Growing fast is the Exploration Cruise industry. How fast? Viking joins the race to the poles with two expedition ships built by VARD who also built the three luxury Expedition cruise ships for Hapag Lloyd. Sure, many ships sail the fjords or venture up to see the Northern lights, or take you to Antarctica, but there are ships that break the ice so you can put on snowshoes and hike to the pole. Even though we know there is no pole and penguins don’t partner for life. One of the funniest shows I ever saw was a penguin professor explaining just how randy they were. EXPEDITION & EXPLORATION CRUISE CHAT

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In order to research you must research as the difference is vast. And know that the more extreme you get the less easy the excursions are. Ships at the Galapagos tend to ferry guests to islands in rubber ribs. The Ice Breaker is extreme…. but it is a cruise.

Whilst these are modern cruise ships with all the luxury, the range spans from the icebreaker above, 50 Years of History, to modern ships. EXPEDITION & EXPLORATION CRUISE CHAT

Some of the confusion is down to the rules imposed on going into some waters. This is not just fuel, safety and ability it is many things that means some ships will shout about what Ice Class they are.

These ships are destination-oriented. The entertainment is normally experts someone with port knowledge or an explorer, the facilities onboard will list the mini-subs, rubber ribs, Kayaks and other equipment to get you onto islands that may not have a port, or get you near to see penguins. Icebergs are a feature rather than mountains or fjords. This is exploring, which often combines with luxury and 5-star food.

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ALBATROS EXPEDITIONS Ocean Victory Ocean Atlantic Ocean Albatros 

ANTARCTICA 21 Magellan Explorer Ocean Nova

CELEBRITY EXPLORATION Celebrity Flora  Celebrity Xpedition Celebrity Xploration 

CRYSTAL EXPEDITION Crystal Endeavor

G ADVENTURES Galapagos Integrity Yolita Eden Reina Silvia Voyager The Arctic G-Expedition (Antarctica)  EXPEDITION CRUISE CHAT

HAPAG LLOYD EXPEDITION FLEET Hanseatic Nature Hanseatic Inspiration Hanseatic Spirit

HURTIGRUTEN MS Fram MS Fridtjof Nansen MS Maud (Trollfjord) MS Nordstjernen MS Otto Sverdrup (Finnmarken) MS Roald Amundsen MS Santa Cruz II MS Spitsbergen MS Kong Harald MS Lofoten MS Midnatsol MS Nordkapp MS Polarlys MS Nordlys MS Nordnorge MS Richard With MS Vesterålen

NOBLE CALEDONIA Exploration Hebridean Sky Expedition 50 Years Of Victory (Ice Breaker)

OCEANWIDE EXPEDITIONS Plancius Ortelius Hondius Janssonius

SWOOP ANTARCTICA Seaventure Greg Mortimer Ocean Adventurer World Explorer Ultramarine Sylvia Earle Ocean Nova Sea Spirit Ocean Diamond

VIKING EXPEDITION Viking Octantis Viking Polaris

CHAT GROUPS – a fantastic way to help others and a place to find answers. We run Facebook Groups for cruisers – see the list in black boxes after the ships and fleets listed above.  EXPEDITION & EXPLORATION CRUISE CHAT