Lindblad Expeditions

Juneau

Los Angeles

Ketchikan

Seattle

Alaska

Mexican Riviera

Mexico - All

Africa

U.S.A.

South America

Pacific Coastal

Excellent

Average

Terrible

Poor

Very Good

National Geographic Explorer

National Geographic Endeavour II

National Geographic Orion

National Geographic Quest

National Geographic Islander

National Geographic Sea Lion

National Geographic Sea Bird

National Geographic Venture

Jahan (Lindblad)

National Geographic Endurance

National Geographic Resolution

Misleading advertising

I chose this trip specifically because I am passionate about nature, specifically bears. It's one of my dreams to see a spirit bear in person, and that's why this trip stood out to me. Cliff note summary here if you don't want to read the entire review: ship/crew/food was excellent, activities and wildlife viewing was not. 

Pre-boarding communication wasn't great. We were supposed to receive a packet with paperwork in it (including, supposedly, our cruise tickets) some weeks before we left. My party didn't receive our packets until a few days before we were scheduled to leave, and that was after I had called to ask about it. Multiple people on the ship said they never got one at all. Additionally, they sent us a stack of papers that was basically just a repeat of what was online, and the "tickets" for the ship were never used, they had our all information anyway. So for a company supposedly trying to help with conservation, it felt odd to get a bunch of useless paper. The name tag and accessories bag they sent were nice, though. 

My party was flying in/out independently, and I was told multiple times by multiple people (when I called to check on things leading up to the trip) that we could book our flight home for 2:30 or later. We received an email ONE business day before we left that the flight now had to be 4:30 or later. We had to scramble for a new flight and it cost us $300 to change. I will say that Nat Geo indicated they would cover these costs (just got back, so haven't gotten reimbursed as of this time), but if they knew that there were potential issues with charter flight times or whatever it was, they should have just told us to book later flights in the first place. This wasn't all the issues we experienced before we got on the ship, but to keep this review a reasonable length I'll leave it at that. 

The ship itself was nice and clean, minus some permanent stains on the carpet of my cabin (which at this price point, arguably shouldn't be there). The food was excellent, and at every meal we had the choice between beef, fish, or vegetarian. Snacks were available in the lounge at all times and there was always a charcuterie "cocktail hour" before dinner. Staff was very attentive and friendly. It was really nice having experts on board that you could talk to anytime, though as speakers some of them were hit-or-miss (some of them repeated themselves excessively or gave "dumbed-down" info) but that's more on the individual person than the fault of the cruise. Downtime on the ship was managed very well with multiple presentations each day. Really positive experience overall. 

The crew did the best they could with what they were given in terms of wild life viewing, so I don't blame the following on them, but this is where my biggest disappointments come in. Before I continue, I do want to point out that I understand that wildlife is going to do what it wants, there's never any guarantee of seeing it, and I get that's it's a possibility of going on an entire cruise and not seeing much of anything and that's no one's fault. That's not what I'm talking about here. I feel like the itinerary for this trip wasn't as ambitious or "aggressive" enough in giving us opportunities to see wildlife as the brochure seems to suggest. It's called an "expedition" and the advertisement makes it seem like you're going to be doing all these treks into nature, and to quote the website "We will go ashore and explore several remote locations where few people venture. Discover hidden gems by Zodiac and kayak, and navigate the tidal narrows to the backs of bays..." etc. But the experience didn't live up to this. 

We visited one location with a bear viewing platform, which was the highlight of the trip for me, but this apparently was a new addition and not even part of the original itinerary. If you take that experience out, we went kayaking twice in small protected areas with little chance of seeing much of anything, went on the zodiacs once (some people got twice, depending on which set of activities you chose) which seemed to be the best shot of actually seeing anything because you could go right up to waterfalls (we weren't near any on kayaks) and went on two hikes which were not as long or as strenuous as I would have expected, I don't think I even broke a sweat on the "long hike." I asked the guide on one of the hikes if there was actually a chance of seeing a bear here, and she replied "probably not" and when I asked if she had EVER seen a bear on these hikes, she said no. I then asked if we would be going to any additional bear viewing locations, platforms, streams, etc. where they are likely to be, and again the answer was no. If we were going to see any, apparently, it was going to be from the ship as we passed a waterfall. I understand (acutely) that for safety reasons it's not a good idea to be getting super close to bears, but there wasn't a place we could hangout at a distance to watch streams? There weren't any other viewpoints or safe places to sit and observe nature? Nothing? Initially I thought maybe I had misunderstood or had unrealistic expectations or something, but when I spoke with MULTIPLE other people on board (I think no less than half a dozen) all of them expressed the same sentiment; the activity level was low, the opportunities to see wildlife was low. I think it merits repeating that the crew was amazing and really did their best with the limits given, one time a zodiac driver even went out of her way to take us to a location where a bear had been seen on the shore earlier when we were supposed to be doing something else. We did have some amazing whale watching experiences with Orcas and Humpbacks (saw multiple breaches!) and saw SOME seals and SOME birds (I think I saw 2 Eagles) but that was it. In total, only saw about 5 bears, most of which were at a great distance and couldn't really be seen without binoculars. 

