HERITAGE EXPEDITION CRUISES

Heritage Expeditions was formed in 1984, as a way of increasing awareness and conservation of the natural world through responsible expedition travel. Its founder Rodney Russ was a biologist working for the New Zealand Wildlife Service. Through his work on Kakapo, Black Robin and other endangered species he appreciated that rather than locking wilderness areas away, it was important to share them with people so that they might become ‘ambassadors’ advocating and supporting conservation efforts. He has long held the view that conservation and responsible travel are partners, that together can achieve what might otherwise be unachievable.

From those small beginnings Heritage Expeditions, which is still family-owned and run, now by his sons Aaron and Nathan Russ, operates its own Polar Research vessels Spirit of Enderby (Professor Khromov) and Akademik Shokalskiy, on expeditions to Antarctica, the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia, through Indonesia and Melanesia, and the Russian Far East. Each authentic, small-ship expedition cruise is meticulously planned and led ensuring expeditioners (up to 50 per voyage) maximise every opportunity they have to learn and experience as much as possible about the region, while at the same time minimising the impact of their visit.

Today Heritage Expeditions works from modern purpose-built offices in Christchurch, New Zealand. When booking with us you benefit from the enormous wealth of experience, knowledge and passion of our team for the destinations we visit.

The Spirit of Enderby (Professor Khromov) is a fully ice-strengthened expedition vessel, built in 1984 for polar and oceanographic research and is perfect for Expedition Travel. She carries just 50 passengers and was refurbished in May 2019 to provide comfortable accommodation in twin share cabins approximately half of which have private facilities. All cabins have outside windows or portholes and ample storage space. On board there is a recently updated combined bar/library lounge area and a dedicated lecture room. The cuisine is excellent and is prepared by top NZ and Australian chefs.

The real focus and emphasis of every expedition is getting you ashore as often as possible for as long as possible with maximum safety and comfort. Our Expeditions are accompanied by some of the most experienced naturalists and guides, who have devoted a lifetime to field research in the areas that we visit. The ship is crewed by a very enthusiastic and most experienced Russian Captain and crew.

Spirit of Enderby

The name Spirit of Enderby honours the work and the vision of the Enderby Brothers of London. The Enderby Captains were at the forefront of Antarctic exploration for almost 40 years in the early 1800s. It also celebrates Enderby Island, arguably the greatest Subantarctic Island in the world. Technical description: Classification:
Russian register KM ice class
Year built: 1984 Accommodation: 50 berths
Shipyard: Finland
Main engines: power 2×1560 bhp (2x 1147 Kw)
Register: Russia
Maximum speed: 12 knots (2 engines),
Cruising speed: 10 knots (one engine)
Bunker capacity: 320 tons.

Upcoming Itineraries<p/p>

INDONESIAN

EXPLORER

 13 nights from Misool to Madang, starting at US$6995 per person.

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INDONESIAN

EXPLORER

13 nights from Misool to Madang, starting at US$6995 per person.

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MELANESIA

DISCOVERER

13 nights from Madang to Honiara, starting at US$6995 per person.

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MELANESIA

DISCOVERER

13 nights from Madang to Honiara, starting at US$6995 per person.

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SECRETS OF

MELANESIA

11 nights from Honiara to Port Vila, starting at US$5495 per person.

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SECRETS OF

MELANESIA

11 nights from Honiara to Port Vila, starting at US$5495 per person.

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WESTERN PACIFIC

ODYSSEY

30 night cruise from Tauranga to Yokohama, starting at US$9600 per person.

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WESTERN PACIFIC

ODYSSEY

30 night cruise from Tauranga to Yokohama, starting at US$9600 per person.

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