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Dispatches from National Geographic Endurance: Inaugural Celebration

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National Geographic Endurance makes her debut! Scheduled to launch in April of 2020, she was at anchor until now—July 22, 2021—when a jubilant Lindblad Expeditions team welcomed her first-ever guests and celebrated with time-honored ship christening traditions. Here’s a taste of what it felt like to be there. Get Inspired By Photos, Videos, Webinars, Stories, And Exclusive Offers. Sign Up

National Geographic Endurance makes her debut! Scheduled to launch in April of 2020, she was at anchor until now—July 22, 2021—when a jubilant Lindblad Expeditions team welcomed her first-ever guests and celebrated with time-honored ship christening traditions. Here’s a taste of what it felt like to be there. Get Inspired By Photos, Videos, Webinars, Stories, And Exclusive Offers. Sign Up

High up on National Geographic Endurance’s Bridge deck, against the backdrop of Reykjavík’s distinctive Harpa Concert Hall, Lindblad Expeditions’ Director of Field Staff & Expedition Development, Jen Martin, and Ana Esteves, Director of Hotel Operations, are ready to perform the champagne toss.

Photo: Michael S. Nolan

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The energy, the enthusiasm, the dedication that has been put in to the making of this ship was for one purpose only—to make it possible for you folks to go out and explore the world, to appreciate all its wonders and then to face together some of the challenges that we inevitably must as it relates to the natural world.

Sven-Olof Lindblad, Founder and Co-Chair of the Board

Built For Adventure

As befitting a ship christening held in Iceland, a saga was recounted: guests watched this video showing the National Geographic Endurance's journey from drawing board to a dock in Reykjavik, where she stands ready to receive them and fulfill her mission to explore and understand the world. [Interesting fact: National Geographic Endurance is the first ship ever to be christened in Reykjavik harbor—her first of, hopefully, many history-making distinctions.]

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What was wonderful for me to witness was a number of you meeting staff from our ships that you knew, sometimes more than ten years ago, and so there is a family feeling already, and that is a big part of who we are.

Dolf Berle, CEO

Explore the ship

And once aboard

Guests entered their cabins (the first guests ever to have occupied them) to find the first-ever inaugural parka, Arctic Blue edition, waiting on their bed.

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It’s an absolute honor to stand here as captain of this wonderful ship, on this special day. All of us as crew members aboard the ship and the wider Lindblad family, we have waited for so long for this moment.

Aaron Wood, Captain

Inspired to join us? There are still a few choice cabins left aboard Iceland & Greenland: Wild Coasts & Icy Shores for two August departures. Don't miss out on adventure aboard a "virgin ship!"