In summary, if you're looking for a luxury cruise with beautiful scenery, mild activities, and a chance of seeing some wildlife, I do sincerely recommend this vacation. If you want a true expedition experience with significant wildlife viewing, book a trip with a smaller tour through a private company and don't waste your money here.

We chose this trip as it was billed as 'active' and showed much promise.  Wow were we disappointed.  

First off be aware that NatGeo cruises are expensive.  Very.  So hey attract a primarily elderly clientele.  I'm in my sixties and was one of the youngest passengers.  As a result the movement of people is slow.  Painfully slow.  Getting on and off zodiacs and shore is a real chore.

This was our second Lindblad cruise.  We had booked on this one last year.  We showed up in Loreto for it and an hour after we arrived they canceled it with no reason given.  We should have taken our money and run but we rebooked for this year.

The staterooms are fine and the ship is very clean.  Common areas are few.  If you're not in your cabin you can be in the lounge, on the bow, or on the rear sundeck.  The dining room is off limits during the day.  As a result of this it is a very claustrophobic experience - you have no place to just hang out and maybe have a bit of privacy.

The food is blech.  There were a few good meals served in our 14 days - most of the passengers we talked to found it between poor and inedible with a few exceptions.

While we got a taste of the cult of NatGeo last time we traveled with them nothing could prepare us for what this trip was like.  70% plus insisted on wearing their khaki NatGeo shirts, their khaki pants, their khaki NatGeo Tilley hats, and assorted NatGeo branded swag EVERYWHERE.  To breakfast - to lunch - to the beach.  It was like a 'who could wear the most NatGeo branded merch' contest.  Watching seniors decked out in khaki watching a movie is a pretty amusing site.

As this is a US flagged ship the staff are primarily American.  Unlike the Filipino staff we've had on other cruises the staff on this ship could not bother to get to know you.  They could not bother to call you by name or remember anything about you.  Whatever positive experiences you've had with cruise staff before - this was the polar opposite.  The Expedition leader had zero personality.  He seemed capable enough but indifferent.

The activities were fine. The weather did not treat us well so it's hard to rate this part.  There is a LOT of cruising up and down the Bay of California searching for 'charismatic megafauna' - so prepare for a LOT of sea time and very little shore time.  We had 3 snorkeling trips in the 2 weeks - one terrible one and two good ones.

The fitness room is over some cabins so you are advised not to use the treadmills in the morning or evening lest you disturb the occupants.

The WiFi costs $175 over and above the already huge fares.  And it's almost unusable.  Inside your cabins it will only work on some decks and then only close to the door.  It drops your connection if you're idle for more than a few minutes after which you have to go through a handful of steps to reconnect again.  For $175 you only are allowed the use of one device at a time.  I find this disgusting for a cruise priced at this point.

This was our last Lindblad/Natgeo.  We've traveled with other operators and received far more value for far less money.  With NatGeo you're paying for the name and now that it's owned by Disney via Rupert Murdoch I don't know that the name is worth anything either.

Will never do Lindblad/NatGeo again

Hong Kong

I chose this Baja cruise bc I am interested in whales and dream of seeing them up close in beautiful settings.  I had cruised to Antarctica w Lindblad and enjoyed it 3-4 years ago. 

 In Antarctica we did at least 2 expeditions a day.  This  Baja cruise we had far fewer and far shorter expeditions.  On this cruise it was about one per day.  Also the expeditions were usually short 1-2 hours:   Examples are one hour zodiac tour or 1-2 hour walks.  One destination we visited was Magdalena bay—a gray whale and humpback whale zone.  We spent 2 days there.  When we arrived we were informed (on the zodiac tour) that we didn’t have the license to whale watch and so even if we saw a whale we would have to turn away from it!  Day 2 we saw some humpbacks breaching from the ship but after looking for 3 minutes the ship turned away and we left.

