Wyndham Wisdom

Wildlife Cruises

These ships sail where the wild things are--no pith helmet required

To see the wildest of the wild--migrating whales, nesting penguins, howling howler monkeys--you no longer need to be a rugged explorer. You can just board a cruise ship. The latest exotic cruise itineraries put nature-loving passengers a Zodiac-seat away from the kind of wonders normally only seen in nature films. A slew of specialized adventure cruise lines ply remote corners of the globe, but these small-vessel trips tend to be pricey. Luckily, five of the major lines--Princess, Celebrity, Holland America, Carnival and Norwegian--have expanded beyond Alaska and now offer nature-oriented trips to Central America, South America and the South Pacific. Better still, prices are dropping lower than ever as cruise lines use aggressive discounting to counter sluggish demand.

These sailings all offer big-ship comforts (modern spas, ritzy dining rooms and clanging casinos), so forget about being cooped up in your cabin after a day of reveling in nature's wonders. Here are five upcoming cruises to consider.

AMAZON
THE DETAILS: This 14-day Amazon River cruise on Princess's Royal Princess leaves from Manaus, the capital of the Brazilian Amazon, and stops at Santarem before hitting the Atlantic. From there you sail north to Devil's Island in French Guiana, then on to Caribbean stops like St. Lucia and St. Barts before docking in Fort Lauderdale. Feb. 13, 2010; princess.com; from $2,495*
NATURE: On the Amazon, you'll see caiman (a type of crocodile), howler monkeys, iguanas and toucans. Consider signing up for the tropical forest canopy walk.
BEST EXCURSION: The Santarem River excursion shows where the muddy waters of the Amazon converge with the blue waters of the Tapajos River, and gives you a good chance of spotting a pink Amazon dolphin.

GALÁPAGOS
THE DETAILS: This 7-night interisland cruise aboard the Celebrity Xpedition sails round-trip from the Galápagos port of Baltra. The boat, Celebrity's smallest at 90 passengers, calls at all the major islands including San Cristobal, Floreana, Bartolome and Fernandina. January 3, 2010; celebritycruises.com; from $2,299
NATURE: Daily shore excursions let you watch giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, marine iguanas, white-tipped reef sharks and, of course, Darwin's finches.
BEST EXCURSION: Each day on this cruise offers a wildlife-filled trip ashore, but the dramatic moonscape of Bartolome may be the most amazing. Snorkelers can commune with sea turtles and penguins.

DOWN UNDER
THE DETAILS: A 14-day cruise on Holland America's MS Volendam departs Sydney and heads south to the Australian island of Tasmania. From there you cross the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, where you explore Fiordland National Park's Milford Sound. (Rudyard Kipling called these fjord-lined waters the eighth wonder of the world.) The trip also includes visits to Christchurch, Wellington and finally Auckland. December 9, 2009; hollandamerica.com; from $1,299
NATURE: Expect to see Tasmanian devils, kangaroos, emus, ostriches, yellow-eyed penguins and New Zealand fur seals.
BEST EXCURSION: On an outing from Picton (on New Zealand's South Island), you can watch an array of dolphins--bottlenose, dusky and Hector's--cavort in Queen Charlotte Sound.

COSTA RICA
THE DETAILS: Carnival's 8-day cruise on the Carnival Freedom departs from Fort Lauderdale. After a stop in Cozumel, Mexico, you sail through the Western Caribbean with stops in two eco hot spots: Costa Rica and Panama, where you can fish for freshwater bass in Gatun Lake, part of the Panama Canal. Dec. 19, 2009; carnival.com; from $619
NATURE: It's all about the shore excursions on this cruise.
BEST EXCURSION: A double shot of flora and fauna can be had in Limon, Costa Rica. Your day starts with an hour-long open-air gondola ride through the rainforest canopy. Afterward, you jump in a riverboat for a two-hour, naturalist-led tour of Tortuguero National Park, home to caimans, toucans, capuchin and howler monkeys and more.

MEXICAN RIVIERA
THE DETAILS: The Norwegian Star's 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise takes you round-trip from Los Angeles and includes stops in Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. December 19, 2009; ncl.com; from $799
NATURE: You'll see migrating whales and sea lions, not to mention the Sierra Madre mountains and some of Mexico's most idyllic beaches. When you jump in those turquoise waters for some snorkeling, don't be surprised to discover bat rays and angelfish.
BEST EXCURSION: On a whale-watching trip from Cabo San Lucas, six species of whales, including the mammoth blue whale, can be seen from mid-December through March.

SMALL WONDERS

For those who prefer an expedition ship, these cruise lines are the best at sea.

INTERNATIONAL EXPEDITIONS
sails to the Galápagos, the Amazon
and Papua New Guinea, averaging
16-18 guests at a time. Prices for
the 10-day "Amazon Voyage" start
at $3,048. Ietravel.com

HURTIGRUTEN has trips to
Greenland, Iceland, Norway and
Antarctica. Their ships can carry
between 100 and 640 guests.
Prices for the 9-day "Arctic
Adventure" start at $5,686.
hurtigruten.com

LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS
cruises to Antarctica, the
Arctic and the Galápagos.
Their boats can accommodate
between 42 and 148 guests.
Prices for the 15-day "Antarctica--
The White Continent" start at
$10,760. expeditions.com

ORION EXPEDITION CRUISES
sails to Australia, Indonesia,
Tasmania and Papua New Guinea
on a 100-passenger ship. Prices
for the 9-night "Spice Island
Adventure" start at $4,748.
orionexpeditions.com

VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY has
a 650-passenger ship that cruises
to Asia, South Africa and Iceland.
Prices start at $3,163 for the
17-day "Indian Ocean and South
Africa" sailing.
voyagesofdiscovery.com

*Prices are per person, double occupancy. Additional fees and taxes apply. Shore excursions may cost extra.

Let RCI book your next cruise. To learn more about RCI's cruising options, visit cruiserci.com or call 877-RCI-BOAT (877-724-2628).

NOTE: Information may have changed since publication. Please confirm key details before planning your trip.