Best eco-cruising destinations

We Recommend: For the dedicated nature lover, an expedition cruise is the best way to explore Alaska's waterways. Why? First of all, the naturalist expedition leader will both expertly seek out the best nature-sighting opportunities and deliver educational enrichment lectures on what you are seeing. The smaller vessels can get into out-of-the-way spots to track down wildlife invisible to the big ships' passengers. Our pick for expedition cruising in Alaska is Cruise West, simply because they have been doing it for so long and they have the largest fleet dedicated to the exploration of natural Alaska. In addition, they carry Zodiac inflatables for even closer visits with natural phenomena.

For those who don't want to give up the perks of the big ships we recommend a cruise/tour package with a finale in Denali booked with either Princess or Holland America. The reason we pick these two lines is because they pretty much pioneered traditional cruising in Alaska and have the longest running relationships with local tourism operators, not to mention owning a substantial amount of their own infrastructure (each, for example, owns its own private rail cars for the Alaska Railroad).

The Galapagos Islands
What Not to Miss: The Galapagos Islands are a crucible of evolution and geology. Here both processes have been sped up dramatically, as the isolation of the islands cause rapid adaptation of species to the islands' unique environmental pressures. The Galapagos' most famous visitor, Charles Darwin, developed major portions of evolutionary theory by observing the diversity of the adaptation of bird species -- especially finches. Modern birders eagerly follow in his footsteps when they visit here. Along the islands' shores there are numerous shore and aquatic birds, including penguins, sharing their habitat with different types of seals and sea lions. And, of course, there are the reptiles that most people think of immediately when the Galapagos are mentioned: iguanas and giant tortoises. Amateur geologists will take more interest in the islands' location in one of the most active volcanic regions on earth -- the Nazca Plate, which is moving the islands toward South America at a blistering rate of 2.75 inches per year. (At the current rate the Galapagos should come crashing into the coast of Ecuador in the year 15208405 AD -- don't blink!)

Rodrigo Buendia / AFP/Getty Images Tourists take pictures of "Solitario George" (Lonely George), the last giant alive tortoise of this species, native from the Pinta Island, at the Galapagos National Parc in the Santa Cruz Island.

We recommend: The Galapagos Islands lend themselves perfectly to expedition cruising; they are a naturalist's dream. But we recommend the recently forged Celebrity Xpeditions, and their flagship Celebrity Xpedition. This 94-passenger, 2,329-ton ship combines traditional expedition cruising with hotel and catering provided by Celebrity Cruises, because we think that communing with nature and comfort and style can go hand-in-hand, and there's no reason you can't enjoy a dry martini while listening in rapt attention to a naturalist's lecture.

Mexico's Sea of Cortez

Slide show   Marvelous Mexico Vacationers flock to Mexican destinations for sun, sand, snorkeling, mariachis and margaritas – but each city differs and offers something for everyone. more photos

What Not to Miss: The Sea of Cortez, a.k.a. the Gulf of California, has been referred to as "the world's biggest fish trap." Here tidal currents bring in a multitude of sea life from its confluence with the Pacific Ocean at Cabo San Lucas, and, sustained by the nutrient rich waters, they thrive, and either fail to be able to find their way back through the narrow opening, or simply choose not to. As a result there is a very long food chain, extending all the way from plankton to sperm whales. You can expect to see whales and perhaps whale sharks, and leaping giant Pacific manta rays. During the winter season, when the California Grey whales come to the Sea of Cortes to calve, you can expect, by Zodiac raft, to get almost within touching distance of these leviathans. For snorkelers there are numerous reefs, and there are even islands where you can snorkel or dive with sea lions.

We recommend: Lindblad Expeditions. They've been doing Baja for 20 years, and, although other cruise lines have expedition voyages there, Lindblad is nearly synonymous with the region. Committing their twin ships Sea Bird and Sea Lion (each carrying 70 guests, all in outside cabins), Lindblad maintains a presence in Baja throughout whale season -- and beyond -- January through July.

South Florida-based Faber is a longtime contributor to Cruise Critic and also columnist for Cruise Critic's Cruise News & Reviews. Beyond our publications, Faber's work has appeared in a myriad of outlets, including Cruise Travel Magazine, "The Miami Herald" and "The Total Traveler Guide to Worldwide Cruising."

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