Arctic Cruises travel guide


The Arctic is...
The Arctic isn't...
Our Arctic cruising Holidays
Chukotka and Wrangel Island wildlife cruises, Russia
Explore Russian Arctic - home to Polar Bears, walrus & more
Spitsbergen Arctic Cruise
An exciting wildlife cruise around the Svalbard archipelago
Arctic sailing voyages, Spitsbergen
Experience sailing in the fjords
Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
Luxury Arctic cruise Spitsbergen & Franz Josef Land
A unique expedition to rarely visited Franz Josef Land
North Spitsbergen cruise, in search of Polar Bears
Expert Led, Polar Bears, Whales, Birdlife, photography
Arctic wildlife holiday, Polar bear explorer
A wildlife focused Arctic safari in Svalbard
Iceland circumnavigation cruise
A thrilling, complete Iceland experience!
Svalbard luxury cruise in the Arctic
Polar bears, glaciers and snow covered mountains in luxury
Spitsbergen polar bear watching cruise
Venture into the staggering realm of the King of the Arctic
Svalbard wildlife cruise
Search for polar bears on this small-group cruise
Arctic islands cruise, Iceland, Greenland and Spitsbergen
Discover the wild and rugged coasts of the Arctic
East Greenland cruise
Dramatic Arctic Mountains, Inuits, Towering Icebergs Whales
Arctic expedition cruise, circumnavigation of Spitsbergen
Discover incredible wildlife and glaciers on this Arctic Voyage
Spitsbergen 2 week cruise, in depth
Rugged, wild, unspoiled and utterly unforgettable
Arctic cruises, Spitsbergen to Franz Josef Land
Navigate to remote parts of the Arctic
Arctic cruise, heart of the Northwest Passage
Explore the Arctic region’s diverse treasures
Russian High Arctic cruise
The most remote regions of the Russian High Arctic.
Western Arctic cruise, Canada and Greenland
Venture where the sun never sets
10 Day Introduction to Spitsbergen holiday
Cruise, kayak and hike in the wildlife capital of the Arctic
North Pole expedition cruise
The Ultimate Arctic Bucket List Expedition!
Icebreaker cruise to the North Pole
Embark the Icebreaker 50 to the geographic North Pole.
Arctic island cruises, Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland
A voyage encompassing three Arctic countries
Baffin Island cruising expedition, Canada
Expert Led, Polar Bears Belugas, Narwhals, Inuit Culture
Spitsbergen widlife photography cruise
Photograph iconic Arctic wildlife
Spitsbergen highlights cruise, 1 week
An epic Arctic cruise in only seven days!
Kamchatka cruise in Russia, ring of fire expedition
Discover dramatic scenery & birdlife in the Russian Far East
Arctic highlights cruise, Oslo to Reykjavik
Spitsbergen, Jan Mayen, Greenland and Iceland
Spitsbergen luxury cruises
Experience this Arctic wildlife paradise in ultimate luxury!
Greenland adventure holiday, sea, land and air
Explore Southern Greenland from land, sea and air
What we rate & what we don't
Other wildlife
Eastern Russia
Group rapport
Food onboard
Polar bears
Inuit art
Svalbard
Northeast Greenland
Old whaling camps
Northwest Passage
Whale meat
Penguins
Our top Arctic cruising Holiday
Arctic wildlife holiday, Polar bear explorer
A wildlife focused Arctic safari in Svalbard
2021: 2 May, 18 May, 26 May, 3 Jun, 11 Jun, 20 Jun, 30 Jun, 10 Jul, 20 Jul, 30 Jul, 8 Aug
WHAT DOES AN ARCTIC CRUISE ENTAIL?
Generally, you’ll start your trip by flying up to your departure point – typically Svalbard, Iceland, Greenland, Canada or eastern Russia. This means that as soon as you set foot on your boat, your Arctic adventure has begun: you’ll be sailing through chilly seas, looking out for whales and seabirds, and generally cruising along coastlines. Sailing distances are relatively short up here and land excursions are offered each day – reached using a little zodiac or RIB.
Once on land, you may be visiting Inuit communities on the Greenland or Canada's Baffin Island; watching Arctic foxes hunting guillemots on Spitsbergen, admiring the strange tundra flora of Eastern Siberia or photographing long-abandoned whaling camps.
If you are shipbound there’s plenty to keep you entertained on board – and none of it involves crooners or chorus lines. Aboard each vessel are scientists and filmmakers, researchers and geologists – who offer masterclasses in Arctic photography, reveal fascinating secrets about polar wildlife and tell the tales of those who have explored this ice sheet. Some ships have reading rooms and libraries, areas where you can upload photos to your laptop – and daily photography competitions, overseen by some of the best wildlife photographers in the industry. And of course, there are always staff on deck keeping vigil for the Arctic’s number one attraction: the polar bear. Don’t be surprised if you get summoned from your bed at 2am (this is the land of the midnight sun!) to come and watch foxes, bears or seals out on the floating ice.
If all that sounds like hard work, remember that your ship will have a bar and maybe a sauna or even a gym, so you can pick your preferred style of warming up after a chilly Arctic adventure.
Is this trip for me?
You will need to be well prepared with warm, windproof and waterproof clothing. All tour companies will provide detailed trip notes before departure, so be sure to read them! Some bulkier kit – such as rubber boots – may be supplied on board, but do check before departure.
Choosing your cruise
Deciding you want to go to the Arctic is just the very first step of planning your trip. You’ll also need to decide when and where to go, and on which ship. Our best time to go page will give you a heads up on what can be seen and when, from freshly sculpted icebergs to whale migrations. The best person to chat to is be your cruise operator, who can walk you through the different vessels and routes.Additionally, it’s worth asking which experts will be giving the onboard lectures, to find a cruise that suits your personal interests, whether that's photography, geology or polar bears.