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Are you looking for a trip with adventure, learning, access to National Geographic naturalists and photographers, along with luxury accommodations? Then you might be looking to sail on an expedition Cruise with National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions.
Expedition Cruising with National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions
Recently I had the pleasure of sailing on the National Geographic Explorer with Lindblad Expeditions. We did the Arctic Edges Itinerary, seven nights round trip from Reykjavik, Iceland. We sailed to the Westfjords of Iceland and over to the remote areas of East Greenland.
We went to places few people get to explore!
And what an amazing way to go on a small (148 passengers), luxury vessel, with all the creature comforts, but an itinerary curated by National Geographic. On board with us was a National Geographic photographer, several naturalists, and other experts in their field.
In between incredible expeditions, hikes, white water rafting, polar plunging, and zodiac rides, we had amazing lectures on board. It sounds nerdy, but it was so fun.
What is National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions?
I am going to back up a little – my experience was on one of their ships, to one of their amazing destinations. But Lindblad is the expedition company that has partnered with National Geographic to bring exciting, educational, high end, expedition trips onboard small ships. They sail to incredible destinations and no two voyages are the same.
Where does National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions sail?
National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions sails to all seven continents. Their bread and butter itineraries are the Galapagos, Antarctica, the Arctic, Alaska, and Baja California. They sail to many other destinations, but those are their main focus areas. And these are great locations to opt for a small ship expedition trip.
What is Included on a National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions trip?
I’m not going to sugar coat it, these trips are not cheap, but for what you get, they really are a great value, and an incredible experience that it’s hard to put a price tag on.
And I should add that the ENTIRE time I was onboard I did not open my wallet once. I did buy a few souvenirs in the gift shop but that was IT.
In regards to the cruise fare, your voyage is included, along with ALL of your meals, soft drinks, specialty coffees, house wine and spirits, local beer, Wi-Fi, and ALL YOUR EXCURSIONS. Yes, all those (pricy) experiences are ALL included.
On our Arctic sailing, we were given a beautiful winter jacket to wear during the trip, and to take home as well.
You also get to sit in on lectures given by experts in their field. This was one of my favorite parts of sailing with National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions.
On my itinerary I sat in on a talk about Icelandic Folklore Traditions and Food, Icelandic Politics and Culture, and a talk by a National Geographic photographer about his 45 days camping and rock climbing in Antarctica. Meeting with folks like this just blew me away!
We also dined with the expeditions staff, photographer, and naturalists, they are so accessible on board.
Cabins on National Geographic Explorer
One thing that really surprised me about this expedition ship is how comfortable, large, and well-appointed the cabins are. This ship has single, double, and triple occupancy cabins available. On the National Geographic Explorer, there are port hole, window, and balcony cabins along with suites.
I was in cabin 339, which is a picture window room. The beds were configured into two twins (but can be made into one king). We had a desk, chair, lots of storage and a large bathroom with stand up shower. Very good size for a ship.
Onboard I was able to tour the suites – these have a nice sitting area and some added amenities like a coffee maker and stocked mini bar.
I also saw the single rooms and expedition cruising with National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions is really a great trip for solo travelers. It’s a very social experience and attracts like-minded adventurers.
Dining on National Geographic Explorer
Another area that PLEASANTLY surprised me was the amazing dining on board the ship. Both in terms of quality and variety. I am vegetarian and each meal had a vegan option (and gluten free option) on the menu. Since it’s such a small ship, the chef can work with you directly if you do have any dietary restrictions. This is also something I can assist with when you book your trip with me.
The ship has one main restaurant. It serves a buffet breakfast with cooked to order omelets. Lunch offers several ala carte entrees along with a soup/salad/sandwich/charcuterie bar.
In the evening, this is where dinner is served.
The seating is open and its common to dine with new friends and/or some of the staff on board.
Outside the restaurant is the Bistro Bar, where you will find a coffee bar, alcohol bar, and also where they serve an afternoon tea with snacks. There is also seating in here for the restaurant’s overflow.
Up in the chart room there is self-serve coffee and small snacks, and in the Observation Lounge, a light lunch is served daily.
There is also a bar in the lounge, where you will gather each evening for a debrief with drinks and passed appetizers.
