Lindblad Names Two New Ships And Launches ‘Explorers-In-Training’

It’s been a busy month for National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions, which named its two new ships, National Geographic Gemini and National Geographic Delfina, in an elaborate christening ceremony in the Galápagos Islands on July 9, 2025, and launched its new “Explorers-in-Training” programming for kids and teens at the end of July.

National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions' two new ships, Delfina and Gemini, in the Galápagos Islands. Courtesy of National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions

Anchored in Academy Bay, the two new ships were joined by their sibling vessels, National Geographic Islander II and National Geographic Endeavour II. Onboard the Gemini, the crew were joined by several members of Lindblad Expeditions’ executive team, including CEO Natalya Leahy and Interim Chief Maritime Officer, Rear Admiral Keith Taylor, plus several local partners, community members and their families.

“Today, we celebrate not just an event, we’re celebrating a story that started in February 1967, when Lars-Eric Lindblad led the very first non-scientific expedition to the Galápagos Islands,” said Leahy. “Today’s naming is done in honor of the Galápagos community. We will continue our hard work right by your side and never forget that we are just visitors to your home.”

Two New Ships: Gemini and Delfina

Designed to hold just 48 guests in its 27 outward-facing staterooms, National Geographic Gemini strikes a perfect balance between small-ship and large-ship cruising, with plenty of activities, space to stretch out on the deck and enough peace to relax in the library or lounge. Ideal for intimate group sailings, National Geographic Delfina holds just 16 guests in its eight artfully designed guest rooms, all of which provide access to an outer deck or private balcony.

Both ships come equipped with a whirlpool hot tub to unwind in after a long day of sightseeing, and you can expect educational talks by onboard naturalists and an elegant dining experience featuring locally sourced food and wine. To cut down on food waste, passengers are encouraged to note their dinner preferences ahead of time, while coffee, tea, and tasty Ecuadorian snacks are available 24/7 in the lounge, just in case.

You can experience the Gemini on the 10-day Exploring Galápagos sailing (from $5,556 per person) or the Delfina during the 10-day Galápagos by Catamaran: An Intimate Voyage itinerary (from $7,900 per person). Both trips also offer a longer 16-day version that adds time in Peru and a trip to Machu Picchu.

New ‘Explorers-In-Training’ Programming for Kids

The cruise line also recently revamped its National Geographic Explorers-In-Training programming, which features hands-on activities geared toward younger guests aboard select sailings to Antarctica and Iceland, and all trips to the Galápagos Islands, Alaska, and Baja California. Originally created in 2017, the newly expanded program is meant to keep kids and teens inspired by science, curiosity and conservation as they encounter new landscapes, flora and fauna throughout the cruise.

Activities vary based on the itinerary and destination but generally include opportunities to learn to drive a zodiac, participate in educational games and scavenger hunts, conduct experiments and mark the unique creatures they’ve seen in region-specific field notebooks. At the end of the sailing, their accomplishments are celebrated during a shipboard presentation where they’ll receive a certificate and patch to remember their trip by. While these immersive experiences—led by some of National Geographic’s best photographers, naturalists, undersea specialists and certified field educators—are intended for children and teens, all ages are invited to participate.

What to Know Before You Go

Instead of following a set schedule, National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions sailings are more fluid, with loose itineraries based on daily traffic within Galápagos National Park. You’ll be given a rough idea of the types of activities you’ll be doing ahead of time so you know what to pack, and once onboard, the details of the next day’s plans are shared during nightly presentations by expedition leaders. That way, everyone is prepared and with the Galápagos National Park Service directing ship traffic, the UNESCO World Heritage site doesn’t get too overwhelmed by visitors. This type of flexibility also gives ship captains the ability to veer slightly off schedule and turn the vessel around if, for instance, a blue whale is spotted and the team of onboard naturalists wants to turn the rare sighting into an educational moment.

Itineraries for the cruise line’s two new ships are packed with only-in-Galápagos experiences like visits to the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island, epic hikes on lava fields, and scenic nature walks through endemic bird habitats. You’ll also have many, many chances to swim alongside Galápagos sea lions and penguins, view blue-footed boobies from a zodiac and see other rare creatures—like Galápagos marine iguanas—in the wild. Remember to pack a good pair of waterproof hiking sandals for wet landings, hiking boots for dry landings, reef-safe sunscreen, and your best camera or a new Go-Pro for underwater videos. Pack plenty of “Expedition Chic” attire like lightweight khaki pants and hiking shirts to avoid getting sunburned—you’ll be sailing along the equator, after all, and the sun is strong.

While the total cost of your Galápagos cruise aboard either of the two new ships doesn’t include international airfare, gratuities or spa services, it does cover all your meals and beverages, educational presentations by National Geographic photographers and naturalists, access to kayaks and stand-up paddle boards, shore excursions aboard zodiacs and use of snorkeling equipment (masks, fins, and shorty wetsuits—bring a full-body diving skin to wear under it if you’re wary of swimming in cooler waters). Cruise fares also include domestic flights to Baltra Island (GPS) from Guayaquil (GYE) or Quito (UIO), two nights’ accommodations in either city (one before your sailing and one after), port taxes, the Galápagos Islands National Park entrance fee ($200 per adult, $100 per child) and the Tourist Transit Card fee ($20 per person). Pre- and post-cruise extensions are also available if you want to spend more time exploring Ecuador.

All details and policies mentioned were accurate as of press time.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kaeliconforti/

The Newest Innovative Offerings On Cruises Include Better Wi-Fi, Snow Rooms, And Other Wows

By BETH J. HARPAZ

This photo of a rendering provided by Regent Seven Seas Cruises depicts the cruise line’s forthcoming ship, the Seven Seas Explorer, which is expected to debut in the summer of 2016. The ship will include one of the largest and most expensive suites ever offered at sea: 3,875 square feet, $5,000 per person, per night, with a two-person minimum occupancy. (AP Photo/Regent Seven Seas Cruises/Spine)

NEW YORK (AP) - Snow rooms, better Wi-Fi and a continued emphasis on specialty food and drink are some of the trends for cruising in the next year or two.

Here are some details.

THE WOW FACTOR

The industry that put skating rinks and waterslides on ships keeps "coming up with funky, cool things - that wow factor," said Fran Golden, who writes for Porthole.com and USA Today's Experience Cruise site.

Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas debuts in April with the same innovations that made a splash at last year's launch of its sister ship, Quantum of the Seas: robot bartenders, simulated skydiving, bumper cars and an observation capsule rising high above the sea.

Norwegian Escape arrives in Miami in November with a snow room offering freezing temperatures for post-sauna invigoration. The ship's showcase food and drink includes a Margaritaville, Mondavi-brand wine bar, craft beer from Miami's Wynwood Brewing and restaurants offering tapas and Latin seafood from celebrity chef Jose Garces.

Viking, the company known for river cruises, is introducing an oceangoing vessel, Viking Star. With a capacity of 928, it's small compared with megaships carrying 4,000, but Viking says it will be destination-oriented, with more time in port around the Mediterranean, Western Europe and Nordic region. All-inclusive prices will cover shore excursions, Wi-Fi, self-service laundry, wine, beer and specialty restaurants.

Looking ahead to 2016, Carnival will launch its first new ship in four years, Carnival Vista, with the first IMAX theater at sea and two new thrill attractions: a 455-foot-long (139 meters) multicolored tube slide called a Kaleid-o-Slide and SkyRide, a cycling ride suspended from a track. A Family Harbor area offers more family accommodation options and a lounge hangout with large-screen TVs, games and concierge desk.

Regent Seven Seas' new Explorer ship, also debuting in 2016, will have one of the largest and priciest suites ever offered at sea. The $5,000-a-night, per person, Regent Suite will be 3,875 square feet, with grand piano and private spa.

ITINERARIES AND EVENTS

Disney Cruise Line brings "Frozen" to sea next summer with themed deck parties, character meet-and-greets, menus and performances on select sailings. Disney Magic itineraries include the Norwegian fjords that inspired the hit movie.

Cunard marks 175 years since its first ship Britannia crossed from England to North America. Cunard's Queen Mary 2 departs Liverpool on the same route July 4, the date Britannia departed in 1840. All 2015 Cunard sailings will host anniversary events like themed balls. In May, all three Cunard ships - Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria - will rendezvous for celebrations in Southampton and Liverpool.

EXPEDITION CRUISING

An emerging trend identified by CruiseCritic.com editor Carolyn Spencer Brown is expedition cruising or soft-adventure cruising to places like the Amazon. Land-based tour companies like Lindblad have long offered voyages to exotic destinations like Antarctica and the Galapagos, but now luxury cruise companies like Silversea and Seabourn are getting into the business.

"That means the comfort level and sophistication level is going to rise, with more food options, cabins with balconies and suite accommodations," said Spencer Brown, who recently cruised the Peruvian Amazon. "You won't have to give up the comforts of home to do these trips."

PRICES

Cruise Market Watch says per-person, per-day expenditures on 2015 cruises will average $222, including ticket price and onboard spending. That's a 3.5 percent increase over 2014.

But there are still bargains. CruiseCompete.com has a webpage devoted to cruises under $300, including three-night trips on Golden Princess and Carnival Imagination starting in California with stops in Mexico.

Bob Levinstein, CEO of CruiseCompete.com, advises "the absolute best deals are going to be last-minute." That doesn't mean the week before the cruise, but six or seven weeks out, after final payments are due for advance bookings. Last-minute deals work best for folks with flexible schedules who can drive to ports so they don't need plane tickets, Levinstein said.

Bargain cruises are especially prevalent in the Caribbean and Mexico due to an oversupply in the region, especially among "older and less attractive ships," according to Rich Skinner, co-owner of Cruise Holidays of Woodinville, a Vacations.com brand. But Skinner also sees "significant increases to both Europe and Alaska prices." And some cruises now have "value-added" prices where you pay more but get more included, like alcohol, gratuities or Wi-Fi.

FOOD AND FITNESS

Many cruise lines have partnered with famous chefs to appeal "to a foodie audience," said Golden, of Porthole.com. Often the name-brand venues onboard are specialty restaurants, so you pay extra, but still less than what it costs to eat at the chef's land-based restaurant. (An exception, Golden notes: Guy Fieri's burgers are free on Carnival ships.)

Cruises are also offering more intense fitness options, said Levinstein, like Norwegian Fight Klub, a cardio boxing program. People who are into fitness are wary of cruising "because you eat all the time on a ship," Levinstein said. Cruise lines can overcome those concerns with innovative ways to spend time at sea getting in shape instead of putting on weight.

WI-FI

Wi-Fi on cruises has been expensive and slow, but "there's definitely a big push to improve," Levinstein said, especially on Royal Caribbean and Carnival. Carnival is piloting a social media package, with access to sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, for $5 daily or $25 per voyage. You pay more for email, Web-surfing or Skype.

The Newest Innovations And Amenities For Cruising That You Should Know About.

Some of the most exciting holiday innovations are now happening at sea. Here's our pick of some of the best new innovations and experiences afloat, from aerial viewing pods and sky-diving simulators to hot-air ballooning over Antarctica

The world's first aerial attraction at sea, North Star, will be launched in November on Quantum of the Seas 

From top-deck picnic lawns and sky-skimming viewing pods to planetariums and vertical-drop water slides, cruise ship design has been undergoing a revolution. What’s more, these days increasingly your holiday can come to you.

Last year set a record for the number of passengers starting a cruise in the UK, with more than 100 ships cruising into British ports. Later this summer one of the world’s biggest cruise ships, Oasis of the Seas, will visit the UK when it completes its first mini-season of sailings around the Mediterranean. Anthem of the Seas, another Royal Caribbean International ship, will be based in Southampton following its launch next spring. And Princess Cruises will bring Royal Princess – christened amid much fanfare by the Duchess of Cambridge – to these shores next spring for a series of trips round the British Isles.

Royal Princess broke new ground with its top-deck SeaWalk, a glass-bottomed walkway that arches around the side of the ship 128ft above the water. This year’s launches have included NCL’s Norwegian Getaway, which offers a pair of free-fall racing slides and a ropes course. It also has the first ice bar at sea and more dining options than you can shake a fork at.

“It’s no longer enough to be offering something as good as you get on land – it’s got to be better,” says Andy Yuell, the director of SMC Design, the company behind a number of NCL ships.

River ships are also in the vanguard. New line Emerald Waterwayslaunches this month with a pool area that converts to a “cinema” at night, and Uniworld's new SS Catherine has a whimsical, jungle-themed "lounge pool" tucked into a corner of the ship’s Bar du Leopard. Of course there are plenty for whom entertainment and gimmicks matter not. Some passengers board cruise ships to travel with an acclaimed lecturer or historian, a marine biologist of the ilk of Jean-Michel Cousteau (Paul Gauguin Cruises) or simply to explore where independent travel is difficult – Papua New Guinea or the Galápagos Islands, for example.

