The world's ultimate expedition ship

Inaugurated in 2008, National Geographic Explorer is the world's ultimate expedition ship. The embodiment of the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic alliance, her design and equipment is the result of almost 200 years of collective expedition experience.

Originally built for service along Norway's coast as part of the famed Hurtigruten, or Coastal Express, her excellent maneuverability and just-right size made her a natural choice for addition to our fleet. Drawing on our nearly 50 years of pioneering expedition history and expertise, we completely redesigned and rebuilt her. Explorer is uniquely equipped with an ice-strengthened hull and advanced navigation equipment for polar expeditions; a roster of tools for exploration; and a well-appointed interior with vast expanses of glass for an unprecedented connection to the regions we explore. She provides a peerless expedition cruise trip.

The privilege of wildness and the luxury of comfort Explorer accommodates 148 guests in 81 cabins, including 13 cabins with private balconies, six spacious suites and 14 cabins specifically designed for solo travelers. At 367 feet with six decks, she is spacious and modern, with a variety of public rooms that offer startling views of the passing landscape. Friendly and informal, Explorer instantly fosters a welcoming environment where enthused and curious passengers share in exceptional experiences and enrichment.

Her public rooms include a dramatic window-lined library and observation lounge perched at the very top of the ship, plentiful observation decks (including easy access to the bow), and the forward facing chart room, offering a 24-hour beverage station. The spacious lounge is the heart of our expedition community, and is suited for spirited cocktail hours, informative presentations and our nightly tradition of Recap. Our dining room and adjacent bistro easily accommodate all guests at once for open seating dining.

While Explorer's interiors are certainly elegant, life aboard is always casual, with no need for formal clothing. And you'll find shipboard services like a state-of-the-art fitness center, laundry and public-area wifi make packing and traveling more convenient.

Public areas:
Bistro Bar; Chart Room; Restaurant; Global Gallery; Library, Lounge with full service bar and state-of-the-art facilities for films, slide-shows and presentations; Mud Room with lockers for expedition gear, and Observation Lounge. Our "Open Bridge"provides guests an opportunity to meet our Officers and Captain and learn about navigation.

Expedition Equipment:
Zodiac landing craft, kayaks, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), hydrophone, SplashCam, underwater video camera, Crow's Nest remote controlled camera, video microscope, snorkeling gear.

Features:
A full-time doctor, Undersea Specialist, LEX Photo Specialist and Video Chronicler, Internet Cafe and laundry.

Wellness:
The vessel is staffed by two Wellness Specialists and features a glass enclosed Fitness Center, outdoor stretching area, two LEXspa treatment rooms and Sauna.

An extraordinary hotel staff, at your service

Our warm and attentive cruise staff will look after your every wish and create a friendly, informal atmosphere aboard. Most have worked for us for years, if not decades, and are a familiar, welcoming sight for returning guests.

Staying connected

Each cabin has an Ethernet jack and cord to connect your laptop. Wireless Internet is available in the observation lounge, library, chart room, bistro and lounge. An Internet cafe is available near the mudroom, and a very limited number of laptops can be rented from reception for $10 a day. Satellite internet access costs between $.40 and $.75 per minute depending on the number of minutes purchased. A satellite phone is available for phone calls at additional charge, and an Iridium satellite phone is also available for emergency use. Stay in touch with the news back home through a condensed version of The New York Times, printed aboard daily free of charge. Copies are available in the library, the lounge and at reception.

Photo kiosk for photographers:

An iMac station is available in the ship's internet cafe for sorting and transferring your photos. It's equipped with a digital media reader and USB outlets. Bring along an external hard drive or USB drive (or several) to store and back up your photos. Use of the photo kiosk is complimentary, on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Laundry

For an additional charge, our ship's professional laundry staff will handle personal laundry and pressing. Laundry can be picked up at your cabin and same day service is available. Dry cleaning is not possible on board.

