Small-ship and expedition cruising.

French expedition yachts carrying 184 to 264 guests — plus Le Commandant Charcot, the only luxury icebreaker built for true polar travel. A young fleet and good French service.

Best for: Antarctica, the Northwest Passage, the Kimberley, Mediterranean island-hopping, and Iceland.

Three superyachts — Evrima, Ilma, and the new Luminara — with The Ritz-Carlton's service and fewer than 450 guests aboard.

Best for: Mediterranean island calls, Caribbean overnights, and transatlantic crossings.

A new luxury line from the Aponte family. All-suite ships, a European feel, and itineraries that stay longer in port — including overnights.

Best for: the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, and Indian Ocean routes.

All-inclusive ultra-luxury cruising on small ships, plus an expedition fleet that reaches every continent.

Best for: the Galápagos, Antarctica, world cruises, and the Northwest Passage.

A small, all-suite fleet — including Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, which are built for expedition travel.

Best for: the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Alaska, and Antarctica on the expedition ships.

Three sailing yachts and three all-suite motor yachts, 148 to 342 guests. Their Star Collector itineraries string several weeks of sailing together.

Best for: Tahiti year-round, Mediterranean island-hopping, and Costa Rica with the Panama Canal.

The original expedition-cruise company, partnered with National Geographic. Every voyage carries naturalists, photographers, and undersea specialists. Genuinely educational.

Best for: the Galápagos, Alaska, Antarctica, Baja California, the Arctic, and Indonesia.