What does the expedition cruise sector have in store over the next two years?

Quark Expeditions will debut its new ship, Ocean Explorer. The 138-passenger vessel will sail a 20-day Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica: Explorers and Kings itinerary. Aranui Cruises – the longest serving cruise line in French Polynesia – celebrates its 40th anniversary with a special cruise.

Quark Expeditions will begin its fly-cruise programme allowing passengers to navigate the Drake Passage by air to embark World Explorer.

Ponant ship Le Commandant Charcot will operate a 12-night sailing along the Saint Lawrence River for the first time. The North American river is not accessible to traditional ships in winter. Elsewhere, new legislation will be introduced in Svalbard banning ships carrying more than 200 passengers from visiting parts of the archipelago.

National Geographic Delfina joins the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic fleet before National Geographic Gemini enters service for the same line the following month. Both vessels were acquired from Celebrity Cruises.

Heritage Expeditions claims to make cruise history when Heritage Adventurer becomes the first expedition vessel to visit Polilio Island in the Philippines en route to Darwin, Australia.

Following a new strategic partnership with Air Greenland, Hurtigruten Expeditions guests will fly directly into the capital for three Grand Greenland departures onboard hybrid ship, Fridtjof Nansen.

Starting on 20 August, Silversea’s Silver Cloud will sail a 75-day Grand South Pacific Expedition itinerary featuring 58 destinations in 11 countries. Prices for the sailing, which departs from the port city of Fremantle and ends in Valparaiso, start from £47,800pp.

Viking will operate a new 87-day expedition cruise from Nuuk, Greenland, to Ushuaia, Argentina. Prices start from £62,190pp.

Swan Hellenic ship Vega will take a four-day detour down the Amazon for the first time during a 19-night Exploring South America from Barbados to Brazil itinerary.

AE Expeditions will launch its third purpose-built vessel, Douglas Mawson. The ship will operate its maiden season in eastern Antarctica – the first time the Australian-owned expedition line has operated in the region for 15 years.

Passengers onboard Scenic ship Scenic Eclipse’s sailing departing 4 August 2026 will have the opportunity to see a total solar eclipse. Fares lead in from £15,822pp.