Expedition Cruise Diary
Stowaway Medias exclusive Expedition Cruise Diary
Stowaway Medias exclusive Expedition Cruise Diary
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EXPEDITION CRUISING<br />
EXPEDITION CRUISING<br />
DISCOVER:<br />
EXPEDITION CRUISING<br />
<strong>Expedition</strong> cruising has been on the sidelines of the industry, considered<br />
something for a small band of adventurous travellers prepared to rough it<br />
in return for visiting out-of-the-way places, but things are changing fast as<br />
more cruise lines enter the market with luxurious new ships.<br />
An unprecedented 30 or more expedition ships are<br />
being built over the next four years, offering grand<br />
suites, butlers and upscale restaurants for those<br />
venturing off the beaten path.<br />
It doesn’t mean that expedition cruising is a<br />
mainstream holiday choice yet – most people still<br />
see a cruise as a time to relax in the sun rather than<br />
be challenged by new experiences - but it has put<br />
the sector under the spotlight as never before.<br />
It means agents who want to grab a share<br />
of the market need to get to grips with a whole<br />
new style of cruising and destinations.<br />
SMALL SHIPS<br />
<strong>Expedition</strong> ships are small, holding anything<br />
from 200 to 500 passengers. That is important<br />
as it means they can navigate into little bays<br />
and convey passengers ashore by tender quickly<br />
and efficiently (there are no ports in many of the<br />
places these ships visit).<br />
Size is even more important in the polar regions.<br />
In Antarctica, only ships with 500 passengers or<br />
fewer are allowed to offer landings and then only<br />
100 can be ashore at one time. Many cruise lines<br />
limit passenger numbers to 200 and allow just an<br />
hour ashore, ensuring a smooth landing operation<br />
with the minimum waiting time.<br />
In the Galapagos, ships are not allowed to<br />
carry any more than 100 people and itineraries<br />
are carefully planned so there is only ever one<br />
vessel at each of the landing sites to ensure the<br />
wildlife is not disturbed. »<br />
6 | <strong>Expedition</strong> <strong>Cruise</strong> <strong>Diary</strong> | March 2019<br />
Stowaway Media | 7