The expedition cruise segment, after a veritable boom in the second half of the previous decade, appears to have slowed its growth. The pace of new ship additions, which was already showing signs of slowing before the pandemic, has dwindled to almost nothing. Some firm orders have even been canceled. As this segment is highly dependent on the destination, travel restrictions have severely impacted it.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 62 – September 2022
On the other hand, the invasion of Ukraine has meant that certain Arctic destinations are closed to the expedition fleet, leading to a concentration of activity in destinations like Svalbard. In any case, the health of the sector seems guaranteed in the coming years, as evidenced by the interest in the Crystal Endeavour auction.
What does a cruise ship need to offer expeditions?
Currently, 92 ships can be classified as expedition cruise ships, with a total gross tonnage of 833,337 and a passenger capacity of 19,662. To put these figures into context, three Royal Caribbean Oasis-class ships, or all four MSC Cruises Bellissima-class ships, have more passenger capacity than the entire expedition fleet combined. The average size of an expedition ship is around 9,000 gross tonnage (approximately 18 times smaller than the Costa Smeralda), and they carry an average of 187 passengers.
• Hull certified for ice navigation. Although a vessel may offer expedition cruises outside the poles, the Arctic and Antarctic seasons are essential. The expedition vessel must be able to navigate through ice unassisted.
The key to absorbing current capacity in the expedition segment will be having strong business partners worldwide, not just in one source market.
• Ability to carry out landings without port facilities. The expedition concept involves stops at locations without any port facilities. Vessels must be equipped with facilities that allow for safe and environmentally responsible disembarkation. This includes Zodiacs, mud rooms for changing clothes, platforms for boarding the Zodiacs, and kayaks. These landings also limit the vessels' draft.
• Autonomy to offer long cruises. A true expedition ship must be able to offer a technical autonomy of 60 days in some cases, allowing it to offer cruises of a certain duration without refueling or resupplying, opening up the map for itinerary planners.
• Open design, to facilitate observation of the surroundings. The latest expedition ships delivered have adopted an exterior design with many windows, allowing passengers to enjoy the views while remaining sheltered from the elements, if necessary. This observation capability extends to the air and the seabed, as some even have helicopters and submarines.
• Luxury on board. Gone are the days of expedition ships offering spartan cabins. Cabins have improved significantly on new expedition ships. They are larger, balconies are standard, there are more suites, and the culinary offerings are very similar to those on a luxury cruise ship.
• Lower capacity. Most expedition ships carry around 200 passengers, which allows them to reach Antarctica. However, operators like Hurtigruten and Viking have opted for larger vessels, carrying around 500 passengers.
• Onboard ecology. There's a race among expedition operators to have the most environmentally friendly ship. This includes wastewater treatment plants, ballast water treatment, the use of LNG as fuel, and the use of batteries for short periods. Soon we'll have a "zero waste" vessel, for the duration of the expedition.
• Education and enrichment. Some ships have science labs or offer lectures by experts on topics related to the itinerary. The expedition segment increasingly offers educational content both onboard and at port calls.
However, the construction frenzy for expedition cruise ships has slowed. It's worth noting that half the fleet (44 ships) was delivered between 2018 and 2023. In other words, the fleet is very modern. But no expedition cruise ship deliveries are planned for 2024 and 2025. Years like 2019 and 2021, when shipowners in this segment received twelve vessels, seem a distant memory.
We may be on the verge of a situation similar to that experienced between 2010 and 2017, when only eight expedition vessels were delivered (one per year). The full operation of this new fleet in 2022 will indicate whether there is indeed excess tonnage, as many suggest; or whether, on the contrary, the order books of shipyards specializing in this type of vessel will begin to fill up again.
Scenic Eclipse, a Spanish design for a polar vessel.
When Glen Moroney, founder and president of the Scenic Group, decided to make the leap from river cruises to ocean cruises, he knew that the segment he should enter was expedition cruises, and with a groundbreaking vessel. Moroney launched Scenic in 1987 in Australia, and twenty years later it arrived on European rivers. Conceptually, Moroney envisioned a kind of mega-yacht, in the style of those owned by Arab sheikhs or Russian oligarchs.
Thus was born the Scenic Eclipse, a cruise ship with an icebreaker hull offering two helicopters and a mini-submarine, all within an ultra-luxurious environment and six-star service, including exquisite cuisine paired with an unparalleled wine cellar. It's a vessel difficult to categorize, somewhere between ultra-luxury and expedition. The Scenic Eclipse's design incorporates state-of-the-art technical solutions and an exterior appearance with the elegance of a mega-yacht.
In November 2015, Glen Moroney contracted the Croatian shipyard Uljanik Brodogradiliste Pula to build the Scenic Eclipse. The Spanish firm Oliver Design was responsible for the exterior design and architectural project, in coordination with the Finnish engineering firm ForeShip. As with other prototypes in the luxury and expedition segments, the ship's construction bankrupted the shipyard, and it could only be completed after the owner's intervention in July 2019, even though the Scenic Eclipse was initially scheduled for delivery in the summer of 2018. To build its sister ship, the Scenic Eclipse II, Moroney bought the shipyard and managed its construction directly.
The ship can accommodate up to 240 passengers in 114 balcony cabins spread across five decks, all over 32 square meters in size, including two 245-square-meter penthouse suites, and a crew of 172. Its exterior is magnificent: balanced, modern, and refined. To use a cliché, it looks like a yacht, even though it has a gross tonnage of 16,500, a length of 165.70 meters, a beam of 21.50 meters, and a draft of 5.5 meters. It is one of the largest expedition ships, with eight decks, and has a PC6 hull according to the Polar Code. It also offers other facilities, such as a helipad and hangar capable of accommodating two helicopters, a seven-person submarine, twelve Zodiacs and kayaks on board, a 240-seat theater, a heated swimming pool, a 450-square-meter spa, jacuzzis, five restaurants, several bars, and more. And of course, an observation lounge on the ship's top deck.
The project placed great emphasis on safety, having received the Bureau Veritas "Safe Return to Port" certification, and also meets the most demanding comfort criteria, achieving the BV Comfort Class rating. It features a new stabilizer design that eliminates rolling even when the vessel is stationary. Regarding environmental protection, it complies with Green Passport criteria. For example, it has dynamic positioning to avoid using its anchors in sensitive seabeds.
The Scenic Eclipse and its twin have diesel-electric propulsion, with two independent engine rooms and two azipods.
Ponant
found its footing in 2010. That year saw the launch of a state-of-the-art vessel, Le Boreal, followed a year later by its sister ship, L'Austral, both built by Fincantieri. These 142-meter-long ships feature 132 cabins, all with balconies, and a crew of 146. They are equipped with diesel-electric propulsion, powered by two 2,300 kW electric motors, allowing them to reach speeds of up to 15 knots.
They were designed for polar navigation, with a reinforced hull certified to 1C standards, authorizing them to navigate in light ice (up to 0.4 m thick). In 2012, the company was acquired by the investment fund Bridgepoint, which boosted the "five-star" expedition model. In the summer of 2013, Le Soleal was delivered, followed in April 2015 by Le Lyrial, a more luxurious version with fewer cabins (122), more suites, and a more opulent interior design. Equipped with environmentally friendly systems, the new ships have earned the "Green Ship" label. These include a dynamic positioning system to avoid anchoring in protected areas; quiet and economical electric propulsion that uses only less polluting light diesel; an advanced wastewater treatment system; a zero-waste policy, with no discharges during navigation; and more.
An expedition ship must have great autonomy to offer long cruises.
With this magnificent fleet, Ponant began taking its passengers to the Arctic and Antarctic. In September 2013, Le Soleal became the first French cruise ship to sail through the Northwest Passage. A year later, Ponant achieved a world first: it was the first company to offer two cruises along this route. Three months apart, sailing through the Bellot Strait, the historic route of explorers, Le Boreal and Le Soleal offered their passengers an extraordinary experience, visiting destinations such as Beechey Island, Gjoa Haven, and more.
In the fall of 2015, Ponant was sold to the Artemis group, the Pinault family's holding company. Artemis provided Ponant with financial security and €900 million, which was invested in seven vessels: six expedition ships and one cruise icebreaker.
The six ships in the Explorers series were built by the Norwegian shipyard Vard, a subsidiary of Fincantieri. They are 120 meters long, 18 meters wide, and offer 92 cabins and suites. They feature, as a world first, an underwater lounge called “Blue Eye,” designed by architect Jacques Rougerie. Ponant incorporated into these ships everything learned from the previous quartet, including the “Safe Return to Port” notation, which requires that all propulsion and steering systems be duplicated. Le Lapérouse (the first in the series) was the company's first ship equipped with an SCR emissions reduction system and Tier III engines. Like the ships in the preceding series, they use only light diesel fuel. Today, Ponant holds 12% of the market share in lower berths, while its ships represent almost 17% of registered tonnage, a clear indication of its dual luxury/expedition character.
Enrichment on board
Following in Lindblad's footsteps with National Geographic, in April 2021, Ponant announced an alliance with Smithsonian Journeys, the travel program of the Smithsonian Institution, for nineteen cruises in 2022. This combined Ponant's luxury expedition concept with the enrichment provided by Smithsonian experts, seeking a remarkable destination immersion and experiences different from those of a conventional trip.
With a fleet of new ships, Ponant has found its niche in the cruise market. Ponant's strength lies in the fact that, in many ways, it conceived and championed the luxury expedition segment. It boasts an unparalleled fleet of eleven ships (all except the pioneering Le Ponant), capable of covering every destination, always with a highly skilled expedition team on board to help passengers gain a deeper understanding of the environments visited, and with a strong focus on offering responsible and sustainable cruises. 2022 will be its first full year operating its entire fleet, and whether it expands its offerings will depend on the financial results of this year.
