1. There are some places you can only reach by ship

Antarctica, for example, or the Chilean fjords. Other places are simply best explored by small ship, like Australia’s wild Kimberley Coast, or Raja Ampat in Indonesia.

On a small ship, you can get to otherwise inaccessible places and drop anchor in beautiful bays without another ship or human in sight. There’s no hassle of setting up camp every night and packing up every morning, either.

2. Expeditions are carefully planned

Generally speaking, expedition cruises are planned in great detail. A responsible expedition cruise operator will have scouted the locations and will know the safe landing sites in Antarctica, or have a crew on the ground waiting to greet you in Papua New Guinea. There’s always an element of unpredictability when you’re sailing little-explored areas but the company will have done its homework carefully, with your safety in mind.

3. You’re not Shackleton – but there’s still more to discover

Having said that, a tiny handful of trips take you into the unknown – the Northwest Passage, for example, or the even less explored Northeast Passage, across the Russian Arctic. For these, you need a sense of adventure and an open mind — ice conditions change and sometimes, ships can’t get through. Cruise lines are building ever-more high-tech ships to make these ground-breaking expeditions. Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot, for example, launching in 2021, will be able to reach destinations such as the Geographic North Pole and remote sites of the Antarctic continent including the Ross Sea, Charcot Island and Peter I Island.

4. The new expedition ships have minimal environmental impact

The newest expedition ships like Aurora Expeditions’ Greg Mortimer and Hurtigruten’s Roald Amundsen are equipped with state-of-the-art technology to reduce any environmental impact, from the type of fuel they use to the streamlined shape of the hull, and dynamic positioning, a system that keeps the ship in one place using its own propellers and thrusters rather than having to drop anchor.

French line Ponant claims that its newest expedition ship, Le Commandant Charcot, actually surpasses environmental standards; it’s an electric hybrid vessel, powered by liquefied natural gas.

5. You’ll spot amazing wildlife

Expedition ships sail to where the richest marine life exists, exploring pristine coastlines. They stay away from areas sailed by big, mass market ships. You’ll be able to kayak, hike, cycle or potter around in a Zodiac with a guide, getting closer to the wildlife without creating a disturbance. An expedition to the Sea of Cortez with UnCruise Adventures to this day remains one of my most memorable trips.

6. There’s always something to learn

Expedition ships are crewed by teams of experts, from marine biologists to naturalists and ornithologists. They’ll give talks, join you on trips ashore, offer tips on anything from photography to animal tracking, and join the guests for meals on board.

7. Going ashore by Zodiac is part of the fun

Expedition ships are all equipped with rigid inflatable boats, called Zodiacs, which can skim across the water at speed, ride the waves in a safe and stable manner and deliver you straight to the beach if necessary. Crew are remarkably adept at helping everybody aboard, including the less mobile. You have to hang on, and sometimes the boat takes getting used to, but most people find it exhilarating. Zodiacs are great for pottering along pristine coastlines, too, as you can get so close to the shore like these passengers on an Aurora Expeditions trip.

8. You don’t need to slum it

The world’s most luxurious cruise lines are now getting into expedition cruising. Silversea is already an old hand, its expedition fleet roaming all over the world. Seabourn is building two expedition ships, while Scenic launches the ultra-luxurious Scenic Eclipse this summer. Crystal Cruises is also building a luxurious expedition vessel, while Hapag Lloyd is launching two this year. What can you expect? Butlers, fine dining, all-inclusive drinks, comfortable accommodation, expert guides and extra touches like heated boot rooms for storing expedition gear on polar trips.

9. Expedition cruising isn’t just about the poles

Antarctica and the Arctic are the top of most bucket lists, for sure, but expedition cruises go further than this, including many warm weather destinations. Through the islands of the Philippines, along the coast of Africa, around the dreamy Seychelles, to the misty Pacific Northwest and even round some of the lesser-known islands of the Caribbean.

10. An expedition cruise will change your life

Sounds like a big claim – but it will. There’s something life-affirming about exploring the world’s most pristine environments and getting up close to wildlife that is completely undisturbed by your presence, like this sea lion pup in the Galapagos. When you come home, your perspective will have changed forever.