Unique Features Of Lindblad Expeditions

Posted onAuthorChris Owen

Traveling with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic on their Wild Peru & The Galapagos itinerary was a lifetime quality experience I doubt any of us will forget. Here are some unique features that are not advertised all that much but add a great deal of diversity.

  1. Kids Are Welcomed, Celebrated- We had two kids along with us, part of a multi-generational group that was a whole lot of fun. Surprised to see children, I found that they are not all that uncommon on expedition cruising. In fact, the next group coming after us had 17 kids. Cool.
  2. Dress Is Appropriately Casual- This is an expedition, not a fashion show.
  3. Traveler, Cruiser, or Expeditioner?- To call us “cruisers” would have been way off. “Traveler” was closer but the best fit for the 45 people on this trip was totally “expeditioner” which is not really even a word but it fits.
  4. It’s Not A Cruise, It’s An Expedition- The difference is substantial. A few elements of this experience were like a “cruise”, be it on a big or a small ship. This is active learning and doing that elicits a great understanding of where we were and what we saw.
  5. Zodiac Landings All The Way- There was never a dock anywhere. We became accustomed to zodiac landings very quickly.
  6. Old Is Good- There was no underlying thread of impatience with us old people on the trip. Never. Not once. In fact, early in the trip before one of the many flights it took to make this work, we were told “When they call for people who need a little more time to board the aircraft, get in on it and be seated quickly.” Oh, we were all over that little suggestion.
  7. No Direct Sales Pitch- Toward the end of every cruise, we expect a sales pitch to get us back on board. With Lindblad Expeditions, this was far more subtle. Over the years, expedition travelers with Lindblad have donated nearly $20 million to support efforts to protect the ocean. We were given the opportunity to join in on this with an equal $ amount coming back to us as a credit for future Lindblad travel. Many did.
  8. No Entertainment And That’s A Good Thing– I did not realize until the last day that there simply was no entertainment, shows, or events meant to occupy our time. We had plenty of off-the-ship adventure time instead. Much appreciated.
  9. Full-Day Schedules Start Early, End Late. The day we visited Machu Picchu began early with breakfast served at 5:30 before a guided tour of Ollantaytambo fortress, a good warm-up for climbing Machu Picchu. Lunch was on a first-class Inca Rail train for lunch on the way to Aquas Calientes station where we boarded a bus for a 30-minute ascent to Machu Picchu then a three-hour deep dive guided tour of the site.  From there we returned to Aquas Calientes for tea time at the El Mapi Hotel restaurant. Back on the train, we traveled to Ollanta station with dinner on board then a bus ride back to the hotel.

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