New type of cruise gains in popularity after COVID
When the COVID-19 global pandemic shut down travel of all forms, the cruise ship industry took a huge hit. But as it now recovers, a different type of cruise is gaining popularity.
Traditional cruises are huge boats with onboard entertainment such as water parks, pools, casinos and more. Some of them carry thousands of passengers. But an alternative form of boat travel -- expedition cruises -- is now attracting more interest.
"If you're going on an expedition cruise, the point of the trip is not the cruise, the point is the expedition. So it's all about the destination," Loren Christie, a travel journalist, told CTV's Your Morning on Wednesday. "And the ship is typically the best way to explore the destination."
Instead of a large watercraft, expedition cruises have smaller boats that transport 400 or fewer people to a destination. Christie recently went on a 50-passenger expedition cruise to the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador.
"There are no bells and whistles, (but) every comfort is there and sometimes they can be luxurious, but there's no waterslides or casinos," Christie said. "It is very focused on education, lectures and sustainability."
Travel is not very good for the planet, Christie said, but for those who want to continue exploring the world, expedition cruises sometimes offer a lower ecological footprint.
"These expedition cruises, it's kind of in their DNA to try and be more sustainable," he said. "So the company I went with, called Hurtigruten Expeditions, they were the first company with the first battery-powered hybrid electric cruise ship."
Christie also said the crew focused on smaller sustainability measures, like ensuring there was no plastic on board, food was not brought to the island and caution was taken around wildlife.
This specific cruise line, Christie said, also exclusively hired Ecuadorians, many of them from the Galapagos, which supports local communities.
He did say that the expedition is typically not for kids due to the lack of onboard entertainment.
Christie found the cruise comfortable and explored some of the world's unique nature and animals.
"You're gonna see all sorts of different animals," he said. "What I found really incredible about them, is because there are no real natural predators on the islands, these animals are, they have not learned to be scared of you."
To see some photos from Christie's expedition cruise, click the video at the top of this article.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Survey shows employees aren’t disconnecting from work on vacation
Although remote work has cleared the way for workplace flexibility, allowing employees to work in various locations (and climates), a new study suggests it’s taking a serious toll on work-life balance.

Macron announces France is sending 100 firefighters to Quebec
France will be sending firefighters to aid Quebec as the province continues to battle massive forest fires, French President Emmanuel Macron announced.
Increase in mosquitoes 'a trend' across Canada this year. Here's why
Mosquitoes have always been pesky, but this spring it seems the bloodsuckers are thirstier than ever, a trend one expert says is increasing.
Nova Scotians’ personal information stolen in global security breach: province
The Nova Scotia government says it is investigating the theft of personal information stolen through a global privacy breach to a third-party file transfer system the province was using.
Adult victim in Que. fishing incident that killed 4 children identified
Quebec provincial police (SQ) have identified the adult victim of a fishing incident that claimed five lives over the weekend, most of them children. Keven Girard, 37, was among a group of 11 people swept up by the tide late Friday night while fishing along the shore in Portneuf-sur-Mer, a village about 550 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
Uncertainty remains for Halifax-area evacuees as wildfire 100 per cent contained
A wildfire that tore through homes and businesses in the Halifax area is 100 per cent contained, but a historic fire in southwestern Nova Scotia remains out of control.
Canada sticking with 2050 net zero targets, but progress may come faster than expected, minister says
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says the federal government is not ruling out finding ways to achieve net zero sooner than the existing 2050 goal, but would not say whether there would be a definitive commitment to move up the target.
Apple is expected to unveil a sleek, pricey headset. Is it the device VR has been looking for?
Apple appears poised to unveil a long-rumoured headset that will place its users between the virtual and real world, while also testing the technology trendsetter's ability to popularize new-fangled devices after others failed to capture the public's imagination.
Russia says it thwarted attack in Donetsk; unclear if this was start of Ukrainian counteroffensive
Russia says it thwarted a large Ukrainian attack in the eastern province of Donetsk, though it's unclear if this was the start of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.