Commandant
Charcot. It is a unique vessel, unparalleled in the market, a major technical challenge. Delivered in 2021 by Vard for €270 million, it became the most expensive ship in the history of these Norwegian shipyards, and also the most expensive exploration cruise vessel. Measuring 150 meters in length and 28 meters in beam, it has a gross tonnage of 30,000 and can break ice up to 2.5 meters thick.
Its hull incorporates the DAS (Double Acting Ship) design or "double bow" principle: when sailing as an icebreaker, the stern acts as the bow, breaking the ice with that part of the ship; while in open navigation, the ship sails in a conventional way.
The design of the Scenic Eclipse incorporates state-of-the-art technical solutions, including oversized stabilizers that make it a very stable platform.
Its engines can run on both light diesel and LNG, reducing CO2 emissions while eliminating SOx and particulate matter emissions and lowering NOx emissions. It is the only expedition vessel with this capability, thanks to a 4,500 m³ fuel tank. In addition to its gas propulsion, it is equipped with batteries for emission-free and silent navigation when required by the expedition. For navigation, besides conventional instruments, it features an ice-optimized radar and infrared cameras to illuminate the ship's course through ice floes.
The icebreaker Le Commandant Ponant entered service in the summer of 2021. On September 6 of that year, it reached the geographic North Pole on a test voyage, a feat previously only accomplished by Russian nuclear icebreakers, chartered by operators such as Quark, Poseidon, and others. Last winter, it was based in Ushuaia, Argentina, from where it offered cruises to Antarctica. On one of these cruises, on February 27, 2022, it set a new latitude record of 78°44'3"S in the Bay of Whales, in the Ross Sea. This summer, it was the only cruise ship to reach the North Pole.
The ship blends tradition and modernity. For example, it offers a "Winter Garden," one of its most unique features, complete with an indoor pool and a heated glass sundeck. At the stern, it also boasts the "Blue Lagoon," an irregularly shaped, heated outdoor pool. This area allows passengers to enjoy the outdoors even in cooler weather. The ship has 135 cabins and suites, 68 of which have private balconies. Four of these are 95-square-meter duplex suites located at the stern, each with a private jacuzzi and accommodating up to four guests. Its "Gastronomic Restaurant" can serve all passengers in a single seating and offers French and international cuisine. It is open from breakfast to dinner and has its own wine cellar. Le Commandant Charcot also features an atrium spanning six decks, crowned by a glass roof. Inside, you'll find the information desk, a lounge, shops, and the expedition desk. The ship also features a theater equipped with the latest video and audio technology, including an LED video wall. It can accommodate all passengers simultaneously. The 262-square-meter Panoramic Bar is located on the top deck and is surrounded by a glass-enclosed observation deck offering panoramic views. This space also houses a library and a live music area. The Wellness Space provides a spa, beauty salon, gym, sauna, and snow cabin, as well as massage and treatment rooms.
Royal Caribbean: Hapag-Lloyd, Silversea, and the Silver Endeavour.
Royal Caribbean is usually associated with mega-ships, such as the Oasis class, with 220,000 GT and a capacity of over 6,000 passengers. But in the last two years, thanks to two acquisitions (Silversea and Hapag-Lloyd), it has become one of the largest shipowners in the expedition segment, on par with Ponant and Hurtigruten, with almost 15% of the tonnage, although it only offers 10% of the capacity, as these are luxury expeditions.
Royal Caribbean operates Hapag-Lloyd through its joint venture, TUI Kreuz. Hapag-Lloyd is a long-established expedition cruise operator. Its origins in this segment date back to 1974, with the founding of the Hanseatic Group by Dirk Moldenhauer. For many years, it owned the Bremen and the Hanseatic, two ships that were true benchmarks in the expedition cruise segment.
The Hanseatic joined the group in 1992. In 1994, it offered its first Northwest Passage cruise between Sondestromfjord and Anchorage, a 28-day voyage. In October 1996, Hapag-Lloyd acquired Hanseatic Tours, marking the beginning of a successful period for the company. In 2008, for example, it again offered the Northwest Passage cruise, arriving in Reykjavik, alongside the Bremen. In the summer of 2014, it offered the Northeast Passage for the first time, between Nome and Bodø, covering 6,032 nautical miles, with 22 shore excursions, and other milestones. In September 2018, it left the fleet, having sailed 1,932,341 nautical miles and visited 148 countries on 677 cruises, 128 of which were to Antarctica. His colleague Bremen successfully traversed the Northwest Passage in 2006, aided by satellite images that indicated the location of sea ice.
Hurtigruten has strengthened its presence in the expedition cruise segment after losing part of the contract for the Norwegian coastal route.
