Life onboard an Arctic cruise ship
There are different types of ship available including robust vessels that offer more basic amenities, but are suitable for venturing into very remote areas with the ability to break through stiff ice, and state-of-the-art ships that feel a lot more luxurious. Passenger numbers vary between 50 and 250, so it’s very sociable but not the sort of buzzing beehive you get on a mega-cruise. Another incentive to getting to know your fellow passengers is that you can expect to be out of mobile and internet range for long periods of time.
All of our Arctic cruise holidays are operated by suppliers that take a responsible approach to the environment, doing their best to minimise water and electricity use and waste production, but travellers can do their part by taking short showers, ensuring lights in cabins are turned off and not bringing along any excess packaging that then has to be disposed of.
Our Arctic cruising Holidays
Arctic wildlife holiday, Polar bear explorer
A wildlife focused Arctic safari in Svalbard
North Spitsbergen cruise, in search of Polar Bears
Expert Led, Polar Bears, Whales, Birdlife, photography
Chukotka and Wrangel Island wildlife cruises, Russia
Explore Russian Arctic - home to Polar Bears, walrus & more
Spitsbergen wildlife cruises
Encounters with glaciers, polar bears and icebergs.
Arctic sailing voyages, Spitsbergen
Experience sailing in the fjords
Luxury Arctic cruise Spitsbergen & Franz Josef Land
A unique expedition to rarely visited Franz Josef Land
Spitsbergen Arctic Cruise
An exciting wildlife cruise around the Svalbard archipelago
Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
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
Spitsbergen luxury cruises
Experience this Arctic wildlife paradise in ultimate luxury!
North Pole expedition cruise
The Ultimate Arctic Bucket List Expedition!
Svalbard wildlife cruise
Search for polar bears on this small-group cruise
Arctic highlights cruise, Oslo to Reykjavik
Spitsbergen, Jan Mayen, Greenland and Iceland
Greenland adventure holiday, sea, land and air
Explore Southern Greenland from land, sea and air
Kamchatka cruise in Russia, ring of fire expedition
Discover dramatic scenery & birdlife in the Russian Far East
Icebreaker cruise to the North Pole
Embark the Icebreaker 50 to the geographic North Pole.
Russian Arctic cruises to Franz Josef Land
Voyage to icy archipelagos in the Russian High Arctic
Greenland voyage cruise and northern lights
The world's longest fjord & spectacular Aurora Borealis
Spitsbergen widlife photography cruise
Photograph iconic Arctic wildlife
Northwest Passage cruise in the High Arctic
In-depth adventure along the fabled sea route
North Atlantic arctic cruise, Aberdeen to Longyearbyen
Explore Spitsbergen via the Faroes and Jan Mayen
Iceland and Greenland cruise
Unspoiled wilderness and dramatically rugged landscapes
Arctic expedition cruise, circumnavigation of Spitsbergen
Discover incredible wildlife and glaciers on this Arctic Voyage
Arctic cruises, Spitsbergen to Franz Josef Land
Navigate to remote parts of the Arctic
Northern lights sailing holiday in Norway
Sailing and hiking in the land of the Aurora Borealis!
Spitsbergen 2 week cruise, in depth
Rugged, wild, unspoiled and utterly unforgettable
Canada remote arctic cruise, the Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage to Ellesmere and Axel Heiberg Islands
Wrangel and Herald Islands expedition cruise
Diverse, abundant wildlife, dramatic and volcanic landscapes
Daytime activities
You will typically spend a substantial part of each day on the ship’s observation decks, which can be open or enclosed, but there will usually be daily activities on land as well. In both instances you will be accompanied at all times by expert expedition staff that have years of experience. Activities are very well organised, with transport by Zodiac rigid-hull boats, and armed guards occupying high ground throughout to keep an eye out for polar bears (if one does approach, guards make every effort to scare it away with flares or gunshots, and groups return to the ship if they can’t).
Evening activities
While the passengers sleep, the ship’s spotters remain watchful. If they sight something interesting such as a polar bear coming into view then unless you have requested otherwise you’ll be woken up and choose to head up on deck.
Our top Arctic cruising Holiday
Arctic sailing voyages, Spitsbergen
Experience sailing in the fjords
2021: 10 Apr, 17 Apr, 24 Apr, 30 Apr, 1 May, 7 May, 8 May, 14 May, 15 May, 21 May, 22 May, 29 May, 7 Jun, 8 Jun, 17 Jun, 18 Jun, 28 Jun, 7 Jul, 17 Jul, 22 Aug