This summer, I headed north on a two-week expedition to Iceland, Greenland, and the Canadian High Arctic with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. The trip was more than I could have imagined, with incredible guiding and excursions. These excursions led to fascinating cultural interactions, stunning scenery and wildlife, and fun physical activities (hiking, kayaking, and more).
However, the time on board the National Geographic Explorer was an equally important part of the journey.
Daily Recaps
After a full day of activities and with everyone settled back on board, the team hosted a social hour in the lounge each evening. This was a fun way to reconnect with people who may have had other activities throughout the day and to share what you experienced. Once everyone convened, a few members of the expedition team would give presentations on a variety of topics relevant to the day’s adventure. A real highlight for me was the two scuba divers on our expedition team. They were able to dive several times throughout our trip and would then show a video compilation of what was happening underwater. It felt as though we were getting the full experience of what surrounded us throughout our journey.
Our expedition leader, Mike Jackson, then lead us through a recap of what we’ve done that day, where we’ve traveled, and where we’d be headed next. Some days we’d have a set plan lined up; other days it would be a true “expedition” in every sense. Wherever the waters took us, we’d find something special to do! We all loved the sense of adventure this provided.
Downtime
Since our itinerary covered three countries, we had a few days at sea along the way. The expedition team made sure those moments, and the downtime before and after excursions, were interesting and engaging. The expedition team each chose topics that were relevant to our trip, whether that was an experience we recently had or were going to have coming up. Sometimes they were scientific conversations about rocks, sometimes they were historical discussions about World War II, and sometimes they were light-hearted presentations on sled dogs. There was even a ceviche cooking demonstration during one of the days at sea!
The lounge where these presentations occurred became a focal point on the ship and was a great place to get to know your fellow travelers. In the evenings after dinner, we could be found back in the lounge learning card games and socializing with our new friends. For those who wanted an early start to the day, the lounge also provided a space for instructor-led morning stretches.
Amenities Onboard
The ship had a spa (including a massage room and a sauna), a gym, and a library with a nice selection of books. The gym offered stunning views, which helped pass the time during a run on the treadmill!
In addition, the library and chart room offered quiet places to read or take in the surroundings, and the massage therapist on board was incredible. There were also a few computers in the lounge which travelers were able to use to share and download their favorite pictures. At the end of the trip, a video montage was put together with everyone’s top pictures!
Special Announcements
No matter what was happening on board, if something special was witnessed on land, at sea, or in the sky, an announcement was made over the loudspeakers. This happened many times throughout the trip and was always met with a rush of excitement from everyone on board (including crew and expedition members!). Because of these announcements, we were able to see dolphins, polar bears, “whale soup” – what they call being surrounded by 100+ whales all around the ship, and a stunning display of the Northern Lights. In fact, the Northern Lights made an appearance three nights in a row!
I found the “whale soup” to be especially impactful. It was the night before the last full day of our trip right at sunset. The imagery was striking, and it felt like the perfect send-off after 2 weeks of incredible adventure.
The expedition team and crew on board our ship made it clear to me that the journey was just as important as the destination.
