expedition

The Difference Between Cruising Inward and Outward During our agency training, Sven Lindblad described the difference between a conventional cruise and an expedition cruise in a way that stuck with us. A conventional cruise is inward; an expedition cruise is outward. It is a simple distinction, but it gets to the heart of what Lindblad does. The company was among the first to bring non-scientists to Antarctica in 1966, a place where access has always been restricted. The thin

Learning to See Before Taking the Picture Photography has always been an important part of National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. During our training on the brand, the emphasis on photography came up repeatedly. The aim is not simply to help guests take better pictures, but to let them learn from people who have spent years observing the natural world. We have come to think of experienced photographers as observers first. They study the subject before taking the picture. T

The Ship Is Part of the Lindblad Expedition During our research into National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, we kept returning to one idea: expedition cruising is about looking outward. The ship is your base, but much of the experience revolves around what is happening beyond it. Exploration continues on board through daily recaps, wildlife updates and presentations from naturalists, photographers and visiting scientists. On selected departures, guests can also take part in

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions is worth looking into if you are considering an expedition cruise. Lindblad has spent decades taking travellers to remote corners of the world, while National Geographic brings its long history of exploration, photography and natural history. Together, they operate incredible voyages that focus on wildlife, landscapes and the people who know these places best. At Sarasota Cruise Agency, we help clients compare expedition cruise compani

AN Interview with Dr. Claudio Aporta When we look at a map of the Arctic, we tend to see coastlines, islands, shipping routes and vast stretches of ice. But a map cannot tell us how a landscape is understood by the people who have travelled across it for generations. This distinction matters as the Arctic becomes more accessible. The retreat of sea ice is changing traditional travel routes while bringing increased shipping and tourism to communities that have their own histor

The history of Arctic exploration is often told through the lives of the explorers who ventured into unfamiliar territory. But what happens when we look beyond their achievements and consider the people whose knowledge, hospitality and experience made those journeys possible? At DeSalvio Travel and Sarasota Cruise Agency, we believe that understanding a destination requires more than an appreciation of its landscapes. It also means engaging with its history, listening to loca

To someone looking at a map, the Arctic can appear distant, empty and difficult to reach. For researchers working there, the reality is considerably more complicated. Fieldwork can involve months of logistical planning, equipment transported across thousands of kilometres and the constant possibility that conditions will force an entirely different approach. At DeSalvio Travel and Sarasota Cruise Agency, our Polar Knowledge project explores the Arctic beyond its spectacular l

DeSalvio Travel is pleased to announce that Marisa has completed the training required to become a National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Specialist, adding another layer of specialist knowledge to our work with travellers interested in expedition cruising. National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions brings together expedition travel, exploration and the National Geographic tradition of discovery. For travellers considering an expedition cruise, understanding the company behin

An Introduction from DeSalvio Travel At DeSalvio Travel, we have been developing our Polar Knowledge project because we believe that planning a journey to the Arctic or Antarctica should involve more than choosing an itinerary. The more we learn from people who have spent years working in these regions, the more we understand how much there is to know before you ever step aboard a ship. That is why we were particularly grateful to PONANT for making this conversation with Cind

An edited conversation with Isabelle Ryder about Greenland, glaciers, geology and the music of the Arctic. Introduction At Sarasota Cruise Agency & DeSalvio Travel, we believe that understanding a destination changes the way we experience it. For me, that has a particular connection with music. As a concert pianist and travel professional, I know how music can prepare us to listen to a place: to notice movement, texture, silence, rhythm and scale. That is especially true in t

'Learn to Look' My interest in photography started long before we began our Polar project. My father gave me my first real experience with a DSLR when I was eigh years old, and some of my earliest lessons happened in the Swiss Alps, photographing the glaciers. I remember being fascinated by the fact that a camera could make you look at a landscape differently. You started noticing light, texture, distance and small details that you might otherwise simply walk past. That fasci

North Greenland is easy to associate with dramatic icebergs, vast wilderness and remote Arctic settlements. But to truly understand the region, the landscape is only part of the story. The people who live there, their traditions, knowledge and relationship with the environment are equally important. That is central to our Polar Knowledge project at DeSalvio Travel and Sarasota Cruise Agency. We believe meaningful travel goes beyond seeing a destination. It means slowing down,

an Interview with Eline Hystad Svalbard is often imagined through its spectacular landscapes, glaciers, polar bears and sense of remoteness. Yet understanding the archipelago requires looking beyond its wilderness. Its history, communities and relationship with the Arctic environment are equally important to understanding what makes Svalbard unique. Longyearbyen by night For this interview, we spoke with Eline Hystad of Svalbard Museum in Longyearbyen, who offers a perspectiv

A First Taste of the High Arctic Svalbard is often where we would start with someone who is curious about the Arctic but is not quite ready for a more demanding expedition. It is the northernmost part of Europe and is relatively accessible by air, with Longyearbyen serving as the principal gateway. There are hotels, regular flights and a more established infrastructure, while the landscape already gives you a very real sense of the High Arctic. You can experience mountains, g

Greenland Is Much More Than Ice Greenland is difficult to describe in one sentence. Around 80 percent of the country is covered by ice, with an ice sheet covering more than 1.7 million square kilometres. Yet most people live along the coast, where the landscape changes completely. This is one of the things that makes Greenland so interesting. You have an enormous ice-covered interior, but along the coast there are communities, history and contemporary Greenlandic life. The re