Page 33 - 2025 Expedition Report

EXPEDITION
Market

The company
also operates the
smaller 18-cabin
Heritage Explorer
in New Zealand.

Other operators have left due to extremely strict biosecurity
rules. Heritage has responded, which means a yearly drydock
and antifouling hull treatment for the 1991-built Heritage Ad- THE ROSS SEA IS THE TRUE HEART
venturer. The company acquired the ship coming out of the OF ANTARCTICA AND IT’S NOT
pandemic, having previously chartered Russian research vessels. THE EASY ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
“Others have tried sailing from New Zealand and failed,
there is a steady stream,” Russ said. “The Ross Sea is the true THEY ARE USED TO. IT’S A TOUGH
heart of Antarctica and it’s not the easy Antarctic Peninsula PLACE TO OPERATE AND YOU
they are used to. It’s a tough place to operate and you need to NEED TO HAVE THE BEST
have the best captains, expedition leaders and guides aboard.” CAPTAINS, EXPEDITION LEADERS
The company attracts a unique set of customers to its 28-
day voyages to the Ross Sea, including those that have been AND GUIDES ABOARD.
to Antarctica multiple times and are now heading back for the
ultimate expedition, said Russ. There are also those looking “Everything is booking well across the board. There is a
for the trip to Antarctica and after doing their homework, good uptake in our two Indonesia voyages, and our Asian
realize that the action, the history and the research happened island odyssey, going from Indonesia to Papua New Guina.”
in the Ross Sea. Demand is good for Heritage, which also has an 18-guest
“We offer the truest personification of expeditions. There ship that offers local expeditions in New Zealand.
is no schedule, no timeline and our expedition operations can
happen anytime, day or night,” he continued. Market
Australia and New Zealand remain the company’s single Russ said the expedition market was still in a state of some
biggest source market. Other key markets include the UK and correction.
the U.S., Russ said, in addition to some very well-traveled “Lots of people piled in from outside the market with
Chinese clientele. newbuilds,” he explained. “It’s fair to say the global market
has seen overcapacity in the last couple of years and there is
Unique Program certainly a reorganization going on.
“For our northern summer season, we start in spring and “We’re still mid-cycle on that,” he said. “Now there is a
go through early June, which is a great time to be traveling distinct difference in the market between categories of prod-
in Japan, and the ship is a great way to be moving around the uct, and everyone is looking to find a magic bullet for their
coastline. We bring that expedition essence to a country that is solution. We’ll see where it ends.
more populated, with an expedition team aboard,” Russ said. “For us, we’re a family business and we have a different lens.
Plans for summer 2027 were being finalized in April, and Other companies may have investment cycles and are looking
Russ said he would stay with a similar deployment pattern. for opportunities for growth. We want to do what we believe
The company, he said, has no plans to go to Alaska. in and makes good business sense. We have some interesting
“There are plenty of others trending that path,” he added. ideas on where we believe we can bring our style of exploration
“Our intention is to focus on the Western Pacific. We have a and expedition cruising, offering programs that are consistent
Micronesia itinerary in development and also have Southeast with our views and belief on expeditions, that also make good
Asia and islands of Indonesia programs. sense. We also want the right ship for the right destination.” 

Cruise Industry News: 2025 Expedition Market Report 231