While I wasn’t expecting exhilarating shipboard entertainment,  there was no tv in cabins and no WiFi.  At first, I went to some  educational sessions but was disappointed with their quality and eventually stopped going.  Also I was disappointed that when some educational videos were shown they were from 20-30 years ago so the sound and video quality was substandard.  A Jacques Cousteau video they showed us ended prematurely.  They showed one pure entertainment movie— animated movie  coco.

The food was good.  Our server Mara was excellent.  She was always friendly and treated us kindly.

However, the cruise  became a nightmare.  On Dec 13 we went to Cabo.  You had a choice between birding or a historic city tour.  We chose the 2 hour city tour.   We were driven to the square and had a 15 minute walking tour with an excellent guide.  While on the square, our guide told us we would be meeting at the kiosk in the square at 11:50 AM.  The walk then culminated at a glass shop and glass blowing demonstration.   It was a small space, filled with glass and our group of about 30 and other shoppers not associated with our tour were in the shop so it was hot and crowded.  At 11:15. I saw some of our co-passengers making their way out of the shop so I asked our guide ‘so we meet at the kiosk at 11:50 and then I said eleven five zero.’  And he told me yes.  So we started walking back to the kiosk.  My 75 year old husband was hot ( we were in tropics midday and were just in a glass blowing studio w NO refreshments).  My triple vaccinated, masked, Covid negative husband bought a Coca Cola and Milky Way bars in a shop on the square and this was judged a Covid bubble violation.  

When we returned to the ship, we were told by the expedition leader that he didn’t know what to do with us as we had shopped in stores.  He told us we were not allowed to leave our room while he called corporate to find out what the next steps would be.  Two guards were posted outside our door.  I was shocked as we were never told we were forbidden to go into other stores.  In fact there were  non-cruise shoppers in the glass shop.  We asked about being re- tested .  Some time (3 hours) passed and he and the captain returned to tell us that corporate decided that we needed to be confined in our room for the duration of our cruise or leave the ship with illegal Immigrant status.   We left.  Lindblad did send a Baja affiliate who was great and eventually helped us get our tourist visas.  

Cruiser beware!

LindBAD

Boston

We did the Inside Passage trip. We chose this trip mainly because of Glacier Bay and this one location made the whole trip worth it. Overall, the scenery and wildlife on this trip cannot be beat. However, I was very disappointed in the organization and planning of this trip. For as expensive as this trip is, I do believe that the customers deserve more.

The trip started in Sitka. The transport from the airport to the gathering room was very smooth and very well done. The gathering room was a mess. We could not enter until we had a negative COVID test and getting the test was not organized well at all. It was essentially a free-for-all with the workers and cruisers doing it whatever way they wanted to. We eventually got our test and I was pretty annoyed when one worker took my sample, another told him to put it in a specific numbered test tube, and he replied "whatever, they're all negative anyway." Thankfully my test did come back negative and I was able to board. We then had a mediocre lunch, got some orientation, and then listened to an OK talk by a member of a Tlingit clan. After that, we went to the Sitka National Historical Park for a very enjoyable walk. We then took a nice bus ride through Sitka and then got on the ship.

The first night onboard was unpacking, the safety drill, more orientation, and dinner.

I was a little annoyed when the next morning was nothing more than more orientation. We did not do any activities that morning. There were afternoon activities scheduled, but they started late. This had consequences as we were trying to get back on the zodiacs at a very low tide. This made launching the zodiacs very difficult and they had to travel through very shallow water for quite a ways to get us all back to ship. The next day was not much better as everything started late again. After that, everything took place on time, so it seems they had some coordination issues initially, but were able to figure them out. However, when we are paying around $1000 per person per day, I'd expect better planning. If you look at the actual schedule, at least a third of it is cruising/no activity time. It was also a little annoying that once we got onboard, we found out that the itinerary had changed from what we had been told in our final paperwork before the cruise.

