Scott Portelli
Environmental
Sail into adventure S
ince the age of discovery, our thirst for adventure has taken us to the seas, sailing across continents in search of new sights. Columbus, Cook and other explorers faced perilous conditions and cramped cabins on their expeditions. In contrast, the past decade has seen recreational voyagers experience the world in style aboard luxury cruise ships. With voyages to incredible geographic locations becoming a must for daring tourists, there is also a desire to learn about the intriguing locations being explored.
“People are curious and adventurous, and the world has become so much more accessible, so naturally they want to explore further,” says Florence Kuyper, Aurora’s expedition leader. “Ships can bring you to places where no road goes.” Aurora runs trips to the polar regions aboard its fleet of small low-emission vessels, including the European and Russian Arctic, Antarctica, Latin America, Alaska and Canada, the British Isles and more – many of which are so remote they are only accessible by boat. This also means that there is not much human activity in these places, so “nature dominates” in Kuyper’s words. “To me, that is one of the most powerful experiences one can have,” she says, “to realise that we’re visitors, that nature is totally indifferent to us and way more powerful than we are.”
Interest in expeditionary cruising has surged in the past decade, with trips exploring regions such as Antarctica and the Galapagos. Vessels are refining their approach to education on board, with sleek facilities and detailed lecture programming. But how do companies tailor this to the interests of different guests? Brooke Theis asks Florence Kuyper of Aurora Expeditions, Jen Martin of Seabourn and Simon Evans of Intrepid Travel to share their experiences.
Appreciate nature’s beauty On these adventures, guests can expect to spot whales, seals, penguins and polar bears, as well as lichens, moss and special rock formations, and with the information provided by the guides, they can learn about the ecosystems around them. “It helps people connect to the environment,” says Kuyper, who also gives lectures on board about these topics. From trying to find different species of penguins and observing whales to guided hikes, Kuyper involves guests as much as possible in making decisions for their excursion, but sometimes nature makes the decisions for them. “Almost every day I am surprised. Often, we have a plan, but that may need to be altered because of ice or weather conditions. In that case, we go with plan B or even C, and the funny thing is that frequently we experience something better than I had originally planned,” reveals Kuyper. “The guests love it, and it’s easy to understand why – nature is just magic,” she adds, recalling the unforgettable views across the ice fields, and one unexpected experience of being approached by a minke whale.
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World Cruise Industry Review /
www.worldcruiseindustryreview.com
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