Adventure Cruising

Adventure cruising has gained popularity among travelers seeking immersive and active experiences in diverse and off-the-beaten-path destinations. Several cruise lines specialize in adventure cruising, offering unique itineraries that focus on exploration, wildlife encounters, and outdoor activities. Here are some notable adventure cruising brands:

  1. Lindblad Expeditions: Lindblad Expeditions specializes in expedition cruises to remote and wild destinations around the world. Partnered with National Geographic, their ships are equipped for exploration, with expert naturalists and photographers on board to enhance the guest experience. Lindblad’s itineraries often focus on wildlife viewing, cultural immersion, and adventure activities such as kayaking, snorkeling, and hiking.
  2. UnCruise Adventures: UnCruise Adventures offers small-ship cruises to adventurous destinations in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, and Central America. With a focus on active exploration and wilderness encounters, UnCruise itineraries feature activities such as kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, and snorkeling, along with opportunities to interact with local communities and wildlife.
  3. Ponant: While Ponant is known for its luxury cruises, the cruise line also offers expedition voyages to some of the world’s most remote and captivating destinations. With a fleet of small expedition ships, Ponant’s itineraries include polar expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic, as well as cruises to destinations such as the Amazon, the Kimberley region of Australia, and the islands of the South Pacific.
  4. Aurora Expeditions: Aurora Expeditions specializes in small-group expeditions to the polar regions, as well as other remote destinations such as Papua New Guinea, the Russian Far East, and South Georgia Island. Their ships are equipped for active exploration, with Zodiac excursions, wildlife watching opportunities, and expert guides providing insight into each destination’s natural and cultural heritage.
  5. Adventure Canada: Adventure Canada offers expedition cruises to the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, Newfoundland and Labrador, and other remote regions of Canada. Their small expedition ships provide access to wilderness areas and cultural sites, with a focus on learning, discovery, and authentic experiences guided by experts in history, culture, and natural science.
Credit: PONANT
  1. Quark Expeditions: Quark Expeditions specializes in polar adventures, offering expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic. Their ice-strengthened ships are equipped for exploring remote regions, with activities such as Zodiac cruising, kayaking, and shore excursions led by experienced guides. Quark’s itineraries provide opportunities for wildlife encounters, scenic exploration, and learning about polar environments.

These adventure cruising brands cater to travelers seeking active and immersive experiences in some of the world’s most remote and awe-inspiring destinations. Whether you’re interested in polar exploration, wildlife encounters, cultural immersion, or outdoor activities, these cruise lines offer unique and unforgettable adventures.

Swan Hellenic 2025/26 Cruises

Historically, Swan Hellenic were pioneers, taking guests to places others had only dreamt about. We are meticulous about every aspect of our cruises – and have been for 70 years. Today, we sail to places unreachable by others, seek immersive experiences, and make discoveries that change the way we see the world. Through a discerning eye, the wonders of the world take on a richer hue. Travel with Swan Hellenic, and you’ll see more with us.

Delivering intuitive service, our warm and friendly crew will do their utmost to ensure you leave us having had the trip of a lifetime. Now, with our exciting new voyages to the polar regions, we’ve paired the latest polar ice-class technology with stylish sophisticated interiors.

SH Diana can accommodate 192 guests in 96 staterooms and suites, the vast majority with large balconies.

The PC 6 ice-class vessel is fitted with extra-large stabilizers for exceptional passenger comfort, offers spacious 5-star accommodation, and the 125 m-long ship has been specially made to explore the most inspiring and inaccessible places on the planet. SH Diana shares unique design features with her sister ships – SH Minerva and SH Vega – and has a state-of-the-art gym, spa, panoramic sauna, club room, and swimming pool with poolside grill.

The  new ship also has key differences, including a dedicated presentation, lecture theatre, and onboard Tender boats to take guests ashore in greater comfort than the customary expedition Zodiacs.

EMBRACING NEW HORIZONS

Swan Hellenic has teamed-up with Chopra, a leading integrative health company founded by world-renowned pioneer Dr. Deepak Chopra, to create Explore & Restore – an extraordinary new program of transformative well-being voyages.

This is holistic travel at its finest – gently strip away the layers of everyday life with daily yoga, self-reflective journaling and meditation sessions, and find your place in the natural world on awe-inspiring cultural expeditions. Prepare to awaken your spirit and unlock your inner explorer, as you tap into the growth, patience, and renewal that’s all around you!

