Here are our responsible expedition cruise guidelines for you to share with your customers, which you can communicate verbally, through email communications, on social media, or you could even add them to the expedition cruise section on your website for easy access.

Before the expedition

• Choose an expedition cruise line that is transparent about its sustainability initiatives. Does it hold any certifications such as B Corp? Is it using sustainable fuel? Has it eliminated single-use plastics onboard? What are its climate initiatives and animal welfare policies? Does it offer positive-impact experiences such as citizen science projects or local community visits?

• Think about taking a longer expedition cruise instead of two or more short ones to limit the number of flights you take. If you do need to fly to your departure destination, always fly direct where possible.

• Learn as much as you can about the destination you’ll be visiting, including the language, religion, culture, rules and values. This could include tipping culture, body language, forbidden foods or drinks, or any other day-to-day behaviours. Educate yourself on what’s the norm, what’s acceptable and what’s not so you can be sensitive to any cultural differences.

• Pack suitable clothing. Before travelling to fragile environments and if bringing previously used clothing, hiking boots and gear such as walking sticks, make sure it is thoroughly cleaned – introduced fauna and flora are some of the biggest threats in some parts of the world and strict bio-security checks apply in places such as South Georgia Island, Antarctica and more. If a destination’s main attractions require covered heads or shoulders or long trousers or skirts, ensure you add plenty of options to your suitcase. It’s often considered respectable to adhere to these rules outside of attractions as well as inside, where possible.

• Think about borrowing any specific gear required for the expedition from friends and family. Not everything on your packing list needs to be bought new.

• Pack a reusable water bottle and reusable shopping bag (if not provided by the operator – always ask the question) so you don’t need to buy plastic bottles of water or accept a plastic carrier when exploring off the ship. Most expedition cruise ships are equipped with water stations.

• Check with the operators to see if a destination has toiletry restrictions. Some destinations and national parks such as the Galapagos Islands forbid usage of non-compliant toiletries and detergents, so if they do, leave your own supplies at home. You can check the Galapagos National Park Rules here. It’s also worth making sure any suncream you buy for tropical expeditions is reef-safe.

• If you’re visiting Antarctica, ensure you read the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators’s (IAATO) Don’t Pack a Pest guidelines, reducing waste guidelines and general visiting guidelines.

• If you’re visiting the Arctic, ensure you read the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators’ (AECO) responsible travel guidelines, clean seas guidelines and biosecurity guidelines.

During the expedition

• Carefully consider your transport to the airport and to the ship’s port. Can you take a train instead of fly? Can you take a coach instead of a taxi? Always ask yourself these questions once in destination too.

• Take part in citizen science projects or positive-impact community visits the expedition cruise line is offering. This is a small action you can take that makes a huge difference.

• When visiting local communities, always ask before photographing or videoing the people who live there. And be understanding if they do choose to decline the request.

• Shop local. If you’re visiting far-flung or rural communities, contribute to their economy (which likely depends on tourism) by eating in their restaurants when advised by expedition leaders and making souvenir purchases in their shops. It’s important to make sure money funds the destinations cruise lines visit on top of the cruise lines themselves, but when doing so ensure you steer clear of products made from animals or precious resources e.g. coral, bone or teeth jewellery.

• Try to eat meat-free or cut down your consumption of red meat, which has high carbon emissions. Even avoiding meat for one or two days of your expedition can make a difference.

• Expedition cruises very often take place off the beaten track, but can you take that one step further? Instead of visiting the top tourist attractions in a destination, seek out lesser-visited but equally-enticing options to disperse economic spend and avoid crowding.

• Never visit orphanages, schools or purchase trinkets from children, which contributes to child exploitation. Instead donate to an organisation or charity that supports these youngsters and their families.

• Expedition cruise lines often have strict animal welfare guidelines in place so always ensure you adhere to these. Never approach or touch wild animals, never take part in animal encounters where the animal cannot move away and if you do have the opportunity to visit domesticated or wild animals in captivity then do your research to make sure the facility is a reliable and respectable sanctuary.

After the expedition

• Uphold any commitments you made to local charities or organisations during your expedition, and think about ways you can continue your support from afar.

• When talking to friends and family about all the amazing experiences you had on your expedition cruise, tell them about the positive impact you had on the local communities and environments – and why it enriched your holiday. This will hopefully encourage them to do the same and therefore increase the benefits of more responsible travel around the world.