Always-available beverages

The chart room offers 24-hour beverage service, including coffee, a variety of teas, and sodas. Filtered water and ice stations are located throughout the vessel and reusable water bottles are provided in each cabin.

Doctor

A licensed U.S. doctor is aboard and available 24-hours a day free of charge.

Aboard the world's ultimate expedition ship

No other ship can you get as close to wild nature as National Geographic Explorer while maintaining a superb level of comfort and convenience. Whether it's the fresh bread baked daily, the panoramic views and gracious appointments, or the soothing sauna and wellness treatments in the spa, Explorer is unrivalled for quality comfort.

Part of the joy of sailing on Explorer is the contrasts: one moment you're paddling among icebergs or hearing about the deprivations the Heroic Age explorers endured, and one hot shower and a cocktail later, you're enjoying a glass of Malbec and duck breast. Dining is an integral part of your expedition experience, with influences and flavors that reflect the regions we're exploring, along with traditional fare. All food prepared aboard is sourced locally whenever possible from sustainable providers. All seafood served is sustainably caught or raised.

Meals are served in our elegant dining room and the adjacent, more intimate bistro bar. Seating is open, allowing you to choose where to dine, and table sizes range from two to 12. And our style is relaxed and casual - there's never a need to dress up. More than opportunities to eat well, meal times are also opportunities to engage in the diversity of the expedition community - to join or be joined by naturalists, guest speakers, ship's officers, and fellow guests for stimulating and entertaining conversation.

Breakfast is usually served buffet-style in the dining room and consists of a selection of fruit, eggs to order, cereal, yogurts, cheese, and cold meats, and specially prepared daily dishes, plus fresh coffee and tea. An early riser continental breakfast is served in the bistro as well, and many guests choose to take their coffee and morning pastries to the bridge or out on deck.

Lunch is also served buffet-style in the dining room and bistro bar, with salads and both hot and cold buffet choices available. Most days a light-lunch option is held in the observation lounge at the very top of the ship. When weather conditions permit, the light-lunch is held outdoors on the aft sundeck, offering a stunning backdrop and the cheerful company of our amiable hotel manager.

Depending on the day's activities, an afternoon tea with cookies, or occasionally, cakes and pastries, is served buffet-style in the bistro bar.

Dinners are served in the dining room and bistro, and feature plated service. Each evening, a ship's officer, National Geographic staff, or a naturalist hosts small tables in the chart room as well.

And whether a meal is buffet-style or served, our gracious wait staff is always present to attend your every need.

With the entire expedition team dedicated to delivring the best expedition possible, meal times are always flexible. If a polar bear or a pod of whales is sighted shortly before lunch, our crew is adept at quickly changing meal times so you don't miss a moment, and the quality of lunch is uncompromised.

Inviting public spaces for gathering & relaxing

Explorer is a perfectly sized ship - with a warm and intimate feeling, yet large enough to offer a variety of public spaces, plus plenty of nooks and crannies. Depending on your mood, there are shipboard places that gratify the need for sociability, from large gatherings to quiet conversations with newfound friends. And places that reward your desire for contemplative time, to read in quiet or simply stare peacefully at the sea or shoreline.

Bridge:

You may come to consider the bridge another public space, as guests are encouraged to visit our officers 24-hours a day. Guests usually first arrive for a morning coffee shortly after sunrise, and many spend every evening watching the sunset and taking in the hushed darkness of the bridge at night. Two benches provide comfortable seating options to look out and enjoy the expansive view over the bow, and you're always apt to find naturalists scanning the sea for wildlife when the ship is underway. Binoculars are available if you want to help them search.

Lounge:

The lounge is the main social hub of the ship. Lounge seating is arranged to provide good views of the center podium; and multiple plasma screens on the surrounding walls ensure optimal views of presentations, slideshows, and videos. It's here where the expedition community gathers for lectures, photography talks, guest speaker presentations, and the evening Recap. A long standing Lindblad tradition, Recap is when naturalists share stories and answer questions about the day's events, and the expedition leader presents the plan for the following day - as guests enjoy cocktails and hors d'ouevres. Large windows line two sides of the room, so guests who gravitate to the lounge with their laptops won't miss the dramatic views.