The activities were good. We had 2 chances to kayak and paddleboard. We had lots of opportunities for hiking/bushwhacking, photowalks, and zodiac rides. I'd recommend reading the naturalists' bios closely prior to the cruise, listen to their presentations, and talk to them at meals. Choose your activities based on what naturalist is leading them. The naturalists were all good, but some are pretty specialized. Choosing the right naturalist is the key to having good activities. One annoying thing about the activities is other cruisers choosing activities that they cannot handle. There were people who could barely walk on a flat surface choosing to go on strenuous hikes. We often had to wait for them and even rescue them when they got stuck in mud or fell. This was the case up until the very last day of the cruise. I think that the staff has a responsibility to steer the cruisers to activities appropriate to their level of fitness when people show that they cannot handle certain activities. The staff also keeps a very tight leash on you for all activities. There is a very restricted area in which to paddleboard and kayak and if you step out of line on a hike to check out a view, you will hear it from the naturalist.

The scenery and nature could not be beat! Every view off of ship was beautiful. The wildlife was amazing. We saw a lot of bears on shore while on ship. We were told that our cruise saw a record number of bears, but maybe they tell everyone that. One evening, our ship was completely surrounded by orcas and humpbacks. It was so hard to go to bed that night because we didn't want to miss anything. On another night, we had humpbacks breaching all around us. Getting close to glaciers, icebergs, and sea lions in a zodiac is an amazing experience.

We disembarked in Juneau. We went straight from the ship to spend the morning at the Mendenhall Glacier. This was very nice little trip. They then take you to the airport or to a gathering room, depending on when your flight leaves. Everything about this day was very well run.

The food was great. The portions at lunch and dinner seemed a little small to me. We had a breakfast buffet, so I stocked up then and it worked pretty well for me. There are some snacks, but not much and they are not very good. You might want to consider bringing your own snacks. The bar was great and the prices there were surprisingly reasonable given how much everything else costs on this cruise.

The rooms were fine. Nothing special, but nothing bad.

The fitness room is tiny, but functional. There really are not good places on deck to work out and the rooms are too small to work out in. There is a "stretching class" each morning, but it seemed more like a new-agey/self-discovery thing, so I skipped it (there was 1 adult and 3 kids in it on the last day).

The service on the ship is stellar. The housekeeping staff was amazing. Most of the servers were great as well.

The final annoyance was the fact that we are asked to tip the staff at the end of the trip. For what we were paying for the cruise, Lindblad should be able to pay their staff a good wage. They also hit us up for donations (just once) to Lindblad. When your CEO's net worth is $200 million at least and he makes $1-2 million per year, coming hat in hand to people paying a lot of money for this cruise seems a little odd.

I'm glad I went on this trip. I really enjoyed it, but I do wish that the planning was better. All things considered, I really can't recommend this trip to anyone else. The cost just does not justify it. You could go on a cheaper cruise on a megaboat, see the same scenery and probably get similar wildlife experiences by choosing good shore excursions. There are also other small boat companies that are likely much cheaper and your overall experience would likely be very similar to this cruise.

Nature didn't disappoint, but Lindblad did

To see adult and baby whales in the Gulf of Cortez and Pacific. Saw many whales but were unfortunately not able to get close to the babies.

Food was just average and repetitive/boring.

Should not have had to pay extra for alcohol.

Culture of wait staff was different than our prior trips which did not have an American flag. 

This was a Seattle based boat with essentially all American help and their culture is significantly different than the predominantly Filipino staff on our other trips. The latter are much more helpful & friendly.

Also, the cabin was disappointingly quite small, though the bathroom in our bedroom seemed better than on other trips. The bed was a bit soft which caused my back to be stiff in the am. Thank G_d the naturalists were terrific, esp. the trip leader Rab and Carlos Navarro. 

One other thing that disappointed us was that the bridge was NOT open 24/7 which it was on our last NG trip(around Iceland).

Baja Whales expedition

We love whale watching and have a curiosity about the Sea of Cortez but have not been successful in attempts to explore it on our own.  The itinerary fit our wishes even better than we knew to wish for.

Our companions we most enjoyable and valued the same experiences we did.  

We both participated in and enjoyed the morning stretch class and we used the fitness center and found the masseuse to skillful.

The food at every single mean was awesome with great variety and within a theme many and varied choices.  We don't have dietary restrictions but we noticed those guests were alway accommodated.

The land activities were top notch.  Great variety and plenty of time for group and individual time.

The equipment was great from the masks, fins, and snorkels to the Zodiacs, the paddle boards, the kayaks, the chairs onshore, the food and the beverages, the life vests.  All amazing.

Using local guides was a plus for us, especially Carlos Navarro onboard our cruise.  Wow, he was knowledgeable in so many areas.

