE ENRICHED ON BOARD

Another reason behind the popularity of expedition cruising is that conservation and sustainability lie at the heart of each voyage. “Many travellers choose these journeys to deepen their understanding of the marine environment, wildlife, and remote ecosystems,” says Joel Katz, CLIA managing director in Australasia.

Australian-owned adventure travel company Aurora Expeditions is hosting an Arctic Climate Voyage in partnership with Dr Sylvia Earle and Ocean Geographic in June 2025 from Longyearbyen, Svalbard. The 13-day BIG ACE High Arctic Odyssey journey will seek to lobby for the protection of the Arctic, and foster a collective appreciation of our planet’s fragility. On board, insights will be provided by seasoned naturalists and climate science experts. This expedition isn’t confined to scientists; all adventurers are encouraged to submit an application to join the voyage.

ACTIVE ADVENTURES

It’s true that on a cruise you eat very well, which for many (me included) may mean putting on a kilo or two. But on an expedition cruise, while you will experience a range of culinary choices these can be equally balanced with strenuous activity, if that’s what you choose to do.

Take G Adventures’ Spirit of Shackleton itinerary for example. The voyage to Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands recounts Shackleton’s courageous exploration of Antarctica. The 21-day adventure is rated two out of five on G Adventures’ physical rating but boost it up a notch or two by joining snowshoeing, hikes and group kayaking adventures. Plus, there’s a fitness centre onboard. It’s also a workout just getting in and out of cold weather gear such as boots and drysuits.

SEA AND AIR VIEWS

Another unique feature of expedition cruises is the opportunity to view landscapes and wildlife from any angle. It could be from the deck or your private balcony, from the air on a helicopter flight or by sea in a Zodiac. Seabourn’s new Seabourn Pursuit has all of the above.

The Australian-owned APT has teamed up with Seabourn to offer the 10-day Kimberley Coastal Expedition from Darwin to Broome (or reverse). The voyage includes daily Zodiac excursions to edge closer to such magnificence as King George Falls. There’s also the chance to view Mitchell Falls on a helicopter tour. There are sailings available in mid-2025.

THEMED WELLNESS

Hardworking expeditioners still love their creature comforts, especially after a long day’s exploration. Clever cruise brands such as Viking have themed spa treatments that match the elements.

Those sailing on Viking Expeditions’ new 13-day Into the Northwest Passage voyage from Nuuk, Greenland return via the High Arctic in Canada on Viking Octantis, for example, can book in for an Arctic face toning massage. The massage promises to release muscle tension and refresh the skin with the use of Nordic cupping and hot and cold stone massage techniques.

Wind down and warm up after a day’s exploring with a hygge massage on a heated sand table, or ease any post-snowshoeing twinges with a Scandinavian reflex massage for the feet and calves. The Nordic Spa onboard also has an indoor heated pool and hot and cold water therapy showers.

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE

Expedition guests tend to be an inquisitive lot, and the perfect forum for fielding questions on an expedition ship is the bridge, aka the command centre. Luckily many expedition cruise lines offer an open bridge policy where (unless otherwise stated) passengers can walk right in and learn about navigation or simply watch across the bow as the captain charts the ship’s course.

Quark Expeditions, for example, allows guests to pop in to the bridge and ask any questions (within reason). On their 15-day Essential Patagonia sailing, for example, you’ll get a front-row seat as the captain navigates through the Chilean fjords and Glacier Alley in Tierra del Fuego. The journey retraces Charles Darwin’s epic voyage to the “edge of the world”. You’ll also notice members of the expedition team with binoculars looking out for wildlife.

AWESOME AMENITIES

Expeditions ships usually offer things that other cruise ships don’t, such as:

Drying cabinets

Expedition cruising can be wet work; all that snow and ice, and possible rain means your outer layers may get a little soaked. No worries, on ships such as Silversea’s Silver Endeavour every suite has a special cabinet with a drying system for damp parkas.

Survival suits

Look under the bed on Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot and you will spy what is known as a survival suit. Should one have to abandon ship in the polar regions, the White Glacier Arctic 10+ survival suit offers buoyancy, warmth, fire resistance and comfort.

Jackets you can keep

No need to spend big bucks on a parka before boarding. Many expedition lines offer them for free, and you can take them home. Aurora Expeditions, for example, doles out a stylish blue and black expedition jacket to all passengers travelling on polar voyages.

Boots you can loan

Rubber boots can take up a lot of room in a suitcase but they are needed for wet landings. Luckily some lines let you borrow boots in your size. G Adventures, for example, offers complimentary Wellington boots for all guests for the duration of the voyage.

See also: 

12 incredible cruises to see wildlife

No.1 question every Arctic traveller asks

I took a cruise where no ship had been before