Awards and Honors

Some of our recent recognitions

Lindblad Expeditions' commitment to environmental stewardship, conservation, and geographic education has garnered numerous awards. They are equally honored for the recognition they consistently receive from guests, editors, and travel agents for the authentic expedition experiences they deliver and the standard of service they provide.

01

2022

Best Cruise Line in the Galápagos (Expedition Category)
2022 Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards

World’s Best Green Cruise Line
World Cruise Awards 2022

GOLD: Best Expedition Line
Recommend Magazine 2022 Reader’s Choice Awards

GOLD: Cruise Marketing/Live Events: LIVE FROM ANTARCTICA with “Good Morning America” & Lindblad Expeditions
Travel Weekly 2022 Magellan Awards

Best Expedition Cruise Line
Porthole Magazine 2022 Reader’s Choice Awards

Silver, Best Expedition Line
Gold, Best New Expedition Ship (National Geographic Resolution)
2022 Travvy Awards

Best Expedition Ships
Conde Nast Traveler Reader's Choice Awards

Best Expedition Cruise Line 
Virtuoso Best of the Best Travel Awards

Best Adventure Cruise Lines
USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Award

Best Expedition Cruise Line
Luxury Travel Advisor's Readers' Choice Awards

“The 10 Best Intimate-ship Ocean Cruise Lines”
Travel & Leisure Reader’s Choice Awards 

USTOA Future Lights of the Tour Industry
Ana Esteves, VP of Hotel Operations, Lindblad Expeditions

 

02

2021

Best Adventure Cruise Lines
USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Award

Top Small-ship Ocean Cruise Lines
Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards

#1 Small Ship Cruise Line
Condé Nast Traveler’s 2021 Readers' Choice Awards

Best Expedition Cruise Lines
Recommend Magazine’s 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards  

2021 Travel Weekly Sustainability Award
Sven Lindblad

03

2020

#1 Expedition Cruise
2020 AFAR Travelers’ Awards

Top Small Ship Cruise Lines
2020 Conde Nast Readers’ Choice Awards

Best Cruise Lines: Expedition
Travel Weekly 2020 Readers Choice Awards

Best Cruise Lines: Under 500 Berths
Travel Weekly 2020 Readers Choice Awards

Best Cruise Lines – Expedition Silver Award
Recommend Readers’ Choice Awards

Top Small Ship Cruise Lines
Travel + Leisure World’s Best

Best Expedition Cruise Lines (ocean-going)
TravelAge West Wave Awards

Best Adventure Cruise Lines  
USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

04

2019

Top Small Ship Cruise Line in Alaska
Cruise Critic’s 2019 Cruisers’ Choice Destination Awards

Top 10 Small-Ship Ocean Cruise Lines
Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2019

Top Small Cruise Lines in The World
Condé Nast Traveler’s 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards

Best Expedition Cruise Itinerary
Travel Weekly Gold Magellan Awards 

Best Adventure Travel Company
USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Award

Best Adventure Cruise Lines 
USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

Best Family Friendly Travel Provider of the Year
Global Traveler Magazine’s Wherever Family Awards

Caring for Community, Environment and Protecting Local Heritage
Ensemble Travel Purpose Awards

 

05

2018

Best for Adventure (Ocean Category)
Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards

Top Small Ship Cruise Lines
Conde Nast Traveler 2018 Readers Choice Awards

Sven Lindblad
AFAR VANGUARD Award

Partner
2018 Virtuoso Sustainable Tourism Leadership

Celebrating The Year Of The Bird In South Georgia & The Falklands
Travel Weekly Magazine Gold Magellan Award: Best Expedition Cruise Itinerary

Sven Lindblad
Rocking the Boat’s Whitehall Award:

Top Small Ship Ocean Cruise Lines
Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards

#1 Best Dining (Small Ship Category): National Geographic Explorer
Cruise Critic Cruisers’ Choice Awards:

The World’s Best Cruises: Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands aboard National Geographic Orion
Conde Nast Traveler 2018 Gold List
06

