Lindblad Expeditions

Seeing the stunning Antarctica with Lindblad Expeditions was the trip of my lifetime. The crew, the ship and the whole expedition was mindblowing. To see the penguins and whales just inches away from you without a glass between was incredible. The service on the ship and the food the best from the best. In 2 months we have our next trip upcoming with Lindblad. We are so excited already

Go! And be prepared to be amazed - our expedition with Lindblad to Alaska aboard the Sea Lion far exceeded our expectations in every way! Everyone on board who had a hand in our voyage was friendly, personable, knowledgeable, helpful - and everywhere we went the locals had nothing but praise for Lindblad expeditions. They’ll lead you to places and experiences we once thought we’d only find in the pages of National Geographic - but we got to live it!

I went on cruise to Antarctica with National Geographic endurance. That ship was amazing. The service was the best I’ve ever had. The food was incredible. The sights were absolutely amazing. The nature was so beautiful. And the naturalists and photographers on the boat were excellent. It was worth every penny.

Exploring Alaska’s Coast aboard the Venture was a trip of a lifetime. The crew was excellent, naturalists fabulous, food great. I fell in love with Humpback Whales bubblenet feeing—brought tears to my eyes. I loved learning about wildlife. The ship amenities were perfect. Staff very responsive and would change directions to take advantage of special wildlife sightings. Highly HIGLY recommend this trip!!

There are not enough superlatives to describe the experience. From the mountains to the glaciers to the whales it was breath taking. Every Naturalist and crew member loved what they were doing. Every crew member went above and beyond; we were made to feel welcome and valued.

Feb. 2025 went on Lindblad Nat Geo Endurance to Antarctica. The best trip of my life. Beyond all expectations. The Endurance Open Bridge Policy is spectacular. Five Stars to the Crew, Staff, Naturalists.

Our marine voyage to Svalbard and the coast of Norway was a magical trip! The landscape is mesmerizing and the people very friendly. We were very lucky to experience “sittende Mai”- the national holiday of Norway.

Positively the best trip I have ever taken. Every detail is designed to help guests experience the wild beauty of the landscape and wildlife! Food and ships are top notch and you will make lifelong friends! Amazing adventure. Worth every dime !

We did the Voyage to Antarctica on the NG Endeavor in Feb 2025. The whole trip was absolutely amazing. The ship was impressive, the crew was professional and so willing to answer questions, the naturalist team was friendly and knowledgeable, and the whole expedition was focused on education and experiences that we simply could not get anywhere else. We will be traveling with them again. Probably more than once. Highly highly recommended.

This is adventure cruising on smaller ships, assisted by naturalists. Most passengers are well-traveled, active, and open to new experiences in remote locations. You hike, swim, & explore instead of eat, shop, and watch. Leave the make up at home, bring some outdoor clothing. There are opportunities for all abilities. Do a lot, or do little. Learn a lot, and not by watching tv.

Sailed to Antarctica on the Resolution in Feb 2025. This was my second NatGeo/ Lindblad trip but definitely not my last (third trip booked Oct 2025). Due to the high tech ship, experienced captain and great weather we crossed the Drake Passage without issue. I was actually hoping for more rock and rolling. We were also lucky to cross below the Antarctic Circle and even take zodiacs on the continent. The small ship is intimate and well appointed. The chefs were very creative and made meals exciting. I loved the special Chef's dinner but the BBQ lunch was my favorite meal. The staff was very attentive and treated us like family. The naturists were top notched and in addition to the many lectures continue to share their knowledge during meals. The company is environmentally conscience, the chefs manage food waste and the ship is designed with features to limit negative impact on the world. The adventures, education and family feeling will keep me coming back.

Expect excellence! Once again Lindblad/NatGeo rises far far above a high bar for expedition travel. Absolutely top quality cultural, nature, geographic and historic information as you travel in comfort and style (aboard ship or land). It's the experience, but it's also the warmth of people so dedicated to conveying their passion, and their care for you. A plus, the owner's family traveled with us, and we could add our input to help steer the company forward. We just left Orion, sailing through French Polynesia. Yes, I'm raving! I felt included in a big, smart, warm family. And swimming through schools of reef fish, with 7 black tipped reef sharks passing slowly by left me wanting more. Take a trip anywhere with confidence (we spent 38 days at sea on the Explorer too). Highly recommend.