Swan Hellenic
Credit: Swan Hellenic

Antarctica Cruises, 2024

Trade in your sunscreen and sandals for icebergs and adventures when you head for the untouched beauty of the White Continent. With less crowded ports, unprecedented expeditions, and the natural beauty of icy waters and wildlife, Antarctica is quickly becoming a top cruise destination. Check out the top three luxury liners that will sail you to the South Pole.

Silversea Cruises: Silver Cloud

silversea butler use
Credit: Silversea

With the highest space-to-guest and crew-to-guest ratios in expedition cruising, Silver Cloud offers unprecedented comfort to travelers looking to explore Antarctica and beyond. Upon arrival, guests are met by Silversea’s attentive staff and a flute of champagne as they are escorted to their suite by their butler. Onboard, guests enjoy four world-class restaurants. At The Grill, guests dine under the moonlit sky and have the opportunity to cook their food on sourced volcanic rock right at the table. Aside from adventure and aperitifs, the ship boasts the serene Zagara Spa, industry-leading service (be met with a towel as you emerge from the pool), and – unique to Silver Cloud – a state-of-the-art photo studio where budding photographers can transform prints from their cameras.

Abercrombie & Kent’s Le Lyrial

Antarctica, Le Lyrial Cruise Ship
Credit: Ambercrombie & Kent

Abercrombie & Kent’s newest charter ship from Ponant is an expeditioner’s dream. Aside from the sleek style and sophistication of the ship itself, and of course the balcony staterooms and suites, the real distinction of traveling on an A&K charter of Le Lyrial is the award-winning team of experts. Akin to an education at sea, A&K’s expeditions are led by the most experienced marine biologists, ornithologists and geologists, along with a shipboard historian who shares tales from Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. When you’re done exploring, your private butler will tend to your every need, from cocktails on your balcony to arranging for your personal hairstylist.

Quark Expeditions

Antarctica for Quark
Credit: Quark Expeditions

Set for sail in 2024Quark Expeditions unveiled its newest ship in polar explorations. Cutting edge technology, advanced safety measures and a vastly experienced expedition team are just a few reasons to set your sights on this ship. Think of it as a 5-star hotel on the sea. Leaving no stone unturned, guests will have access to dual helicopters, indoor / outdoor dining,  spa and fitness, and a rapid Zodiac.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an ice-strengthened ship and an icebreaker ship?

An ice-strengthened ship is a ship made of steel. These ships are made to get through the ice at Antarctica and the Arctic. Nowadays, most of the ships that cruise to Antarctica and the Arctic are ice-strengthened ships. Ortelius and Plancius Read more »

What kind of clothing should I take during my expedition cruise?

We require you to bring a waterproof jacket and pants (minimum 15,000mm rating) for Zodiac cruises to shore. You will also need high rubber boots for trips on Rembrandt van Rijn. Apart from that, our advice is to take warm, windproof, waterproof Read more »

You must be in good general health, and you should be able to walk several hours per day. The expedition is ship-based and physically not very demanding. Although we spend as much time as possible on shore, you are welcome to remain aboard the ship i

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21 photos of Oceanwide Expeditions
About Oceanwide Expeditions

Passionate

Taking you closer to the heart of the polar regions has been our driving passion at Oceanwide Expeditions for over twenty years. Our knowledgeable cruise leaders, committed staff, and thoroughly outfitted vessels are our way of expressing what we care about most: making your cruise to the Arctic and Antarctic truly unforgettable. When you sail with us, you experience a part of the world that is unlike any other. Mountainous glaciers, snow-swept shores, whales and polar bears and vast colonies of penguins make up this world, and they are all part of the surreal ecosystem you can watch unfold before you on your future Oceanwide expedition.

Adventurous

Providing you a travel experience that inspires (and is inspired by) you, that’s what taking you closer to the heart of the polar regions means to us. We get you away from the vessel and into the action as fast as possible: up to two landings per day in the morning and afternoon, with a fleet of inflatable Zodiacs ready to shuttle you past the ice floes and onto the shore. We keep our programs flexible so that you get the most out of whatever surprises nature has in mind. When you sail with us, the cruise is just the tip of the iceberg.

Pioneering

So what exactly is beneath the tip of that iceberg? The pioneering spirit, which all travelers to the polar regions (regardless of age and background) have in common. Guiding our expeditions with passion, tapping into the desire for inspiration and beauty, and always taking you closer to the heart of the Arctic and Antarctic – at Oceanwide Expeditions, that is our promise to you.

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