In the world of cruising, true diehards often plan their vacation around the ship—how many pools, bars, theaters, spas, and other often over-the-top amenities it has. For some, that can be even more important than the destination.
But if your idea of a good vacation is nerding out on the historical significance of the ancient tombs and ruins that you will visit in the Mediterranean, helping scientists log whale sightings and water samples in the Antarctic, or gaining private access to and rubbing elbows with those who work behind the scenes at famous museums and remote architectural dig sites—there’s a lesser known subset of cruising that can satisfy the most intellectual, curious, and sometimes cruise averse, travelers.
It’s called affinity travel (because it caters to groups with a common interest or passion). Or, as the Wall Street Journal last year dubbed it, nerd travel. If you or anyone in your house is part of an alumni, museum, or cultural association, you’ve probably received flyers for members-only, small-ship charters that educational tour operators craft to bring together like-minded people.
But you don’t necessarily have to belong to an Ivy League alumni group or a cultural, historical, or arts institution to join one of these sailings that promise a deep dive into various passions and interests. Criterion Travel, one of the leading organizers of education-intense affinity trips, has begun opening its elite sailings beyond members of the sponsoring organizations to the general public (when space is available).
Sound a little too serious? Don’t worry. Most of the trips still offer traditional city tours and plenty of time for a little shopping and relaxation. And as the number of and popularity of upscale and luxury small ships has exploded over the past decade, tour operators and cruise companies are developing more hybrid variations that cater to varying levels of nerd.
Passengers on a recent Criterion Travel cruise proudly sporting their lanyards during a sunset sail.
Courtesy of Criterion Travel
Seriously nerdy sailings
You know you’re on a serious nerd cruise when your predeparture welcome packet includes a lanyard and name tag that you are instructed to wear throughout the program, as if you were at an educational conference. That’s exactly what you will get from Criterion Travel, a leader in developing these often one-of-a-kind affinity cruises and other guided trips for some of the world’s most elite educational, cultural, and historical organizations.
Previously open only to members of the sponsoring organizations, Criterion last year decided to open some bookings to the general public when space is available. But you may have to wait a while. The ships it charters generally hold 100 or so passengers, and “we can’t keep up with demand,” said Bridget Bimrose, head of marketing. And Criterion is the first to warn that its cruises are not for everybody.
While many of the trips sail common routes, the itineraries are carefully crafted in consultation with the onboard experts, meaning they are often one-of-a-kind, with visits to sites you might otherwise be unable to access. For instance, Criterion has offered an archaeological sailing from Gibraltar to Naples (it’s not currently available) that explored prehistoric archaeological sites, ancient cities, and UNESCO World Heritage sites. And the itineraries are packed. If your idea of a cruise is a leisurely breakfast followed by an excursion and a nap, you may want to think twice. Criterion cruises generally have at least three Ivy League PhDs or similarly credentialed lecturers on board. Guests not only pack the hall for sometimes multiple lectures a day but also vie for a chance to grab cocktails and/or dinner with the guest lecturers to keep those conversations going.
There are no upcoming sailings currently available, but if you’re interested, you can sign up to be on Criterion’s email list to hear of new departures as soon as they are developed.
Smithsonian Journeys, in partnership with cruise company Ponant, recently added Baja California itineraries to its lineup.
Courtesy of Smithsonian Journeys
Slightly less nerdy sailings
Another big player in educational travel is Smithsonian Journeys. Like Criterion, it focuses on deeper dives into the destinations’ culture, history, art, and other topics you may expect from a museum organization. But these aren’t affinity trips in the true sense of the word, as they are marketed to the general public and can be booked by anyone.
Among Smithsonian Journeys’ many offerings are small-ship ocean cruises on vessels owned by the French luxury expedition line Ponant—on which you will be cruising in very high style, as Ponant is known for its service and amenities. Like Criterion, these unique itineraries to places such as Iceland, Baja California, Sicily, and Costa Rica include carefully vetted researchers, experts, and academics who lead the sailings, along with skilled local guides. While many of the trips sail to popular destinations like the Mediterranean or Japan, they also look for less common routes, such as an upcoming sailing through the remote archipelagos and rugged islands of Indonesia that harbor cultures that have long been isolated.
Passengers on an Aurora Expeditions Antarctica cruise participate in the line’s citizen science program.
Photo by Tyson Mayr/Courtesy of Aurora Expeditions
Expedition-style nerd cruises
Expedition cruises are, by nature, educational. Whether you’re viewing endemic species in the Galapagos, searching for polar bears in the Arctic, or marveling at the penguins in Antarctica, you’re constantly learning about the unique ecosystems and animals that live in these remote regions. On a good expedition cruise, the team members driving your Zodiac boat or leading your hikes are experts in their own right, regardless of what kind of degrees they hold.
Again, as with most small ships, they offer lectures on marine life, wildlife, and climate change, among other topics, but for a broader, more general audience. Companies such as National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Cruises have always stood out for their enrichment programs, and it’s a growing trend among new and seasoned expedition operators.
Aurora Expeditions has been stepping up its nerd game, developing a program that lets guests on some sailings become “citizen scientists” by assisting traveling researchers with their data and sample collections. And Quark Expeditions, which hosted the first solar eclipse sailing 20 years ago, will sail a special itinerary for the August 2026 solar eclipse with Michael Zeiler, a retired geographer who founded greatamericaneclipse.com and who’s a member of the esteemed International Astronomical Union Working Group on Solar Eclipses.
Starting in spring 2026, you’ll be able to take an expert-led National Geographic-Lindblad cruise on Europe’s Rhine River.
Rendering courtesy of National Geographic-Lindblad
River cruises for nerds
While most of us think of river cruises as floating hotels for retirees, that perception is changing as more companies enter the market. Some of the new players are focused on itineraries that raise the nerd level on activities. AmaWaterways and Smithsonian, for instance, recently announced they were teaming up to add itineraries with Smithsonian experts on board. And National Geographic-Lindblad is getting in on the European river game under a partnership with Transcend Cruises. Bookings are now open, and the first sailings will take place on the Rhine River starting in April 2026, with a focus on deep exploration of the ports along the way. Each sailing will have an expedition leader, several field staff, and at least one National Geographic expert onboard.