Had a wonderful trip on the Nat Geo Lindblad ship the Orion to the Marquesa Islands and Tuomoto Archipelago in French Polynesia

The best way to see as many whales as possible, in the hands of a professional and friendly team!!

We went to Antarctica and it was great. We realized that bad weather was likely to require changes to the cruise itinerary. But I didn't fully appreciate that bad weather also impacted the charter flight (across the Drake) getting to and from the ship. We were 2 days late getting to the ship and 1 day late getting back from the ship. That shortened our cruise and also caused us to miss our first class seats on the way home. They gave us a refund for the missed days, so that was good. But still it was disappointing to feel that we didn't have enough time in Antarctica. Of course, while we were there it was fantastic! If we had it to do over again (which we may well do in a year or two!), we would do this differently: 1) Arrive at the "base" city (Puerto Natales) a few days early to account for lost luggage (yes, that happened too!) and get settled in. 2) Plan to leave Puerto Natales a few days after the cruise (to allow for weather delays getting back from the ship). 3) Pick a longer cruise (9 or 10 days instead of 7 days) to allow for plenty of time in Antarctica in case weather shortens the cruise. 4) Not wear so many layers all the time on expeditions. Antarctica in its summer in daytime often hovers around freezing temps, and is not much different than living in many parts of the US in winter. I was often over-bundled (out of fear of the cold) and wore myself out trying to move around on the hikes. Protect yourself from wind and wet (rain and zodiac spray), but the cold isn't so bad.

Well the Alaska 8 day expedition starts today in a Juneau. Very disappointed. So far: 1. Be at meeting point in random auditorium at 3:45pm. Low rent snacks and coffee. 2. Introduction discussion stars at 4 pm. Discuss options for 2 days hence. 3. Crowd all customers, (100), to 2 sign up tables for 8 possible options, 4 in both morning and afternoon. On clipboards. 4. It is now 4:20pm. I ask what is next, oh have a snack, goldfish and old coffee, coaches will be here at 5 pm. This was a perfect opportunity to welcome guests and entertain, yet all we did was sit and wait like school children, because the staff panning was to have the coaches later. If this cost $99 I would be ashamed of the planning and organization. At this price it is beyond belief. Hopefully, this is an anomaly and it will improve. Shameful so far, Sven, get on it.

Top notch well run experience! Expedition leaders were passionate about their work and so articulate.

Our Antarctic voyage on the National Geographic Resolution (December 2024) was nothing less than spectacular! Antarctica is at once a beautiful, yet hostile, environment like no where else on earth. Our particular cruise had excellent weather that allowed our Captain to sail farther south than any other ship this year (~120 nm south of the Antarctic Circle). When one landing location was unavailable due to un-forecasted high winds, the Captain and Expedition Leader found a second location that turned out to be even better! The second location (Calmette Bay) turned out to be uncharted, meaning no other cruise ship has ever been there. A zodiac with sounding gear was sent ahead to find a way in for us. Being the first cruise passengers to set foot there, at least in modern times, was an awe-inspiring experience. Much has been said about the Drake Passage - for us it was a mixed bag. We had two days of "Drake Lake", and two days of a taste of the "Drake Shake". The ship is incredibly smooth and stable, even in the 4 - 5 meter seas we experienced (far from the worst of the Drake, I am sure). We are glad to have experienced the Drake -- flying over it would, in my opinion, be missing out on an important part of the overall experience. The ability of the ship to go through ice was incredible, as was the crew that made it happen. We cut through several miles of sea ice to get into areas no other ships could reach, and were able to experience the ship pulling into sea ice so that we could exit using the "Penguin Door" and walk on the sea ice amongst the penguins and seals. Walking on maybe a foot or two of ice over 400 feet of ocean was mind blowing - we were "walking on water"! The entire ship's crew and the expedition staff were outstanding. We learned a lot from the naturalists on board, enhancing our experience and adding context to our landings. The flexibility of the expedition team insured that we had unique experiences that very few get to enjoy. We feel blessed to have been able to take this trip.

