It felt as if we had the jungle to ourselves.
As we explored Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park, we spotted rare birds, spider monkeys — even a sloth and her infant — among the many trees of the rainforest.
It was one in every of many experiences I had on an expedition cruise with 32 passengers aboard the Greg Mortimer, operated by the Australia-based Aurora Expeditions.
Through the 13-day voyage, we crossed the Panama Canal and snorkeled amid hawksbill turtles in Panama’s UNESCO-protected Coiba National Park. We also met members of the indigenous Embera tribe deep in Panama’s thick jungle.
Aurora Expeditions’ Greg Mortimer in Costa Rica. Its smaller size allows it to explore coastlines which are inaccessible to large cruise ships.
Source: Carlo Raciti
Built for polar regions, this was the ship’s first foray into tropical waters, as firms like Aurora are responding to the growing demand for expedition cruises.
Instagram posts — which frequently showcase trips to Antarctica — could have given expedition cruising more publicity, but this way of cruising is not recent.
The evolution of expedition cruising
U.S.-based Lindblad Expeditions began taking travelers to Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands within the mid-Sixties.
The corporate makes a speciality of expedition cruises, which differ from conventional cruises in that they deal with exploring isolated, less visited or inaccessible destinations. Smaller ships also allow itinerary flexibility, which suggests the captain can decelerate for guests to watch polar bears or a whale shark.
Aurora Expeditions has been plying Antarctica’s frozen waters because the cruise line first leased rudimentary Russian icebreakers to achieve the icy continent within the early Nineteen Nineties.
“Bathrooms were shared, and we would string our clothes across the cabins to dry,” said Bronwyn Stephenson, a veteran Aurora expeditioner.
A cabin on the Greg Mortimer.
Source: Carlo Raciti
With its spacious cabins, plush library and lecture theater, the Greg Mortimer is a far cry from these original expedition cruise ships.
Today, there may be stiff competition amongst expedition cruise lines to launch more technologically advanced vessels and to secure onboard talent. Lindblad recently recruited underwater archaeologist Mensun Certain, who has discovered ancient shipwrecks, and former NASA chief scientist Robert Bindschadler, to coach passengers.
Demand because the pandemic
Aurora Expeditions’ chief marketing officer Hayley Peacock-Gower said there was a robust shift to immersive, experiential travel because the pandemic. As travelers show burgeoning interest in nature, wildlife and cultural tourism, expedition cruise lines have answered the decision with more and varied itineraries.
Aurora’s Hayley Peacock-Gower said the corporate is seeing rising interest within the Arctic. Its East Greenland Explorer “will try and forge toward the northernmost tip of Greenland, each an Aurora and expedition cruising first,” she said.
Source: Aurora Expeditions
Noah Brodsky, chief industrial officer of Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, described expedition cruising because the “breakout travel trend of the last decade.”
“There’s something truly special and transformative about experiencing distant destinations alongside a small group of like-minded people,” he told CNBC.
Bookings through the roof
Lindblad recorded its biggest-ever booking day on Jan. 3, racking up some $5.6 million in sales, based on an organization representative.
In-demand destinations this yr include Alaska, the Galapagos Islands, the Arctic and Antarctica, based on the representative, while interest to Costa Rica is up 54% from 2019.
The corporate also launched recent routes to Greenland, French Polynesia and Western Australia’s Kimberley region.
An increasing number of individuals not want run-of-the-mill holidays.
James Cole
founder, Panache Cruises
James Cole, founding father of the U.K.-based cruise agency Panache Cruises, said expedition cruising saw probably the most growth within the cruising sector up to now decade — expanding from about 67,000 passengers in 2012 to 367,557 in 2022.
“An increasing number of individuals not want run-of-the-mill holidays,” he said. “People crave adventure … there may be a certain quantity of romanticism here which harks back to the time of great explorers like Hillary, Cousteau and Shackleton.”
Who takes expedition cruises?
Many of the demand for expedition cruises comes from the over-55 age group, namely the semi-retired and retired who’ve the time and resources, Cole said.
But he noted: “We’re seeing more families entering the market.”
Gen Xers and millennials represent a smaller percentage of clients. “It’s the ‘experience’ and ‘adventure’ which is driving their interest. The cruise aspect is de facto a secondary dimension,” Cole noted.
Expedition cruising can be an excellent option for the growing variety of solo travelers.
I hadn’t visited Central and South America before, mostly because deciding which countries to go to and planning an independent trip seemed overwhelming and complex. As a lady, I used to be concerned about safety too. The Aurora cruise was the perfect introduction, with shore excursions led by onboard experts and interesting local guides.
Higher fares, longer cruises
Plusher ships, onboard experts and fewer passengers translate to higher fares than conventional cruises. Expedition cruises often start at around $1,000 per person per day. Trips typically last eight to fifteen days — though some can take a full month.
While conventional cruises can host 1000’s of individuals without delay, firms just like the polar micro cruising company Secret Atlas can take as few as 12 cruisers at a time.
Cruisers from the Greg Mortimer meeting people from the Embera tribe in Panama.
Source: Carl Raciti
But a push for more comfort and luxury within the industry is causing some expedition cruises to get larger, said company co-founder Andrew Marsh.
“Unfortunately, this has meant the brand new expedition cruise ships have turn out to be larger and the expedition experience itself has been sacrificed,” he told CNBC.
Environmental and cultural impact
Though they’re smaller in scale, expedition cruises have faced criticism for polluting oceans, introducing microbes to sensitive environments, and colliding with large mammals like whales.
To combat a few of these issues, the posh travel agency Abercrombie & Kent is chartering the posh icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot for a North Pole expedition next yr.
“To scale back emissions to the bottom possible level, this Ponant ship uses LNG as a fuel,” said the corporate’s product development and operations vp Stefanie Schmudde. “The vessel also uses hybrid operation, with batteries to handle load fluctuations.”
A coati photographed within the jungles of Costa Rica during an expedition cruise shore tour.
Source: Carl Raciti
In February, Aurora and Sylvia Earle led an Antarctic climate expedition on a ship named after the renowned oceanographer. The aim was to boost public and government awareness of the Antarctic’s environmental importance.
Aurora Expeditions’ Peacock-Gower said the corporate worked with 117 climate ambassadors, aged 12 to 88, to formulate eight climate resolutions which are designed to attain net-zero emissions by 2035.
“Travel is all the time the very best educator, and we provide the possibility to complement our passengers’ curiosity … on and off-ship,” she said.