We have no criticisms except the choice of LAX for the airport of embarkation.  It is so big, confusing, and not nearly enough people to help with directions.  Also, on the way to Loreto our gate was changed three times which was extremely difficult for many passengers and just plain annoying for us.

Completely satisfied

We had previously sailed with Lindblad in the Galapagos Islands with our granddaughters and had a wonderful experience.  They wanted to go on another expedition, so we chose Lindblad again, this time to Alaska.

The trip was great.  Our granddaughters particularly enjoyed the Explorers program and the naturalist, Jared, who ran the program.  The staff and naturalists on board accommodated us beyond our expectations.

Of particular interest were the sea mammals - bubble net feeding Humpback whales, sea lions, seals, sea otters and Orca whales.  The American Bald Eagles were a pleasure to watch as well.

The scenery was magnificent.  Large glaciers caving and wonderful sunrises and sunsets, framed against soaring mountains.  Truly an environment which is overpowering.

The nature walks with the naturalists educated all of us with respect to the ecosystems of southeast Alaska.  We learned about the forests and the muskeg.

Now our granddaughters want to travel with Lindblad to the Antarctic.

Expedition with grandchildren

My wife and I in our 70s, moderately fit, had a terrific time on this new ship.   This adventure expedition fully met my expectations from advertising and reviews.  Venture was nearly brand new and well designed for conveniently and safely getting us off the ship in zodiacs and small groups nearly every day.  The food was tasty and plentiful, always with  healthy options.  Hotel service was excellent.  

The other 93 guests were all agreeable fellow adventurers.  They included some  grandparents, parents, and grandkids.   The staff devoted lots of thought and attention to keeping-safe, educating, and amusing the kids, who bonded with new friends and eventually ate meals together.

Expedition leader Sheri Bluestein and Captain Johnson did a great job.  She announced her "Plan A" for the next day every evening, making the point that they would adapt plans as nature required and opportunities presented themselves.  This happened several times and I had no complaints.  We got to hike in near-wilderness conditions, to observe wildlife fairly closely. They turned the ship around and followed humpbacks backwards for an hour one evening to give us another look.  Each excursion offered activities ranging from mild to strenuous.

A team of some 10 Lindblad naturalists was always on deck spotting for wildlife, they led each zodiac cruise and hike, and were friendly and full of interesting information.   I learned so much, they were easily available to me individually many times, and I miss Celso, Linda, and the others now.     

The emphasis on photography was a main draw for me.  Five or so naturalists were certified by NatGeo.  David Spiegel gave two briefings on board, one aimed more at DSLR users and one aimed at smartphone users. I learned useful stuff from both.  On two photo hikes he gave us photographers an assignment to concentrate on.  He loaned me an expensive zoom lens and set of binoculars, which I used the rest of the voyage.   At the end of the cruise he showed a slide show of photos captured by guests, some of them stunning.  Carlos Navarro is also a diver and one evening showed video he had shot underwater to show us what we were missing.  James Biscardi produced a professional customized video chronicle of us on this particular voyage and we are glad I bought a copy.

We saw humpback whales breaching, blowing, and even bubble-net feeding.  A talk by the engaging Dr. Chris Szabo, who lives in the wilderness to study humpbacks and joined the ship for a day, was a fascinating major highlight for me.  I also enjoyed author, storyteller, and folksinger Kim Heacox and Kari Ames, Tlingit cultural interpreter. She told me all the others are mispronouncing the tribal name as CLINK-IT.  They say TH-LING-GIT.

We got close to Stellar sea lions and sea otters by zodiac.   They found brown bears feeding on a distant shore but I did not get a good look at any bears this time.  Seabirds but not many land birds besides eagles.

My top objective was to see tidewater Alaskan glaciers in person before they all melt.   I'm glad we didn't wait another year.  We saw several from a quarter-mile away.  In Glacier Bay the National Park ranger pointed out that Margerie Glacier now ends on land on its right side, and that in a couple of years it might not be a tidewater glacier any more.   The ranger and the entire team managed subtly to remind us what our carbon pollution is destroying without stirring up any arguments from climate change skeptics (if there were any).  We were told that Lindblad is buying offsets to compensate for the ship's own emissions.   On our last day, South Sawyer Glacier produced a dramatic large calving event for us, which was both exciting and a bit sad.  

