We sailed to Baja California on an National Geographic expedition cruise
My family of four has sailed on many traditional cruise lines, from Celebrity to Disney, but one thing we still needed to check off our bucket lists was an expedition cruise. Recently, we traveled to Loreto, Mexico, for a big adventure: a seven-night National Geographic expedition cruise.
As an experienced cruiser, I had no idea what to expect from a more intimate ship and a nature-focused itinerary. A week later, I was forever changed—bitten by the expedition bug, surprised by how different a Lindblad Expeditions sailing was from a traditional cruise, and a little embarrassed by how much I overpacked for the voyage.
Here’s what it was like to sail “Among the Great Whales” of Baja California for a week with my husband and two teenagers.
What is an Expedition Cruise?
Before our trip, I incorrectly assumed our sailing would be like other cruises we’ve taken. We packed for days in various ports and evenings, taking in dinners and shows, but realized early on that all we really needed for this trip were things like UV-blocking shirts, sneakers, and hats to protect our heads from the sun and wind. An expedition cruise is very different from commercial cruise line itineraries, focused more on adventures in nature than specialty dining and nightly entertainment.
Each day’s itinerary is filled with wildlife sightings, rides on inflatable Zodiac boats or in pangas. Helpful naturalists serve as guides and teach you about the area you’re visiting. On our voyage, we learned about whales, sea lions, and shore birds, experienced a night of Mexican culture in the town of La Paz, and hiked on rocky beaches where a National Geographic photographer taught us how to get amazing shots of nature and landscapes.
The trip is knowledge and nature-heavy, so much so that I told my home schooled teenagers we could count it as an immersive, week-long science course. Rather than seeing Broadway-quality shows and bouncing between specialty dining locations, we experienced humpback whales breaching right next to our panga at Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, and chatted with National Geographic naturalists about the types of fish and birds we saw each day over an intimate dinner service.
The National Geographic Venture
Sailing abord the National Geographic Venture with Lindblad Expeditions was truly unique. The small ship holds only about 100 passengers, and any on-ship activities occur in the vessel’s lounge, dining room, or upper deck. The crew handles everything from educating guests on the environment they’re surrounded by to daily housekeeping duties.
The ship has just 50 cabins with either a window, porthole, or step-out balcony. Six cabins aboard the Venture have connecting doors—my family stayed in two of them.
Dining aboard the Venture takes place at one set time for each meal. On our sailing, breakfast was buffet-style, while lunch and dinner were seated meals where you ordered from a menu that changed each day and often featured fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Other public areas included a lounge where daily briefings and teaching took place and a sundeck, where the ship’s wellness expert led morning stretch classes.
In addition to a spa and fitness center, the ship offered everything from internet access (the basic plan was free, and packages with higher connectivity were available for purchase) to a fleet of eight Zodiac boats that took us on shore and into waterways the ship couldn’t reach.
The Baja California Itinerary
While each sailing aboard the Venture has an approximate itinerary, the format for the National Geographic expedition cruise meant that some days our expedition leader and captain veered from the plan to make sure we had the most adventurous experience possible.
Each evening, we’d meet in the ship’s lounge for a briefing about the next day’s schedule, which often changed based on weather and animal sightings. While there’s a definite need to go with the flow on an expedition cruise, there’s an absolute sense of trust in the ship’s onboard naturalists and navigators, who ensure guests see and experience as much as possible.
Lindblad and National Geographic also prioritize working with local businesses and organizations to make the expedition run smoothly. We often took tours run by local businesses or dined off-ship at restaurants in the towns we visited. In La Paz, we were treated to a show featuring Mexican dancers and a mariachi band, then taken to a restaurant on the ocean for dinner. In Magdalena Bay, we boarded pangas driven by local tour guides to see gray whales and were treated to a panga ride to a local oyster farm, where we tried freshly shucked oysters right from our boat.
Our itinerary included everything from getting up close and personal with humpback whales and sea lions to hiking along beautiful rock formations and mangrove-covered beach ecosystems. Throughout every stop on our trip around the Baja California Sur peninsula, naturalists taught us about the environments and wildlife we saw, making the experience feel like one week-long guided tour of the region…in the best way possible.
Tips for Expedition Cruising
On our National Geographic expedition cruise around Baja California Sur, we learned not only about the region’s animals, land, and waterways but also about how to get the most from an expedition through nature with an intimate group of passengers.
My biggest tip for would-be expedition cruisers? Be flexible. On our sailing aboard the Venture, our itinerary changed quite a bit due to high winds, and our expedition leader did a phenomenal job in giving us the information we needed to see the most wildlife at each stop. We put our vacation completely in the hands of the ship staff and were rewarded with some unforgettable views, animal encounters, and experiences along the way. Had we been grumpy about changes in plans or refused to participate in experiences added to the calendar along the way, we’d have missed some magical moments.
If you’ve cruised the seas aboard larger vessels like I have, leave everything you know about cruise packing behind and focus on hiking clothes and shoes, a few swimsuits, and an extensive selection of hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen. On my next expedition cruise, dressy dinner outfits and things like hair styling products and makeup will remain at home, and I’ll fully embrace spending my days in expedition-ready clothing and making memories with my family in nature.
A National Geographic expedition cruise was unlike anything we’ve done before, but we’re already thinking about where to travel next. Seeing the world with the help of a professional, organized team who take care of everything for you was a unique opportunity my family will always cherish. If you want to experience far-flung destinations and see incredible wildlife while having someone else take care of the planning, an expedition cruise may be your ideal vacation, too.
Click here for more information and to planning your own National Geographic expedition cruise.