2017

2017 Afar Magazine’s Travelers' Choice Cruise Awards:
Best Expedition Cruise Lines

2017 USA Today’s 10Best.com Readers' Choice Awards
Best Adventure Cruise Lines

2017 Ocean Cruise Line - Best for Adventure
Cruise Critic Editor's Pick

2017 Recommend Magazine’s Readers’s Choice Awards:
Best Cruise Line in Expedition Cruises, Silver Award

2017 Town & Country Travel Cruise Awards
Best Active Itineraries

2017 Porthole Cruise Readers' Choice Awards
Best Expedition Cruise Line

2017 Travel + Leisure World’s Best
Top Small-ship Ocean Cruise Lines

2017 Andrew Harper Grand Award for Best Cruise
Antarctica on National Geographic Explorer

2017 Andrew Harper Grand Award for Best Cruise
The staff on National Geographic Explorer

2017 Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards:
Top Small Ship Cruise Lines

2017 Travvy Award
Best Cruise Line - Expedition/Adventure

2017 TravelAge West Wave Awards
Best Expedition Cruise Line (ocean-going)

2017 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards
Best Expedition Cruise Lines
07

2016

2016 Andrew Harper's Reader Choice Awards
Best Cruise Lines

2016 Recommend Readers’ Choice Awards
Best Expedition Cruise Line

2016 Town & Country Cruise Awards
Best For Families, Expedition Cruises & Best For Onboard Activities, Expedition Cruises

Condé Nast Traveler 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards
Top Small Ship Cruise Lines

Cruise Critic US Editors’ Picks Awards
2016 Best for Adventure

Virtuoso
2016 Virtuoso Best Vast Partner Award

Global Travel Magazine’s Leisure Lifestyle Awards
2016 Best Adventure Cruise Line

Celebrated Living Magazine’s 2016 Platinum List Awards
Best Boutique Cruises

2016 Travel Weekly Magazine Gold Magellan Award
Best Cruise line Itinerary for Celebrating Shackleton

2016 Recommend Readers Choice Award
Best Expedition Cruise Line
08

2015

2015 Global Traveler Magazine’s Leisure Travel Awards
Best Adventure Cruise Line

2015 World Travel Awards
World’s Leading Green Cruise Line

2015 Tourism Cares Travel Philanthropy Awards
Legacy in Travel Philanthropy

2015 Cigar Aficionado Magazine’s World’s Best Cruises
Best Cruise Line for Adventure

Porthole Cruise Magazine 2015 Readers’ Choice Awards
Best Expedition Cruise Line

Condé Nast Traveler’s 2015 Readers Choice Awards
Top Small Ship Cruise Lines

Travel Weekly Magazine
2015 Gold Magellan Award Winner | Small Cruise Ship
(500 Passengers or Under)
09

2014

Condé Nast Traveler’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards
The World’s Best Cruise Ships: National Geographic Explorer

Condé Nast Traveler’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards
Top Small Ship Cruise Lines

Condé Nast Traveler’s 2014 Readers’ Poll
Top 20 Small Cruise Ships in the World:
National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Endeavour
10

2013

Travel + Leisure
2013 Global Vision Award for Leadership

Condé Nast Traveler’s 2013 Readers’ Poll
Top Small Cruise Ships in the World:
#2 National Geographic Explorer, #3 National Geographic Endeavour

Condé Nast Traveler’s 2013 Readers’ Poll
Top Cruise Lines

2013 Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards
Best for Adventure

Condé Nast Traveler
2013 Readers’ Choice Awards – Top 25 Cruise Lines

Virtuoso
2013 Sustainable Tourism Leadership - Supplier Award

Condé Nast Traveler
2013 World Savers “Doing it All” Award

Travel + Leisure Worlds Best Awards
Top Small Ship Cruise Lines

Prow’s Edge Cruise Magazine
Best Adventure Cruise Lines 2012/2013

Condé Nast Traveler
2013 Gold List Cruise Lines
11

2012

Travel + Leisure Worlds Best Awards
Top Small Ship Cruise Lines

Travel + Leisure
World’s Best Family Cruise (for small ships) #1

Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Poll
Top 20 Small Ships:
National Geographic Endeavour #3, National Geographic Explorer #12

