Northwest Passage and Northern Lights cruise

Arrive in Reyjavik, relax, and spend the overnight here preparing for your adventure.

*Specific hotel and location to be announced

Discover Kangerlussuaq, a former WWII airbase at the entrance to Kangerlussuaq Fjord. Visit the airport museum to learn about the area's military past and Inuit heritage through cultural exhibits. Explore vast tundra and glacial landscapes where you can spot reindeer, Arctic foxes, Arctic hares, gyrfalcons, and one of Greenland's largest muskox populations.

The second largest town in Greenland, just above the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut remains remarkably ice free in winter and is known as an adventure sports hub all year round. Inhabited for more than 4,500 years by the Dorset, Thule and eventually the Inuit people, dog sledding remains a vital form of transportation. The area is home to humpback whales and Arctic foxes in their summer coat.

Included Activity
Local cultural event incl. entrance to the Old Museum area
1 hour
Immerse yourself in Greenlandic culture through a tasting tent offering a selection of local specialties, a singing tent showcasing Greenlandic melodies, and a Greenland Dog presentation highlighting the sled dogs and their cultural significance. Experience the rich heritage, camaraderie, and traditions of Greenland in this unforgettable event.

Known for its Inuit culture, whales and icebergs, Disko Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Western Greenland. The bay is also home to the Ilulissat Icefjord, one of the fastest-moving glaciers in the world. First visited by Europeans in 1596, in search of a Northwest Passage to Asia, it has been an Inuit home for millennia. The village of Qeqertarsuaq embodies thriving Inuit traditions, preserving the cultural legacy.

Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to the library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of the on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from the onboard professional photographers.

The views of snow-capped mountains have given Pond Inlet in northern Baffin Island the name of Canada’s ‘jewel of the north’ and the area is a prime breeding ground for narwhals - toothed whales with a distinct large tusk. The traditional Inuit community living in the hamlet of Mittimatalik are renowned for their craft skills from printmaking and stone carving.

Included Activity
Pond Inlet Discovery & Community Activities
3 hours
Venture into the enchanting hamlet of Pond Inlet, also called Mittimatalik in Inuktitut, and discover this traditional Inuit haven drenched in history and culture. Come ashore by zodiac and get to know the daily lives of the community that thrives here with a visit to a remarkable sod house and to the meticulously curated Nattinak visitor’s center to deepen your understanding of Inuit heritage.

Gracing the eastern high Arctic, Croker Bay, a mesmerising Arctic waterway, carves its way into Devon Island within the vibrant Qikiqtaaluk Region. This deep inlet, an extension of Lancaster Sound and Barrow Strait, unveils a landscape of captivating beauty. The Devon ice cap feeds the huge South Croker Bay Glacier that calves into the bay.

Included Excursion:
Zodiac Tour with Swan Hellenic Expedition Team - Croker Bay
1 hour
As you step onto your zodiac, prepare for an exhilarating adventure that will take you deep into the heart of one of the Arctic's most captivating locations – a narrow, bifurcated fjord on the southeast shore of Devon Island. Be sure to keep a watchful eye out while you coast around the shimmering waters as the area is a breeding site for fulmars and kittiwakes.

This area is closely associated with the exploration of Canada’s High Arctic and the Northwest Passage. Much of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago was mapped while searching for the missing crew of British explorer Sir John Franklin’s fateful 1845-46 Northwest Passage Expedition. Radstock Bay sits below the mighty Caswall Tower mountain and hides many secrets, with evidence of sledge tracks, camps and food tins that may help reveal what happened.

Beechey Island Sites, five historical locations in Canada’s High Arctic, mark where Sir John Franklin wintered in 1845–46 during his ill-fated Northwest Passage expedition. The search for his crew led to much of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago being mapped. Nearly six decades later, in 1903, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first to successfully navigate the Northwest Passage

Port Leopold is a place of raw, rugged natural beauty and landscapes that evoke a sense of awe and wonder. The pristine wilderness and untouched terrain create a feeling of remoteness and isolation, while the Arctic wildlife that calls this place home adds a touch of wildness and unpredictability. The area's history as a former Hudson's Bay Company trading post also lends a sense of nostalgia and intrigue.

