A trip aboard the 96-passenger Celebrity Xpedition is manageable enough for a multigenerational crowd—but that doesn’t diminish the thrill of watching 800-pound tortoises lumber near you. At night, head to the bar for a pre-dinner cocktail and a talk by a naturalist about the next day’s activities. celebrity.com; seven-night cruises run year-round; from $3,200 per person.
Peru
As rain forests worldwide diminish, there’s no better time to explore the world’s largest remaining tropical rain forest, along the Amazon River. Daybeds on the observation deck of Aqua Expeditions’ 16-suite Aria Amazon let you observe the landscape as towering rubber trees, palms, and fig trees slip past. aquaexpeditions.com; seven-night voyages run year-round; from $6,615 per person.
Antarctica
Passengers on the 256-passenger Fram can brave the Drake Passage, cruise among icebergs, land on the White Continent, and pitch a tent on the ice (weather permitting). A lottery determines which guests get to spend the night in a two-person pop-up tent—not nearly as comfortable as the ship’s contemporary cabins, but undeniably memorable. hurtigruten.us; trips range from 10 to 19 days and are offered from November to February; from $6,300 per person.
Bali and the Spice Islands
Azamara Club Cruises brings indulgence to the bush. Its 17-night Explorer’s Asia itinerary on the 694-passenger Azamara Journey mixes a caviar-and-champagne bar and a chef’s table in the steak house with visits to Bali’s Elephant Safari Park, where guests can feed and bathe Sumatran elephants. azamaraclubcruises.com; sails March 17, 2014; from $5,300 per person.
Iceland and Greenland
This 12-day voyage aboard Silversea’s Silver Explorer ferries guests from Iceland—home to fiery volcanoes—to the remote, frosted towns of Greenland. You’ll pass fantastical twists of ice, follow whales and hear first-person accounts on the rigors of daily life in a frozen land. silversea.com; sails July 28, 2014; from $9,750 per person.
*Travel leisure
Πρόσωπα - Ρίτσα Μασούρα 