^{"Lounge pool" on board Uniworld's SS Catherine}

Recent additions to itineraries include Kamchatka in the Russian Far East, the White Sea and an extended route along the Ganges east of Varanasi. Some of the world’s topography – the sinewy nooks and crannies of the Kimberley in north-west Australia, coastal Norway or Alaska – simply cries out for waterborne travel. Here we offer our pick of the latest innovative features, equipment and excursions available on board this year.

Shore bets

No longer the preserve of the wealthy or adventurous, polar travel has become increasingly popular. Once in the Arctic, visitors can camp out on the ice, go kayaking, admire the views from a hot-air balloon or take part in cultural exchanges. “Opportunities abound for cultural learning with the people of Sisimiut (Greenland), Spitsbergen (Norway) and other communities dotting the Arctic landscape,” said a spokesperson forQuark Expeditions. Quark is one of only two operators in the world that take travellers to the North Pole for a once-in-a-lifetime journey that includes helicopter flights above the Arctic Ocean.

^{Exploring Antarctica with Quark Expeditions}

Back in warmer climes, Azamara Club Cruises took a fresh approach to destination immersion with its “AzAmazing Evenings”, introduced two years ago. It now offers 38 of these exclusive events in venues including amphitheatres and gardens in Italy and the Caribbean.

Viking River Cruises offers private tours of the Hermitage in St Petersburg long after the doors have shut on the day’s tourists, whileHurtigruten passengers are the only guests permitted to visit Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim and see all 9,600 of the Steinmeyer organ’s pipes being retuned. Passengers who book with Crystal Cruises are welcomed into homes and villages on Easter Island, in the Amazon and in “Zulu country” – and on shore excursions in St Petersburg and Sochi they can travel on the ship’s visa, avoiding the expensive and time-consuming business of applying for one in person.

Aerial thrills

The world’s first aerial attraction at sea, North Star, will be launched in November on Quantum of the Seas. A single viewing pod attached to a mechanical arm will take cruise-ship passengers for a 15-minute ride 300ft up that affords 360-degree views, both at sea and in port. What’s more, unless you want to go the whole hog and book a sunset proposal or some such, it’s free.

If that doesn’t float your boat, try “flying”. RipCord by iFly simulates the experience of skydiving by suspending passengers above a wind tunnel inside a 23ft-tall glass chamber.

^{The iFly experience will feature on Quantum of the Seas}

Other adrenalin-pumping diversions include the FlowRider surf simulator and a climbing wall, while the indoor SeaPlex centre boasts a flying trapeze and the first bumper cars at sea.

The Balinese bed

How many times have you promised yourself that you’ll sleep under the stars? Sail to the Caribbean, Asia or the Mediterranean with SeaDream Yacht Club and the on-deck Balinese Dream Bed (there are 10 in total, including two twins) is yours for the night. After a dinner of, say, grilled halibut served with gingered white asparagus and caviar beurre blanc, you’ll return to pillows and duvets and stars. This is the ship on which the captain might invite passengers to join him on a mountain-bike ride in Funchal or announce over the tannoy following an impromptu anchor-drop mid-Aegean: “We’re going to delay our departure because everyone’s having such a nice time.”

Exploring the deep

Some ships carry helicopters for flights to remote waterfalls or volcanoes; others are equipped with marine platforms and scuba gear. The expedition-cruise company Lindblad goes a step further by offering a glimpse of life 500ft below the surface of the sea courtesy of one of its ROVs (remote-operated vehicles), which sends high-definition video back to the ship.

^{A glimpse beneath the surface from a Lindblad Expeditions ship}

Lindblad has recently acquired a second ROV for exploration in the Galápagos Islands. This is in addition to a full fleet of ocean-going kayaks, Zodiacs and scuba gear. Sailing to remote spots in Arctic Svalbard, the Azores and Patagonia, among others, Lindblad-National Geographic ships sail with a video chronicler on board. “We’ve noticed a growing interest in photography,” says the line's president, Sven Lindblad, “and ships also travel with a National Geographic photographer on each sailing.”

