In February, I took a Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic Cruise, which was unlike any trip I’d ever taken.
I snorkeled next to sea lions, swam with exotic fish and got so close to gray whales I could almost reach out and touch them.
While $7,000 per person for an eight-day, seven-night trip isn’t cheap, my trip came with plenty of perks and I didn’t spend any extra money on board.
Here’s why this bucket list experience was worth the money.
The access to the ship was easy and the rooms were comfortable.
My son and I flew nonstop from Los Angeles to Loreto, Mexico, where the Lindblad team greeted us and a comfortable bus whisked us off to our temporary floating home, National Geographic Venture.
The luxury vessel featured numerous practical amenities, including outdoor decks, indoor lounges for all passengers, and a fitness center.
The Venture has 50 cabins that can accommodate 100 guests. We shared a cabin with Scandinavian-style furniture, including two single beds, a fold-out sofa, and a desk.
Our room had a large window with a great view of the ocean.
The ship’s experts were dedicated to helping us make the most of our adventure.
As soon as they unpacked, passengers and crew got to know each other through introductions.
The captain planned a route: depart from Loreto on the Sea of Cortez, circle the Baja Peninsula and out into the Pacific Ocean, disembark in San Carlos, and then catch a bus back to Loreto airport.
Right from the start, the ship’s team of naturalists, educators and photography instructors introduced themselves and shared their enthusiasm.
There was never a dull moment on this trip.
One of the Venture’s standout features is its fleet of Zodiacs – sturdy inflatable boats that can carry up to 12 passengers and take them to remote locations where larger ships can’t reach, offering up-close and personal access to marine life.
Accompanied by a naturalist, we boarded our Zodiacs early in the morning and set off on our daily adventures.
We were able to experience the striking landscape of red volcanic ash and fossilized sand dunes in remote Puerto Gato, where we chose which activities to take part in: I enjoyed snorkeling and kayaking, while my son balanced on a paddleboard.
Together we hiked through dry riverbeds with a naturalist who pointed out unusual desert plants.
During our stay at Los Islotes, we encountered dozens of playful sea lions sunbathing on the rocks and frolicking in the water.
At Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, we snorkeled around coral reefs teeming with colorful fish.
I’ve snorkeled in many places around the world, but Cabo Pulmo made it clear to me why oceanographer Jacques Cousteau once called Baja “the aquarium of the world.”
Of course we saw plenty of whales during the trip – after all, our itinerary was “Baja California: Among the Giant Whales.”
February is prime whale watching season in Baja, so the calendar was in our favor.
In Puerto Lopez Mateos, we boarded a small boat to watch gray whales that come from their Arctic feeding grounds into these protected waters to breed and raise their calves. I got so close to these majestic mammals that I almost touched one.
Cultural experiences were also woven into the trip.
We spent the afternoon watching a folk dance performance, visiting an organic cattle farm, and sampling authentic local cuisine at a Baja restaurant.
There was plenty to do on board
We spent a lot of time off the boat each day, but had a great time on board.
Life on board revolved around watching humpback whales on deck, attending naturalist lectures, trying out hands-on photography clinics, and taking part in daily sunrise exercise classes.
The ship’s lounge was a magnet for guests, with bartenders mixing cocktails and lounge stewards making sure there was always plenty of hot coffee available for me, an early riser needing a caffeine hit at 6am.
The surrounding scenery was amazing and the boat offered great views at any time of the day.
The food was plentiful and satisfying.
The food on board was delicious: breakfast was a buffet with made-to-order eggs, and lunch and dinner were five- or six-course meals featuring locally caught fish as main courses.
Daily cocktail hours and breakfast treats for early risers kept bellies full.
Best of all, the all-inclusive pricing meant there were no unexpected expenses.
I really appreciated Lindblad’s all-inclusive pricing – after paying $7,000 per person I never opened my wallet again.
The trip cost included all activities, equipment (like wetsuits and loaner cameras), meals, drinks, airport transfers, and we even had satellite internet so we could check email and send text messages.
The service was excellent throughout the trip, with staff preparing lunch boxes for us while we waited for our flight home.
It was an unforgettable experience and I would book again in a heartbeat.