Fancy the ultimate activity based no-fly cruise?

The British summer has certainly been dominated by domestic cruising and ‘Seacations’ on some of the larger ships in operation, although they have been sailing at reduced capacity of course.

But there are some amazing no-fly cruises operated by much smaller companies too, some of which have a fascinating product that takes exploring the gorgeous coastline of the United Kingdom to a totally new level.

No-fly cruises offer something for everyone, some of us want to relax on deck, sipping cocktails and staying onboard to enjoy the facilities of the ship itself, whilst others enjoy well-organised tours exploring local places of interest, from museums and stately homes to vineyards and castles. And there are some of us who want to take things further, quite a bit further in fact.

And today we look at a cruise company that takes things about as far as you can in terms of adventure and activities, the Australian-owned small-ship line, Aurora Expeditions.

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Zodiac Cruising in Staffa, Outer Hebrides 📸 Justine Bornholdt

Aurora offers the authentic bucket-list destinations, focusing on Antarctica during the British winter and the Arctic during summer. They have a new-build expedition ship, named after the company’s owner Greg Mortimer (a mountaineer and explorer) and a second ship joining the fleet soon, the Sylvia Earle, named after the famous conservationist and marine biologist.

These two ships carry around 132-guests and were built for expedition cruising, in consultation with the company’s own expedition team. The ships are highly recognizable thanks to their revolutionary ULSTEIN X-BOW®. This unique design allows the ships to cross oceans more comfortably, like a dolphin cutting through the waves, and they enjoy expansive observation decks and enjoy unsurpassed environmental credentials. The company believes their ships offer the “perfect base camp for adventures at the outer limits of human exploration.”

The Greg Mortimer ship photographed in Antarctica

But it’s not only the wilderness destinations that are so appealing, it’s the activities on offer too. This is pure and authentic expedition cruising at its boldest, beyond the bucket-list as the company likes to say, with Zodiac exploration, snorkeling, kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding, scuba diving and trekking just part if the expansive offering.

These ships have hydraulic viewing platforms, an impressive ratio of expedition leaders and guides to guests and a private marina to launch activities from. They also have a mud room of course, where your daily expedition will commence. If it doesn’t have a mud room, its not an expedition ship.

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The ideal place for photography is the ship’s viewing platform

And yes, they are offering a no-fly cruise in 2022, so if you do fancy experiencing the ultimate in authentic, expedition cruising, and Antarctica is just a little too far to travel, you can experience it without flying too now.

Aurora’s ‘Wild Scotland’ no-fly voyage departs from Edinburgh on 26th May 2022 for a 12-day expedition exploring the Inner and Outer Hebrides, The Shetland Islands and beyond. It includes a pre-voyage night in Edinburgh and returns to Aberdeen. You also get your complimentary expedition parka to show off to friends and family on your return, along with some of the most incredible photos you’ve ever posted online. You’ll be winning on Instagram for months to come!

Gannet Cliffs in Scotland 📸 Violet J. Wilson

>> Visit the UK website of Aurora Expeditions and their ‘Wild Scotland’ voyage in 2022.

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