Remote expedition cruises to places like Antarctica and the Arctic are booming as wealthy travelers increasingly seek out secluded, experience-based destinations far from traditional tourism infrastructure.
The global cruise industry served a record 37.2 million passengers in 2025, up 7.5% from 2024, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, and passenger volume is expected to approach 42 million by 2028. Within that growth, expedition cruises have become one of the most popular segments of the industry.
Ritu Panesar, founder and president of luxury travel company Travelpod, said her clients routinely spend between $30,000 and $50,000 per person on remote expedition itineraries, often booked months or even years in advance. “People are looking for experiences that seem transformative and unusual,” Panesar said. “They want access to destinations that still seem intact.”
Interest in travel to Antarctica increased 34% year-over-year during the first four months of 2026, according to Jacqueline Mondelli, marketing director at travel insurance marketplace Squaremouth, reflecting continued demand for high-end expedition travel despite rising costs and growing awareness of the logistical and medical risks associated with remote travel.
Travel risk experts and insurers told CNBC that the deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the expedition ship MV Hondius is not likely to affect the appeal of remote expeditions, and global health experts as well as prediction markets consider the risks of widespread contagion low. Even if there was an impact on traveler psychology, travel experts say it would be difficult to assess at this time, since many high-end expedition itineraries are booked well in advance. But experts say that as more travelers book trips within this niche cruise market, they have become more aware of the challenges that can arise when emergencies unfold far from advanced medical care.
“People take these trips because the remoteness is part of the appeal,” said Sahara Rose DeVore, founder of the Travel Coach Network, who has traveled to more than 80 countries, many of them in remote locations. “Travelers understand that expedition travel comes with uncertainties, but highly sought-after destinations like Antarctica attract strong demand despite those risks.”
Evacuation logistics, onboard medical capabilities, and contingency planning are issues travelers should investigate before venturing into remote regions. Expedition travel protection policies often include emergency medical coverage, medical evacuation, trip interruption protection, and coordination services designed to transport travelers from remote regions to advanced medical facilities if a serious emergency occurs.
Rick Bagnall, vice president of travel insurance brokerage Brown & Brown, said he hasn't seen a significant increase specifically related to the MV Hondius situation. “Interest in evacuation tends to increase more due to general travel uncertainty than any particular incident,” he said.
Travelers are 'more risk aware than ever'
Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue, a travel risk management company that provides medical evacuation, field rescue, security extraction and crisis response services for travelers in remote or high-risk locations around the world, said travelers are generally more focused on risk prevention for these types of trips.
“Today people are more risk aware than ever. I wouldn't necessarily call it risk averse, but they are looking for a plan B,” he said.
Global Rescue reported a 30% increase in security membership purchases so far this year compared to the same period in 2025, as travelers increasingly seek evacuation and crisis response support ahead of remote trips.
Maritime evacuations remain among the most difficult rescue operations because helicopters have limited range on the high seas and many expedition ships lack helipads altogether. “If something happens in the open ocean and you're more than 150 miles from land, there's not much anyone can do,” Richards said.
Global Rescue handles approximately 100,000 calls for assistance annually, with around 3,000 becoming active rescue or evacuation operations. “We've done missions at sea where we've organized transfers between vessels,” Richards said. “Those are difficult logistical challenges.”
In one recent case, Richards said the company coordinated a medical evacuation from a remote island near Tahiti after a traveler aboard a ship developed a life-threatening condition that required emergency treatment.
Cruise industry groups say the sector remains resilient and medically prepared. “The global cruise industry maintains comprehensive medical, sanitation and health protocols designed to protect the health and well-being of passengers and crew,” Sally Andrews, vice president of communications for the Cruise Lines International Association, said in a statement to CNBC.
Insurance policies and remote environments
Travel and evacuation insurance specialists told CNBC that many travelers underestimate how limited medical infrastructure can become once ships move away from major ports and hospitals.
Bagnall said many travelers focus on whether they have insurance coverage without fully understanding how difficult evacuation logistics can be in remote environments, mistakenly assuming that standard travel policies automatically provide strong evacuation support.
“Travel insurance is not a commodity,” Bagnall said. “The difference between 'coverage exists' and 'help arrives quickly' tends to appear in expedition itineraries. In severe remote situations, medical and evacuation costs can easily reach six figures and exceed $250,000 depending on distance, air resources required and medical complexity,” he said.
“In our experience, most travelers significantly underestimate both the likelihood and cost of a serious medical event when traveling,” Mondelli said. “Traditional cruise ships typically have constant access to ports, medical facilities and Coast Guard support. In contrast, expedition cruise ships operate in a remote and unpredictable environment where the nearest facility may be days away,” he added.
Mondelli said trips to Antarctica insured through Squaremouth averaged about $28,750 in total trip cost, and travelers heading to Antarctica are placing greater emphasis on medical evacuation protection, with evacuation limits of $500,000 among the most commonly purchased levels of coverage for those trips.
It added that purchases of “Cancellation for any reason” and “Interruption for any reason” travel protection upgrades almost doubled from 10% during the first four months of 2025 to 19% during the same period in 2026.
The MV Hondius, according to recent reports, has a reputation among travelers for its attention to detail and risk management. But travelers embarking on an expedition cruise should not assume that the high price tag associated with expedition cruises also guarantees top-quality emergency infrastructure, said maritime attorney Jason Margulies of Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman. “What you really get is a cruise ship that has a lot of risky activity in remote areas without easy access to medical care,” he said.
