One Does Not Simply Sail With Lindblad Expeditions Once

When I first met Lesa Bain , Lindblad Expeditions VP of Sales North America, in Denver, we hit it off right away. I mean, how could one not get along with an Aussie who has a fiery passion for adventure, conservation, wildlife, and nature? Our conversation jumped across the globe – from Galápagos to the Kimberley’s and from Antarctica to Pantanal. It became evident quite quickly that Lindblad Expeditions was not only of personal interest, but it would also fit the bill for my clientele as well. “You know, once a client sails with us, they come back again, and again, and again,” said Lesa. My colleague sitting to my right uttered, “And believe me, she’s not lying.”

Okay, so now I was really intrigued. I thought to myself, “What is it about Lindblad that encourages guests to return year after year?” This is a question that Lesa could answer ten times over, but deep down, I knew I had to experience it for myself. Within a couple of weeks I found myself on one of their whale watching excursions by the name of Wild Baja California Escape: The Whales of Magdalena Bay . There’s never a bad reason to leave Chicago in the winter, so the decision wasn’t a particularly tough one.

The “TLDR” version of this article is that the next four days were filled with utter magic. Each day offered a new and convincing answer to the question I posed at the top of this article. From start to finish, my experience on board far exceeded my expectations.

As we pulled up to the National Geographic Sea Bird for the first time, the Mexican sun was setting over the Pacific. The word “picturesque” wouldn’t do it justice. We walked up the ramp to the ship and were greeted by a slew of crew members sporting bright smiles. I was finally here. Not only was I about to experience a Lindblad Expeditions cruise for the first time, I was about to experience my first cruise— period! Just as this moment was setting in, all of us guests were called to gather in the common area for introductions and champagne. It was a long day of travel and our staff lead, Hiro, made sure to give everyone a welcome invitation to get to bed whenever they started to hear their pillow calling their name - which for most of us didn’t take long at all.

On day 1, we did what you would expect we’d do: we went whale watching! It turns out the gray whales of Magdalena Bay were really excited to see us because we saw dozens and dozens perform before our eyes. I’m a visual learner - and oh boy, did I learn a lot! When you hear “National Geographic” you have a certain expectation and even with that, I was blown away by how knowledgeable the naturalists were when explaining all of the various aspects of life in this part of the world. Throughout the day, I not only learned about the actions of the whales (breaching, spy hopping, etc.), but also all about the local birds, mangroves, tide patterns, and so much more. The naturalists had an answer to every single question posed by guests; sometimes their responses were validated simultaneously with the actions of the whales, almost as if they were communicating with each other to prove a point. I remember being told vividly that gray whales usually breach multiple times in a row as they did just that. This is the type of magic I alluded to above. The expertise of Lindblad Expeditions' naturalists were truly next level and put context to everything we were seeing. I took a laundry list of mental notes that I looked forward to flexing to all of my friends and family when I returned home, because who doesn’t love having an inventory of whale trivia at the ready?

Our second day on board was centered around adventure activities, as if floating next to 45-foot-long whales weighing 35+ tons wasn’t adventurous enough. We broke into groups and took turns kayaking, biking, and hiking in the surrounding area. Once we had our fill, part of the group made our way back downhill to a small waterfront town where we were treated to fresh ceviche and Modelos at an outdoor cantina. We were greeted by local artisans and fishermen as we indulged in Baja California delicacies. It was wonderful to see how our group was directly investing into this community, how our dollars were going straight into this town’s economy. As I spoke about this later with a crewmember on board, they reiterated the company’s commitment to the communities in which they sail by explaining how all of our whale watching vessels were operated by small, local family businesses. All of this really spoke to Lindblad Expeditions’ commitment to sustainability - not of just our wildlife and oceans, but also to the local people and communities that were allowing us into their homeland. This conversation was directly followed by a taco fiesta where a group of local entertainers came on board to sing, dance, and perform for the group.

After a cozy night’s sleep, we were back at it on the water whale watching! It was easy to get into a routine on board because each day’s structure was consistent to the day prior. After sunrise stretch class and breakfast, we would go out on our morning activity which lasted around three hours. We would return for lunch and relaxation before heading out on our afternoon activity which lasted an additional three hours. We would get back on board with ample time to relax, shower, and change before dinner and mingling. When speaking to a fellow guest, I vocalized how I was very impressed at how each day struck a perfect balance of leisure and structure. I never once felt bored or exhausted. I always felt like I was right in that sweet spot and I don’t think that was a coincidence. The crew reiterated time and time again that if you weren’t feeling up to any particular activity, that you were more than welcome to skip it and relax on board. Most people took the mindset of doing it all because how often do we really find ourselves sailing through a gray whale migration, but the option was always there for those who wanted a break. Ah yes - and before I forget, this was the day that we got really up close and personal to whales. Some got so close that I felt like I was legitimately making eye contact with them. Between that and seeing a pod of dolphins swim alongside our ship, I’d say it was a marvelous day!

Our last full day on board was here before we knew it, and none of us wanted to admit that tomorrow would be the day we returned home. I can only speak for myself, but I do have an inkling that I could speak on behalf of everyone. I say that because of how well everyone on board was treated. One example that I’ll never forget is how the crew accommodated a passenger with limited mobility. This guest had a really hard time getting up and down steps, not to mention in and out of the small sailing vessels we rode into whale watch. It would have been easy for them to make an excuse as to why this person wasn’t able to partake in the activities for the day, but instead of doing that, they MacGyvered a boat specifically for them. Using a wheelchair, straps, and who knows what, they made a personal whale watching throne fit for a King or Queen. I feel like it’s worth saying that I’m not giving this work of art justice, it was far safer than what I’m making it sound like! I spoke with this guest after their sail and they awed at how the crew made them feel like royalty as they smiled from ear to ear. There was another guest who, well, to put it lightly, was obsessed with whales - to the extent of whale merchandise taking up lots of real estate in her home. It was a dream of hers to one day get to see a whale in the wild. As we sailed on our final day, tears streamed down this woman’s face as she got face-to-face with her favorite animal. It’s intimate moments like these that make Lindblad Expeditions so special - these curated moments of pure glee and emotion. When compared to some of the larger cruise companies that sail around the world, it is extremely hard to believe that they even come close to maintaining such personal relationships with each and every guest on board. Additionally, their smaller ship sizes allow guests to visit places that the big ships aren’t allowed to sail into - showing there’s truth to the adage “quality over quantity.”

Sailing with Lindblad Expeditions is special for so many reasons, but for me, it boils down to their destination expertise, commitment to local communities, balance of leisure and exploration, and ability to cater to each guest. I truly felt their mission of using travel as a transformative force for good at every turn. I absolutely cannot wait to recommend these types of experiences to my clients. It brings me great joy when I can curate an experience for a client that changes their world. I know from firsthand experience and with great confidence that every guest who sails with Lindblad Expeditions will get that and so much more. And yes, Lesa, you were right when you said that when a client sails with you, they will come back again, and again, and again… because I will be living proof!

- Sam Viola , Advisor at Uproute Travel