We went to Antarctica with Lindblad and can't say enough good things. The Resolution is a magnificent sailing machine and made the Drake Passage tolerable. Its ability to ram and land in fast ice is mind-blowing. The ship is small and intimate, the guests are interesting and adventurous, the guest rooms and common areas are beautiful, the fitness center has everything you need, the food is incredible (including the super special Chef's dinner), and they have an open bridge so you can always feel like you're at the nerve center of the ship. The naturalists were both incredibly knowledgable and hilarious - we learned and laughed so much. The expedition leaders are opportunistic about each day's adventures - strategically planning the best outing based on weather conditions. We even got a bonus trip to a Ukranian research base after they radioed the night before to see if they were up for visitors (their first since Covid!). Our captain was adventurous and loved to rack up new experiences, like going further south than the ship had ever gone before and sailing into bays that were literally uncharted (a zodiac with a sonar sailed ahead to check the depth). And the experience was full of little surprise and delight notes - everything from a hot chocolate zodiac (with a complete bar to spike your cocoa) to little treats when we came back from expeditions. Now that we've been on a Lindblad, we can't go back to coach!

Trip of a lifetime to Antarctica. Lindblad and Nat Geo staff are professional, knowledgable, friendly and fun. Our entire family had a wonderful time and we would definitely take another Lindblad boat. Weakest link was the food, but it was certainly good enough. The boat was comfortable and the itinerary was thoughtful and enjoyable, and we learned a lot. Very highly recommend. The small ship size and focus on learning and experiencing nature is the key. It's not a cruise, it's an expedition. Incredible all around.

Lindblads trip from Juneau to Ketchikan was amazingly informative, and exciting! Great accommodations, food and brilliant naturalists and photo journalist ! I will certainly voyage with Lindblad again!

We highly recommend a Linblad trip. We just returned from Exploring Alaska's Coastal Wilderness and Optional Extension to Denali National Park. It was a unique experience that left us feeling connected to a place we had never been before and are inspired to return to explore and learn more about. It is hard to explain but we felt a part of our surroundings because of the experiences we had (wildlife viewing, hikes and zodiac excursions, museum visits, interpretive experiences with local experts, formal presentations and informal interactions with the expedition naturalists), and encouragement to be stewards of it (and not just on this trip but afterward as well, as we travel home and re-enter our developed world.) There are some aspects to work on, especially with some of the meals and accommodations, but we would do another trip.

The Galapagos and a Lindblad Expedition were both on our list of "somedays." We decided to seize the day and book a trip for our 40th anniversary. We had taken one 'big boat' cruise years before and that was enough to know a small expedition trip would be better suited for us. We were so impressed with every aspect of this trip, from the high level of communication and attention to detail to the infectious enthusiasm of the naturalists and the kindness of the dining and housekeeping staff. The Islander II is just the right size. You know you are having a deluxe experience but it never goes over the top. The focus is on comfort, experience, and education. An outstanding combination.

Antarctic Expedition, Fly the Drake Channel. Antarctica is amazing, the on-board experience wonderful, the trips to the continent, the Zodiac and kayak tours were unforgettable. However, the entire experience of flying to or from Antarctica is a horror show, with unpredictable weather conditions prohibiting the flights from taking off according to schedule, and jeopardizing the entire trip, or the ability to return home on schedule. This is a new kind of trip for Lindblad, and they were totally unprepared to manage it. Even though we booked the travel through Lindblad, when it seemed that I would miss all our connections to go home, they were not helpful in managing the situation. We missed our entire included hotel stays both going to, and coming back from Antarctica, and the anxiety caused by the dysfunctional travel can not be overestimated, nor should it be repeated. Lindblad needs to be more transparent about the risk of the impact of weather on the flights and warn travelers to plan accordingly. This is not a risk-free alternative to the traditional ocean crossing.

If you are looking for an adventure, this is your choice! Small ship size and excellent naturalists get you to places that are inaccessible by larger ships. The focus is on unique experiences with a high degree of comfort and luxury on the ship. A great experience.

The week on the Sea Bird in Alaska was exceptional. The small ship experience and high quality activities with a true focus on nature and sustainability was inspiring. I would recommend this to everyone and consider it one of the best trips of my life

This was our first trip with Lindbald/National Geographic. The trip was perfect in every way except apparently, there isn't an age limit for young children. Our trip included an infant, a toddler and a four year old. I felt it was very inappropriate to have such young children on this trip. It was difficult to find wildlife with a crying baby and a loud four year old who very much tired of a 3 hour trek long before it was over or being on a small zodiak with a toddler throwing a tantrum because he doesn't want to wear a lifejacket. I would caution everyone considering a Lindblad/National Geographic trip to inquire about the ages of children that can register for the trip prior to registering yourself if you are wanting peace and the chance of viewing wildlife.

