Elite Traveler Summer 2023

ARCTIC

Left Sharjah-Mosque nearDubai Below Windstar Cruises’ Star Legend

POLES

Long a pioneer in exploration travel, and deeply entrenched from the start in sustainability, Hurtigruten Expeditions ‘invented’ adventure cruising in 1896. Norwegian-owned Hurtigruten Expeditions uses small ships to take travelers to more than 250 transformative destinations in more than 30 countries worldwide. Its small fl eet of intimate, custom-built vessels include the world’s fi rst battery-hybrid powered cruise ships. Avail yourself of Hurtigruten’s expertise and virtuosity on one of its expanded 2023 Arctic cruises with seven new adventures, designed to deliver guests deeply into local culture and the wilderness of the north. Alluring new departures from June to September 2023 will embrace spectacular areas beyond and above the Arctic circle on board the small-size expedition cruise favorite MS Maud . Taking guests where the big ships dare not tread, Hurtigruten’s expeditions depart from either Dover, United Kingdom or Reykjavik, Iceland. Guests will be conveyed to Greenland, Svalbard, the British Isles, the Faroe Islands and Iceland on trips that stretch from 11 to 19 days, June to September. From $4,000 to $8,000 per person depending on itinerary. Contact book@hurtigruten.com, +1 888 967 1994, hurtigruten.com

THE MIDDLE EAST Not just for Lawrence of Arabia fans who’ve dreamed of watching the sunset over the immense sand dunes of the quixotic Empty Quarter, small-ship line Windstar Cruises will also take car race connoisseurs to the last days of November’s climactic Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2023, with premium grandstand seats, on its fi rst ever jaunt to the Middle East. Not o ff ered by any other cruise company, this racing excursion can be experienced by guests aboard the all-suite, 312-passenger Star Legend . The inaugural 10-day Sparkling Sands & Cities of the Persian Gulf voyage departs Dubai on November 23 and includes an overnight stay in Abu Dhabi. In the tradition of Windstar’s long-standing, consistently sold-out, themed F1 cruise to the Monaco Grand Prix each year, the Abu Dhabi experience in November promises an array of elegant opportunities, including exclusive cocktail parties, meet-and-greets and a Windstar-themed gift bag with seat cushions, ear protection, high-de fi nition binoculars and a baseball cap. Other stops on the itinerary include Oman, Qatar and Bahrain, with activities as diverse as wildlife viewing, afternoon tea at Emirates Palace and pearl farm visits. Excursion from $1,599; cruise from $2,999 per person. Contact info@windstarcruises.com, +1 866 851 4042, windstarcruises.com

Right Hurtigruten Expeditions’ MS Maud Below The Aldeyjarfoss waterfall in Iceland

Cruises with all their bells, whistles, ports of call, themes, programs, ship sizes, ship moods, itineraries and plentiful extras only add to that anxiety and fear of choosing poorly

Photos Ben Goode,Camille Seaman, Karsten Bidstrup