When a place finds its way onto your bucket list—say, Antarctica or coastal Africa—you don’t want to simply get there. You want the travel itself to be worthy of the destination. In short order, you’ll be looking at expedition cruising, i.e., the kind of voyage with fewer than 200 passengers and a staff of expert guides. All on an adventure-equipped vessel meant to get you to—and through—some of the most remote stretches of wilderness on earth.

Since its founding, Swan Hellenic has placed a premium on introducing travelers to off-the-beaten-path places with the experts who know them best. For the details on how that translates on and off their ships, read on.