National Geographic/Lindblad Excursions: Baja California: Among the Great Whales Aboard National Geographic ship, Venture, Saturday, February 11, 2023 to Saturday, February 18, 2023. Security was a big concern. No cabin keys provided to passengers. Cabin doors had a deadbolt that could only be used when the passenger was in the cabin. No room safes in the cabins. Crew member uncertain if the boat had a safe. Really? When I asked about a lack of cabin keys, was informed "its not been a problem". If I were to go to a Marriott or Hyatt to check in, and was informed room keys were not provided, I would turn around, walk out and never return. I obtained a key to my cabin from the purser. The Venture is a ship stuck in 20th century technology. Internet access was limited for much of the cruise. Wifi for the 8 day cruise could be obtained for $175 but according to a senior staff member, "it doesn't work really well". No televisions in rooms or in lounges. This was a whale watch cruise...that is what I and others signed up for. I get it. But it was also not a monastic retreat. Keeping in touch with the outside world and loved ones is important in 2023. It just wasn't possible on this voyage. Transparency & communication delay in informing staff about a passenger couple testing positive for Covid was a big concern. At 8 am on Friday February 17th passengers were informed that a couple on the Venture had tested positive for Covid "the afternoon of Thursday February 17th". Further, we were told, "we are telling you this immediately so that rumors don't start." My math says that at least 12 hours passed before passengers were informed and probably a lot more hours. Immediately does not mean 12+ hours. Had I known of the Covid outbreak, I would have taken steps to better protect myself ..wearing masks, skipping a bus trip to La Paz. The Venture ran out of staples like Diet Coke, Chardonnay by mid week, and eventually, all sodas. These were restocked by the end of the cruise..but an indication of poor planning. No lit overhead Exit signs were in halls. No man overboard instructions provided, no life boat drills. No idea where lifeboats were kept or how to get to them. Instruction only on how to wear life preservers were provided. Perhaps these are not required by Mexican maritime law. Lindblad apparently didn't consider them important. We paid a good deal of money for this cruise. I will never consider Lindblad again.

Wonderful trips. Need to improve vegetarian food. Don't mix meat and cheese for the snacks at recap on the same plate. Offer different plant based protein items - like burgers or sausage, tofu. A piece of hard cauliflower is not acceptable. Nor is a piece of grilled broccoli as an entrée. Chefs need basic education on vegetarian cuisine. Vegetarians are your most sustainable guests yet the food is generally limited and not good.

Their offices are disorganized and uncommunicative. One waits on hold for a minimum of 20-25 minutes. They are happy to take your deposit money but then any further communication is almost impossible. One of our flights was canceled and getting an alternative was not possible. Getting our money back is impossible. We will NEVER travel with this company EVER! We are very disappointed, disgusted and dissatisfied.

Horrible, horrible, horrible. They've lied and stolen repeatedly. They offered a discount and then revoked it after we'd paid. Then they cancelled a trip repeatedly because they could not staff it. Finally, after the third cancellation/postponement we had one person drop out because of a conflict, and they refused to refund the money - even though we gave 180+ days notice. Not to be trusted EVER!!!

Lindblad advertised the South America cruise "Enjoy special access to pristine Fernando de Noronha" . Email 4 weeks before departure says "Although Brazil has re-opened for toursim ....., Fernando de Noronha" remains closed for ship-based passengers" There was no disclosure about the possibility of cancelling the Fernando de Noronha port call. False Advertising.

I, too, have recently had refund issues with Lindblad. Many other cruise companies travel to same destination. Save yourself a lot of frustration and money.

Horrible. We were given a credit voucher when we had to reschedule our trip. We were ready to pay over $11000.00 to rebook and they would not let us. Could not believe it. I have never experienced anything like it. DO NOT USE. Believe the reviews, they are true. There are multiple other better options. We lost $1500 and they lost thousands....brilliant!!!

Only one star because I had to at least give one to write the review. They completely misrepresented themselves when I booked a very expensive trip for NEXT AUGUST. Tried to cancel but took me over 4 hours over 5 phone calls and 3 emails which I got auto responses to. They are liars, their staff tells you one thing and then they simply tell you, "Well that must have been a misunderstanding." Not only will they fill my two spots since it is 7 months away but they are keeping my deposit too. TRICK!!! If you want to cancel.. tell them you want to book a trip and someone will be on the line pronto! Hit the other options and well,.. I still have not had anyone answer, just sat on hold until I had to get on with my day. I told them as well I would never book a non refundable trip in the middle of a global pandemic, the chance I could be sick is real and I wanted to be sure I would get my money back. The woman literally said, "Yes, you can get all your money back up to 3 months before you travel. I should have read the other reviews before I booked, looks like it is a common theme.

