Best for: Adventurers
Why: Lindblad seeks out exotic itineraries in the Arctic, Antarctica, Galapagos, Amazon and other less-mainstream cruise destinations. On its polar voyages, passengers sail aboard an ice-class vessel that easily slips through frozen passageways populated with polar bears in the Arctic or penguins in Antarctica. Its Torres del Paine-to-Cape Horn itinerary delivers myriad land-and-sea encounters in Patagonia's vast wilderness. On all voyages, passengers can expect to share in the expertise of a team of naturalists, including National Geographic photographers (or Lindblad-National Geographic certified photo instructors) and undersea specialists, providing a steady stream of eco-insights and information. For closer views, the cruise line equips its ships with Zodiacs, sea kayaks and underwater cameras. Shore excursions trade bus tours for educational and active diversions, such as naturalist-led glacier hikes and deep-water snorkeling. The company also advances sustainable practices and supports many conservation programs in the fragile destinations it visits.
Runner-up: UnCruise Adventures combines off-the-beaten-track ecotourism with small-ship cruising in Alaska, as well as the Sea of Cortez, Galapagos, Coastal Washington and British Columbia, Hawaii, Costa Rica and Panama, and the Columbia and Snake rivers. Its expedition vessels are small enough to wiggle into secret harbors and through narrow waterways, and cruisers are invited to immerse themselves in their natural surroundings with such land-and-sea excursions as whale-watching, snorkeling, stand-up paddleboarding, hiking, kayaking and polar bear plunges.