by Jason Leppert of TravelAge West
When contemplating an expedition cruise, some travelers may compare themselves to famed Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton — navigating some of the most rugged parts of icy Antarctica, bundled up and enduring the elements.
But the reality is that expedition sailings extend well beyond the polar regions. I recently descended below the Antarctic Circle onboard Viking’s new Viking Polaris, on my first-ever cruise to the region — but my earliest expedition experiences were not nearly as far-flung. When Silversea Cruises still had the Silver Discoverer in its fleet, I sailed from Japan to Alaska via the Aleutian Islands on one trip, and to Micronesia on another.
