The way to sail
Jill Worrall has explored the Arctic, Patagonia, the Adriatic, and the Northern Queensland coasts on expedition cruises. She explains why she’s hooked.
Mention cruising in conversation and you’re unlikely to get a neutral response. People seem to either love the idea or hate it. But throw the concept of an expedition cruise into the mix and things become much less clear-cut.
What is an expedition cruise?
Expedition cruises usually (but not always) feature smaller vessels carrying fewer passengers than conventional cruise ships. Passenger numbers between 100 and 200 are the norm. There are new ships being launched and more being commissioned that will carry more than this, but I’d be reluctant to call these vessels true expedition vessels.
Smaller ships enable these cruises to take in places that larger ships simply cannot visit, and this is another defining feature of expeditions by sea. Remote regions and smaller ports are key ingredients.
These smaller ships also offer more flexibility.if a pod of whales is spotted the ship can divert from its route to get closer.
Where do they go?
Expedition cruises can sail to places as diverse as the Arctic and Antarctica, the Amazon, and Mexico’s Bay of Cortez. Other popular destinations include Alaska and the Galapagos. Then for the really adventurous, there’s the North Pole by nuclear-powered ice-breaker and the fabled Northwest passage. If the cold doesn’t appeal, there are cruises around the Indonesian archipelago, Papua New Guinea, or the South Pacific’s Southern Line Islands of Kiribati.
Expedition ships are the only cruise vessels that can take you to Franz Josef Land in the Russian Arctic or can weave safely among the lagoons and atolls of the Great Barrier Reef.
Snorkelling along a reef drop-off miles from any other vessel is special, as is night-fishing off the stern (in permitted areas).
I can still remember the sensation as my line was dragged at speed off into the darkness. I never did find out what I’d (briefly) hooked.
During a cruise of Patagonia, we were taken ashore by zodiac on to Tierra del Fuego to walk through beech forest closely related to our New Zealand beech, and to witness the damage inflicted on the environment by the introduction of North American beavers in the 1940s.
Why do they go there?
Wildlife, unspoiled wilderness and encounters with local people are important components of expedition cruises.
Even on tours focusing on scenery and wildlife, I’ve drunk tea with a team of Russian Arctic national park rangers (they are strictly teetotal while working), and chatted with the couple who live on Hornos Island, a Chilean naval post close to Cape Horn.
Near their house is a stunning albatross sculpture dedicated to the hundreds of mariners who have lost their lives in this most dangerous of waters.
What’s different on board?
While the focus on a large cruise ship can be as much about entertainment and activities on the ship as on the journey itself, on expedition cruises the emphasis is on shore or other excursions.
Many expedition ships carry zodiacs (inflatable boats) that enable passengers to go on shore, or in case of destinations such as the Arctic or Antarctica, to cruise along glaciers and among icebergs.
I loved zipping along the terminal face of a glacier and weaving among the icebergs, especially when there were walrus bobbing up around us.
When at sea or in between excursions, the focus is on learning about the place you are cruising through.
I’ve listened to lectures, accompanied by stunning images, by a photographer who has worked with David Attenborough and National Geographic, and a woman who had skied to the South Pole.
Who’s on board
These vessels have the usual ship’s complement of captain, officers and crew (many of whom are also extremely knowledgeable and interested in the regions they visit) but, in addition, there is an expedition team.
The expedition leader will liaise with the captain to maximise passengers’ opportunities to see wildlife and her or his team will include people who are acknowledged international specialists in
birds, mammals, exploration history, and photography.
Comfort at sea
While expedition cruise ships might not offer spa treatments, swimming pools or non-stop entertainment, they uniformly offer excellent food and comfortable public areas, including bars, lounges and outdoor seating area (weather permitting).
Cabins can range from luxury level with small balconies to more basic quarters (albeit with full hotel-level facilities such as en suite bathrooms, daily cleaning and evening turn-down services).
Stepping ashore
If you want to make the most of an expedition cruise, being fit and reasonably agile is essential.
Although there are usually at least three crew to help everyone on and off zodiacs, you do need to be agile enough to get in and out of the boats and also to handle what is known as ‘‘wet landings’’, which means stepping into water or on to ice.
Shore landings can be in very remote locations with no formed tracks or paths. You might need to climb up a steep hillside or walk across stone beaches or boggy tundra.
If you’re physically unable to do this, it’s still possible to see a lot from the ship’s deck (on my last expedition cruise two polar bears swam up to the ship), but you will miss the experience of, for example, standing on Cape Horn Island almost at the tip of South America, or following in the footsteps of legendary explorers and adventurers.
Why would I join another expedition cruise?
The remoteness, the wildlife, the emphasis on learning, and care for the environment – what’s not to love? Plus, as on all cruises, you don’t have to keep packing and unpacking.
How to choose the right cruise
As they say in the real estate business… location, location, location. If you don’t like the cold, trips to the Arctic or Antarctic are best avoided as, even with all the gear on, you are going to get a little chilly on excursions.
Check out the size of the vessel – smaller might be more expensive but if you’re on a ship with more than 150 passengers you can guess how long it’s going to take to get everyone ashore.
With cabins – if you love the idea of an expedition cruise but want to minimise your costs, go for the cheapest cabin.
These generally have port holes rather than proper windows but you spend so little time in there it’s no big deal. Some ships do offer triple occupancy – take along two friends or take a gamble and sign up to share.
Make sure you are as fit as possible and do everything on the programme – don’t be the passenger who decided to have an afternoon nap and missed the zodiac excursion that encountered a family of arctic foxes at play or who stayed in the bar when one of the world’s top photographers was giving a presentation of his best shots!
An expedition ship that offers an open bridge is a bonus – there’s always a wonderful view from here and it’s a great way to meet the captain and his crew.