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Arctic Cruises & Tours

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Matt Pain
A polar bear climbs glacial ice in the Arctic
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On a small ship Arctic cruise, you'll experience a magical land of icy fjords, jagged mountains, and immense glaciers. Comfortable small ships glide travelers 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. Hull-hardened ships cut through the polar ice to access areas previously visited by only the most adventurous explorers and even to the North Pole. A cruise of the Arctic offers rare wildlife, natural beauty, and 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 2023-2024

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8 Best Arctic Cruise Deals for 2023-2024

Trip NameSaveFromDaysNext DepartureSummary
Expedition SvalbardSavings$829011Jun 30, 2023Cruise the fantastic fjords of Svalbard, Norway on this 11-day cruise on the M/S Quest. Make daily landings with Zodiac craft to find remnants of the …
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Spitsbergen In Depth: Big Island, Big AdventureSavings$1199514Jul 7, 2023Join Ocean Adventurer as it cruises across the island of Spitsbergen on this 14-day Arctic expedition cruise. See polar bears, walrus and reindeer …
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Arctic Express Canada: The Heart of the Northwest PassageSavings$79959Aug 13, 2023During this 9-day expedition cruise aboard the Ultramarine you will discover the great sea route known as the Northwest Passage at the top of the …
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Introduction to Spitsbergen: Fjords, Glaciers and Wildlife of SvalbardSavings$699510May 27, 2023The polar expedition ship Ocean Adventurer hosts this 10-day cruise from Helsinki, Finland to Longyearbyen. Optimized for wildlife viewing, explorers …
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The Canadian Maritimes and NewfoundlandSavings$1045010Aug 29, 2023Embark 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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Essential Greenland: Southern Coasts and Disko BaySavings$1229515Jun 29, 2023This 15-day roundtrip Arctic cruise departs from Reykjavik aboard Ultramarine to experience the best that Iceland & Greenland have to offer. You will …
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Iceland & Greenland: Edge of the ArcticSavings$2098018Jul 29, 2023Join this 18-day voyage aboard National Geographic Explorer to follow the routes of explorers, from Iceland’s magnificent Westfjords peninsula, …
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Svalbard Encounter Expedition Micro CruiseSavings$95557Jul 30, 2023Join the 7-day summer cruise through Svalbard aboard the MV Vikingfjord and discover the breathtaking wilderness, glaciers, and natural beauty of …
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10 Best Luxury Arctic Cruises for 2023-2024

Trip NameFromDaysNext DepartureSummary
Spitsbergen Photography: Domain of the Polar Bear$1149514May 18, 2023This two-week Arctic cruise aboard the brand new expedition vessel Ultramarine, equipped with 20 quick-launching Zodiacs, luxurious onboard amenities …
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Best of the Western Arctic: Canada and Greenland$1899520Sep 11, 2023Embark on Ocean Adventurer and join this 20-day itinerary in the exploration of the Arctic Circle through the legendary Northwest Passage, searching …
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Introduction to Spitsbergen: Fjords, Glaciers, and Wildlife of Svalbard$799510May 30, 2023This exciting 10-day Arctic cruise of the remote Norwegian island of Spitsbergen aboard the sleek new vessel Ultramarine, travels from Helsinki, …
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Norway Fjords & Spitsbergen$1205012May 19, 2023Experience Norway and the awe-inspiring Svalbard archipelago from aboard LeBoreal. Starting in Bergen and sailing across magical landscapes of …
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Expedition to the Thule Region$2146017Jul 25, 2023Departing from cosmopolitan Paris, luxurious L'Austral takes you north to Arctic Greenland on this 17-day expedition cruise. Explore Baffin Bay, …
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Northwest Passage: In the Footsteps of Franklin$1349517Jul 30, 2023On this compelling 17-day Arctic cruise aboard the game-changing new vessel, Ultramarine, passengers retrace the steps of the intrepid Franklin …
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Canada’s Remote Arctic: Northwest Passage to Ellesmere and Axel Heiberg Islands$1149512Aug 19, 2023Join a 12-day adventure cruise around the Canadian High Arctic aboard the Ultramarine. See the unique wonders and the breathtaking environment at the …
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Kangerlussuaq Roundtrip - Door to Door$1750017Jul 23, 2023Explore the Arctic on this exceptional 17-day roundtrip expedition cruise from Kangerlussuaq aboard Silver Cloud, thoroughly traversing Disko Bay and …
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Expedition Along the East Coast of Greenland$1672016Aug 10, 2023Discover the east coast of Greenland on this 16-day expedition cruise onboard L’Austral, and venture into an extremely remote part of the world …
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Baffin Bay Secrets$1883014Jul 12, 2023This incredible 14-day journey aboard L'Austral acquaints you with the secrets of Baffin Bay and Greenland. Glaciers and icebergs are home to the …
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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 US COVID travel informationCheck 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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