Lindblad Explores New Research Opportunities

Source: Cruise Critic

Lindblad Expeditions, which offers expedition cruises in tandem with National Geographic, shows no signs of stopping when it comes to expansion of its fleet and commitment to global research opportunities and environmental stewardship.

At a press briefing today at New York’s Brooklyn cruise port aboard National Geographic Explorer — an ice-class polar expedition vessel, which just launched this August — Lindblad Expeditions Founder and President Sven Lindblad announced that the company is working with National Geographic on the development of yet another ship, which will be used to explore underwater wrecks.

Though details are scant thus far, we do know that Dr. Robert Ballard, an oceanographer long associated with National Geographic and perhaps best known for his role in the discovery of the sunken Titanic, will be heading up research aboard the vessel.

Cruise Critic caught up with Ballard at the event, who told us that he’s on his way to see the ship next week in Bodrum, Turkey — a hotspot for underwater archeologists and divers, and home to the Bodrum Underwater Archeology Museum and Institute of Nautical Archeology. The ship will eventually accommodate passengers for a unique expedition experience. At this point the vessel’s not ready for guests and there are no details on what kind of experience could be created for cruisers. We’ll keep you posted.

Lindblad says it will also send a group of scientists to the South Pacific next year aboard a small sailing yacht to document the region’s reef system.