Wildlife Expedition Cruising FAQs

There are so many questions that you will want to know the answers to before heading off on your first wildlife cruise, we thought we would help by answering some of your questions before you have even made your booking! It is not exhaustive by any means, but it will help to set the scene and will give you an insight into 'how things work'.

Is it a cruise or is it a voyage?

It is actually a bit of both. The impression which you are likely to conjure up with the word 'cruise' is of a gigantic ship, and hundreds (if not thousands!) of passengers being disgorged into an unsuspecting port to wizz around, buy lots of ready made artefacts only to return to their ship and sit by the pool in the sun reading a book! A voyage on the other hand suggests rather a lot of hardship in order to get anywhere or do anything... a bit like Christopher Columbus's voyage, or even Charles Darwin's.

Wildlife cruising is different. On a wildlife cruise with Wildlife Worldwide you will be on a small vessel (the vessels we work with generally accommodate between 20 and 128 passengers) just enough to be able to meet new people and get to know them over the course of the trip, and to be able to recognise and greet all of the other passengers onboard. Not so many that every time you see a face it seems to be a new one!

On a wildlife cruise the vessels have been specially adapted for their conditions, they will have been refitted to accommodate guests, since many of them were actually research vessels in a former life. On a wildlife cruise, there will be illustrated talks and presentations throughout the journey. These will cover a whole range of topics from birds and mammals, to geography, history and astronomy, and they will be presented by the onboard guides and experts who play such an important role in making your trip a special one.

So, how does it all start and what's it like on board?

To begin with you will probably be welcomed aboard with a glass of bubbly and a bite to eat! The crew cast off and once you are under way you will be introduced to the captain and his crew. Departures are generally late afternoon/early evening. Passengers are free to visit the ship's bridge any time of the day or night. It is fascinating seeing how they plot the ship's course observing the monitors of depth, wind speed and wave height!

Tell me about the food.

The food onboard is plentiful and delicious. There is a good variety of food, and vegetarians can generally be catered for as long as we know in advance. Fresh fruit and salad will generally be provided throughout the trip. As well as breakfast, three course lunches and dinners, biscuits and cakes are provided in the late afternoon, and tea, coffee and juice are available throughout the day.

What are the weather and sea conditions going to be like?

The weather and sea conditions are highly variable and good weather can never be guaranteed, whether you are in the tropics or the polar regions.

Are the days at sea boring?

Not at all! There is usually a lecture programme arranged for sea days and the possibility of a film in the evening or a preparatory talk for the next day. Lectures last between 40 and 45 minutes and there is plenty of time to get out on deck between lectures to see what's around - there is almost always something to see.

How about the landings?

The object of the exercise on one of our wildlife cruises is to get off the vessel and explore the area, look at and photograph the wildlife and learn about your surroundings in the company of experts. On arrival at the landing site, final instructions are given, and lifejackets are donned, while the zodiacs are lowered into the sea. Ten to 12 people at a time will go in a zodiac to the landing site; you will normally spend between two and fours hours in any one place. This of course will vary depending on where you are and what there is to see and photograph. There will generally be two landings in a day and the ship will sail to the second landing site while lunch is being served. The landing sites are many and varied and they will depend on the wildlife cruise that you have selected. You will normally receive more information about these once you have made your booking. Which landing sites you visit may change depending on the weather conditions and other circumstances out of the control of the ship's crew.

Do I need to be fit?

Although you don't need to be super-fit, you need to be in good health since many of the voyages take place in remote destinations without access to sophisticated medical facilities. Most shore excursions involve climbing in and out of zodiacs, involving a certain amount of agility, so the voyages are not usually suitable for those with mobility problems.

Click here for our FAQs about Antarctica Wildlife Cruising.

Click here for the regional menu, to choose where to investigate our Cruise Options.