Article content

Cruising off the beaten path is gaining in popularity as cruisers seek to explore rarely seen sights with just a few fellow vacationers.

To expand travellers’ horizons, Canada gets its first “luxury expedition ship” on the west coast: Cascadia, a 138-foot catamaran for 24 guests.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Out to Sea: Small luxury ships take travellers deep into the wild Back to video

As well, Naturetours.com, a small ship expedition company that sails further into the Amazon than any other line, is re-launching its signature vessel, the Motor Yacht Tucano.

Maple Leaf Adventures, based in Victoria, B.C., describes Cascadia as “very small” but with spacious cabins, unlike polar region ships.

The company provides “remarkable journeys, engaging people and wild spaces for boutique expedition cruises in British Columbia and Alaska,” said publicist Maureen Gordon.

The “truly wild luxury cruises” are in response to travellers’ discovery of the experiential benefits of expedition cruising such as in Antarctica, she added.