Article and photos by Dylan Clements

‍Last updated: July 2026

When most people think about expedition cruising, they picture Antarctica. After my trip to the Galápagos last April, I realized it is much bigger than that.

I booked the trip at the last minute, and by then I could not find an expedition cruise that fitted my dates. It was not that I had chosen a land-based itinerary over a cruise. I simply could not secure the right ship with so little notice, so I ended up travelling between the islands by land and air instead.

The trip was incredible, but it also showed me why some destinations simply work better from a ship. Every few days meant packing my suitcase, catching another flight, checking into another hotel and spending time getting from one island to the next. Looking back, I spent far more time travelling than I needed to.

One of the birds I most wanted to see was the magnificent frigatebird. During the breeding season, the males inflate an enormous bright red throat pouch that looks almost too ridiculous to be real. To see them, I travelled from San Cristóbal to North Seymour Island. The crossing took around two hours each way, the sea was very choppy and several passengers felt seasick before we even arrived.

It was an unforgettable day, but it also made me think about how different the experience would have been on an expedition yacht. Instead of spending four hours travelling, I would have woken up anchored off North Seymour, stepped ashore after breakfast and sailed towards the next island while enjoying dinner that evening.

That, for me, is the biggest advantage of expedition cruising. The ship keeps moving while you sleep, so you spend your time exploring instead of travelling.

1. Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Putting Raja Ampat ahead of Antarctica might seem strange, but this ranking is based largely on feedback from clients.

More than any other destination, Raja Ampat is the expedition cruise people come home talking about. With over 1,500 islands scattered across eastern Indonesia, trying to explore it independently would involve an endless series of boats, ferries and domestic flights.

An expedition yacht removes all of that. Every morning you wake up somewhere completely different, ready to snorkel, dive or explore another remote island.

If pristine coral reefs, untouched beaches and extraordinary marine life appeal to you, I honestly do not think there is anywhere better.

Best expedition company: Rascal Voyages

2. Antarctica

If one destination was made for expedition cruising, it is Antarctica.

There are no hotels, no roads and no practical way to explore independently. Every day is shaped by the weather, wildlife and sea ice, with Zodiac landings taking you ashore to visit penguin colonies, glaciers and some of the most remote places on Earth.

Unlike a traditional cruise, the ship is simply your base. The expedition team decides where conditions are best each day, which means every voyage is different.

Best expedition company: Quark Expeditions

Quark focuses exclusively on the polar regions, and I think that experience shows. There may be more luxurious ships sailing to Antarctica, but if the expedition itself is the priority, Quark would be my first choice.

3. Galápagos Islands

Having now experienced the Galápagos on land, I would book an expedition yacht next time without hesitation.

The biggest advantage is not luxury. It is time.

I stayed on San Cristóbal, but seeing the magnificent frigatebird meant travelling to North Seymour Island. Although North Seymour sits close to Baltra, getting there from San Cristóbal meant crossing a large section of the archipelago by boat.

By the time we arrived, several people onboard were feeling seasick. After an incredible morning with frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies and land iguanas, we then spent another two hours making the return journey.

An expedition yacht would simply have repositioned overnight. I would have woken up off North Seymour, explored the island in the morning, had lunch onboard and continued sailing towards the next island that afternoon.

That is why I think the Galápagos is better by expedition cruise. You spend your time experiencing the islands rather than travelling between them.

Best expedition company: Ecoventura

Ecoventura's 20-guest yachts, Origin, Theory and Evolve, are purpose-built for the Galápagos and are the only Relais & Châteaux expedition yachts in the islands. If I went back tomorrow, that is what I would book.

4. Greenland

Greenland still feels genuinely remote.

Outside a handful of towns there are very few roads, and most communities are not connected to each other by road at all. In many cases, the only way of travelling between them is by boat or domestic flight.

That is why expedition cruising works so well. Instead of worrying about transport, the ship quietly carries you between colourful settlements, enormous fjords and some of the world's largest icebergs while you sleep.

Many of the places you visit would be extremely difficult to include in a land-based itinerary.

Best expedition company: Ponant

5. The Kimberley, Australia

The Kimberley is one of Australia's last true wilderness areas.

