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Arctic Cruises & Tours

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During our small ship Arctic cruises for 2024 and 2025you'll experience a magical land of icy fjords, jagged mountains, and immense glaciers. Glide beyond the Arctic Circle through dramatic ice floes to walk in the footsteps of the Vikings or marvel at the breaching of a humpback whale. Small ships and hull-hardened ships cut through the polar ice to access areas previously visited by only the most adventurous explorers. A cruise of the Arctic offers activities such as wildlife sightings, whale watching, kayaking, and village visits of unique cultures that have survived in one of the most extreme environments on Earth. Choose from cruises that visit the Arctic landscapes of Northern Canada's Baffin Island, the Northwest Passage, AlaskaGreenland, Iceland, Canada, Norway, and RussiaContact one of our Arctic cruise experts for help planning your trip.
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10 Best Arctic Cruises & Tours for 2024-2025

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8 Best Arctic Cruise Deals for 2024-2025

Trip NameSaveFromDaysNext DepartureSummary
The Canadian Maritimes and NewfoundlandSavings$1108810Aug 31, 2025Embark on the National Geographic Explorer on this 10-day cruise and sail into eastern Canada's breathtaking natural beauty. Discover Newfoundland's …
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Jewels of the ArcticSavings$1969515Jul 12, 2025Join a 15-day expedition cruise aboard the Greg Mortimer from Oslo to Reykjavik. Explore Svalbard's endless daylight, meet polar bears and sea ice …
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Iceland's Wild West Coast to East GreenlandSavings$1841212Jul 27, 2025National Geographic Endurance hosts this 12-day expedition cruise to discover the wild west coast of Iceland with its towering bird cliffs, meadows …
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Svalbard OdysseySavings$1679512Jul 2, 2025Join a 12-day expedition aboard the Greg Mortimer roundtrip Oslo, discovering the marvels of Svalbard's perpetual daylight. Encounter polar bears and …
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A Circumnavigation of IcelandSavings$1840010Jul 9, 2025See glaciers, geysers, thunderous waterfalls, and enormous cliffs as well as geothermal pools, boiling mud, and lava-scapes on this 10-day active …
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Northwest PassageSavings$2479516Aug 25, 2025Join this 16-day Northwest Passage Expedition aboard Greg Mortimer and encounter Arctic wildlife, polar foxes, bowhead whales, polar bears, and the …
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Northwest PassageSavings$2479516Sep 7, 2025Join this 16-day Northwest Passage Expedition aboard Greg Mortimer and encounter Arctic wildlife, polar foxes, bowhead whales, polar bears, and the …
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Spitsbergen: Realm of the Ice BearSavings$122958Jun 16, 2025Embark on an 8-day expedition aboard the Greg Mortimer. Discover the thrill of seeing walruses, seals, whales, reindeer, arctic foxes, guillemots, …
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10 Best Luxury Arctic Cruises for 2024-2025

Trip NameFromDaysNext DepartureSummary
Svalbard Encounter Expedition Micro Cruise$111258May 12, 2025Join the 8-day summer cruise through Svalbard aboard the MV Vikingfjord and discover the breathtaking wilderness, glaciers, and natural beauty of …
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South Greenland Adventure: The Majestic Alpine Arctic$1329513Jul 29, 2025Join a 13-day roundtrip expedition cruise to Reykjavik on the Ultramarine. Explore South Greenland's stunning alpine peaks and remote ridges through …
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Gems of West Greenland: Fjords, Icebergs and Culture$1099512Aug 17, 2025Experience the breathtaking scenery of West Greenland on this 12-day expedition cruise roundtrip to Toronto aboard Ultramarine, delving into its …
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Wild Landscapes of West Greenland$2169515Aug 15, 2025Join the 15-day expedition cruise aboard the Sylvia Earle, beginning in Nuuk, Greenland's northern capital. Beyond Nuuk, sparse settlements line the …
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Norway's Fjords and Arctic Svalbard (Northbound)$2497217May 28, 2025Cruise across Norway's fjords and Arctic Svalbard on a 17-day expedition aboard the National Geographic Resolution, and explore the wilderness, …
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Svalbard Odyssey$1679512Jul 2, 2025Join a 12-day expedition aboard the Greg Mortimer roundtrip Oslo, discovering the marvels of Svalbard's perpetual daylight. Encounter polar bears and …
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Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes$745014Aug 23, 2025This 14-day Spitsbergen and Northeast Greenland cruise sails waters filled with breath-taking scenery. The expedition passes through areas that are …
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Arctic Sights and Northern Lights$819512Sep 15, 2025On this 12-day tour, Sea Spirit takes you to the breathtaking fjords, beaches, and islands of the Arctic, as well as the beautiful dancing waves of …
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East Greenland Explorer$1273010Sep 15, 2025Embark on an 10-day expedition cruise with MV Vikingfjord to East Greenland's Scoresby Sund, filled with pristine wilderness, icebergs, fjords, and …
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Norwegian Discovery: Svalbard and the Northern Fjords$1725012Apr 25, 2026This 10-day Arctic expedition on National Geographic Resolution takes you to the remote islands and fjords of northern Norway such as Sørøya Island …
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Arctic Cruise Tips & Travel Guide

Arctic Cruise Top Activities

Any of our small ship Arctic cruises will provide you with a variety of opportunities to experience the ice-capped top of the world in an engaging and active way. The most popular Arctic activities included on most cruises are:​
Traveling To the Arctic in the times of COVID-19

Visits to multiple countries are common on Arctic cruises, so please consult the below list of official government sources for travel advisories, restrictions, and current travel conditions.

From the United States: See international travel information. Check the US embassy's  travel advisories to Canada, Iceland, Russia, and Norway. 

From Canada: Check the Canadian embassy's advisories to Greenland, Denmark, Iceland, Russia, and Norway

The United Kingdom: Check the United Kingdom's government's current travel advisories.
Top Destinations for Arctic Cruises

Your Arctic cruise will take you across landscapes featuring impressive glaciers & fjords, oceanic fields of ice, expansive snow-covered tundras, and evergreen forests.

The Arctic is an intercontinental region with the land masses of North America, Europe, and Asia surrounding the Arctic Sea's churning icebergs and frigid waters.

The Arctic region is made up of countries like Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, US (Alaska) and Canada

Popular regions to visit on an Arctic cruise include the Northwest Passage, Baffin Island (Canada)SvalbardFaroes Islands, Jan Mayen Island,  and Franz Joseph Land.
 
Best Times to Cruise the Arctic

The travel season in the Arctic runs from May through November.

The best times to go are late May to early June when wildlife spotting is at its best, and mid-August into September when, with a little luck, the Aurora Borealis may be seen.

The weather during these "shoulder seasons" is not as warm as mid-June to mid-August, but the mosquitos and gnats aren't quite as prevalent, or hungry in the late Spring and early Fall. 
Where do Arctic trips usually start/finish and how can you visit?

The Arctic is normally visited on a cruise from one of the below northern ports:

Oslo is the gateway for cruises visiting the Svalbard archipelago, whereas Stockholm and Copenhagen are the main ports for accessing the Baltic Sea.

Reykjavik, Iceland is a major port for accessing cruises to Greenland, Spitsbergen, and the Baltic Sea

If visiting the Northwest Passage and Baffin Island, Canada cruises often start and/or finish in and Kangerlussuaq, Greenland

Nome and Anchorage Alaska have several cruises departing for the Northwest Passage, Northeast Passage, and Russia.

Russia's Far East is accessed frequently by Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy.
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