We booked an Antarctica cruise/expedition (as a group of 8) with Lindblad for January, 2021. We paid a deposit in January of 2020. By June, 2020, during the heart of covid, another payment was due for the 2021 trip. At that point, due to covid, there was no way to fly to Ushuaia, Argentina, our cruise departure point. Instead of potentially losing the secondary deposit, we contacted Lindblad. They could not tell us, in June of 2020, whether the cruise would operate, and gave us no advice as to how to move forward. Ultimately, we chose to cancel rather than risk paying more money for an unknown chance the trip would operate. In the end, it turns out, Lindblad/National Geographic did not operate the cruise, and there was still no way to fly to Argentina. We contacted Lindblad about a refund and were told we could not get all our initial deposit money back, because it was inside the full refund cancellation time frame. As of this date, November 2022, we have yet to receive any refund or correspondence, or answering of emails from Lindblad, nor National Geographic separately. The fact that they are still holding a deposit for nearly three years during a Global Pandemic is unconscionable. We chose Lindblad/Nat Geo because we believed them to be a top of the line company for customer service, we were very wrong. During the entire covid lockdowns, Lindblad acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary. No initiation on their part to apprise us of options, no accommodation on their part to deal with this global problem that we had no control over. Lindblad applied for and received a $6.6 million dollar loan from the Cares Act that was designated for small businesses, despite the fact that Lindblad's market cap valuation in 2020 when they took the loan, was $246 million. After pressure from groups representing real small businesses, they returned the money to the Cares Act distributors. Founder Sven Lindblad said he took the money to save jobs because the shut down had a large impact on his cruise business. I have no doubt it did, however, their company policy had an impact on all the customers who did not get a refund for trips they did not operate. This element apparently was not enough of a concern to Mr. Lindblad to refund the money to customers for a trip they didn't operate. Instead their tactic was to largely ignore all requests for a refund. Very poor concern for their customers.

Costa Rica - Panama: Our 1st Lindblad trip exceeded all our expectations. Everyone did a great job! We especially appreciate the energy, enthusiasm and amount of care & attention for our well-being from our Expedition Leader, Margit Ulrich. Many thanks to our naturalists, Max Vindas, Deibys Fonseca, Carlos & Jose Calvo for sharing your passion and knowledge. They truly opened our eyes to the beauty and plight of our surrounding. Julio Stimson, Video Chronicler made a beautiful video and am not ashamed to say I've watched it over and over again. This is a special trip only because of all of them!

Yesterday (12-13-2021) while we were on the eighth day of a Lindblad National Geographic Expedition cruise on the National Geographic Venture ship from San Pedro to Cabo we went on an cruise excursion to the town San Jose Del Cabo. While there, we innocently went in a store to buy a soft drink and candy. After returning to our ship, we were told we had violated some Nat Geo COVID-19 rule, which had not been explained to us. We were then told that we had to be confined to our room and had to stay there for the rest of the cruise, consisting of three more nights. Two guards were placed outside our room to ensure that we did not leave. We found this unacceptably onerous and asked to leave the ship, which we did later that day. We are triple vaccinated and wore masks on the excursion. We feel we were unjustly singled out and rudely treated, but that aside, those doing cruises should be aware that if those running the ship, judge you violated one of their COVID-19 rules you may be without hearing confined against your will. After leaving the ship we contacted senior management and they denied us any compensation and gave no expression of common human courtesy. We were treated like criminals. We were not in violation of any current CDC rules. None of the written material from Nat Geo had anything about not being allowed to buy food when on an excursion and certainly nothing about something so drastic as being imprisoned for several days. Cruiser beware!

