2028–29 Voyages Feature New Routes, Expanded Access, and Expert-Led Exploration

NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions today announces its highly anticipated 2028–29 deployment, unveiling a new season of voyages that will bring travelers deeper into the fjords, take them farther into the South Pacific, and provide them with more time to explore polar ice regions. Building on a 60-year heritage of expedition expertise, the new, expanded, and returning itineraries are meticulously developed and timed to align with peak moments in nature and delivered by experts in their craft.

The 2028–29 season introduces new and expanded itineraries across Antarctica, the Arctic, Alaska, Europe, and the South Pacific, including holiday departures in Antarctica, longer Arctic expeditions, river voyages through Europe, and a return to French Polynesia with rare access to Makatea, the only uplifted atoll in French Polynesia with sea cliffs, limestone caves, and a stalactite grotto that visitors can swim into. Each voyage is led by veteran Expedition Leaders, captains, and naturalists, whose deep understanding and experience provide deeper context and meaning, bringing each destination to life.

“The future of expedition travel is no longer defined solely by where travelers go — but how they travel, when they travel, and who guides them there,” said Trey Byus, Chief Expedition Officer, Lindblad Expeditions. “Our upcoming deployment reflects that idea with longer voyages, expanded access, and deeper exploration across our guests’ favorite destinations, led by the people who know them best. From more time in Antarctica and the Arctic to sailing in the Makatea, where few operators go, these journeys are shaped by years of expertise in destinations where access and expertise change everything.”

Highlights of the 2028–29 season include:

• French Polynesia 
  • French Polynesia returns with new seven- and 14-day itineraries featuring the only continuous voyage connecting Easter Island, Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, Makatea, and the Tuamotus. Guests visit Makatea, the only uplifted coral atoll in French Polynesia and a destination very few other operators reach, as well as Pitcairn Island, home to descendants of the HMS Bounty mutineers—one of the rarest cultural encounters in the Pacific. Select departures sail with Tua Pittman, one of fewer than ten living Pwo navigators, who guides traditional wayfinding across this remote island chain. Co-developed by Sven Lindblad and master navigator Tua Pittman, the itineraries combine founder-led expedition design with native wisdom.
• Southeast Alaska
  • Longer Southeast Alaska itineraries with a new round-trip voyage from Vancouver aboard Greg Mortimer, designed to maximize wildlife encounters and exploration opportunities. There are also longer voyages aboard National Geographic Quest and National Geographic Venture. Guests land on the Inian Islands, where most operators can only observe from offshore, and explore the Tongass by foot and kayak. Select voyages also include on-board Alaska Whale Foundation researchers, enabling guests to actively contribute and understand ongoing field science rather than simply observe it.
• British and Irish Isles
  • Jacob Edgar, the expedition’s exclusive ethnomusicologist, connects Celtic musical traditions of the British and Irish Isles in real time as guests sail between regions. In Cobh, Ireland, guests explore the Titanic’s final port, the Lusitania rescue, and Great Famine emigration history through the heritage center.
• Antarctica
  • New holiday departures allow guests to celebrate the season in Antarctica, with expanded Cruise/Fly options and the Southern Ocean Odyssey combining Patagonia, the Falklands, South Georgia, and Antarctica in a single voyage. Longer itineraries regularly cross the Antarctic Circle, going deeper south – where few ships can go – creating opportunities for rare wildlife encounters.
• Arctic
  • Iceland/Greenland
    • The Arctic season introduces more departures and extended routes, including voyages that spend more than five days on Baffin Island – offering deeper exploration than standard itineraries – and a 10-night circumnavigation of Iceland, a new peak season voyage around the full island. Iceland and Greenland reveal two sides of a restless Earth: In Iceland, volcanic forces shape geysers, waterfalls and moss-carpeted canyons, while across the Denmark Strait, Greenland’s vast ice cap spills into fjords strewn with towering icebergs. Explore these worlds forged by fire and ice, tracing coastlines where Viking heritage and Inuit traditions endure. Here, nature sets the pace—from the midnight summer sun to the first shimmer of northern lights in early fall.
  • Svalbard/Norway
    • Few places showcase the drama of their creation like Norway, where a maze of rock and water cuts the coastline from tip to tail. Sail the country’s iconic fjords, or set your sights on Svalbard, an archipelago framed by snowy peaks and ice-checkered waters. Their naturalists track a newly discovered, genetically unique polar bear population in King Frederick VI Land, Greenland, as one of the very few operators contributing to this field search.
  • Canada
    • In the high reaches of the Canadian Arctic, near-mythic species like musk oxen and belugas rule a wild kingdom of ice and snow. Venture into their world on a journey through the fabled Northwest Passage and discover the cultures that have thrived on this wild frontier. Or trace the lineage of Arctic exploration to the Maritimes, where vestiges of the Vikings, Basque whalers, and French settlers intermingle in this once-popular landing spot for westward voyagers.
• European River Voyages
  • European river voyages combine cultural immersion with exclusive access and after-hours experiences. Guests will have the opportunity to meet Holocaust survivors and hear their stories in Amsterdam, enjoy private after-hours visits to Melk Abbey and Clam Castle, and experience holiday sailings through Danube Christmas markets.

This season builds on National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions’ legacy of more than 60 years of exploration supported by a fleet of mission-built vessels designed for access, agility and discovery. The experience onboard and ashore is built around access and expertise, with scientists, naturalists, photographers and National Geographic Expedition Experts helping bring each destination to life in real time. Whether exploring polar ice, remote archipelagos, quaint towns or coastal wilderness, each voyage is designed to create meaningful connections, a deeper understanding and a lasting sense of discovery that lingers long after the voyage ends.

To learn more about National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions’ 2028–29 deployment and explore available itineraries, visit www.expeditions.com.

About National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions:
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions reveals the beauty and wonder of the world through expertly led, deeply immersive modern expedition cruises designed for discovery and created for curious travelers seeking to experience the world from a new perspective. With 100+ unique itineraries visiting 70+ countries and territories across all seven continents aboard 22 state-of-the-art owned and chartered vessels, Lindblad Expeditions operates the largest, most diverse fleet of mission-built ships in the industry on behalf of the co-brand.

The National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions co-brand is the result of a decades-long strategic relationship between renowned exploration and scientific discovery brand National Geographic and the pioneer of modern expedition cruising Lindblad Expeditions.

Media can stay up to date on the latest news from National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions by visiting press.expeditions.com. For reservations or additional information on voyages to some of the most beautiful, remote, and fascinating places on Earth, visit www.expeditions.com, call (855) 734-3271 to speak to an Expedition Specialist, or contact a travel advisor.

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