Expedition Cruising Celebrates 60 years!
- Coleen Bolton
- Mar 5
- 2 min read
I can't believe it has already been a year since I went to Antarctica! It got me thinking about expedition cruises. Did you know the first expedition cruise was 60 years ago? In 1966, Lars-Eric Lindblad brought the first tourists to Antarctica on a pioneering voyage that gave rise to modern expedition cruising.
Expedition Cruising has evolved a lot over the years. It has become very popular and more accessible to the regular traveler. I am also so proud to see how the expedition world has more and more women leading the way!
I am a part of the Expedition Cruise Network and they have a wonderful blog to celebrate International Women's Day which is March 8 - https://www.expeditioncruisenetwork.com/post/international-womens-day-2026
Expedition cruising is the fastest-growing cruise sector, with a 22% passenger increase in 2024, driven by demand for intimate, adventurous, and educational experiences in remote ecologically significant destinations.
I have been lucky enough to get to go on some amazing expedition cruises in the past few years. I love learning and nature so expeditions are a great way to have a vacation that focuses mainly on those 2 things.
What Makes an Expedition Different than a Typical Cruise?
In a world of mass tourism, expedition cruising is about intentionality. It’s less about the ship and more about where the ship can take you.
Access Over Infrastructure: These ships are small and ice-strengthened. They don’t need a massive pier; they use Zodiacs (heavy-duty inflatable boats) to land you directly on remote beaches or weave through ice floes.
Education Over Entertainment: Instead of a cruise director, you’re traveling with a dedicated expedition team—glaciologists, historians, and marine biologists who turn every excursion into a masterclass.
The "No-Schedule" Schedule: Nature doesn't keep an itinerary. If a pod of Orcas appears at 3:00 AM, the captain might just pivot the ship. Flexibility is the greatest luxury on board.
Some of the top destinations for expeditions are Antarctica, the Arctic, and
Galapagos. I have also done expedition cruises in Alaska, Hawaii, and Baja.
I know 'expedition' might sound strenuous or suggest the ship will resemble a research vessel, but I can assure you most expedition ships are very new and luxurious. You will have all the comforts of luxury while getting an adventure to go along with them. If you can climb a flight of stairs you can handle an expedition. Even if you opt to just stay on the ship, expedition cruises visit some of the most amazingly scenic places of the world and there is always plenty of wildlife spotting from the ship!
Are you ready for an adventure?
Check out some of the photos from my previous expeditions
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