Included Activity
Expedition Landing in Remote Port Leopold
1 hour

This expedition promises to unveil a realm frozen in time with a visit to an abandoned Hudson’s Bay Company trading post. Walk the ground where explorer James Clark Ross found refuge during his quest for the missing Franklin expedition. Then, admire the majestic views of Prince Leopold island in the distance as you discover this region where the past and present are beautifully intertwined.

Uninhabited Batty Bay, Nunavut, part of Prince Regent Inlet on Somerset Island, features dramatic cliffs and hills and is a historic Arctic site. It saw early explorers like Sir John Franklin and Captain John Ross, who left boats there in 1832. Batty Bay's history and pristine Arctic setting continue to attract explorers and researchers. While not a beluga hotspot, the wider region sees significant beluga migrations.

The Bellot Strait, named in honor of the French explorer Joseph-René Bellot, is a narrow, 2.3-km-wide, and 25-km-long waterway. It separates Somerset Island to the north from the Boothia Peninsula to the south. This strait played a historical role during an expedition to locate Sir John Franklin's lost expedition, tragically marked by Bellot's death in the area in 1853.

Strzelecki Harbor, on the east coast of uninhabited Prince of Wales Island, lies within Peel Sound opposite Bellot Strait. Its nutrient-rich waters attract arctic marine mammals like beluga whales and narwhal, while the surrounding low tundra offers occasional sightings of polar bears and muskoxen. This remote island was first encountered by Europeans in 1851 during Sir Francis McClintock's search for the lost Franklin Expedition.

Cunningham Inlet, on the eastern side of Nunavut's Somerset Island, draws crowds of beluga whales each summer. Up to 2,000 whales gather around the Cunningham River estuary. The whales come to the inlet to mate, raise their young, socialise and shed their old, yellowed skin in the warm, shallow waters, revealing their snow-white epidermis beneath. Observers can witness these activities firsthand, often enjoying close-up views from the shore.

Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to the library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of the on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from the onboard professional photographers.

Buchan Gulf, a remote Arctic fjord on Baffin Island's northeastern coast, is one of the world’s most important nesting sites for northern fulmars, who roost on the towering cliffs and rocks. Polar bears roam the shores of Icy Arm, a narrow fjord with the relics of an ancient Thule semi-subterranean home sitting on the edge of the boggy tundra. Pods of narwhals are at home in the deep waters of this glacial fjord system on eastern Baffin Island.

Qikiqtarjuaq is a remote, beautiful Baffin Island community surrounded by towering mountains and glaciers. The rugged landscape and pristine wilderness offer endless opportunities for outdoor adventure, from kayaking to wildlife watching. The town's Inuit culture and traditions are still alive. But what sets Qikiqtarjuaq apart is the warmth and hospitality of its people, who welcome visitors and share their rich history and traditions with pride.

Included Activity
Discover the remote Inuit hamlet and the natural beauty of Qikiqtarjuaq
2 hours
Head out on this true northern adventure as the team set the sights on the remarkable Qikiqtarjuaq. Nestled on the ocean amongst small mountains, this remote inlet was a vital military station for the Distant Early Warning (DEW) line which monitored aircraft movement in the Arctic. Today, it’s an excellent spot to spot spellbinding icebergs beginning their journey south as well as bowhead whales, ringed seals, narwhals and polar bears.

Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to the library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of the on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from the onboard professional photographers.

Once a WWII airbase at the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord, Kangerlussuaq's history is told at the airport’s museum, showcasing Inuit artefacts. This ice-filled glacial area and tundra is a haven for wildlife, including reindeer, arctic foxes, arctic hare, gyrfalcons and around 10,000 muskoxen