You can explore it by four-wheel drive, but anyone who has tackled the Gibb River Road knows it is not exactly relaxing. Hundreds of miles of corrugated gravel roads, dust and long days behind the wheel are all part of the journey.

Many of the Kimberley's biggest highlights, including King George Falls, Montgomery Reef and much of the coastline, simply cannot be reached by road.

An expedition ship removes all of those long drives. You wake up somewhere new every morning and spend your days exploring instead of sitting behind the wheel.

Best expedition company: Seabourn Expeditions

Seabourn Pursuit has raised the bar for luxury expedition cruising in the Kimberley. It combines genuine expedition capability with outstanding accommodation, exceptional dining and one of the best expedition teams in the industry.

6. Svalbard, Norway

If polar bears are at the top of your bucket list, Svalbard is hard to beat.

Outside Longyearbyen there are almost no roads, so the only realistic way to explore the archipelago is by expedition ship.

No two voyages are the same. Wildlife and ice conditions determine where the ship can travel, which is part of what makes each expedition so interesting.

Best expedition company: Quark Expeditions

7. South Georgia

South Georgia is one of the greatest wildlife destinations I have ever researched.

Hundreds of thousands of king penguins, elephant seals and towering mountains create scenery that almost does not seem real.

Many people return from Antarctica saying South Georgia was the highlight of the entire expedition, and I can understand why.

Best expedition company: Scienic Eclipse

8. Chilean Fjords

Southern Chile is a maze of glaciers, snow-covered mountains and narrow waterways that cannot be appreciated properly from the road.

An expedition cruise allows you to travel through remote fjords, visit isolated settlements and wake up beside spectacular glaciers without spending hours driving between viewpoints.

It is one of the most underrated expedition cruise destinations in the world.

Best expedition company: Silversea Expeditions

Silversea combines genuine expedition cruising with an exceptionally high level of luxury, making it an excellent way to experience one of South America's most spectacular coastlines.

9. The Amazon

The Amazon does not have roads. The river is the road.

A river expedition takes you deep into the rainforest, where every day can bring sightings of monkeys, sloths, macaws, pink river dolphins and countless other species.

Trying to recreate the same journey on land would mean changing lodges, arranging repeated boat transfers and spending far more time travelling than exploring.

Best expedition company: Delfin Amazon Cruises

Delfin's small luxury vessels offer one of the most intimate ways to experience the Peruvian Amazon, combining excellent guides with a level of comfort that is difficult to find elsewhere in the region.

10. The Nile, Egypt

I have cruised the Nile myself, and I cannot imagine seeing Upper Egypt any other way.

Instead of packing and unpacking every couple of days, you settle into your cabin and let the river do the travelling.

Each morning brought another extraordinary temple, whether it was Edfu, Kom Ombo, Luxor or Aswan. Some of my favourite memories were not even the temples themselves, but sitting on deck in the evening watching life unfold along the riverbanks as the ship quietly continued south.

People have travelled the Nile this way for thousands of years, and I still think it is the best way to experience Egypt.

Best cruise company: Oberoi

The Oberoi Philae feels more like one of Oberoi's luxury hotels than a traditional river cruise. The cabins are spacious, the service is outstanding and the whole experience is wonderfully relaxed.

Final Thoughts

Not every destination needs an expedition cruise. Places like Alaska, Norway or the Mediterranean can be just as enjoyable by land.

But there are destinations where the ship genuinely improves the experience because it removes the hardest part of the journey. Instead of worrying about flights, ferries, rough roads or changing hotels every few days, you simply wake up somewhere new.

For me, that is what expedition cruising is really about. It is not the ship. It is having more time to experience the destination.

Ready to Plan an Expedition Cruise?

Expedition cruises are not one-size-fits-all. The right ship, cabin, route and time of year can completely change the experience.

Clements Travel can help you compare the best options for Antarctica, the Galápagos, the Arctic, Greenland, the Kimberley and other remote destinations. You pay the cruise line directly, with no booking fee, while receiving expert advice and any available partner benefits.

Contact Dylan Clements to start planning your expedition cruise.