As multi-gen cruising continues to grow, we’ve found four family-friendly expedition cruises to suit your most discerning cruise clients.
The youngest person I’ve met on an expedition cruise was 16 months old. We were on Heritage Expeditions’ voyage to the Subantarctic islands, and the adorable toddler’s mother, acclaimed author Charlotte McConaghy, was there with her partner to research her next novel.
Wild Dark Shore was published in March this year – an eco-thriller/family drama that beautifully captures the wild nature of the Subs.
Also on board was a young family of five with children aged nine, 11 and 14, plus a group of people in their teens and 20s who were on the international True Young Explorers scholarship program that Heritage runs.
They were smart, enthusiastic and great company – and as expedition cruising continues to grow every year, we need a new generation of passionate experts to join the world’s best expedition teams. Involving kids at an early age is one way of inspiring a lifelong love of exploring.
Parents often worry that their children might get bored on an expedition cruise, but depending on the kids’ maturity and what destination the parents or grandparents choose for their voyage, there is a world of wonders to explore as a family.
A love of adventure and wildlife is essential – while some expedition lines include programs for children and teens, the fun is all about discovery rather than non-stop megaship-style entertainment.
Best destinations
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Hurtigruten, HX Expeditions and Lindblad Expeditions operate in destinations such as Alaska, Antarctica, the Arctic, Asia, the South Pacific and South and Central America.
The Galápagos Islands is a favourite destination for all age groups, but particularly younger children, for many reasons – astonishing up-close encounters with fearless wildlife on land and in the sea, and year-round snorkelling and swimming.
Alaska is also popular with multi-gen groups looking for adventure. HX Expeditions, Lindblad and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises offer kid-friendly itineraries there; natural attractions include dog-sledding, meeting husky pups, ocean kayaking and ziplining through rainforests.
Expeditions in Antarctica and the Arctic are best suited to children aged 10 and older. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises runs programs for 10- to 17-year-olds on select voyages, and Lindblad’s National Geographic Explorers-in-Training program offers age-appropriate activities such as zodiac driving and hands-on scientific projects.
Hurtigruten recommends its Coastal Express journeys along the spectacular Norwegian coast for family groups and offers imaginative excursions designed for kids to explore the region’s culture, history and wildlife.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has been in the luxury expedition business for 30-plus years, so it knows its stuff.
The line’s three new vessels, the 230-guest Hanseatic Nature, Hanseatic Inspiration and Hanseatic Spirit launched in 2019 and 2021; all feature a crew-to-guest ratio of almost 1:1 plus an expedition team of about 16.
The minimum age for children on Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ expedition voyages is six, and the program for 10- to 17-year-olds includes activities such as learning about navigation with the officers on the Bridge and exploring topics such as oceanography, geology and geography in a fun, stimulating way.
Events such as pizza and movie nights are held exclusively for kids, and Zodiac rides are a daily adventure.
Hurtigruten
Eight Hurtigruten ships, which all accommodate about 500 guests, sail Norway’s famed Coastal Express routes over six, seven or 12 days – other options include the line’s Signature and Original Voyages.
There is no minimum age limit and families can build an itinerary with the help of Hurtigruten’s coastal specialists. A Hurtigruten spokesperson says the line is seeing a rise in younger travellers and multi-generational travel across both Original and Signature Voyages and they book groups of up to 24 guests.
Child-friendly excursions include a visit to Atlanterhavsparke (Atlantic Sea Park), one of Northern Europe’s largest saltwater aquariums; a Viking experience at Borg village; exploring a small farm in the spectacular Lofoten archipelago; and a guided tour of Kirkenes Snowhotel – built from snow and ice – plus meeting the hotel’s resident reindeer and huskies.
HX Expeditions
“Families don’t just travel – they explore together aboard HX Expeditions in the Galápagos,” says Amber Wilson, HX Director of Sales AUNZ Amber Wilson.
“Each day brings unforgettable wildlife encounters, from snorkelling with sea lions to spotting marine iguanas and discovering blue- and red-footed boobies.
“With our expert guides, the Galápagos becomes a magical classroom for young children, an adventure playground for teenagers, and a place that rekindles a sense of discovery for parents and grandparents alike.”
The 90-guest MS Santa Cruz II was fully refurbished in 2021, and it has 36 interconnecting cabins. Among its public spaces are a Science Centre, two lounge-bars, a restaurant and three observation decks. Kids need to be five or older and participation in excursions for children under 12 is at the captain’s discretion.
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions
Lindblad’s Explorers-in-Training program for young children and teens operates in Alaska, the Galápagos, Baja California and on select voyages to Antarctica and Iceland. The minimum age for children varies depending on the itineraries; for most, it is six months, but in Antarctica, for example, the minimum age is one.
Last season I saw the program in action on a magical National Geographic Resolution voyage in Antarctica. The only child on the ship – nine-year-old Maeve Alexander – took part in a variety of activities that ranged from earning her Zodiac driving licence, catching krill, collecting buckets of seawater for a microplastics project and making cookies with the pastry chef.
During school holidays there are many more kids onboard and across the fleet and the program encompasses age-appropriate activities such as tracking wildlife sightings in a field notebook and making videos with a Nat Geo photography expert.
Depending on the destination, snorkelling, kayaking, hiking and paddleboarding are on offer for all age groups, as well as an amazing array of cultural experiences.
For more information, visit Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Hurtigruten, HX Expeditions, National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, Heritage Expeditions.