This pair was replaced by a trio of ships, the Hanseatic Inspiration and its two sister ships, which were built between 2019 and 2021 by Vard (a Fincantieri subsidiary) to renew Hapag-Lloyd's expedition fleet. Their design is based on a PC6 hull, which houses state-of-the-art technology, such as 3D sonar, an SCR catalytic converter (which reduces NOx emissions by 95%), a PROMAS rudder, an ice detector based on thermal imaging cameras, and a shore power connection to shut down the engines during port calls.
These ships offer a super-luxury experience in 120 cabins and suites, all with balconies, for up to 230 passengers. The smallest cabin measures 22 square meters, and the largest suites 71 square meters. All include comfort features, such as a heated wall for wet parkas, and the most expensive suites offer luxuries like a sauna, butler service, a separate lounge, and more.
They are relatively large exploration vessels for this segment, with approximately 17,000 GT, 9 decks, 7 of them for passengers.
The ship offers two bars and three restaurants: the main dining room (178 seats), a specialty restaurant (44 seats), and a Bistro (Lido Buffet) with 84 indoor and 100 outdoor seats. As is to be expected on a luxury ship, the restaurants offer self-service seating.
The Hanseatic Inspiration offers a sophisticated atmosphere, enhanced by the personal enrichment provided by the experts and expedition team. The spacious gym (100 m²) and spa (215 m²) offer stunning sea views. The ship features a marina aft for water sports and has 16 Zodiacs, some with electric motors, for landings. Among the public areas, the main lounge stands out, equipped with the latest multimedia technology, as does the observation lounge located on the top deck.
The other major expedition brand within the Royal Caribbean group is Silversea Cruises. Its entry into this market came in 2008 with the purchase of the Silver Explorer, which completed its first Northwest Passage in 2014. Silversea's next step was to convert the two smallest ships in its fleet, the Silver Cloud and Silver Wind, into expedition vessels.
In the midst of the pandemic, Silversea transformed its luxury cruise ship, the Silver Wind, into an expedition vessel capable of operating in both polar regions and the world's most remote tropical waters. The ship was fitted with a reinforced hull and ice-detecting sonar designed for use on icebreakers. It was also equipped with 24 Zodiacs and 14 kayaks. Its capacity was reduced to just 274 passengers, served by an expedition team of up to 28 people who share their expertise during onboard lectures and Zodiac landings. The former casino was converted into a state-of-the-art photography studio; a mud room was constructed, and the outdoor pool was heated. The Silver Wind's environmental credentials were significantly improved with the installation of a new bilge water treatment plant, an organic waste treatment plant, and new boilers.
This year, Silversea added the finishing touch to its fleet with the purchase of the Crystal Endeavour. This was the vessel Crystal had designed to enter the expedition cruise segment, and its bankruptcy this past January put it on the market.
It is one of the largest new prototypes for expedition cruise ships (20,000 GT and 183 meters in length), and its hull meets the requirements of Class 6 of the Polar Code. It carries only 200 passengers in 100 suites, attended by a crew of 200, offering a level of space per passenger and service only found on Scenic ships. The smallest suite is 37 m², and the two Owner Suites offer 290 m² (including the veranda), making them among the largest on any cruise ship. These suites feature two bedrooms, a living room, a garden, and a private spa with a jacuzzi and sauna, dressing room, and more.
Ponant offers a unique concept characterized by constant flexibility and permanent respect for the environment, by proximity to the crew, by expedition teams made up of experts, with the possibility of accessing the bridge, with landings in zodiacs in small groups.
The Crystal Endeavour offers helicopters, mini-submarines, electric Zodiacs, jet skis, etc. It has dynamic positioning and Safe Return to Port notation.
Among the public spaces, the Palm Court observation lounge, typical of all Crystal ships, stands out at the stern, with 270º views; a 900 m2 Spa; a pool with glass walls that can be converted into a dance floor; several restaurants; a theater with capacity for all passengers; etc.
As with other exploration cruise ships, the construction of the Crystal Endeavour was significantly delayed. It was initially scheduled for delivery in August 2018 by Lloyd Werft. However, its owners took delivery almost three years later, in the summer of 2021. Its arrival at Silversea marks the departure of the Silver Explorer, which has been sold to a French shipowner.
Finally, Royal Caribbean offers luxury cruises to the Galápagos Islands with its two Celebrity Expeditions ships. Their offerings in this destination are complemented by Silversea's Silver Origin.
Conversely, Carnival Corp., the world's largest cruise ship operator, does not have a significant presence in this segment. It offers only two ships, the Seabourn Venture and its sister ship, the Seabourn Pursuit, though they are among the largest and most modern. This represents only 5.5% of the market in terms of tonnage and 2.22% in passenger capacity.
Expedition Ship Chartering: The Infinity Class.
