I spent $7,000 on an 8-day luxury cruise with just 100 passengers on board. I can't recommend it enough.

03.09.2024 - 17:53 / insider.com / Jacques Cousteau

In February, I went on a Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic cruise that was unlike any other trip I'd ever been on before.

I snorkeled next to sea lions, swam with exotic fish, and came so close to a gray whale that I could've reached out and touched it.

Although $7,000 per person for an eight-day, seven-night journey isn't cheap, my trip came with a lot of perks — and I didn't spend any additional money on board.

Here's why this bucket-list experience was worth every penny.

My son and I flew nonstop from Los Angeles to Loreto, Mexico, where Lindblad's team greeted us. Comfy coaches whisked us to our temporary floating home, the National Geographic Venture.

The luxurious ship had outdoor decks, an indoor lounge with seating for all passengers, and numerous practical amenities, such as a fitness center.

The Venture has 50 cabins for 100 guests. We shared a stateroom with Scandinavian-style furniture, including two single beds, a foldout couch, and a desk.

Our room's large windows allowed us to watch the scenery float by.

As soon as we unpacked, passengers and crew got acquainted at an introductory meeting.

Related stories

Our captain mapped out the route: We'd start in Loreto on the Sea of Cortez and loop around the Baja Peninsula to the Pacific Ocean. We would disembark in San Carlos, where a coach would escort us back to the Loreto airport.

The ship's team of naturalists, educators, and photography instructors introduced themselves and shared their enthusiasm from the start.

One standout part of the Venture was its fleet of Zodiacs. These sturdy, inflatable boats hold a dozen passengers and would allow us to access places larger vessels can't, ferrying us to remote locations for up-close observations and interactions with marine life.

Accompanied by a naturalist, we'd board the Zodiacs early in the morning and go on adventures every day.

We got to experience the striking landscape of red volcanic ash and fossilized sand dunes on remote Puerto Gato. There, we chose which activity to partake in: I snorkeled and kayaked while my son balanced on a paddleboard.

Together, we also hiked the dry riverbed with a naturalist who pointed out exotic desert vegetation.

While in Los Islotes, we encountered dozens of playful sea lions as they sunbathed on rocks and frolicked in the sea.

At Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, we snorkeled around coral reefs filled with colorful fish.

I've snorkeled in many parts of the world, but being in Cabo Pulmo made it clear to me why oceanographer Jacques Cousteau once referred to Baja as "the world's aquarium."

Of course, we saw many whales during the trip. After all, our itinerary was called Baja California: Among the Great Whales.

February is Baja's prime