When it comes to expedition sailing, experience -- and, increasingly, size -- matter. Just how much it matters became evident on my two-week trip to the Arctic Circle last summer on one of Aurora Expeditions' new ships, the 132-passenger Sylvia Earle.
After several days of hiking and searching (successfully!) for polar bears, walruses, seals, whales and other wildlife among the islands, glaciers and icebergs of the Svalbard archipelago, the expedition team had to look for new adventures while waiting for an unseasonable ice jam along the eastern coast of Greenland to clear.
So expedition leader Howard Whelan, who has been working in the polar regions for some 20 years, called the commander of a small Norwegian military base on the picturesque island of Jan Mayen to ask if she would allow us to land and explore the rocky coastline and majestic cliffs. Because the two had met when he and his team made a landing the year prior, she agreed, saying she was confident it would be a small and environmentally respectful group.
At the time, Whelan had no idea how fortuitous that stop would be. The ice never cleared enough during our sailing to allow non-icebreaker-class ships to stop in Ittoqqortoormiit to clear Greenland customs, which is required before cruise ships can make any landings in the country. But as he tried to find a way to clear customs remotely, Whelan learned that because we had stopped in Jan Mayen, which is in Europe's Schengen Area, we were free to explore Greenland's rugged remote region while other ships hovered off the coast or retreated to less remote and ice-clogged environs.
The rocky coastline of the island of Jan Mayen, an impromptu but fortuitous stop on the Aurora Expeditions sailing. Photo Credit: Jeri Clausing
The combined experience of Whelan, his team and the captain was underscored over the coming days as they carefully navigated around the ice, studying maps to find rarely explored beaches and coastlines the ship could get to.
Among the treasures they found was the small island of Norder Aputiteq, where we hiked around an abandoned 1940s-era weather station and happened upon ruins of an Inuit dwelling.
It was a true expedition in every sense of the word, and one with a very comfortable place to land aboard a new generation of casual but still luxurious small ships like the Sylvia Earle.
A cabin on the Sylvia Earle. Most of the cabins on Aurora Expeditions' new ships have balconies. Photo Credit: Jeri Clausing
Butlers not included
While many new players, including more mainstream and ultraluxe cruise lines, have entered the expedition market in recent years, some with ships more than double the size of the Sylvia Earle, more traditional operators like Aurora, Albatros Expeditions and Quark are increasingly offering their decades of experience aboard these modern, ecofriendly, purpose-built ships.
No, they don't have butlers, 24-hour room service or caviar, but they have spacious cabins, lounges and observation decks; gourmet food and fine wine; heated bathroom floors, which are great for quick drying socks and hand washables; and swimming pools, hot tubs and saunas.
And next year, when Aurora launches its third ship, the Douglas Mawson, that small size will become increasingly important for polar cruises.
Beginning Jan. 1, only ships carrying 200 or fewer passengers will be permitted to land -- and only in select spots -- within national parks and other protected areas of Svalbard.
Expedition leader Howard Whelan overseeing a landing on the east coast of Greenland. Photo Credit: Jeri Clausing
Size is also key in Antarctica, where ships carrying up to 500 passengers can make landings, but only 100 can disembark at a time. That means passengers on smaller ships like Aurora's can generally make two off-ship expeditions each day, while guests onboard larger ships generally can only make one.
The Douglas Mawson, featuring the latest Ulstein X-Bow design for smoother and faster ocean crossing and fuel efficiency, will carry an average of 154 passengers.
The ship will have Nordic interior design features and staterooms and suites across 11 categories -- most with private balconies.
And for the first time, Aurora will also offer several single-berth cabins to cater to the growing solo traveler segment.
Public spaces include two restaurants, two bars, an outdoor heated swimming pool, pool bar and Jacuzzis, a gym and sauna, relaxation and wellness areas, a library lounge, a citizen science center and lecture theater, and expansive observation decks offering panoramic views of wilderness and wildlife.
As part of the ship's inaugural season, Aurora will also offer new itineraries departing from Australia, including an exploration of Mawson's Antarctica, which will visit Mawson's Huts at Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay, and New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands.
New adventures in Greenland aboard Aurora Expeditions' Sylvia Earle