The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
The science behind a great expedition cruise
Emma Featherstone set sail on the new Viking Octantis to discover the secrets of a ship designed to take passengers to the ends of the Earth
Studying microplastic samples under the guidance of a doctor in geochemistry, watching a weather-balloon launch and boarding a £4.2 million submarine are three things I never expected to experience on a cruise. Yet I’ve just spent a little over a week having daily access to scientists on board Viking’s first expedition ship, Octantis. It was certainly an education.
The word “expedition” evokes thoughts of adventure and tracing the passages of Scott or Amundsen. It entices us with the prospect of watching polar bears, penguins or giant tortoises in their natural habitat and of venturing to regions that, for most of the human race, will remain forever alien. Yet for many the concept of cruising remains stultifying. Its reputation is lumbered with continuous buffets, staid entertainment and – at worst – a disregard for the areas and populations on which a vessel’s passengers descend. Is the seeming oxymoron of “expedition cruises’’ enough to convince the naysayers?
This particular form of consumer travel is actually long established. It began in 1966 when Lars-Eric Lindblad launched pioneering trips to Antarctica. The 1990s saw options grow with the addition of commercial expedition sailings from Hapag-Lloyd, Quark Expeditions and Aurora Expeditions. Between the turn of the century and 2020, what is a relative sliver of a wider ocean cruise industry (which pre-2020 attracted 30 million passengers) has expanded. Debuts and repeats have arrived from Hurtigruten, Silversea, Seabourn and Scenic. Expedition cruising increased by 30 per cent between 2017 and 2018.
“With nine new expedition ships entering the market this year alone, we’re expecting demand to remain high as international travel continues to open up and more people tick off their post-lockdown [dream trips],” said Andy Harmer, managing director of the industry body Cruise Lines International Association UK & Ireland.
The ships themselves will be, to some, a comfortable facilitator. For others, the vessel may confer further boasting rights. On Octantis, passengers can make claim to investing in scientific research. The line has forged partnerships with several institutions, including the University of Cambridge (it has endowed a professorship at Cambridge’s Scott Polar Research Institute), and has chosen Liv Arnesen – the first woman to ski to the South Pole solo and unassisted – to be its godmother.
In terms of number of ships, including river and ocean, Viking is the largest operator thus far to enter the expedition arena. It is, however, firmly in the high-end category. Antarctic voyages on its two expedition ships (Polaris is the twin vessel to Octantis) cost from £12,995pp; other destinations include the Arctic, and the Great Lakes. The ships carry 378 guests, include spas complete with hydrotherapy pools, and feature fine dining restaurants. Other highlights include the Aula theatre and a hidden bar called the Hide, where crew run storytelling sessions.
“Given the regulatory constraints of Antarctica and the Arctic, it’s unlikely the larger ships will ever sail these regions,” said Dr Jennifer Holland, a cruise and tourism researcher. “It will remain niche, as it’s too expensive without the scale of economy that large ships offer for return on investment.”
Viking is building its own space within that niche: the focus on science. Dr Damon Stanwell-Smith, its head of science and sustainability, has 27 years’ experience in polar research, three of which were working at a British Antarctic survey base. He was quick to point out that visitors to the Antarctic can become advocates for the continent.
During my cruise, I found it somewhat dizzying to learn about the many different strands of study and how they linked in with various institutions – the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration among them.
Yet other passengers proved to be very keen students indeed. A 7.15am appointment for the launch of a weather balloon was well attended; hands shot up at question time in the theatre as Tess Hudson, a marine biologist, completed her lecture on whale identification; and throughout the sailing, attendees raved about the science-lab sessions. Meanwhile, the whale-watching sessions drew plenty of passengers out on deck.
Many on board were repeat customers, including Jill and Chris Marsh. The couple, in their 60s and from Lincolnshire, were on their fifth cruise with Viking. “I think they are rightly aiming at people who are really curious and interested in what’s going on around them,” said Mr Marsh. “The fact that it’s really comfortable and there are all these lovely meals doesn’t do any harm either.”
Citizen scientists, take note.
Passengers were keen students and raved about the science-lab sessions
Viking (020 8780 6516; viking.com) offers a 13-day Antarctic Explorer itinerary from £12,995pp, including return flights from the UK