What it’s and why it’s rising in popularity

We felt like we had the jungle all to ourselves.

While exploring Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park, we spotted rare birds, spider monkeys, and even a sloth and its baby among the many rainforest trees.

This was one in all many experiences I had on an expedition cruise with 32 passengers aboard the Greg Mortimer, operated by the Australian company Aurora Expeditions.

On a 13-day trip, we crossed the Panama Canal and snorkeled amongst hawksbill turtles within the UNESCO-protected Coiba National Park in Panama. We also met members of the indigenous Embera tribe deep within the dense jungle of Panama.

Built for the polar regions, this was the ship’s first foray into tropical waters as firms corresponding to Aurora reply to the growing demand for expedition voyages.

Instagram posts — which frequently feature trips to Antarctica — can have given expeditions more publicity, but this kind of voyage is not latest.

The US-based company Lindblad Expeditions began taking travelers to Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands within the mid-Nineteen Sixties.

The company makes a speciality of expedition cruises, which differ from conventional cruises in that they give attention to exploring isolated, less visited or inaccessible destinations. Smaller vessels also allow for route flexibility, meaning the captain can decelerate so guests can spot polar bears or a whale shark.

Aurora Expeditions has been sailing the frozen waters of Antarctica for the reason that cruise line first leased primitive Russian icebreakers to achieve the icy continent within the early Nineties.

“Bathrooms were shared, and we hung our clothes within the cabins to dry,” said Bronwyn Stephenson, a veteran of the Aurora expedition.

With its spacious cabins, luxurious library and lecture hall, Greg Mortimer is removed from these original cruise ships.

There is now fierce competition between expedition cruise lines to launch more technologically advanced ships and secure talent on board. Lindblad recently recruited underwater archaeologist Mensun Bound, who discovered ancient shipwrecks, and former NASA chief scientist Robert Bindschadler to teach passengers.

Aurora Expeditions marketing director Hayley Peacock-Gower said there was a powerful shift towards immersive, experiential travel for the reason that pandemic. As travelers show a growing interest in nature, wildlife and cultural tourism, cruise lines have responded to the decision by offering increasingly more varied itineraries.

Noah Brodsky, industrial director of Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, described expedition voyages as “the game-changing travel trend of the last decade.”

“There’s something really special and transformative about experiencing foreign places along with a small group of like-minded people,” he told CNBC.

According to an organization representative, Lindblad had its biggest ever booking day on January 3, with roughly $5.6 million in sales.

According to a representative, popular destinations this 12 months include Alaska, the Galapagos Islands, the Arctic and Antarctica, while interest in Costa Rica is up 54% in comparison with 2019.

The company has also launched latest routes to Greenland, French Polynesia and the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

James Cole, founding father of UK cruise company Panache Cruises, said expedition cruises saw the largest growth within the cruise industry within the last decade – from around 67,000 passengers in 2012 to 367,557 in 2022.

“More and more people don’t desire a typical vacation anymore,” he said. “People crave adventure … there’s a specific amount of romance here that harkens back to the times of great explorers like Hillary, Cousteau and Shackleton.”

Most of the demand for expedition cruising comes from the age group over 55, namely semi-retirers and retirees who’ve the time and resources, Cole said.

But he noted, “We’re seeing more families coming into the market.”

Generation X and millennials account for a smaller percentage of consumers. “It’s the ‘experience’ and ‘adventure’ that drives their interest. The cruising aspect is absolutely a secondary dimension,” noted Cole.

Expedition cruises are also a great option for the growing variety of solo travelers.

I hadn’t visited Central and South America before, mainly because I discovered it overwhelming and sophisticated to make a decision which countries to go to and plan an independent trip. As a lady, I used to be also concerned about safety. The Aurora cruise was the proper introduction, with shore excursions led by onboard experts and fascinating local guides.

More ships, experts on board and fewer passengers translate into higher fares than conventional voyages. Expedition cruises often start at around $1,000 per person per day. Trips typically last 8 to fifteen days – although some can last a complete month.

While conventional cruises can accommodate hundreds of individuals at a time, firms like polar micro cruise company Secret Atlas can only take 12 cruise ships at a time.

But the industry’s push for more comfort and luxury is pushing some expedition cruising to a bigger scale, said company co-founder Andrew Marsh.

“Unfortunately, this has meant that the brand new expedition cruise ships have gotten larger and the expedition experience itself has been sacrificed,” he told CNBC.

Although smaller, expedition voyages have drawn criticism for polluting the oceans, introducing microbes into sensitive environments, and collisions with large mammals corresponding to whales.

To treatment a few of these problems, luxury travel agency Abercrombie & Kent is hiring the posh icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot for a visit to the North Pole next 12 months.

“To reduce emissions to the bottom possible level, this Ponant vessel uses LNG as fuel,” said Stefanie Schmudde, vp of product development and operations. “The ship also uses a hybrid mode, with batteries to handle load fluctuations.”

In February, Aurora and Sylvia Earle led an Antarctic climate expedition on a ship named after the famous oceanographer. The goal was to boost public and government awareness of Antarctica’s environmental importance.

Peacock-Gower of Aurora Expeditions said the corporate worked with 117 climate ambassadors aged 12 to 88 to border eight climate resolutions that aim to attain net-zero emissions by 2035.

“Travel is at all times the very best education, and we provide the chance to complement the curiosity of our passengers … on and off the ship,” she said.