Typical Day onboard National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions
The first thing I have to say is no day is typical and NOTHING about this trip is cookie cutter – especially in the Arctic where the itinerary and day-to-day schedule was very much dictated by the weather and sea conditions.
BUT there is a bit of a cadence to each day and here is more or less what you can expect:
Breakfast is served in the Restaurant for about 60-90 minutes, the exact times do vary each day.
Then there is usually a morning excursion. On our expedition all of the guests were divided into four groups (with Arctic bird names) to space out the disembarkation. They also rotate through which groups go first, second, third, and fourth.
Often within each excursion there were options to choose from for those who wanted something longer/more strenuous or those who wanted lighter physical activity. This reminded me a lot of my time onboard AMADara in the Mekong.
After the morning excursion, lunch would be served for an hour or so. Again, the exact time would vary based on the excursions. On some days we sailed during lunch time to another spot.
In the afternoon there was usually a second excursion.
Afternoon tea was served around 4pm, and usually at 6pm was the nightly debriefing. This is when everyone would gather in the lounge to go over the events of the day and the schedule for the next day. I love that the bar was open and the wait staff passed out delicious appetizers to much on while listening.
After the debrief, everyone would go down to dinner and after that pretty much either to bed OR on a few nights there were photography lectures after dinner.
On mornings, or afternoons when we were sailing, there were various presentations by the naturalists on board. It was also a perfect time to hang out in the observation lounge and relax. There is a spa treatment room on board, so you could spend free time getting a service, and there also is a sauna and fitness center on the National Geographic Explorer.
Important to note that meal times were dictated by the excursion schedule, so you had to be flexible with that, AND note in the schedule there was no “entertainment” or shows. The days were long and tiring so most nights after dinner we were pretty spent.
Who is National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions for?
National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions does attract a variety of guests – in terms of age and physical ability. The common denominator is a passion for exploration and a love of learning.
In terms of physicality, if you can walk the dog for 10 minutes and get in and out of a bathtub, you can participate. In the Arctic (and most destinations) the landings are done via zodiac boat. Getting in and out of them is pretty much equivalent to getting in and out of a tub. There was always an easier excursion option, so you don’t have to be a triathlete to go.
Doctors, lawyers, and professors seem to flock to these trips. Along with multi-generational groups where everyone loves learning. This is a great way to get your kids off the devices and to experience the world around them.
National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions does encourage families to come on board. They have their Explorers-in-Training program, although if your kids need A LOT of entertainment (or you are looking for drop off care) this is not for you.
Lastly, I think guests of National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions need to be the folks who are okay with a flexible schedule. No day is the same, and even the best laid plans may change at the last minute.
On our recent expedition, we had landed in East Greenland. The scout team went out to make sure the area was safe (From Polar Bears). The zodiacs started going out and guests were already on a hike when a bear was spotted, the whistle was blown and guests had to get back (quickly) to the ship. The hike was replaced by a zodiac cruise of the glacier although that had been the planned afternoon activity. That did throw off the rest of the day.
So that afternoon we just landed in a little beach area and did some walking around. We did not get to do the big hike, but safety is always the most important thing!
There was also another night where we were gathering for the debrief and a polar bear was spotted on the shore. So the ship changed course to get as close as possible, for viewing and pictures. The debrief was cancelled and dinner was delayed, but we saw a POLAR BEAR!
National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions Review
This recent trip on National Geographic Explorer exceeded my expectations in every way. I cannot believe I was getting photo tips from a Nat Geo photographer, and getting to hike a waterfall with a Nat Geo geologist.
I was pushed to do things I didn’t think I could – specifically the incredibly hard hikes, white water rafting in Iceland, and completing the polar plunge in the frigid waters off Greenland!
And I met the most amazing people – some of which I will keep in touch with and hopefully travel with again. The staff was just incredible- from the service folks who by day 2 knew your orders and preferences, to the naturalists and expedition staff.
Lastly, I loved the open bridge policy. I got to hang with the captain and learn more about how they navigate and drive the ship – any boat aficionado would LOVE this.
I definitely have the itch to visit some of the other destinations with National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions – maybe Galapagos or Antarctica next? (or both!)
But seriously, if you are looking for an adventurous trip, to experience AND learn about the world around you all with incredible accommodations, lets chat and see if an expedition sailing with National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions is for you! You can email me to get started or fill out this form. I would love to chat expedition cruising with you!
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