The best time to visit Svalbard and Spitzbergen is between June and September as it is high season for cruises, the wildlife is active, the ice flows have melted, and the days are long.

The Iceland travel experts at Adventure Life choose the top-rated cruise lines highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each.

We review the top expedition cruise lines visiting the Arctic. Which one is a good match for you?

Which Polar region is home to penguins? Or how about those elusive narwhals? Before your travels, it will be helpful to learn more about the different species that inhabit the Polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctica. You may be surprised to learn the differences!

Between June and September is the best time to visit Svalbard and Spitsbergen as it is high season for cruises, the wildlife is active, the ice flows have melted, and the days are long.

An expedition cruise through the Arctic is unlike any other vacation experience. As you follow in the wake of great explorers, you will discover firsthand the breathtaking beauty and surprising biodiversity that exists in the northernmost region of the globe. A cruise of the Arctic may circumnavigate one single country or cross the Arctic Circle on a comprehensive expedition.

May through September is usually the top season to plan your Arctic cruise as there are fewer insects, the temperatures are tolerable, and usually above freezing levels.

Cruise ports in Norway that show you the beauty of the country include Tromsø, Spitsbergen, Alesund, and Longyearbyen. These journeys will take you into pristine natural wonderlands and stop at cities and towns where the people and the culture are welcoming and intriguing.