Bistro bar:

Inviting and casual, the bistro bar is a perfect spot to have a cappuccino before or after activities. And the bistro is the place to be for afternoon tea, and choice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well. A variety of beverages are available for purchase including beer, cocktails, spirits, and wines by the glass or bottle. Sodas, juices, and coffees (including cappuccinos and espressos) are complimentary.

Chart room:

During the day, the forward-located chart room offers you direct access to the bow for optimal wildlife viewing. Some station themselves at the chart room's windows. While those who choose to be out on deck or on the bow come in to warm up or re-fuel at the 24-hour self-service beverage station, stocked with cookies, sodas, soft drinks, hot chocolate, tea, and coffee. In the evening, intimate dinners of up to 14 guests are hosted here.

Library:

You'll find commanding views and comfortable leather armchairs in the library, set at the very top of the ship. A wide range of books run the gamut from fiction to regional guides, and reference books on the wildlife and region you're exploring. For many, this room is their favorite onboard. An elevator provides easy access to the bistro bar and lower decks.

Observation lounge:

Walking aft from the library, you'll enter the radiant observation lounge. With panoramic windows running the entire length of this narrow, domed lounge, you'll feel as if you're almost floating above the ship while spectacular scenery dramatically unfolds outside. Stocked with cards and board games, and equipped with binoculars, it welcomes guests for early morning reading or those wanting an evening card game. A light lunch is often served here as well.

Mudroom:

You'll use a locker in the mudroom throughout the expedition to store your boots, rain pants, and cold-weather gear. Our unique in-ship Zodiac boarding stations, designed by our VP-Marine Operations Capt. Leif Skog, are adjacent. They allow you to step into a Zodiac safely - and dry - from a secure platform inside the ship rather than a ladder dangling outside. With two possible embarkation gates, we can also get you into our Zodiacs quicker, meaning you'll have more time ashore and less time waiting.

Wellness:

Everyone who travels with us discovers what Henry David Thoreau named "the tonic of wildness." And to complement the inspiring destinations we visit, we've designed a Wellness program. From early morning yoga or stretching on deck or in the lounge to massages and face, handy or body treatments inspired by the location, our wellness specialist will help you achieve a more relaxed and revitalized state of being.

Fitness center:

The fitness center with its expansive floor to ceiling windows and 180-degree vista offers a 'million-dollar view' along with exercise bikes, ellipticals and treadmills, free weights, yoga mats and exercise balls.

Wellness center:

Our professional wellness specialist offers soothing massages and treatments in our LEXSpa. Adjacent, there is a Swedish Sauna, perfect for quick warms ups after polar plunges or as a relaxing way to end the day.

Global gallery:

Located near reception, the global gallery is an inviting area - part shop, part gallery - that showcases an eclectic mix of handicrafts, jewelry, and artwork from the many regions Explorer explores, as well as the work of acclaimed designers. It also offers a selection of expedition clothing, and practical items including camera memory cards and binoculars.

Comfort & convenience in every cabin Air-conditioning/heating

The ship is air-conditioned throughout. Each cabin has individual climate control, allowing you to adjust the temperature to your liking. Basic amenities

Botanically-inspired shampoo, shower gel, and lotion are all available in cabin bathrooms, as well as an Expedition Essential Kit. Hair dryers and bathrobes are available in each cabin.

The Explorer is not equipped with safety deposit boxes. Cabin doors lock, but we recommend that you leave jewelry and other valuables at home. Electrical current

There are both 110-volt outlets and 220-volt outlets in each cabin. These are appropriate for laptops, battery charges, digital cameras, video cameras, hair dryers and most other uses. In addition, there is a 110-volt outlet in the bathroom for shavers only (the 110-volt is the typical American two-slot design.) Most outlets in public spaces are 220-volt.

