As 2026 sets to be the year of purposeful and personalised travel, Expedition Micro Cruises to the remote polar regions are surging in popularity and emerging as a hot travel trend for next year.
Leading this new wave of exploration is Secret Atlas, pioneers of small group adventure through Expedition Micro Cruises, offering highly exclusive voyages to the Arctic, Antarctica and South Georgia with a maximum of just 12 and 44 guests onboard each expedition.
Secret Atlas is seeing a surge in demand for its authentic, personalised voyages. Especially for its new Antarctica and South Georgia expeditions for just 44 guests onboard the newly refurbished Polar Athena, establishing the smallest group size ever offered in the region.
Six key trend drivers for Expedition Micro Cruises in 2026 include:
- No Crowds, Real Immersion: Expedition Micro Cruises eliminate the “landing rotation” seen on larger ships, where hundreds of guests can sometimes wait hours for their turn ashore. With only 12 or 44 guests onboard, everyone can enjoy more time on the water in Zodiacs, and disembark simultaneously for uncrowded, immersive wildlife experiences.
- Unrivalled Flexibility and Spontaneity: In unpredictable polar environments, the ability to adapt instantly is vital. Smaller vessels allow for agile itinerary changes — following migrating pods of whales, staying longer at a hidden cove, or finding the perfect light for photography.
- Personalised and Enriching Experiences: The ratio of one expedition leader for every six guests ensures a highly personalised and enriching experience for everyone. This micro-cruise setting provides a unique opportunity for close interaction and direct access to first-hand expertise of world-class expedition leaders, scientists, and guides.
- Lower Environmental Impact and Minimal Footprint: For the ecologically conscious traveller, Expedition Micro Cruises represent the lowest-impact method of visiting fragile ecosystems. Smaller ships generally have a lower environmental footprint compared to bigger vessels and create less disturbance to wildlife.
- Purpose-Led Travel Over Luxury: Today’s affluent travellers value authentic, and meaningful experiences rather than lavish displays of luxury. Expedition Micro Cruises address this shift by using small, purpose-built vessels to access remote destinations that remain strictly off-limits to larger cruise liners.
- Tailored Group and Incentive Travel: Expedition Micro Cruises provide customisable itineraries for small-group retreats, multi-gen adventures, families, corporate incentives, and special celebrations, allowing high-impact, memorable experiences. For special interest groups such as diving, kayaking, skiing or free driving, the intimacy and flexibility of a micro cruise allow these groups to access remote locations that are simply unreachable by bigger ships.
Michele D’Agostino, Co-Founder of Secret Atlas said, “Expedition Micro Cruises are fundamentally changing how we explore the Polar Regions. It’s no longer about simply seeing the destination; it’s about deeply connecting through authentic and personal experiences. Travellers are demanding real immersion — fewer crowds, more spontaneity, and a minimal footprint. Our small-ship approach, with its low guest-to-expert ratio and flexible itineraries, delivers on that promise which is being seen in conversations and increasing enquiries from our guests.”
Secret Atlas’s 2026/27 Expedition Micro Cruises are now open for reservations, available for individual explorers, private groups, and full charters. Travellers looking to experience an Expedition Micro Cruise can join one of Secret Atlas’ new voyages to Antarctica and South Georgia with just 44 guests, gaining unique access to the White Continent and the world-famous, wildlife-rich sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia.
