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
North Spitsbergen cruise, in search of Polar Bears
Expert Led, Polar Bears, Whales, Birdlife, photography
Luxury Arctic cruise Spitsbergen & Franz Josef Land
A unique expedition to rarely visited Franz Josef Land
Arctic sailing voyages, Spitsbergen
Experience sailing in the fjords
Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
Spitsbergen Arctic Cruise
An exciting wildlife cruise around the Svalbard archipelago
Arctic wildlife holiday, Polar bear explorer
A wildlife focused Arctic safari in Svalbard
Chukotka and Wrangel Island wildlife cruises, Russia
Explore Russian Arctic - home to Polar Bears, walrus & more
Iceland circumnavigation cruise
A thrilling, complete Iceland experience!
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
Spitsbergen to Franz Josefland cruise
bowhead whales polar bears walrus birdlife & kayaking
Svalbard wildlife cruise
Search for polar bears on this small-group cruise
Greenland voyage cruise and northern lights
The world's longest fjord & spectacular Aurora Borealis
North Atlantic arctic cruise, Aberdeen to Longyearbyen
Explore Spitsbergen via the Faroes and Jan Mayen
Spitsbergen cruise, 6 days
A 6 day 'taster voyage' to explore Spitsbergen's highlights
Arctic cruise, heart of the Northwest Passage
Explore the Arctic region’s diverse treasures
Northern Sea Route expedition cruise, 19 days
Historic Northern Sea Route expedition cruise and adventure
Russian Arctic cruises to Franz Josef Land
Voyage to icy archipelagos in the Russian High Arctic
Canada remote arctic cruise, the Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage to Ellesmere and Axel Heiberg Islands
Spitsbergen highlights cruise, 1 week
An epic Arctic cruise in only seven days!
Arctic highlights cruise, Oslo to Reykjavik
Spitsbergen, Jan Mayen, Greenland and Iceland
Iceland and Greenland cruise
Unspoiled wilderness and dramatically rugged landscapes
Kamchatka cruise in Russia, ring of fire expedition
Discover dramatic scenery & birdlife in the Russian Far East
Canada and Greenland western Arctic cruise
This expedition cruise travels far above the Arctic Circle
Highlights of Spitsbergen holiday
5 night cruise through the heart of the Arctic
10 Day Introduction to Spitsbergen holiday
Cruise, kayak and hike in the wildlife capital of the Arctic
Russian Arctic cruise, High Arctic Odyssey
Explore the extreme regions of the High Arctic
Wrangel and Herald Islands expedition cruise
Diverse, abundant wildlife, dramatic and volcanic landscapes
Spitsbergen, East Greenland to Iceland Arctic cruise
Expedition cruise taking in the Arctic highlights
Spitsbergen wildlife cruise
Explore the Svalbard Archipelago, a paradise of ice
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 icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
2021: 13 May, 18 May, 20 May, 23 May, 27 May, 28 May, 29 May, 1 Jun, 2 Jun, 3 Jun, 4 Jun, 7 Jun, 10 Jun, 11 Jun, 12 Jun, 13 Jun, 15 Jun, 18 Jun, 19 Jun, 20 Jun, 21 Jun, 25 Jun, 26 Jun, 28 Jun, 29 Jun, 30 Jun, 1 Jul, 2 Jul, 6 Jul, 7 Jul, 10 Jul, 11 Jul, 13 Jul, 16 Jul, 19 Jul, 20 Jul, 23 Jul, 25 Jul, 28 Jul, 29 Jul, 30 Jul, 3 Aug, 6 Aug, 7 Aug, 9 Aug, 12 Aug, 15 Aug, 16 Aug, 18 Aug, 21 Aug, 24 Aug