(CNN) -- Filmmaker James Cameron may be about to set out on the first solo dive to the Mariana Trench, the deepest known point of the world's oceans, but sojourns to the darkest recesses of the sea are far from the sole preserve of intrepid would-be record breakers. For wealthy enthusiasts with a passion for underwater endeavors, delving into the deepest and most mysterious ocean basins is a niche but accessible form of adventure tourism. Several companies around the world offer midrange dives of between 1,500 and 3,000 feet, but only specialist tour operator Deep Ocean Expeditions takes paying customers to depths of 10,000 feet and beyond.Wealthy tourists can voyage to the bottom of the sea with specialist tourist companiesExpeditions visit the wreck sites of historic vessels such as the Titanic and BismarckDeep sea tourism could take off soon, says marine specialist Capt. Alfred S. McLaren
"My experiences of visiting _ are vastly different from the Titanic," McLaren said.