Arctic Cruises travel guide


The Arctic is...
The Arctic isn't...
Our Arctic cruising Holidays
Spitsbergen Arctic Cruise
An exciting wildlife cruise around the Svalbard archipelago
Arctic wildlife holiday, Polar bear explorer
A wildlife focused Arctic safari in Svalbard
Arctic sailing voyages, Spitsbergen
Experience sailing in the fjords
Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
Chukotka and Wrangel Island wildlife cruises, Russia
Explore Russian Arctic - home to Polar Bears, walrus & more
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
Spitsbergen polar bear watching cruise
Venture into the staggering realm of the King of the Arctic
Svalbard luxury cruise in the Arctic
Polar bears, glaciers and snow covered mountains in luxury
Iceland circumnavigation cruise
A thrilling, complete Iceland experience!
Spitsbergen cruise, 6 days
A 6 day 'taster voyage' to explore Spitsbergen's highlights
Spitsbergen luxury cruises
Experience this Arctic wildlife paradise in ultimate luxury!
Baffin Island cruising expedition, Canada
Expert Led, Polar Bears Belugas, Narwhals, Inuit Culture
Northwest Passage cruise in the High Arctic
In-depth adventure along the fabled sea route
Western Arctic cruise, Canada and Greenland
Venture where the sun never sets
Spitsbergen and North East Greenland cruises
Northern Lights Whales Polar Bears Icebergs Glaciers Culture
Greenland voyage cruise and northern lights
The world's longest fjord & spectacular Aurora Borealis
Kamchatka cruise in Russia, ring of fire expedition
Discover dramatic scenery & birdlife in the Russian Far East
Greenland adventure and diving expedition
Greenland's dramatic scenery for divers & non-divers alike
East Greenland cruise
Dramatic Arctic Mountains, Inuits, Towering Icebergs Whales
Arctic cruise, heart of the Northwest Passage
Explore the Arctic region’s diverse treasures
Russian Arctic Circle cruise with Wrangel Island
Unique expedition across the top of the world
Arctic cruises, Spitsbergen to Franz Josef Land
Navigate to remote parts of the Arctic
Highlights of Spitsbergen holiday
5 night cruise through the heart of the Arctic
Arctic islands cruise, Iceland, Greenland and Spitsbergen
Discover the wild and rugged coasts of the Arctic
Spitsbergen to Franz Josefland cruise
bowhead whales polar bears walrus birdlife & kayaking
Northwest Passage Arctic cruise, Canada and Greenland
Retrace the steps of the intrepid Franklin Expedition
Spitsbergen wildlife cruise
Explore the Svalbard Archipelago, a paradise of ice
Russian Arctic cruises to Franz Josef Land
Voyage to icy archipelagos in the Russian High Arctic
North Atlantic arctic cruise, Aberdeen to Longyearbyen
Explore Spitsbergen via the Faroes and Jan Mayen
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
Luxury Arctic cruise Spitsbergen & Franz Josef Land
A unique expedition to rarely visited Franz Josef Land
2021: 9 Jul, 21 Jul, 2 Aug
2022: 23 Jul, 3 Aug, 15 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.