It’s not just the giants-of-the-sea cruise ships that are proliferating; more smaller, expedition-focused vessels are being built as well, and the partnership between Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic has just ordered a fourth polar exploration ship, with room for 126 passengers.
Lindblad, which some credit with inventing expedition cruising years ago, with its small ships and educational orientation in which guests meet with scientists, naturalists and researchers in less-accessible areas of the world, ordered the ship from Ulstein Verft, a Norwegian builder with experience in building cold-water ships including icebreakers.
National Geographic and Lindblad have a joint partnership to operate the ships, starting with National Geographic Quest in 2017 and Venture in 2018. National Geographic Endurance is to be delivered in 2020, and the new ship, not yet named, in late 2021. All four are to be certified for voyages into ice-covered areas.
