Women comprise 55 percent of the travelers who book with AdventureSmith Explorations and a recent report by the Adventure Travel Trade Association indicates that more than half of those booking adventure travel are women. Women are also leading the solo travel trend, with estimates indicating 65 to 70 percent of solo travelers are women. Small-ship expedition cruising is making the most of these rising trends with new women-only bookings and more options catering to solo travelers.
“Generally, when it comes to solo travelers, we’ve seen a lot of interest in bucket-list style itineraries such as the North Pole, Northwest Passage, Greenland, and unique Antarctic routes,” said Todd Smith, AdventureSmith Explorations founder and president. “As it relates to all operators around the globe however, our other hottest solo traveler destination is Alaska. Our second most-trafficked new page on our website in 2024 was ‘Tips on Booking a Solo Alaska Cruise.’”
Solo-occupancy cabins aboard expedition ships are increasing in availability as compared to the old way of having all double cabins and charging single supplements for a single traveler to fill them. Future launches with new single-occupancy options include:
- The new Douglas Mawson, launching December 2025, will have six cabins for single occupancy. The operator’s previous two ships (built in 2019 and 2022) did not have any solo cabins.
- Magellan Discoverer (anticipated to launch for the Antarctic 2026-27 cruising season) will have eight single cabins, all with balconies. Its sister ship launched in 2019 only has three solo cabins for its 2024-25 season and four for its 2025-26 season.
In addition to more women seeking out adventure travel, female leadership in the expedition cruise industry is thriving. “There are many inspiring stories of women making waves in the small-ship expedition cruise industry, and we’re proud to help connect travelers with trips that are operated by women-run expedition companies, female captains, notable guest hosts or women-only tours,” said Smith.
For instance, the Sylvia Earle not only represents its namesake, the marine biologist and explorer, but also the legacy of other women in ocean sciences. Travelers can choose a cabin from decks named after marine educator Sharon Kwok, plastic-free pioneer Joanna Ruxton, coral conservationist Dr. Carden Wallace and more. Aboard, guests can learn about the important conservation work these women continue to pursue and explore alongside female expedition leaders, naturalists, historians, mountaineers and scientists.
Departing June 23, 2025, a 13-day “Arctic Climate Expedition” onboard Svalbard Odyssey will feature Dr. Sylvia Earle. Coinciding with a climate conference, the expedition includes hands-on workshops and activities designed around sustainability. On February 23, 2027, the ship’s “Active & Wild Antarctica Air Cruise” itinerary will be for women only, led by female guides.
Women are also increasingly seeking supportive and empowering environments when they travel, by both land and sea. In addition to expedition ships, AdventureSmith is seeing their land-based tours respond with more options. Look to “Women in the Wild” small-group journeys led by female expedition leaders plus local women who join as regional guides, Indigenous leaders, park rangers and special guests.
For more information, visit www.adventuresmithexplorations.com.
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