The ultimate guide to luxury + expedition cruises.

Antarctica lay undetected for most of recorded time, a silent expanse of ice and wind at the bottom of the map. Even after the first sightings, the rigors of the journey kept all but the most intrepid away. The isolation remains; the mode of discovery has changed. Ice-strengthened superyachts and luxury expedition vessels have turned the White Continent into the ultimate destination for the discerning explorer.

We’ve scouted the elite polar fleet to help you make the critical choices: the rite of passage that is the Drake Passage versus the fly-cruise alternatives, and the difference between large-scale cruising and the intimate, 200-passenger expeditions we recommend.

In the Galápagos, proximity is the ultimate luxury. The barrier between traveler and nature has effectively vanished: sea lions claim the docks and blue-footed boobies nest beside the trails. What was once a rugged scientific outpost is now a frontier for high-end hospitality, with purpose-built vessels and specialized expeditions from Silversea, Lindblad and the local fleet.

Because the park limits ships to 100 passengers or fewer, your experience is dictated entirely by the ship’s personality. Whether you want the scientific rigor of a Lindblad expedition or the private-residence feel of a luxury yacht, we scout the Galápagos for intimacy.

The Arctic is a realm of eternal light and prehistoric ice, where the polar bear reigns over the planet’s northernmost frontier. Unlike its southern counterpart it’s a mosaic of landscapes, Inuit cultures and rare wildlife theaters, from the fjords of Greenland and the archipelago of Svalbard to the volcanic frontiers of Iceland, the glaciers of Alaska and the legendary Northwest Passage.

We prioritize small-scale voyages, typically under 200 guests, so your time goes to Zodiac excursions rather than waiting on deck. Polar bears, walruses, whales and the logistics of polar aviation: we’ve done the homework.

The Kimberley is a realm of ancient red rock and thundering tides, where the saltwater crocodile reigns over Australia’s northernmost wilderness. It’s a two-billion-year-old mosaic of gorges, turquoise archipelagos and the world’s oldest continuous living culture: the twin falls of the King George River, Montgomery Reef surfacing out of the sea, the Buccaneer Archipelago, the fiery cliffs of Talbot Bay.

We favor the high-tech expedition fleet, helicopters and fast Zodiacs included, and small-scale voyages that put you in the thick of it: the Horizontal Falls, the rock art, the big-water waterfall season.