The expedition cruise sector is highly fragmented, meaning that a number of operators struggle to finance their own ships. They understand the concept of an expedition but lack the expertise to manage a vessel. These wholesalers (Quark, Aurora, Albatros, etc.) offer expedition cruises but have neither ships nor crews, chartering them seasonally or on long-term contracts. This is SunStone Ships' business: chartering ships to wholesalers on multi-year, seasonal, or even voyage-only contracts. They maintain a diverse fleet of vessels, some of Soviet origin, others from the defunct Renaissance Cruises, and so on. Lund saw the need to introduce new tonnage into the expedition segment and made a significant investment in the vessels of the so-called “Project Unlimited” or “Infinity Class,” a plan to build eight 11,000 GT expedition ships, designed by Ulstein, featuring the inverted “X Bow” design and the ability to reconfigure the cabin layout. Thus, while maintaining the same exterior dimensions, the “Infinity” ships can be configured for 120 cabins/240 passengers or 60 cabins/120 passengers, with cabins of varying sizes and public spaces with different seating densities. This unique concept stems from SunStone's need to be able to offer these vessels to different operators, allowing certain specifications of this class of ship to be negotiated on a long-term charter basis. Finally, six ships of this prototype have been built, with the seventh being cancelled at the beginning of the year, so that the Ocean Discoverer will not be delivered next year to American Queen Voyages, which needed it to offer cruises to Alaska in the summer, and to Albatros Expeditions, for the rest of the year.
Like all new expedition vessels, they are all highly efficient and environmentally friendly. The Polar Code, with its Class 6 hull, is no exception. They use only marine diesel (MGO) on board and have a range of 10,000 nautical miles at 12.5 knots, or 33 days of sailing without refueling.
Quark Expeditions was the first to use Russian icebreakers to bring tourism to Antarctica.
The design also features high-resolution sonar, dynamic positioning, an observation lounge, and a floating marina for boarding Zodiacs and practicing water sports. Last May, SunStone Ships unveiled the Boundless expedition ship project, which will be the successor to the Infinity class. These ships will be 125 meters long and will offer 130 suites, all with balconies.
Hurtigruten's New Ships:
Since its acquisition by the private equity firm TDR Capital in December 2014, this traditional Norwegian company, founded in 1893, has taken decisive steps to become a leader in expedition cruises, while continuing its traditional coastal express service along the Norwegian coast. Although Hurtigruten began offering coastal service along the Norwegian coast in 1893, it only entered the expedition market in 2002, when it sent its first ship, the Nordnorge, to Antarctica, a voyage it repeated every winter until 2007. That year, Hurtigruten launched its first expedition ship, the 11,600 GT, 274-berth Fram, which was christened in Oslo by Princess Mette-Marit before its maiden voyage to Greenland. However, the Lehman Brothers crisis cooled this line of business, to the point that an option to build a sister ship did not materialize. In 2010, the Fram began offering cruises in the Spitsbergen islands.
In May 2015, Hurtigruten decided that its expansion would be based on expedition cruises. Consequently, in the 2016/2017 season, Hurtigruten sent two ships to Antarctica for the first time: the Fram, based in Ushuaia, and the Midnatsol, based in Punta Arenas. In 2017, it added new destinations such as the Chilean fjords, Cape Horn, the Amazon, and the Canadian Arctic.
But Hurtigruten's real turning point came on April 21, 2016, with the signing of a contract to build four new expedition ships (two firm orders and two options) with the Norwegian shipyard Kleven. The first, the Roald Amundsen, was delivered in 2019, a year behind schedule, and its sister ship, the Fridtjof Nansen, in 2020. Both will comply with the Polar Code, featuring a Class 6 hull, enabling them to navigate beyond the traditionally ice-free Norwegian fjords. They are large vessels, nearly 21,000 GT, with around 300 cabins and the capacity to accommodate more than 500 passengers. Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten, commented that these ships "represented Hurtigruten's largest investment in its more than 120 years of experience sailing the Arctic." It was also one of the first operators to offer Antarctic cruises. The ships were designed by Rolls-Royce, in collaboration with Norwegian naval engineer Espen Øino, and were built by Kleven, a long-standing partner of the British multinational. Kleven, like Vard, specialized in offshore vessels.
The new ships double the company's capacity and can be used for both expedition cruises and coastal express services along the Norwegian coast. Hurtigruten contributes 11.5% of the tonnage but accounts for more than 15% of the passenger capacity. These are therefore comfortable, but not luxurious, ships where the emphasis is on the itinerary and environmental responsibility. Their latest vessels are equipped with the most efficient technology and are designed to minimize their environmental impact.