My travel is, for the most part, independent (I'm 47) so read what I have written here with that in mind. On occasion, I've tried a cruise or a guided tour in the hope that traveling with experts would enrich the experience even if it means being tied to a large group of travelers that may not share my interests. When I've done this, I've kept it short, understanding that if it is good, I can always go on a longer trip with the same company. In early January, my son and I traveled with Lindblad's Base Camp Baja: Espiritu Santo trip. The cruise was a partnership with Exhale, a company focused on wellness via yoga, meditation, and exercise programs. Lindblad pitches their program as an education-driven experience that gives insight into the natural world you are sailing through and the challenges of conservation. National Geographic co-markets the cruises and provides onboard photographers to deepen the experience for the guests through ongoing photography advice. Personally, I was hoping it would be a photography seminar of sorts provided by a professional. Taken together, I couldn't imagine a better combination of activities. The cruise left La Paz, on the National Geographic Sea Bird, a 62-guest ship with 31 cabins, and circled Espiritu Santo an island wildlife preserve in the Gulf of Mexico. Stops on the trip were made for snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, and paddle boarding as well as on-beach yoga. We learned from the staff that including Exhale in the program did attract a younger demographic to the trip than on their other cruises (which tend to be retirees and their families). The most memorable parts of our trip were: 1) Snorkeling with the sea lion pups. This encounter with the playful and acrobatic pups brought us close up to an iconic part of the ecosystem. The pups would dive, dart, and dodge around the snorkelers while also wrestling with one another and occasionally nibbling on a snorkel fin. Fortunately, there was no reward provide to the sea lions (in food) and our visit was not disrupting their lives except a long snooze that was ongoing during our time there. 2) Seeing the sea glow with bioluminescence as we returned from dinner on the beach. The zodiac pilot stopped, turned out the lights and shared with us what was happening to create the water to sparkle green in the wake of the boat. This was magical. 3) A chance encounter with a small pod of orca whales hunting rays. It was our first time seeing orcas and the boat was abuzz as they corralled the rays together. At one point, they swam alongside the boat and we could clearly see their distinctive white and black patterns. Apparently, this was a rare sighting with few of the staff or crew having seen orcas onboard. The areas that Lindblad needs to improve: 1) Although the food onboard was good it fell short of expectations. The salads available for lunch and dinner and were excellent. Breakfast was also good. Fish entrees lacked flavor or adequate searing (tuna). The chicken also lacked flavor and was dry. The beef was excellent for one meal and poor the next. Accepting the challenge of cooking for the whole ship in a limited space, I am satisfied with the meals but did expect more. 2) Lindblad did not follow through on their partnership with Exhale and failed to provide the promised programming (as per their marketing materials). During the trip, the single Exhale employee onboard lead sunrise yoga classes (2), paddleboard yoga (2), and evening chill yoga classes (2). There was no Exhale core fusion boot camp, mindfulness hikes, post-hike stretching, or meditation sessions (all promised). In other words, lots of yoga and nothing else. There should have been two people from Exhale onboard and Lindblad should have taken their promises seriously. 3) Hire better photographers and naturalists. The lead photographer onboard was not a professional and had a basic knowledge of photography. The naturalist shared little beyond the obvious and the names of islands we didn't really need to know. Pair that with him being out of shape and our hike became a tedious walk. Unacceptable parts of the trip: 1) This trip was about nature but Lindblad insisted on having a videographer operating a drone again and again. In case you've not been around one, drones will drown out the sound of birds, disturb the wildlife, and make you wondering if there is a very large bee buzzing around your head. Understandably the videographers asked us just to ignore them as they captured footage for their marketing videos. Easier said than done. Lindblad sacrificed the guests' experience for their own marketing needs and it sucked. 2) The captain set sail on the second morning midway through the sunrise yoga. I had the impression he hadn't gotten the memo that this was a wellness cruise and that maybe it was best to wait half an hour so the 20 guests on the aft deck didn't need to worry about toppling over as the ship swayed as it steamed north.

For the money, my recent cruise to Greenland and Canadian Arctic was a bit of a let down. First, we were misdirected at the Reykjavík airport and the bus actually left without us! And did the same to at least one other person. The ground tours were ok but very rushed, and they paraded us around Iceland for 6 hours or so after arriving at 6am from a 5-hour flight. The parting lunch was abysmal, and the restaurant was so crowded the food buffet was mostly inaccessible. I finally found a seat and a tour rep asked me to move so a couple could sit together! Then no one had any idea how the luggage would be retrieved by us at the airport going to Greenland, but clearly told us it was solely our own responsibility. Wow. The cruise itself was great, but again, there was a complete lack of organization by the expedition crew. And most, but not all, expedition crew were really very unfriendly and downright arrogant. The leader even rushed me along into the zodiac leaving an island, and I was one of the fast ones. Another one mocked me for not getting out of the way quick enough so he could photograph a site without people in it. Also, why does the staff get to sit in the first-class seats to and from Greenland/Iceland? And on the ship, while everyone occupied the bow area to photograph interesting animals, the best spots were taken by the Nat Geo photographers. They are PAID to be there, while the guests paid for the experience. Surely we should have access to the very front first. Back in Iceland, the same disorganization continued. Where are the bags?, no one knows, come down at 9am to ID your bag, then the story changes. The very high price is supposed to, in part, avoid these types of things. But apparently not.