Two guests with disabilities paid to come along with friends knowing they would not be able to board the zodiacs and participate in the most engaging parts of the voyage. Yet to their great credit, on the last day Sheri and her team noticed, reserved a zodiac just for these two, and went to extra trouble to help them get off the ship to visit South Sawyer Glacier from the water like everyone else.

This year Alaska has been extremely dry and warm.  We got drizzle on only one day in Petersburg.  We did not need all the duplicate garments we brought in case of soaking, but we had followed their packing advice and would do so in the future.  We used insect repellant and were never bothered by mosquitos. 

This expedition was expensive but fully worth the cost to me.  I also admire Lindblad and NatGeo for respecting nature as they go.   I'd love to go again with this warm, expert team.

Wonderful staff, ship, and adventure for photographers, families, and others

This was our first cruise and first Lindblad expedition. Our Alaska Inside Passage trip was from Sitka to Juno and was overall an amazing experience. The staff are very accommodating and extremely well-trained. I can't imagine getting better service. They make you feel like you are at home on the Venture. The naturalists are all amazing people, extremely knowledgeable and very friendly. You will leave the cruise missing their company. 

The incredible Lindblad customer service literally starts a your booking and continues on throughout the trip. We were met at the Seattle Airport by a very personable Lindblad representative who let us know what would be happening. It was fairly easy to spot our fellow passengers - nearly all of whom were wearing Columbia or Patagonia outdoor clothing. Yes, this is the sort of trip you will be taking - comfortable, relaxing and adventurous. 

The Venture itself is a wonderful ship. I totally fell in love with her. She and her sister ship, The Quest, are brand new (maiden voyages in November 2018), purpose-built just for National Geographic Linblad Expeditions.The public areas are extremely comfortable and the bow was specially built for wildlife viewing. The dinning room features wrap around windows for breathtaking views during meals. 

The food is excellent on the Venture. There were a couple of misses, i.e. pancakes that were cooked on too hot a griddle, but it's a new ship and I am sure the staff are just getting used to the equipment. Breakfast and lunch are buffets with plenty of choices. Dinners are plated, you choose from a set menu before the meal, but there is no problem if you change your mind at the last minute. Diet restrictions are accommodated beautifully, so be sure to let Lindblad know if you have any when you book. Each afternoon snacks are available and appetizers are offered during the happy hour. Drink prices are not extraordinarily high and the mixologists on our trip were delightful. 

Nearly every day of the trip featured some off boat activity, Zodiac tours, kayaking, hiking, or biking. Nothing too strenuous, though. If you want to see birds, I recommend the Zodiac rides over hiking. The guides make far too much noise because of bears for a good birding experience. Hikes are offered as aerobic, moderate and slow. Only the aerobic hikes seemed to go anywhere, so take that if you don't want to stay in one place. Off boat activities were generally 90 minutes to 2 hours. 

A printed daily program was placed outside our cabin each night which described the following day in detail. Our expedition leader, Annie Fiske, would let us know after each meal what to expect and what to wear to ensure an enjoyable experience. 

Each evening we had a recap of the days experience and some kind of educational entertainment. One of the highlights of a National Geographic Lindblad expedition are the trained naturalists and photographers who are on board. Our National Geographic certified photographer, Michael Nolan, gave an excellent class on iPhone photography, or as he described it, your camera that also makes phone calls. There was really never a dull moment - always something exciting to experience. During the times when we were cruising, if wildlife were spotted, the captain would turn the ship so that we could get a better look, even if it was in the opposite direction of our travel.  It was truly one of the most extraordinary trips we have ever taken. 

The only downside of our trip was completely missing out on the Day 1 activities because we took the recommended flight into Sitka. That flight got us in too late to participate in anything that was scheduled. It was the only time that Lindblad completely fell down for us. Had we understood that would happen, we would have made other arrangements.

As for Value for the Money - Lindblad trips are very expensive. It is a very intimate, first class experience and very worthwhile. I wish they were not quite so expensive as I would like to be able to travel with them more often. 

TRIP TIPS:

Clothing - bring comfortable clothes and shoes. The temperature on the ship is comfortable, but it can get cold outside. A comfortable pair of slip on shoes is great for on board the ship. Tennis shoes and knee high rubber boots are all you need for off ship. Rubber boots (Alaskan Tennis Shoes) are actually very comfortable and a must as most landings are wet. Temperatures for us were highs were in the 50's to 40's. Outdoor clothing made of synthetic fibers that dries quickly and wicks away sweat are ideal. A polar fleece vest over a base layer shirt is perfect for inside the ship. You will probably wear it every day. A lightweight nano-type puff jacket is plenty warm with a layer or two underneath. Bring silk or synthetic long underwear/base layers 3 - 4 pairs. Wool or synthetic ski socks 4 - 5 pairs. Regular winter gloves are plenty warm, along with a knit cap and a neck gaiter. Rain pants and a rain coat are another must. Wear the pants with a comfortable warm layer underneath for hiking, kayaking and Zodiac trips. Avoid cotton clothing because when it gets wet, it stays that way for a long time.

