Activities in the Arctic
Small ship cruises of the Arctic could scarcely be more different. Far fewer passengers for one thing, usually between 50 and 250 on a ship. Onboard amenities, while perfectly adequate for a week or two, are much more limited. You might have a library, a fitness suite, even a small pool, and there will be a restaurant, but not much beyond that. The reason for that is perfectly simple: the boat is just a means of getting from A to B, you’re supposed to get off as much as possible. Of course your time onboard is far from dull – in fact the travel hours fly by as you admire the Arctic scenery, practise your photography on sea birds and marine wildlife, attend talks from the expedition team and gasp in awe at the icebergs floating past.
Our Arctic cruising Holidays
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 specialist led Arctic safari in Svalbard.
Chukotka and Wrangel Island wildlife cruises, Russia
Explore Russian Arctic - home to Polar Bears, walrus & more
Arctic sailing voyages, Spitsbergen
Experience sailing in the fjords
Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
Spitsbergen wildlife cruises
Encounters with glaciers, polar bears and icebergs.
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
Arctic polar bear cruise, Spitsbergen
Arctic expedition cruise searching for polar bears
Arctic cruise to Greenland and Iceland
Explore the stunning natural beauty of Greenland and Iceland
Arctic cruise holidays
Explore the Arctic: Greenland, Spitsbergen and Iceland
Spitsbergen cruise, 6 days
A 6 day 'taster voyage' to explore Spitsbergen's highlights
Arctic expedition cruise, circumnavigation of Spitsbergen
Discover incredible wildlife and glaciers on this Arctic Voyage
Spitsbergen to Franz Josefland cruise
bowhead whales polar bears walrus birdlife & kayaking
Arctic cruise holiday, Spitsbergen
Explore the unique landscape and culture of Spitsbergen.
Northern lights sailing holiday in Norway
Sailing and hiking in the land of the Aurora Borealis!
North Pole expedition cruise
The Ultimate Arctic Bucket List Expedition!
Arctic cruise adventure holiday
Sail from Spitsbergen to Greenland on an arctic adventure
Spitsbergen Arctic Cruise
An exciting wildlife cruise around the Svalbard archipelago
Iceland circumnavigation cruise
A thrilling, complete Iceland experience!
Kamchatka cruise in Russia, ring of fire expedition
Discover dramatic scenery & birdlife in the Russian Far East
East Greenland cruise
Dramatic Arctic Mountains, Inuits, Towering Icebergs Whales
Journey to the North Pole
The ultimate Polar voyage: sail to 90º north
Spitsbergen summer holiday, glaciers of Isfjorden
Arctic summer holiday - the Norwegian archipelago, Svalbard
Polar bear expedition in Spitsbergen
Expedition cruise searching for polar bears in the Arctic
Greenland voyage cruise and northern lights
The world's longest fjord & spectacular Aurora Borealis
Baffin Island cruising expedition, Canada
Expert Led, Polar Bears Belugas, Narwhals, Inuit Culture
Arctic cruise from Spitsbergen to Greenland
Expedition cruise taking in the Arctic highlights
Arctic activities
Nature hikes
Northern Lights
From late September until April the Arctic sky darkens enough to make it possible to view the Northern Lights. The majority of Arctic cruise holidays take place in the summer months when the weather is warmer and the ice more broken up, but there are some Arctic Northern Lights cruises that depart as late as September in search of the aurora borealis.Sea kayaking
Along with their RIB launches for land excursions, many ships also carry a number of sea kayaks. The waters are generally calm, so you can paddle along as part of a group, getting much closer to gigantic icebergs, coastline and wildlife such as whales, sea birds and seals than you would be able to on the ship itself. Beyond being a good way to shake out the kinks in your muscles after days of cruising, sea kayaking promises another amazing perspective on the Arctic scenery.Polar Plunge
Dog sledding
Exploring the coastline around Spitsbergen in the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago is a common Arctic cruise route. If your itinerary visits the main town on Spitsbergen, Longyearbyen, then you might be able to book a session of mushing aboard a husky-drawn sledge – bound to be one of the most exhilarating moments of your trip even though it may not compare to your first sighting of a polar bear.Beach cleans
Sadly, while we may think of it as one of the Earth’s last remaining pristine wildernesses, even the Arctic is no stranger to the curse of plastic pollution. The movement of ocean currents mean that beaches are often sprinkled with waste that’s both unsightly and a hazard for Arctic wildlife. Some Arctic cruises organise beach cleans, and it’s always worth bringing a bag with you on any shore excursion to pick up any litter you find.Our top Arctic cruising Holiday
Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
2020: 20 May, 30 May, 31 May, 3 Jun, 5 Jun, 6 Jun, 7 Jun, 9 Jun, 10 Jun, 11 Jun, 12 Jun, 14 Jun, 17 Jun, 19 Jun, 21 Jun, 22 Jun, 24 Jun, 26 Jun, 27 Jun, 30 Jun, 1 Jul, 2 Jul, 5 Jul, 6 Jul, 9 Jul, 10 Jul, 17 Jul, 19 Jul, 23 Jul, 28 Jul, 30 Jul, 2 Aug, 3 Aug, 6 Aug, 8 Aug, 9 Aug, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, 15 Aug, 18 Aug, 24 Aug, 25 Aug, 28 Aug
2021: 7 Jul, 18 Aug