Gillian Clark

<p>I’ve had the opportunity to visit all seven continents, and through expedition cruising I’ve been able to explore destinations in an up close and personal way. The three expedition cruises I’ve been on are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Tauck Small Ship Cruises (Antarctica)</li>
<li>Hurtigruten (on board new ship, M/S Roald Amundsen in the Pacific Northwest)</li>
<li>Hapag Lloyd (on the Hanseatic, from Nome to Seward, Alaska, including the Russian Far East)</li>
<li>Atlas Ocean Voyages (British Isles)</li>
</ul>
<p>I’d like to share a few details with you about those, so you can see why I’m specially suited to arrange your expedition cruise.</p>
<p><strong>Antarctica: Tauck Small Ship Cruises</strong></p>
<p>My trip to Antarctica was with Tauck Small Ship Cruises. It was absolutely amazing. The wildlife and the ice combine to make a visit to Antarctica a fantastic experience. As you approach Antarctica, when you see tabular iceberg, it’s like Alaska glaciers on overdrive. The icebergs floating by are as big as downtown buildings – massive! One night, when we were finishing up dinner, the vessel stopped. We looked out at a pod of orcas. A few of us went all the way to the prow and looked down. The water was so clear, we could see the orcas racing up toward the prow, then they would jump out of the water like wild kids. We sat out there for at least an hour and just watched them. I always love watching nature in nature’s home.</p>
<p><strong>Pacific Northwest: </strong><strong>Hurtigruten</strong></p>
<p>I had the honor of representing Cruise Specialists for a one-night ship visit on the brand new <em>MS Roald Amundsen</em> in fall 2019. We toured the ship, including staterooms, suites, interactive science center, observation deck, restaurants, gym and wellness center, and other public spaces. I stayed in an expedition suite. All cabins have outside views, 50% have private balconies, and aft suites feature private outdoor hot tubs with endless views. This ship is a pioneer in “green” cruising and has tons of opportunities for deeper understanding of the destinations you explore. The science center has lecture spaces, a small library, and specialty areas for workshops in photography, biology and more. The expedition team leads shore tours and Zodiac rides, and is readily available for casual conversations you might have in the science center or simply when you encounter these experts at any point during your trip.</p>
<p><strong>Alaska – Nome to Seward via Russian Far East: Hapag Lloyd</strong></p>
<p>This was my first foray into expedition cruising and it was a very exciting itinerary. Departing from Nome, we cruised to Russia’s Far East, including the Pribilof Islands, concluding in Seward. Aboard Hapag Lloyd’s <em>Hanseatic</em>, there were about 260 passengers. We experienced the excitement of Zodiac cruising, which got us up close to nature and allowed for landings in remote places. After each day of exploration we’d go back to the ship, have our boots cleaned, freshen up in our staterooms and enjoy a leisurely, decadent dinner. There was ample programming on board, with speakers on flora and fauna, and even phenomenal entertainment! There was a pianist on board from Croatia who I still remember today!</p>
<p><strong>I’ve also toured Silversea’s <em>Silver Explorer and Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours' Eclipse.</em></strong> I was impressed by this ship and I have sent many of my clients on <em>Silver Explorer</em> as well as <em>Silver Cloud</em>, another one of Silversea’s expedition ships. Scenic Eclipse is a beautiful, lovely small ship featuring many thoughtful touches and options for further exploration, including helicopter and submarine tours.</p>
<p><strong>Good News for Luxury Expedition Cruising</strong></p>
<p>Expedition cruising is better than ever with the launch of expedition cruise ships from traditionally luxury cruise lines, including Seabourn and Viking. They join the above-mentioned Silversea as a luxury line already in the expedition business for more than a decade.</p>
<p>Between these new advances in expedition cruising, along with my own unique travels around the world, I look forward to hearing what your travel priorities are and arranging your dream expedition cruise.</p>