In March 2017, the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) approved the subsidy inherent in the Hurtigruten coastal route contract but requested greater competition from the Norwegian government. The Norwegian authorities divided the contract into three packages and awarded them to two companies: Hurtigruten itself, which was to operate seven vessels; and Havila, which was to operate four. Consequently, as of 2021, Hurtigruten had four surplus vessels. In the fall of 2020, the company reorganized into three divisions: Hurtigruten Norway, which operates seven vessels on the coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes; Hurtigruten Expeditions, also with seven vessels; and Hurtigruten Destinations, which manages its hotels, restaurants, and destination management services in Svalbard. Hurtigruten sold all its properties in Svalbard in 2020 through a leaseback agreement.
Swan Hellenic operates new ships with only 150 passengers that can disembark in Zodiacs anywhere.
Then came the pandemic, the logistics crisis, and delays in the delivery of Havila's vessels, which in 2022 had only two operational ships. But Hurtigruten, whose business in 73% in 2019 came from the Norwegian coastal route, decided to make a virtue of necessity, converting the Midnatsol (renamed Maud in 2021) and the Finnmarken (renamed Otto Sverdrup and re-entered service in 2021 after a refurbishment that made it the third hybrid vessel in the fleet, with the installation of batteries) into expedition ships. The Trollfjord will likely be renamed Eirik Rauke in the coming months, once the new Havila vessels are incorporated into the coastal express.
In addition, Hurtigruten purchased the Portuguese ferry Atlántida in 2015 and converted it into a 180-berth expedition ship, renaming it Spitsbergen. This ship has offered Arctic cruises this summer, and next winter it will offer West African cruises departing from Dakar.
All these vessels will have batteries installed to allow for emission-free navigation, and shore power connections to avoid emitting pollutants while in port. Furthermore, their engines have been upgraded to meet Tier 3 emissions standards.
And in March 2022, the Hurtigruten group acquired a 24.9% stake in Ecuador's Metropolitan Touring, one of South America's leading travel companies, allowing it to enter the Galapagos Islands market.
Another Scandinavian shipowner, Viking, has two of the largest ships in Antarctica, which have also been strategically designed to navigate the Great Lakes, opening up a new expedition destination. One of the most unique features of the Viking Octantis, and its sister ship Viking Polaris, is The Hangar, an indoor boarding area for Zodiacs. Both ships have a science lab where passengers can work alongside a team of resident scientists from the University of Cambridge and other Viking academic partners. Also unique are the Nordic balconies for each cabin, which transform a glass-enclosed terrace into an observation platform. The unobstructed, floor-to-ceiling glass in each cabin allows passengers to enjoy exceptional views while sheltered from the elements. At around 30,000 GT, these two vessels are the largest in the expedition segment.
Quark Expeditions
, the leading operator and true pioneer of modern expedition cruises, was founded by Lars Wikandery and Mike McDowell in 1991. That same year, they took the first tourists to the North Pole aboard the Soviet nuclear icebreaker Sovetskiy Soyuz, taking advantage of the fall of the Iron Curtain. For many years, Quark remained closely linked to Russian shipowners, chartering vessels to cover both the Arctic and Antarctic seasons. Quark was renowned for its extensive and diverse fleet and was the only operator to include icebreakers among its ships.
Thus, for years it chartered several Russian icebreakers, such as the Kapitan Khlebnikov, with which it offered the first circumnavigation of Antarctica with passengers in November 1996, an itinerary that lasted 65 nights; or in 2008, it offered a 25-day, 4,000-mile cruise from Anadyr through the Northeast Passage, ending in Murmansk. The Lehman Brothers crisis in 2008 hit Quark hard, which suspended the 2009 Northwest Passage crossing due to low bookings, after fifteen uninterrupted years of offering these cruises. This ship ceased sailing for Quark Expeditions in March 2012. Its sister ship, the icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn, also sailed for Quark for several seasons, including 1999, the year in which it offered the first circumnavigation of the Arctic. And in 2008, Quark Expeditions marketed the maiden voyage of the most modern and powerful Russian icebreaker up to this year, the 50 Years of Victory, to the North Pole.
Lindblad and National Geographic collaborate on exploration, research, technology, and conservation.
In the last decade, Quark began chartering vessels from International Shipping Partners, and then from SunStone Ships, from whom it currently charters three vessels (Ocean Diamond and Ocean Nova during the Antarctic season, and Ocean Adventurer year-round). It also charters the modern World Navigator to the Portuguese shipowner Mystic Cruises.
In 2018, Quark took a significant step forward, becoming a shipowner by commissioning an expedition vessel from the Croatian shipyard Brodosplit on June 12th. The ship, christened Ultramarine, was scheduled for delivery in 2020, coinciding with the company's 20th anniversary. Its nearly 14,000 GT include two helipads, twenty Zodiacs, and other features. Construction began with steel cutting on January 28, 2019, and the keel was laid on August 2nd of that year. The pandemic delayed delivery until April 1, 2021, and its maiden voyage finally departed from Ushuaia on December 23rd, more than two years behind schedule. According to CEO Andrew White, "The Ultramarine is more than just a ship; it's an unparalleled base of operations for polar adventures." As proof, its two helicopters are designed to transport passengers, not for sightseeing flights. According to White, they don't expect the competition to offer helicopter-based excursions, given their complexity and cost. In addition, the ship offers a restaurant that can accommodate all passengers, a sauna with ocean views, a theater/classroom with a video wall, and, continuing the trend of increasing comfort in this segment, 63 of its 100 cabins have balconies.
