Autumn expedition cruises

North America, Japan and the Russian Far East come alive with autumn colours, and this is the end of the cruising season in Europe and the Arctic. Many ships are on the move, repositioning to their winter bases, so look out for some interesting itineraries along the coasts of Africa and South America.

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Autumn expeditions...

7 Night Galapagos Inner Loop Cruise

Celebrity Cruises

1 Sep - 8 Sep 2024 (7 Nights)

From £7,604 pp

Aerial view of Hallgrimskirkja in Reykjavik, Iceland

A True Arctic Expedition | East Greenland & Svalbard

Hurtigruten Expeditions

1 Sep - 17 Sep 2024 (16 Nights)

From £5,302 pp

Reykjavik to Reykjavik

Crystal Expedition Cruises

1 Sep - 8 Sep 2024 (7 Nights)

Croatia, Under Sail Aboard Le Ponant

Ponant

1 Sep - 8 Sep 2024 (7 Nights)

From £8,280 pp

Inside Passage, Bears & Aleutian Islands | Southbound

Hurtigruten Expeditions

2 Sep - 18 Sep 2024 (16 Nights)

From £5,496 pp

Circumnavigating Svalbard | The Ultimate Expedition

Hurtigruten Expeditions

2 Sep - 12 Sep 2024 (10 Nights)

From £6,958 pp

Memorial to Relocated Inuits at Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada

Arctic Express Canada: The Heart of the Northwest Passage

Quark Expeditions

3 Sep - 10 Sep 2024 (7 Nights)

From £4,590 pp

Reykjavik to Reykjavik

Silversea Expeditions

3 Sep - 19 Sep 2024 (16 Nights)

From £16,900 pp

Find an autumn expedition cruise

Our insight

Adventures in autumn

Canada and New England are well known for their 'fall colours', and this is a popular region for mainstream cruise ships at this time of year. Expedition vessels also ply this route, but don't expect anything too adventurous. For a more unusual autumn colours voyage, head to the Russian Far East; this is a particularly good time of year for spotting brown bears.

Japan also puts on quite a show when it comes to autumn foliage, providing an interesting counterpoint to the cherry blossom season in spring, and you'll often find expedition ships here at this time of year. As autumn moves into winter, look out for interesting itineraries around the myriad islands of Indonesia. This is also a good time to visit the South Pacific, when the weather is cooler and drier.

October and November can be a good time to visit West Africa, when the fierce summer heat has subsided, and some cruise lines linger here before repositioning to South America or the Indian Ocean. By the end of October there are already ships in Antarctica, and while these early season cruises are too soon to see penguin chicks or whales, you will experience the snowy scenery at its most pristine.