WHAT YOU DON'T NEED

Though these items were recommended by Lindblad, we found they were not necessary:

glove liners, trekking poles, kayak gloves and ski gloves. We did not need any special covers or protection for our camera or iPhones. If you need a hiking stick for balance they have wooden ones on board, but for the most part no hike is long enough to need them. 

RECOMMENDED FLIGHTS

As mentioned above, Lindblad really let us down by scheduling us on a flight that arrived too late to experience the Day 1 activities. Before getting on the flight they recommend, consider whether or not it seems to YOU to arrive in time to do what is scheduled. We trusted that them there and they let us down, so we recommend that you don't.

Incredible Alaska Natue Experience

We were a little last-minute signing up for this trip but our expedition specialist facilitated everything so smoothly, we just packed and took off. 

So many passengers opted to take an earlier flight than the recommended flight to Sitka that Nat Geo scrambled and the expedition director met us at the airport with a special bus and tours - that was an impressive start!  My husband and I had made plans to go to The Fortress of the Bear (GO!! A must see!) so we met up with them later for a private tour of the Raptor Center, another must-do in Sitka. That flexibility marked the rest of our trip, which you can only do with a small group like we had for this cruise.

We loved the size of the ship - and what a beautiful ship it is. The lounge at the bow and the dining room at the stern were both surrounded by windows. The bow outside had a unique configuration allowing everyone a front row view of wildlife and scenery - a well thought-out design.  And of course, breath taking photos by Nat Geo Photographers adorned the walls. Our room was lovely with plenty of storage space. 

With a ship this size we were able to go to areas that the big cruise ships could not. As a matter of fact the only time we even saw one of the bigger cruise ships was in the port at Juneau.

The single most impactful aspect of the trip? The people - the naturalists, photographers and staff. They were such a pleasure to be around because they exuded enthusiasm about what they were doing and where they were, and they wanted to share it with you. 

I am an early riser and that was accommodated by coffee and light fare at around 6:30, and a yoga/stretch class at 7:00. I made one class but kept getting distracted by happenings on the bow - and no matter how early I was up, there was already a Naturalist out on the bow looking for wildlife!  Our excursions were varied and always entertaining, active and educational. There were hikes geared to various levels from exploring tide pools at low tide to bushwhacking (well, we didn’t really whack any bush) through the rainforest, and climbing to a WW II military gun emplacement.  Some people wanted a quicker pace, so they organized aerobic hikes as well. There were kayak opportunities and zodiac explorations to find wildlife and get up close to impressive icebergs and to the base of an immense glacier.

The smaller ship size and the open seating at meals allowed us to meet and get to know a lot of our fellow passengers. They were all like minded travelers that included several individuals who traveled by themselves. Everyone took those singles under their wings and made sure they felt a part of everything. It was that kind of group. There were various sizes of tables and if you sat at one of the larger tables, you might have the pleasure of having one of the naturalists or photographers join you, and they always had great stories to tell.

On two occasions, a Nat Geo photographer and a Naturalist donned scuba gear and dove the frigid waters with underwater camera equipment. Then that evening we would see their video production of what was going on underneath our boat. That was a real treat and quite a surprise to see all the marine life and beauty below.

Cocktail hour in the lounge was at 6:00 and at 6:30 there would be a recap of the day and presentations by naturalists and photographers. These were often interrupted by the appearance of Humpback Whales breaching off the bow or an Orca mama bringing her calf to see the people. I always had my camera with me.

And the food! I expected it to be good but was impressed with the gourmet fare and the presentation. There would always be an option for meat, fish or vegan fare. And no matter if it was a table for 4 or 10, they managed to have all courses delivered at the same time.

I looked at the types of cruises listed below to check as applicable (Luxury, Gourmet, Entertainment, Family, Singles, etc.) but did not see one for “Adventure!” So this cruise was all those things plus the adventure!!

A fun, educational and adventurous expedition cruise

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