The Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) has announced the addition of UnCruise Adventures and Metropolitan Touring to its membership of cruise operators.

It brings the total number of operators in the network to 18.

Uncruise Adventures is a US based cruise company that offers small-ship adventures in Alaska, Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, Pacific Northwest, Galapagos Islands, Central America and Hawaii, among other destinations.

Metropolitan Touring specialises in cruises to the Galapagos Islands.

ECN CEO Akvile Marozaite (pictured) said: “While polar regions remain the most popular expedition cruising destinations, UnCruise Adventures and Metropolitan Touring offer exciting alternatives in warmer climes and beyond, such as the Galapagos archipelago, Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, Hawaii, Central America, and Alaska, to mention a few.

“Both these expedition cruise companies share ECN’s values on sustainability and environmental stewardship of the destinations the ships visit, and they perfectly fit our network’s mission of showcasing the diverse and unique expedition cruising destinations and various ways to explore them to our travel trade community, and ultimately, the clients who travel on board these ships.”

Expedition cruise ‘truly diverse’ sector

ECN chairman Martin Johnson added: “Expedition cruising sector is truly diverse and I am thrilled to welcome UnCruise Adventures and Metropolitan Touring to our already distinguished group of expedition cruise operator members.

“Offering small ship expedition cruise experiences in some unique and new to ECN expedition cruise destinations, the addition of those two brands expands the offering to our travel trade members and cements our commitment to represent this exciting sector by showcasing the multiple and diverse operators that are part of this community.”

To highlight global expedition cruise destinations, Johnson will host a webinar on 19 July, which will be joined by an exclusive panel of experts from ECN’s cruise members. These will be:

• Aaron Russ, commercial director and expedition leader at Heritage Expeditions
• Trixi Lange-Hitzbleck, expedition leader at Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
• Frederic Guillemard, general manager Europe and Asia at Australis Expeditions
• Captain Dan Blanchard, CEO and founder of UnCruise Adventures