Although the emergence of other operators has led to a decline in their market share in this segment, it's important to remember that Quark has been offering polar expeditions to the most remote areas of the Arctic and Antarctic for the last thirty years, including destinations like Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land. The investment in the Ultramarine demonstrates their commitment to maintaining their leadership in this sector by offering innovations unmatched by other operators.
Regarding cultural enrichment, in 2017 Quark Expeditions founded Quark Academy, becoming the only expedition cruise line with its own polar training institution. Furthermore, following the pandemic, Quark Expeditions expanded overnight camping opportunities for its passengers in polar regions, including Greenland and Antarctica, while remaining committed to Polar Promise, the sustainability framework launched by Quark Expeditions in 2019.
Swan
Hellenic debuted in Antarctica during the 2021-2022 winter with the SH Minerva, the first of three 10,000 GT sister ships that the operator, led by Andrea Zito, will have in its fleet. The second, the SH Vega, debuted this summer in the Arctic. This shipowner acquired the Swan Hellenic brand and its database of 50,000 clients and relaunched it, enhancing its luxury offerings in this new phase. The Swan Hellenic brand has always been associated with cultural enrichment, destination immersion, and a relaxed onboard atmosphere. The company's operations are based in Monaco, with a support office in the United Kingdom and a central sales and reservations office in Düsseldorf, Germany.
The UK and Germany are Swan Hellenic's main source markets. In other source markets, such as Hong Kong and Australia, Swan Hellenic will work with GSAs (general sales agents).
The new ships maintain onboard conferences and have been equipped with powerful expedition teams. The first two ships have a capacity of only 152 passengers, a Class 5 Polar hull, and cost $150 million each. The third ship, the SH Diana, will have an increased capacity of 192 passengers, a gross tonnage of 12,500 GT, a Class 6 hull, and will cost $170 million. All three were built by Helsinki Shipyard. Nautical management is entrusted to V.Ships, which provides bridge, engine room, and hotel crews.
According to Zito, “building smaller ships than most will provide an authentic experience.” This way, Swan Hellenic guarantees itself access to a virtually unlimited number of landing sites in the Arctic and Antarctic. With a capacity of 150 passengers, Swan Hellenic can disembark them all in half an hour, with 10 to 12 passengers per guide. This is the real draw of Swan Hellenic.
Swan Hellenic, along with Virgin, is one of only two cruise lines to have launched during the pandemic. Its first ship, the SH Vega, boasts a spacious outdoor deck that includes an al fresco restaurant, while the Pool Bar & Grill features a heated outdoor pool and heated poolside seating. The Swan Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a single seating, offering both international and local cuisine with a focus on high-quality regional ingredients. The mudroom is located on Deck 3 and includes individual lockers.
According to Swan Hellenic, the Club Lounge is a vibrant and inviting social hub overlooking the ocean, offering 24-hour tapas service. The Minerva Sauna is located on Deck 8 and features an outdoor Jacuzzi and a state-of-the-art fitness center. The Observation Lounge on Deck 7 is the ship's largest public area. With floor-to-ceiling windows, it offers elegant Scandinavian design in an intimate and welcoming setting. In general, Swan Hellenic ships feature expansive windows to facilitate outdoor viewing.
Lindblad Expeditions
was founded in 1958 as Lindblad Travel by Lars-Eric Lindblad, with the goal of offering trips to the most remote destinations on the planet. It soon began to achieve milestones in this mission, such as the first organized tourist trip to Antarctica in 1966, to Easter Island and the Galapagos in 1967, and to the coasts of China and Bhutan in 1978.
In 1969, Lars-Eric Lindblad invented the expedition cruise ship. That year, he took delivery of the Lindblad Explorer from a Norwegian shipyard. With a capacity of only 100 passengers and a gross tonnage of around 2,000, it made a mark that continues to this day. On December 24th of that year, it stopped in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, en route to Antarctica. That first season marked the beginning of polar tourism as we know it today. In 1972, it reached 77°53'1" latitude in Antarctica. Throughout its life, it experienced several groundings and incidents, but none as serious as the one in 2007 that led to its sinking. In 1984 it was the first cruise ship to cross the Northwest Passage guided by the Lindblads, on a cruise that took place between August 19, the date it sailed from Greenland, and September 29, the date it arrived in Yokohama.
