Greg Mortimer, photo courtesy Aurora Expeditions.

Best Adventure Cruise Lines

Lindblad Expeditions and Aurora Expeditions are two of the top ten winners of best adventure cruise lines in 2021.

  • Greg Mortimer, photo courtesy Aurora Expeditions.
  • The Sylvia Earle is the first of the expedition cruise vessels in SunStone's INFINITY series to implement windows in the bow part.
  • Details of the interior on the National Geographic Endurance,
  • National Geographic Resolution
  • National Geographic Resolution, Ulstein Verft (photo Oclin).
  • Expedition Cruise Vessel National Geographic Resolution docked in at Ulstein Verft Daniel Osnes 4
  • NG Endurance as seen from port side aft, photo: Uavpic.com.

In USA TODAY's 10 best Reader Choice, the readers have chosen Lindblad Expeditions and Aurora Expeditions as two of their top favourites, followed by this text:

If you think cruising is all about lounging on the lido deck, piña colada in hand, think again. With these 10 cruise companies cruising becomes an adventure for active travellers, where exploring an exotic destination might involve kayaking through remote fjords, getting up close and personal with ice bergs aboard a Zodiac or walking atop a glacier.

Congratulations to Lindblad, that built the National Geographic Endurance at Ulstein Verft in 2020 and will complete the National Geographic Resolution in 2021. Both are X-BOW expedition cruise vessels of the ULSTEIN CX104 design.

And likewise, our congratulations to Aurora Expeditions, that received the 'Greg Mortimer' from the CMHI yard in 2019 and will receive the 'Sylvia Earle' in 2021. These vessels are based on the ULSTEIN CX103 design.

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Lars L Olsen DSC4221 compbw

Lars Lühr Olsen

Description
Managing Director
Affiliation
Ulstein Verft AS
Lucy bw

Lucy Lu

Description
Sales & Marketing Director
Affiliation
Ulstein Marine Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd

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Greg Mortimer's X-BOW cutting the seas, photo: Scott Portelli/Aurora Expeditions.
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Aurora Expeditions: Redefining small-ship exploration with X-BOW® designs

Aurora Expeditions welcomed its third X-BOW cruise vessel, Douglas Mawson, in September 2025. “Many of our guests have travelled on other expedition ships before and immediately notice the difference. Whether it’s sleeping better at night, feeling less vibration during lectures, or spending more time in observation areas, the design truly enhances the experience,” says Katie Malone, Chief Marketing Officer at Aurora Expeditions, when commenting on the X-BOW design feature.

Employees from Ulstein Design Solutions AS ULS 01203 PES7868
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Ulstein Group awarded IDC’s ‘Teamwork of the Year 2025’

Ulstein Group received the 'Teamwork of the Year 2025 Award' at the IDC conference in Ålesund on 16 October 2025. The jury stated that: "Ulstein Group has built a culture where all disciplines are equally valued. The results speak for themselves: forward-looking vessels that meet both commercial and societal goals. Ulstein demonstrates how interdisciplinary collaboration can lead to groundbreaking solutions in the maritime sector, showcasing a strong ability to bring together designers, engineers, and key personnel in developing holistic concepts that combine technology, function, and aesthetics. Collaboration across disciplines and stakeholders – from local partners to international clients – drives innovation with global impact."

Lars L Olsen DSC4221 compbw

Lars Lühr Olsen

Managing Director

Affiliation
Ulstein Verft AS
Lucy bw

Lucy Lu

Sales & Marketing Director

Affiliation
Ulstein Marine Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd