I’ve just been lucky enough to sail on the Sea Cloud II from Barcelona all the way to Copenhagen. It was the loveliest month I’ve spent in a long, long time. All the usual things I love about your expeditions were there — wonderful food, great service, cheerful crew, interesting stops along the way and experts to interpret them for us, fellow passengers who often become friends, not to mention a really skilled expedition leader. As usual, thanks for everything.

But this voyage had something different, uniquely special, something beyond what Lindblad ordinarily offers. It’s what I sometimes think of as the “breathtaking moment” — something so wonderful that it literally takes your breath away. Like your first glimpse of the Grand Canyon… hearing the voice of a leopard hunting outside your tent at night… spotting a blue whale or watching humpbacks bubble feeding… a tame mocking bird in the Galapagos coming to sit on your knee.

In this case, that moment was supplied by the experience of the ship itself. The physical splendor of the thing is a wonder, to be sure, but it was the feeling of a tall ship under sail, watching the crew handle the rigging, learning from the Captain and the officers how things work — these were the things that set this journey apart. Truly, the Sea Cloud II was the destination on these voyages.