I had a bad experience with Lindblad and lost a lot of money. They were not at all accommodating. I would not recommend them.

Spent thousands of dollars on clothes and gear getting ready to go to Antarctica. Spent months and months planning our lives around this trip. Just got an email saying they're canceling because their boat is broken. Hey, Lindblad, here's a thought - MAINTAIN YOUR BOAT. Faulty maintenance is inexcusable.

Just travelled on Lindbad's expedition to Costa Rica, Monte Verde and Panama. Best time of my life!! The booking was super easy, I never had to go call any agents.. everything was done online. I was pleasantly surprised to find a car and greeter at San Jose, Costa Rica airport there to receive me, even though I arrived a day early. The tour was well planned, the meals were great and the company was amazing! We went to national parks, saw animals in their natural habitats, swam, snorkelled, went kayaking, hiking, bird watching, taking pictures. All excursions were included so I never saw my wallet or needed to pay for anything for the entire trip. We had a National Geographic photographer in board, Michael Melford.. amazing teacher and amazing experience travelling with a professional who was so patient and kind to help everyone with their picture taking, no matter what level they were at. Only thing I would recommend and it is not an issue for 99% of travellers is that the age group is much higher than expected. Probably around 60. But if you are looking for party city, and young people who stay up all night and sleep in all day.. not your trip. If you are looking to enjoy nature, enjoy taking pictures, hiking and making a lot of new friends, this one is for you. I would highly recommend it for families with kids 10 years and up (or whatever Lindblad recommends) . Would definitely travel more with this company!

I cannot say enough about my positive experiences with Lindblad Expeditions. The frist trip was sort of "by accident". (2017) We were on a Road Scholar Tour to Peru and the Galapagos and RS had contracted with Lindblad/NatGeo for the Galapagos portion. It was a photographic expedition with about 4-5 photographers on board helping people with photos, cameras and composition. There were daily reviews of photos aimed at helping people learn how to take better shots. The naturalists led the wildlife walks on the islands, the snorkeling and the Zodiak tours. They were knowledgeable, fun loving and professional. Sometimes you were lucky enough to have a photographer with your group, sometimes not. As the groups were random, it just worked out that way. Our second trip, to Antartica, 2019, was booked because so many of the photographers raved about it. This was the trip of a lifetime. The naturalists were again fun loving and knowledgeable and were extremely helpful. This was not a photographic instructional cruise but there was a photographer and a videographer on board as well as several naturalist/photographers willing to help people. The food was generally excellent, and perhaps no mean feat when you are days away from a port or place to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies. I do not care for guided tours of cities or museums, etc, so as far as I am concerned, they could leave that off an itinerary, but as far as expeditions and wildlife, I am a loyal and satisfied customer.

Initial opinion of this company is very bad. If you are going to do business with them , be sure to read everything and make sure what they say is in writing. Their advertising is elusive and deceptive although technically accurate. They must have some good lawyers on their staff.

Months ago, we booked an expedition with National Geographics/Lindblad and paid in full in advance. The trip is scheduled on their new boat, the Quest. They just cancelled the inaugural trip that was scheduled to go on June 26 because the boat is not finished. They only announced this 2 weeks before the trip despite their ongoing posts that the boat would be ready. I just called Lindblad to check the status of our trip (July 15) and was given the biggest runaround I have ever experienced from a travel company. I called because they had not returned my email messages asking about the status of our trip. Until last Friday, they were sending daily updates with a countdown to the June 26 launch. Without notice, they simply quit doing those rather than post that the boat will not be finished. Today, I was told "we are optimistic....think happy thoughts." I suggested that they be proactive in notifying customers of the potential cancellation of future trips but was told (very curtly) "this is all the information we have and there is nobody else you can talk to about this." It cost $18K for a 7 night trip plus trip insurance (that does not provide coverage if the boat is not built). Basic respect for customers would suggest that the company should be proactive and reveal the status of their upcoming trips.

