Nat Geo naturalists, Zodiacs at dawn, and a snorkel with sea lions.
Lindblad Expeditions invented the modern expedition cruise in the 1960s and has sailed with National Geographic since 2004: ships of 48 to 148 guests staffed by naturalists, a National Geographic photographer and an undersea specialist who dives with a camera and shows you the footage at recap. It suits curious travelers of any age who want every excursion included and a day planned around the wildlife rather than the clock, in the Galápagos year-round, Alaska and Baja California on the US ships, Antarctica and the Arctic on the polar ships, and Costa Rica, Panama and the Mediterranean in between. SmartCruiser shows every Lindblad sailing with taxes and fees included, puts SmartCruiser picks first, and adds SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit per stateroom on sailings where the line allows it.
Three ways to sail with Lindblad
Pick one and the list below filters to it; the Galápagos, Alaska and Antarctica are the three trips most of our guests start with.
The Galápagos
- National Geographic Endeavour II (96 guests) and Islander II (48) sail every week of the year from Baltra
- Snorkel with sea lions and penguins, walk among iguanas and boobies, kayak and paddleboard, all included
- 7 nights on the islands plus Guayaquil or Quito; family departures in summer and holidays
Best for: families, snorkelers, first expeditions
Alaska the small-ship way
- National Geographic Sea Bird, Sea Lion, Venture and Quest (62 to 100 guests) from Juneau and Sitka, May to September
- Kayak beneath glaciers, hike the muskeg, watch humpbacks bubble-net feed from a Zodiac
- 7 nights in the Inside Passage, Glacier Bay and the Inian Islands; no ports with souvenir shops
Best for: active travelers, photographers, anyone who has done big-ship Alaska
Antarctica and the Arctic
- National Geographic Explorer, Endurance and Resolution (126 to 148 guests) from Ushuaia, November to March
- Two landings a day, kayaks, the polar plunge and an undersea specialist filming beneath the ice
- Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland in the northern summer on the same ships
Best for: bucket lists, serious photographers
Lindblad deals: SmartCruiser picks first
Every Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic departure on every ship, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra: instant savings, SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit or a Special SmartCruiser rate. Below them, every other sailing with full sorting by date, length and price.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery Lindblad sailing
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Where Lindblad sails
Pick a region and the list above filters to it.
Lines you may also like
If the Lindblad formula appeals, these lines cover the same places with their own twist.
When to go
Somewhere in the Lindblad fleet it is always the right season; here is where to be when.
Lindblad questions we answer every day
What is included on a Lindblad expedition?
Every excursion: Zodiac cruises, landings, hikes, kayaking, paddleboarding and snorkeling with the gear provided, plus lectures, recaps and the photo coaching from the National Geographic photographer. Polar departures include a parka to keep and boots to borrow. Drinks are included on the polar and Galápagos ships and wine and beer come with dinner on the US ships; we confirm the specifics of your sailing before you book. Gratuities and flights are extra unless the fare says otherwise.
How fit do I need to be, and what about the Drake Passage?
Fit enough to step from a Zodiac onto a beach with a crew member’s arm, and to walk on sand, snow or lava for an hour; there are easy and strenuous options on every outing and you can always stay aboard. The Drake Passage takes two days each way from Ushuaia and can be rough; the polar ships are stabilized and the doctor has patches. Lindblad does not fly the Drake, so if it worries you we will talk through the alternatives.
How big are the ships and the cabins?
Small on purpose. The US ships carry 62 to 100 guests with compact outside cabins and no balconies; National Geographic Endeavour II and Islander II carry 96 and 48 in the Galápagos; the polar ships carry 126 to 148, and National Geographic Endurance and Resolution have balconies on most cabins. Solo cabins at no single supplement are offered on several ships, which is rare.
How do I get to the ship?
Lindblad packages the charter flights between Guayaquil or Quito and the Galápagos, and between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia for Antarctica, and sells air from the US on many departures. Alaska trips start in Juneau or Sitka with easy connections through Seattle. We price the package against booking your own flights so you can choose.
Do I need a passport or visa?
A passport valid six months beyond your trip. US citizens need no visa for Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico or Europe. The Galápagos requires a transit card and a national park fee, which Lindblad often bundles; we confirm it per sailing. Alaska trips that stay in US waters need only government ID, but bring the passport anyway.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes the expedition fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels, gratuities and park fees are extra unless the fare you choose says otherwise.
Talk to a Lindblad specialist
Tell us who is traveling and what you most want to see, and we match the ship, the cabin category and the dates, with the flights sorted out before you pay. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.