Condé Nast Traveler
Best in the World 2012 Cruise Lines Top Small Ship Lines #4

Cruise Critic’s 2012 Editors’ Pick Awards
Best for Adventure

Condé Nast Traveler 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards
Top 25 Cruise Lines

Porthole Cruise Magazine’s 2012 Reader’s Choice Awards
Best Expedition Cruise Line

Travel + Leisure
Best for Families - Top Small Ship Cruise Line
12

2011

Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks
Best for Adventure

Porthole Cruise Magazine
Readers’ Choice Awards - #1 Best Expedition Cruise Line

Condé Nast Traveler
2011 World Savers Award for Wildlife Conservation

Travel + Leisure
World’s Best Awards - #3 Small Ship Cruise Line

TravelAge West Wave Awards
#1 Best Cruise Line for Expedition Cruising
13

2010

Porthole Cruise Magazine
Reader’s Choice Awards – Best Expedition Cruise Line

Cruise Critic Editors’ Pick Awards
Best for Adventure

Travel + Leisure
World’s Best Hotels + Cruises for Families:
#1 Family Friendly Small-ship Cruise Line

Travel + Leisure
World’s Best Awards:
#3 Small Ship Cruise Lines

Virtuoso
Best VAST Supplier (Virtuoso Active & Specialty Supplier)

Travel Weekly Magazine Magellan Awards
National Geographic Explorer:
2010 Gold Magellan Award Winner for Cruise Ship Small Cruise Ship (500 Passengers Or Under)
14

2009

Bestowed upon Sven Lindblad by Cool Air-Clean Planet
Climate Champion Award

Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks
Best Adventure Cruise

Travel + Leisure
World’s Best For Families Award for Small-Ship Cruise Lines

Travel + Leisure
World’s Best Award for Small-Ship Cruise Lines and Tour Operators

ForbesTraveler.com
Best Adventure Cruise

Condé Nast Traveler
Gold List
15

2008


National Wildlife Federation Honors Lindblad Expeditions For Conservation Leadership with its Conservation Achievement Award for Corporate Achievement

Travel + Leisure
World’s Best Award for Small-Ship Cruise Lines and Tour Operators


The municipality of Puerto Ayora, the largest city in Galápagos, grants an award to Sven Lindblad for his commitment to the preservation and conservation of the Galápagos archipelago and his commitment to the local community.
16

2007

Tourism for Tomorrow
Global Tourism Business Award


Seafood Champion Award
17

2006

Presented to Sven Lindblad by HRH GrandDuke Henri of Luxembourg for his years of conservation leadership in the Galápagos
Medal of Commandeur de L'Ordre Civil et Militaire Adolphe de Nassau


Newly discovered endemic species of moth, Undulambia lindbladi, named in honor of Sven Lindblads dedication to Galapagos conservation

Travel + Leisure
World’s Best Value Award: #1 in Cruise Lines; #2 in Tour Operators

Travel + Leisure
World’s Best Award for Small-Ship Cruise Lines and Tour Operators

Condé Nast Traveler
Truth in Travel - The Best Crew/Service: Small Ships

Small Ships
The Best Itineraries

Condé Nast Traveler
Gold List

Condé Nast Traveler
Readers’ Choice Award
18

2002

Condé Nast Traveler
Ecotourism Award
19

2001

Conferred upon Sven Lindblad
United Nations Environment Programme Global 500 Award
20

1996

National Audubon Society
Nature Odysseys Tour Operator Award for Excellence
21

1995

National Audubon Society
Nature Odysseys Tour Operator Award for Excellence
22

1993

ASTA/Smithsonian Magazine
Environmental Award