expedition cruising Changing tides
Jane Archer looks at what’s new in the world of expedition, from the latest ship launches to game-changing technology
It’s been a rollercoaster year for the expedition cruise sector, which is not only growing beyond anyone’s wildest dreams (an unprecedented 37-plus expedition ships are due to launch over the next three years) but also becoming a leading player when it comes to going green. It’s quite a turnaround from the days (really only five or so
years ago) when exploring by sea meant bunking up in an old Russian polar research vessel, or sailing on an elderly cruise ship that had been given a modern makeover. New-generation expedition ships offer extraordinary
levels of luxury, run on clean fuels and have high-tech GPS positioning devices so ships don’t drop anchor and harm the seabed. It’s not just Hurtigruten’s Roald Amundsen – the world’s first
hybrid cruise ship, able to operate on both liquefied natural gas and electric power – getting in on the game. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is experimenting with eZodiacs on its new ship Hanseatic Inspiration. So far, only two of the 17 rubber boats on board are electric, as the charge doesn’t last long enough to be very practical, but it’s a start. And there’s plenty of fun stuff too, not least the latest must-
have toys for the 21st-century explorer – submarines and helicopters. These debuted on Scenic’s discovery yacht Scenic Eclipse, and Crystal Cruises and Seabourn are adding them to new ships this year and next. Roald Amundsen, Scenic Eclipse, Hanseatic Inspiration and
Aurora Expeditions’ Greg Mortimer all entered service last year, but they were just the start of the revolution in expedition cruising, with plenty more new ships and exciting itineraries on the way for clients with a sense of adventure.
travelweekly.co.uk/cruise
NEW SHIPS, ITINERARIES AND DESTINATIONS This year, Hurtigruten is launching Fridtjof Nansen, a sister ship to Roald Amundsen, while Ponant is adding two vessels, Le Jacques Cartier and Le Bellot, designed for exploring warmer climes. Crystal is meanwhile entering the expedition sector with Crystal Endeavor, a luxury polar-class yacht. New from Silversea – one of the pioneers of luxury expedition cruising – comes Silver Origin, an all-suite mega- yacht that will be based in the Galápagos Islands from July. The line is also converting Silver Wind to an ice-class vessel at the end of the year. Its debut expedition cruise is a 14-day voyage to the Falklands and Antarctica on December 5. When it comes to itineraries, new wildlife-spotting voyages
in Central and South America and through the icy Northeast Passage across the top of Russia are hard to resist. In 2021, Silversea’s Silver Cloud will make history with the first-ever expedition world cruise. Also in 2021, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Hurtigruten, Aurora Expeditions and Australia’s Coral Expeditions are all launching expedition ships, while Ponant will unveil Le Commandant Charcot, a luxury hybrid vessel capable of reaching the geographical North Pole. Next year, Seabourn debuts in the expedition cruise sector
with Seabourn Venture, to be followed in 2022 by an as-yet- unnamed sister ship. Both will have all-suite accommodation, submarines and helicopters. In 2022, Viking Cruises is exploring in the polar regions for the first time with new ice-class ships Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, while Paul Gauguin Cruises will receive two luxury expedition vessels designed to sail in the warm waters of the South Pacific. Exciting doesn’t even begin to sum it all up.
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