Your cabin has been designed so that luggage can be stored under your bed. There is ample space to hang and store clothing in your cabin. Due to space limitations, we cannot store your luggage in other areas on board the ship.

Smoking is allowed only in a designated outdoor area on the aft sun deck. Smoking is not permitted in any interior space, including guest cabins.

Each cabin features a flat screen TV with a variety of programming, including movies, National Geographic documentaries, video chronicles from other Lindblad-National Geographic expeditions, an electronic chart system, a view from the Crow’s Nest camera, and short, text-based news updates. Presentations taking place in the ship’s lounge can also be seen on your cabin TV.

Discover and learn more with our suite of modern tools for exploration

We believe that travelers don't want to be passive tourists, so our expeditions foster active engagement. National Geographic Explorer is equipped with tools for exploration - to get you out there for up-close forays, or to let you see deeper into the marine or terrestrial environments surrounding you.

Zodiacs

Explorer carries 15 Zodiac landing craft - a full fleet - allowing us to get the entire expedition community out, engaged in activities quickly, comfortably, and safely. Widely regarded as the most robust watercraft available, they can push through pack ice and run up on sandy shores. Our Zodiacs are equipped with reliable, 60hp four-stroke Yamaha outboard engines that zip over the water, but are also quiet enough that you can slowly approach without disturbing wildlife. And while Zodiacs can carry 15 people, we usually limit capacity to 12 or less to ensure everyone has plenty of room, and an opportunity to get that perfect shot.

Kayaks:

Explorer is equipped with 36 two-person AIRE inflatable kayaks - a fleet large enough to ensure everyone who wants to can paddle at every opportunity.

Specifically chosen because of their inherent stability and suitability for polar waters, AIREs are virtually untippable. Consequently, prior kayaking experience isn't necessary - many of our guests have their first kayaking experience in extraordinary locations. Our custom-designed floating platform lets us deploy kayaks from the ship, or any location we want - including the middle of the ocean.

Kayakers are usually free to explore where they want within boundaries set by the undersea specialist and officer of the watch.

Underwater camera:

Our undersea specialist will dive almost every day of your expedition, even in Antarctica or the Arctic, with almost 200 pounds of gear, to shoot high-definition, Cousteau-like footage of the deep. Colorful nudibranchs, swimming, plant-like crinoids, and mysterious fish with antifreeze blood that thrive in the frigid sea will give you an entirely new appreciation of the marine environment.

Remotely Operated Vehicle:

Video microscope:

Naturalists will use the video microscope to help explain all elements of the environment, including tiny organisms that are the building block of the marine ecosystem. Spellbinding images of a krill's body, at 80x magnification, fills the plasma screens in the lounge with vivid detail, and fills every onlooker with a sense of wonder at the importance of an otherwise unobservable creature.

Crow's nest camera:

Perched high atop the vessel on the ship's mast, this camera provides a continual view on the outside world that can be seen on your cabin TV. From zooming in on a distant polar bear to simply watching the bow crush through ice flows, you'll get a unique perspective on your surroundings. The extra height from the camera also aids the captain by allowing him to peer at ice conditions further ahead.

Hydrophones:

These underwater microphones are deployed to listen to the vocalizations of marine mammals. Real time transmissions of their eerie, haunting sounds can be broadcast through the ship or recorded for later playback.

Electronic charts:

An electronic chart showing the ship's location, course, and speed is always on display on a dedicated channel on your cabin TV.

Open bridge:

You'll find our captains are engaged, knowledgeable members of your expedition who are eager to share their passion with you. Explorer's open bridge is features comfortable benches where guests often sit for hours, enjoying the view, having morning coffee, or simply chatting with the officers.

Snorkeling gear & wetsuits:

On warm weather itineraries where there will be snorkeling, you'll select a mask, snorkel, fins, and wetsuit that remain yours for the duration of the expedition. There's no need to pack and tote your own gear, although guests who prefer to are welcome to bring their own.