USA TODAY 10Best
10 best adventure cruise lines around the world
Best Adventure Cruise Line (2023)
Aboard these ships, cruising is about so much more than sunbathing on the deck – drink in hand. These 10 cruise lines, voted as the best by readers, turn cruising into an adventure for active travelers. Outings include kayaking through remote fjords, getting up-close and personal with icebergs aboard a Zodiac and walking atop glaciers.
- Ponant
- Alaskan Dream Cruises
- Quasar Expeditions
- Hurtigruten
- Quark Expeditions
- Seabourn Cruise Line
- Star Clippers
- Lindblad Expeditions / National Geographic
- Aurora Expeditions
- Adventure Canada
Photo courtesy of Eric vancleynenbreugel / PONANT
No. 10:
Aboard Ponant's fleet of luxury yachts, adventurers get a five-star treatment as they explore destinations like Africa, Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctica. Vessels accommodate a maximum of 264 passengers for an intimate and authentic cruising experience.
Photo courtesy of Alaskan Dream Cruises
No. 9:
Headquartered in Sitka, Alaskan Dream Cruises got their start in whale watching tours before expanding into overnight cruising along the waterways of Alaska. Today, the casual and cozy fleet includes five small ships ranging from 12 to 76 passengers sailing outdoor-oriented itineraries with plenty of cultural immersion as well.
Photo courtesy of Wafue // Getty Images
No. 8:
Quasar Expeditions pioneered high-end yacht cruising in the Galapagos Islands in 1986. Today, it offers honeymoon, family, photography cruises to the diverse Galapagos. From wildlife encounters to excursions, the company aims to create those "trips of a lifetime."
Photo courtesy of Dennis Ballesteros
No. 7:
Hurtigruten has been leading adventures at sea since 1893, with expedition voyages to destinations like Norway, Greenland, Iceland, Africa, South America and Antarctica. Each of the small ships are designed specifically to reach remote destinations. The line launched new hybrid electric-powered expedition ships MS Roald Amundsen in 2019 and MS Fridtjof Nansen in 2020.
Photo courtesy of David Merron, Quark Expeditions
No. 6:
Quark Expeditions has been taking adventure travelers to the polar regions since 1991 and continues to operate the largest and most advanced fleet of adventure ships there. Each ship facilitates experiences like sea kayaking, camping, cross-country skiing and mountaineering in some of the planet's most stunning landscapes.
Photo courtesy of Seabourn
No. 5:
Seabourn, best known for luxury ocean cruising, enters the expedition field with the introduction of Seabourn Venture. This ship sails to South America, the Antarctic, Europe and Iceland, among other itineraries, while equipping passengers to explore via Zodiac, kayak or see the underwater world by submarine.
Photo courtesy of Star Clippers
No. 4:
Cruisers with Star Clippers get to sail on three of the largest full-rigged sailing ships in the world: Star Clipper, Star Flyer and Royal Clipper. Passengers aboard these four- and five-masted ships have complimentary access to sailing, water skiing, windsurfing and other water sports, as well as fitness classes, shore excursions and a variety of daily activities. The views from lookout stations positioned 60 feet above the deck on each mast can’t be beat.
Photo courtesy of Lindblad Expeditions
No. 3:
Lindblad Expeditions works in partnership with National Geographic to produce innovative eco-adventures to some of the world’s most remote and wild places including the Galapagos, Antarctica, the Arctic, Baja, Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, Costa Rica & Panama, the Amazon, Europe, the South Pacific and beyond. Voyages include a renowned expedition team, and guests interact with and learn from leading researchers, photographers and naturalists while discovering stunning natural environments, above and below the sea, through state-of-the-art exploration tools.
Photo courtesy of Tyson Mayr
No. 2:
Aurora Expeditions sails to the polar regions, as well as other wild and remote places, aboard small ships with flexible, innovative itineraries. The company has been a pioneer in expedition travel, introducing onshore experiences like scuba diving or climbing in Antarctica. Onboard naturalists, historians, staff and crew help passengers gain insight into these remote places.
Photo courtesy of Lydia Schrandt
No. 1:
While Adventure Canada does indeed lead small ship adventures through the icy fjords and secluded waterways of Canada, this expedition cruise company also takes travelers to experience landscapes and cultures further afield – places like Scotland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Antarctica. The company shines with an always stellar lineup of onboard experts and guides.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Danielle Fear
Danielle Fear is one of the UK’s most recognized... Read More
Danielle Fear is one of the UK’s most recognized and trusted cruise bloggers and is better known to her audience as CruiseMiss. As well as maintaining an award-winning cruise blog, she also works as a freelance writer, content manager and social media professional covering all aspects of sea travel. Having embarked on more than 75 sailings, including 2 world cruises, it’s fair to say that Danielle knows a thing or two about cruising.
Danielle Fear
Danielle Fear is one of the UK’s most recognized and trusted cruise bloggers and is better known to her audience as CruiseMiss. As well as maintaining an award-winning cruise blog, she also works as a freelance writer, content manager and social media professional covering all aspects of sea travel. Having embarked on more than 75 sailings, including 2 world cruises, it’s fair to say that Danielle knows a thing or two about cruising.
Jason Leppert
Jason Leppert is a San Diego-based cruising expert... Read More
Jason Leppert is a San Diego-based cruising expert with more than 140 sailings under his belt and a fresh, millennial perspective on the industry. He has been cruising since before he was two years old, thanks to his parents' shared passion for traveling and their desire to experience all journeys together as a family. Now, he regularly sails and writes "he said, she said" cruise columns with his wife Heidi. He is the founding editor of Popular Cruising, producer of the successful Popular Cruising YouTube channel and Cruise Editor for TravelAge West.
Jason Leppert
Jason Leppert is a San Diego-based cruising expert with more than 140 sailings under his belt and a fresh, millennial perspective on the industry. He has been cruising since before he was two years old, thanks to his parents' shared passion for traveling and their desire to experience all journeys together as a family. Now, he regularly sails and writes "he said, she said" cruise columns with his wife Heidi. He is the founding editor of Popular Cruising, producer of the successful Popular Cruising YouTube channel and Cruise Editor for TravelAge West.
Ming Tappin
Residing in New Brunswick, Canada, Ming has been... Read More
Residing in New Brunswick, Canada, Ming has been in the cruise industry since 1994. Ming spent over 20 years in the retail travel sector, working with travel agencies in marketing initiatives, cruise training, and promoting cruise vacations to their clients. In 2015, Ming created Your Cruise Coach and transitioned into travel writing, preaching the merits of cruising via her partnerships with Canadian and American travel trade publications as well as consumer media outlets. An avid cruiser since 1991, Ming has sailed on over 70 cruises and has experienced over 25 ocean, river, and expedition cruise lines combined.
Ming Tappin
Residing in New Brunswick, Canada, Ming has been in the cruise industry since 1994. Ming spent over 20 years in the retail travel sector, working with travel agencies in marketing initiatives, cruise training, and promoting cruise vacations to their clients. In 2015, Ming created Your Cruise Coach and transitioned into travel writing, preaching the merits of cruising via her partnerships with Canadian and American travel trade publications as well as consumer media outlets. An avid cruiser since 1991, Ming has sailed on over 70 cruises and has experienced over 25 ocean, river, and expedition cruise lines combined.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards... Read More
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
