Lindblad Expeditions
National Geographic Orion
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Ship comparison
National Geographic Orion vs Santa Cruz II
Tauck River Cruises
Santa Cruz II
- Cruises
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The verdict
Which should you choose?
National Geographic Orion is an intimate Lindblad Expeditions ship carrying 102 passengers, in service since 2003. Santa Cruz II is an intimate Tauck River Cruises ship carrying 90 passengers, in service since 2015.
Choose National Geographic Orion if you want a better-rated spa and gym, more culture or more space per passenger: it outscores Santa Cruz II for spa & fitness (8.0 vs 4.0) and cultural (8.0 vs 4.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and it has 39.7 gross tons per passenger (vs 29.6).
Choose Santa Cruz II if you want more of a party, a newer ship or a more family-friendly ship: it outscores National Geographic Orion for party (3.0 vs 0.0) and family friendly (7.5 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its maiden voyage was in 2015 (vs 2003).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| National Geographic Orion | Santa Cruz II | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Lindblad Expeditions | Tauck River Cruises |
| Ship size | Intimate | Intimate |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2003 | 2015 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | — | 2021 |
| Gross tonnage | 4,050 | 2,664 |
| Passengers | 102 | 90 |
| Crew | 75 | 50 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 1.4 (better) | 1.8 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 39.7 (better) | 29.6 |
| Cabins | — | 50 |
| Decks | 5 | 5 |
| Length | 337 ft | 235 ft |
| Beam | 46 ft | 44 ft |
| Speed | 18 mph | — |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | — |
| Cruises on sale | — | 1 |
| Upcoming sailings | — | 6 |
| Cruise lengths | — | 7 nights |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. National Geographic Orion leads on 2 of the ten, Santa Cruz II on 4, with 4 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Lindblad Expeditions
National Geographic Orion
The state-of-the-art National Geographic Orion, owned by Lindblad Expeditions since 2013, serves as a luxurious base camp for voyages to the far-flung corners of the planet. A fully stabilized, ice-class vessel, the Orion is at home navigating polar ice as well the small harbors of Europe. The ship accommodates 102 guests in 53 cabins.
Highlights
- Top-flight experts on board on every voyage
- Fascinating itineraries on an intimate ship
About National Geographic Orion Plan my cruise on National Geographic Orion
Tauck River Cruises
Santa Cruz II
Sailing now
1 cruise on sale.
Questions
National Geographic Orion or Santa Cruz II?
Which is bigger, National Geographic Orion or Santa Cruz II?
National Geographic Orion is bigger at 4,050 gross tons, against 2,664 gross tons for Santa Cruz II. National Geographic Orion carries 102 passengers and Santa Cruz II carries 90.
Which ship is newer, National Geographic Orion or Santa Cruz II?
Santa Cruz II is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2015 against 2003 for National Geographic Orion.
Which has more space per passenger?
National Geographic Orion, with 39.7 gross tons per passenger against 29.6 on Santa Cruz II. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
National Geographic Orion, with one crew member for every 1.4 passengers against one for every 1.8 on Santa Cruz II.
Which is better for families?
Santa Cruz II scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 7.5 out of 10, against 6.0 for National Geographic Orion.
Still deciding?
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