Thinking about taking a trip of a lifetime? Find another tour operator. These guys get a lot of positive reviews from publications like Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure for their environmental stewardship and delivering a unique experience, but the experience of dealing with their back office staff just trying to get to your voyage doesn't live up to the hype. I booked a trip to Antarctica with Lindblad about 5 months prior to my planned departure, and excitedly began anticipating the trip. However, my excitement did nothing but diminish after the original phone call to book it. First, Lindblad was slow to process some of my original paperwork, so I had to send it to them twice. Then, a week after accepting my final (non-refundable) payment for the trip, they canceled the voyage which I was supposed to sail on, purportedly due to "mechanical" issues with their brand new ship Explorer (although I suspect it was actually due to low booking numbers for that particular voyage, since the Explorer was at the time currently being used for other voyages at sea with seemingly no difficulties). So then I had to go through the hassle of re-booking my trip to another date - new dates off of work, new airfare to Miami, new pet sitter, etc. Then, when it came time to process the last part of my paperwork and send me the final boarding documents, they lost my paperwork again and refused to send me the travel documents or propose any solution for the problem that resulted from their completely disorganized staff. With less than one week to go prior to departure I was still waiting and calling every few hours for a status update on my documents and a request that they help me find an alternative solution, but you wouldn't know it since the staff doesn't take customer dissatisfaction seriously and doesn't return phone calls. For a once-in-a-lifetime experience such as this with a top rated tour company, and with as much money as you have to pay for it, I expect to receive high quality service and to be treated with respect. Lindblad definitely doesn't deliver. I would never book another expedition with them again.

I have traveled with Lindblad 7 times over the last 14 years. I loved the first few trips, especially the excitement of discovery and the amazing naturalists and historians on the staff. Sadly, I have found that things have gone downhill over the last 10 years. Perhaps the merger with National Geographic has had detrimental effects on service. I travel by myself a lot. The company actually does acknowledge some of the needs of single travelers, which is more than can be said for other cruise lines. Lindblad should be complimented for arranging the dining area with uneven numbers of chairs at the tables, which is very nice way for a single traveler to get to know couples. However, the single supplement, usually around 40-50% now, has escalated rapidly compared to another expedition company of similar quality that has reduced single supplements to 25%. On some ships the single cabins are found only in the less desirable areas. On the Orion, their newest ship has, for me, the most attractive itineraries but there are only five single cabins, three of which have only portholes instead of windows. The fifth is on the uppermost deck but a photo shows two single beds instead of a queen, and a very odd shape. It appears to be quite dimly lit. Despite this, it has a punitive single supplement. Single supplements for this ship are ridiculous high given the quality and placement of the cabins. Other ships have more and better offerings for single travelers. Lindblad will arrange a shared cabin for you if you want to reduce the cost, but who wants to take a chance of sharing a cabin with an unknown quantity? Not me. The booking agents and customer service at the headquarters are aggressively poor. For a recent trip there was a problem with changed airline schedules that I didn't know about until I called them a week in advance to find out why I had not received my travel documents. I had begun making these calls a month out and there was a different response every time, none of which was remotely close to this actual reason. They claimed to have left messages on my phones, but neither of my phones showed these calls. Inexplicably, since the change was urgent and required me to change airlines, they did not try email. I had to cancel a trip due to illness nearly 7 months ago. I paid for Lindblad's travel insurance when booking, but am still awaiting reimbursement for my expenses. The insurer waited four months to inform me that they needed additional airline information that I had included in my original claim. They also requested information from Lindblad over a two month period with no response from Lindblad. When I contact the insurer they tell me that my case will be expedited. I sent an email message regarding these issues to Lindblad nearly 2 weeks ago and have heard nothing from them. Moreover, the travel insurance company, Trip Mate, has atrocious reviews at several online sites, a fact that Lindblad apparently chooses to ignore. I believe that the trip insurance through Trip Mate is optional (though I am not certain) but it is added to the trip cost automatically. Employee reviews of the company are almost completely negative. I have found the National Geo photographers to be not very helpful. On one trip I was trying to figure out how to do something on my digital slr and neither of the photographers were able to help, nor did they offer to try to figure it out. They didn't seem very interested in interacting with passengers. I have loved traveling with Lindblad in the past, and most of the trips have been exciting and memorable experiences. I am sad to have to report problems with a company that has been excellent in the past. However, these recent troubles and inaction have convinced me to do some research on alternatives.