The vast majority of Aurora Expeditions' passengers are Australians, with a mix of other nationalities, usually coming from New Zealand, the U.K., Europe and the United States. The unique itineraries attract a wide age range of travelers, comprising both couples and solos, many of whom are repeat Aurora cruisers. All Aurora cruisers share a sense of adventure and love of nature and the outdoors.

Aurora cruises are casual with no expectation to dress for dinner. Instead, cruisers should pack for the itinerary and expected weather -- a comfortable pair of well worn-in hiking boots is much more important than a collared shirt for dinner.

No. The cruise fare for an Aurora Expeditions sailing includes your accommodations, daily shore excursions, any entry fees during excursions, all meals and house wines, beer and soft drinks during dinner. There are also a captain's welcome and farewell parties with free drinks. Nice little extras include a complimentary three-in-one polar jacket on polar voyages and a personalized voyage photo book. All Antarctic voyages include one night's pre-voyage accommodation and arrival airport transfer (on selected preferred flights).

If you book a suite, you get a few other perks, like a free pair of binoculars, a one-hour spa treatment per person, a free stocked mini-bar and a free bottle of Champagne. Gratuities for the crew to the value of $15 per person, per day are also included.

You'll pay extra for beverages outside of dinner, spa treatments, transfers on most sailings and gratuities (unless you're staying in a suite).

Aurora Expeditions' style of cruising is reminiscent of a traditional land-based expedition, which is just how Aurora's passengers like it. As a result, shore excursions are adventurous; among the most popular of these are camping on the ice in the Polar regions, polar snorkeling and scuba diving, and mountaineering in a variety of locales.

Onboard, a front-runner are the line's photography classes with an expert offering lectures and presentations to help improve people's picture-taking skills before they put them into practice during landings and excursions.

Best for: People with a passion for the natural world who enjoy discovering new places, experiences and people

Not for: Anyone who prefers to hang out onboard the ship rather than head ashore to explore these incredible destinations