We decided to take Lindblad/National Geographic to the arctic because we had gone on a Lindblad cruise to Baja two years ago and loved it - But this was even better.
We had one of the least desirable cabins (we booked late) but it was still more than adequate. The ship's public spaces are surprisingly commodious; lots of empty places to sit if you wanted to be alone. Very attractively ...
This is my second time cruising with Lindblad Expeditions on the National Geographic Explorer. The first time was in Antarctica, and this time was in Svalbard. Overall, I would recommend taking these two cruises, as the shipboard experience is fantastic, and I reckon second to none. However, their weak customer service pre-cruise and post-cruise remains a material negative, which accounts for my 4 ...
Every aspect of this expedition exceeded expectations (even though we had travelled with Linblad before).
This was a photo expedition and we had full access to a photo instructor and a professional Nat Geo photographer at all times throughout the voyage.
The captain and crew went above and beyond to provide access to all types of wildlife and scenic landscapes. (Polar bears, walruses, etc. ...