We have some wonderful news to share: Cruise Routes has won Best Newcomer to Expedition Cruise, in the Travel Agency or Tour Operator category, at the Expedition Cruise Network Awards 2026!
Announced at Amazing Grace in London on 29 September, the award marks a special moment in our first year as Cruise Routes. We’re delighted to celebrate it with the travellers, partners and team who have been part of our journey.
A new name, years of exploration
While Cruise Routes is a new name, our passion for expedition cruising has a much longer history.
Many of our travellers first knew us as Polar Routes, helping people discover Antarctica, the Arctic and the extraordinary experiences that make polar travel so memorable. This year, becoming Cruise Routes opened a new chapter, taking that specialist knowledge and personal approach to a wider world of exploration cruising.
Our polar expertise remains at the heart of what we do. Alongside it sits an expanding choice of journeys, from wildlife encounters in the Galápagos to remote coastlines in the Kimberley and adventures along the Amazon.
What connects them is our belief that travelling by smaller ship can bring you closer to the places you came to discover.
Why this recognition means so much
The Expedition Cruise Network Awards celebrate the businesses and individuals helping expedition cruising thrive. To receive recognition within this specialist community is a proud moment for our team.
Choosing an expedition cruise is exciting, but there is plenty to consider. Ships, seasons, expedition activities and time ashore can all shape your experience, even when two itineraries look similar on paper.
Our role is to help you understand those differences. We take the time to learn what excites you, answer your questions and find a journey that suits the way you want to explore.
That personal approach has guided us from Polar Routes to Cruise Routes, and it continues to shape every cruise holiday we help plan.
Thank you for being part of our journey
To our clients, thank you for trusting us with your adventures and sharing your enthusiasm for discovering the world. To our cruise partners, thank you for your support as we grow. And to our team, this is a moment to celebrate the knowledge, care and energy you bring to Cruise Routes every day.
Congratulations, too, to our fellow winners and finalists across the expedition cruise community.
This award is a wonderful milestone in an exciting year, and we look forward to helping even more travellers discover what exploration cruising can offer.
Ready to plan your own adventure? Get in touch with our award-winning team to find your next exploration cruise.