Since 1979, Lars-Eric's son, Sven-Olof Lindblad, joined the company, of which he is still the top manager today, and has achieved spectacular growth to become one of the leading companies in this market, strengthening its commitment to the environment and to science, including Lindblad's alliance with National Geographic in 2004.
Lindblad benefits from a long-standing and exclusive strategic partnership for transoceanic voyages with National Geographic, built on a shared heritage and passion for exploration. Since 2004, Lindblad and National Geographic have collaborated on exploration, research, technology, and conservation, providing extraordinary travel experiences and disseminating geographic knowledge worldwide. National Geographic scientists and photographers join many Lindblad voyages to help maximize passenger learning. In 2012, Lindblad acquired the Australian operator Orion Expedition Cruises, marking its first international expansion.
In March 2015, Lindblad Expeditions, Inc. was acquired by Capitol Acquisition Corp. II, an investment fund, for approximately $439 million. As a result of this transaction, it went public on the New York Stock Exchange and was listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market as Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. Sven-Olof Lindblad continued as chairman. Furthermore, as part of this transaction, Lindblad and National Geographic extended their partnership through December 31, 2025.
As a result of this acquisition, Lindblad launched an ambitious fleet expansion program. Historically, Lindblad had acquired its ships on the second-hand market, such as the NG Explorer, purchased from Hurtigruten, or the sister ships NG Sea Lion and NG Sea Bird. Thus, it added five new vessels to its fleet between 2017 and 2021, effectively doubling its size.
In 2017, it received the National Geographic Venture, a four-deck expedition vessel with 50 cabins, 22 of which have balconies, accommodating 100 passengers. Its shallow draft of 2.7 meters allows it to access remote locations. A year later, its sister ship, the NG Quest, arrived. Both offer a restaurant capable of seating all passengers simultaneously and generally feature local specialties. The bridge is open to passengers, in accordance with the shipowner's policy. It also has an ROV capable of operating at depths of up to 300 meters for exploring the seabed.
Both ships were built in an American shipyard, their crew is 100% American and they sail under the American flag, so they comply with the Jones Act and can offer coastal cruises in Alaska, as well as in California, including the Sea of Cortez, without stops in foreign ports.
The Polar Code provided a significant boost to the renewal of the fleet of ships for polar cruises.
In 2020, the National Geographic Endurance was delivered by the Norwegian shipyard Ulstein. This futuristic cruise ship boasts a Category 5 hull according to the Polar Code, featuring an X-Bow bow, making it a true icebreaker capable of navigating polar regions year-round. This bow design also contributes to a smoother ride, improved fuel efficiency, and reduced carbon emissions. It offers over 930 square meters of glass windows for enhanced observation and photography, top-notch service, and a strong commitment to environmental responsibility. Its diesel-electric propulsion system utilizes four generator sets whose engines meet EPA Tier 4 and IMO Tier III standards, foregoing the use of SCR or scrubber technology.
The National Geographic Endurance, at nearly 13,000 GT, has a total of six passenger decks. It offers amenities such as the "Ice Lounge," the "The Den" fire lounge, outdoor jacuzzis, saunas with ocean views, a glass-walled yoga studio, as well as libraries, a spa, a cinema, a photography studio, a gym, and two restaurants, providing an engaging onboard experience.
The expedition ship is equipped, among other things, with a fleet of Zodiacs, kayaks, cross-country skis, snowshoes, ROVs, hydrophones, and underwater cameras.
It has capacity for 126 passengers in 56 cabins and 13 suites, all exterior, including 12 single cabins with a small balcony, another trend in the expedition segment. Its sister ship, the NG Resolution, was delivered a year later.
Both ships have been used in both poles since their delivery. This year, for example, the NG Resolution offered a 22-day Northwest Passage cruise from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, to Anchorage, Alaska, between July 17 and August 7, 2022.
In addition to building these four ships, Lindblad purchased the Crystal Esprit in 2021 and refurbished it to offer expedition cruises in the Galápagos as the National Geographic Islander II. With these new builds and acquisitions, Lindblad Expeditions holds a nearly 6% market share in the expedition segment.
Other shipowners:
At the local level, there are notable operators such as Coral Expeditions in Australia, Heritage Expeditions in New Zealand, and Cruceros Australis in Patagonia. The Dutch shipowner Ocean Wide Expeditions has built two PC6 polar vessels (Hondius and Janssonius) in recent years, and with four vessels, is a major polar operator.
The Polar Code
defines seven classes of polar vessels within three categories:
– Classes 1 to 5, which constitute Category A. These are dedicated icebreakers capable of year-round operation at these latitudes. An example is the Le Commandant Charcot (Class 2).
– Classes 6 and 7, which form Category B. These are the classes that all newly built polar cruise ships will adopt. They are designed to operate seasonally in polar waters, with thin first-year ice and traces of old ice.
– Finally, Category C vessels, without a polar class designation, are designed to operate in open polar waters, for which an ice-strengthened hull is not mandatory.
