Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2020

INTERV IEW 7 7 “Our team provides the thoughtful little details that make an expedition cruise truly authentic” W hat constitutes an authentic expedition cruise? It’s a question that Lindblad Expeditions’ global business development director Jeremy Lindblad gets asked a great deal. Fortunately for him, his company is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the industry and has spent more than 50 years perfecting the art of planning the perfect expedition cruise. “We believe an expedition cruise has three key elements: a piece of hardware to transport our guests to unique destinations, a group of curious passengers; and a shared goal of achieving something remarkable on our journey,” he says. “The ships we use are smaller than most, ranging from 48 to 148 guests, but this allows us to go deeper into remote destinations and achieve the goals we set out to accomplish.” Over the past few years, the expedition cruise market has expanded rapidly, with an influx of new and increasingly luxurious ships, as well as several new players. However, Lindblad Expeditions has adapted to ensure it retain its pioneer status. “Like many others in the industry, we’ve been experiencing somewhat of a growth spurt in regard to our fleet,” says Lindblad. “We’ve built three new ships over the past five years and we have another ship being constructed this year. However, although we consider our expedition fleet as the necessary hardware for delivering the unforgettable experiences we want to offer our guests, we don’t simply want to rely on newbuilds to stay relevant. Consequently, we’re continuing to create unique itineraries, add fantastic new tools and hire the industry’s leading naturalists to help our guests explore the world.” Lindblad Expeditions is renowned for having one of the best expedition teams Lindblad Expeditions is renowned as one of the world’s foremost expedition cruise operators, but what makes its voyages authentic? Rebecca Gibson asks Jeremy Lindblad A pioneering explorer Photo: Michale S. Nolan Expedition leaders take guests to see king penguins at sunrise on South Georgia Island