Of lawn and legend

Crystal Cruises unveiled the first living wall at sea in 2012, but the real game-changer was a thumping great park on board Oasis of the Seas. Dense with tropical foliage, trees and seasonal blooms, Central Park is an incongruous but pleasing addition to life on the ocean waves, made possible by turning a typical cruise-ship superstructure on its head by splitting the aft to create airy, open spaces. Celebrity Cruises employs full-time lawnkeepers (on its Solstice Class ships) to groom and water half an acre of real grass, on which guests can play boules, picnic or lounge about.

I can sea clearly now

Probably the most talked-about feature in 2013 was the SeaWalk, a new feature on board Princess Cruises' newest ship, Royal Princess. If you can’t face the jelly-leg-inducing walk, pull up a stool at the SeaView Bar, which also extends over the waves.

^{SeaWalk on board Royal Princess}

Cantilever mechanics don’t stop there. Guests staying in the Reflection Suite on board Celebrity Reflection have access to unrivalled views in the most talked-about shower at sea: an all-glass one that extends over the side of the ship. Decorum (in respect of passing ships) and modesty (for the user) are maintained by the use of “intelligent glass”, a material that responds to levels of sunlight and employs a one-way tint. But the prize for the most off-the-wall exhibitionist gimmick surely goes to the Rising Tide on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas: the bar is actually a lift that slowly ascends through several decks as you sip your caipirinha.

Yes, chef

Jamie Oliver is the latest celebrity chef to take to the seas, with a Jamie’s Italian opening exclusively on board Royal Caribbean’s forthcoming ships, Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas.

Next year, the biggest cruise ship ever built for the British market will woo passengers with a range of top chefs when it sets sail on its maiden voyage. The culinary line-up on board P&O Cruises' 3,600-passenger ship Britannia includes Marco Pierre White (the godfather of modern cooking spends 40 days each year at sea with the line) and Atul Kochhar, the wine connoisseur Olly Smith and, new to the star-studded firmament, the master pâtissier Eric Lanlard and the television chef James Martin, who will open a Cookery Club, the first cooking school on board a British ship.

Elsewhere you’ll find Geoffrey Zakarian (Norwegian Cruise Line), Le Cirque (Holland America Line), Nobu (Crystal Cruises) and Todd English (Cunard).

Take me to the river

Around 25 river ships are due for completion this year; 18 of them were launched last month by Viking River Cruises. On board this new generation of stylish river ships you will find flat-screen televisions, iPads and butlers (Scenic), and bicycles (AmaWaterways). From them, you can join private tours of world-class galleries, evening trips to the ballet and exclusive performances in former palaces.

Viking was the first to introduce Western-style ships on the Yangtze river and to design purpose-built ships to navigate the Elbe. It also introduced quieter, hybrid engines – something that most river cruisers now take for granted. In terms of ship design, it’s neck-and-neck between Viking’s sleek and graceful Longships and Scenic’s chic and contemporary Space Ships.

This year’s standout development however, is in the four-star river cruising category, where a new generation of “Star” ships is about to launch. Emerald Star will boast a heated pool covered by a retractable roof that transforms the space into a cinema. Its owner, Scenic Tours, installed the first full-sized balconies on river ships and then pioneered all-weather “balconies” by installing a floor-to-ceiling glass frontage that can be lowered to a halfway point in fine weather but enables continued use of the space when closed.

Time out

Each new vessel seems to outdo the last in the provision of wellbeing facilities (look out for the Salt Room, state-of-the-art spinning bikes and the Thermal Suite on the new Norwegian Breakaway and the mega-spa on Tui Cruises’ forthcoming Mein Schiff 3). A few cruise ships take their spas so seriously that it’s possible to eat, sleep and think “spa” on board. Celebrity Cruises’ AquaSpa is the apotheosis of this trend; other ships are offering spa suites.

Launched last May, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa 2 houses 16 dedicated Spa Suites, each featuring a generous 108 sq ft veranda, a daylight-filled hydrotherapy shower with integrated steam sauna and – the pièce de résistance – a whirlpool tub with sea views. Consider, too, the Haven Suites on Norwegian’s Getaway and Breakaway ships, or the spa suites on board Seabourn Sojourn, Odyssey and Quest, where guests access the cabins via a spiral staircase in the lobby of the spa.

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Contributed by Teresa Machan, The Daily Telegraph.