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Seizing the Season: Spitsbergen’s Late Spring, Early Summer

Most Arctic expedition cruises can be categorized into two main types: those that operate during the autumn and winter, focusing on the northern lights, and those that sail during the high season (mid to late summer), concentrating on a broader range of experiences.

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What to Expect When Crossing the Drake Passage

Positioned between the southern tail of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula's north-sweeping arm is a lively little waterway known as the Drake Passage.

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Circumnavigating Spitsbergen

Many of our expedition cruises focus on specific areas of the Arctic or Antarctica, delving deep into local wildlife and other natural highlights. However, some programs aim to provide a broader survey, visiting a variety of sites to offer guests a wider perspective.

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Book Recommendations for Your Polar Cruise

Though books can't replace the experience of visiting the polar regions, they make excellent companions for your journey. We reached out to our social media followers, many of whom are past or future travelers, to gather their recommendations for polar-related books. The results were impressive, and we've compiled them below in no particular order.

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Penguin Wisdom: Life Lessons from Our Favorite Flightless Birds

As enthusiasts of wildlife travel, we believe every creature has something valuable to impart - from the grand blue whale to the tiny cephalopod, the formidable polar bear to the elusive Arctic fox.

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Taking a polar expedition cruise delivers no shortage of show-stopping highlights, but one of the most exhilarating is lifting off from the ship in a helicopter and taking flight over the incomparable Antarctic wilderness.

Embarking on a polar expedition cruise offers a plethora of breathtaking experiences, but one of the most thrilling is taking off from the ship in a helicopter and soaring over the stunning Antarctic wilderness.

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A Bug’s Life in Svalbard

When you think about Svalbard wildlife, you might imagine reindeer, Arctic foxes, polar bears – the primary animal attractions that draw passengers to an Arctic cruise. But in fact, the Svalbard archipelago is a thriving location for over 1,000 species of terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates: animals that lack backbones. Despite this richness of life, however, these invertebrates are only found in the Isfjord and Kongsfjord areas of these wonderfully diverse islands.

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The Pack Ice and Polar Bears of North Spitsbergen

The Arctic archipelago of Svalbard is renowned for being one of the prime locations to observe polar bears. The largest island in this region, Spitsbergen, not only offers sightings of these majestic Arctic creatures but also provides a unique opportunity to experience the phenomenon of pack ice.

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Exploration of the Polar Regions

From the Vikings via the first whale and seal hunters to Scott and Amundsen, from the maritime explorers Franklin and Nordenskiöld to present-day polar tourism, a quick tour through history reveals some of the aspects which motivated people to extend their horizons. Existential need, sheer curiosity, imperial greed, polar science, and a taste for adventure all converged in regions which pardon no mistakes.

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15 Toothy Facts About the Atlantic Walrus

The walrus is one of the most recognizable animals on the planet, and for good reason. Try sneaking into a cinema with those tusks!

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Harp seals harping on in Greenland

Harp seals are a moderately sized species, typically reaching about 1.6 meters in length and weighing around 130 kilograms. Both males and females are similar in size and weight, with males being only slightly larger. They possess a thick, robust body, a small broad and flat head, short narrow flippers, and a narrow muzzle.

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Ancient Arctic Exploration

When it comes to polar exploration, the Arctic boasts a much longer history compared to Antarctica.

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The Mysteries of the Beluga Whale

Beluga whales, also known as white whales, sea canaries, and sometimes melonheads, are a rare but cherished sight during Arctic cruises, thanks to their striking appearance. Despite the rarity of beluga sightings, a good amount is known about these friendly-faced cetaceans.

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Everything you need to know about Antarctic icebergs

The ice in Antarctica might seem static, but it is constantly moving. Pieces of ice are continuously breaking off from ice shelves, glaciers, or other icebergs. They float freely along with the Antarctic currents, with about 90 percent of their mass below the surface of the water. This fact is actually what gave rise to the nowadays popular phrase “the tip of the iceberg”. Regardless, the sighting of the first iceberg is always a moment to celebrate in any and all Antarctic expeditions. So that you may appropriately ready yourself for that joyous moment, in this article you will find everything you need to know about Antarctic icebergs.

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17 Reasons to Cruise the Falklands

Maybe you’ve already marveled at the colossal penguin colonies of South Georgia, sailed among the plunging seals of the Antarctic Peninsula, and watched whales in the Weddell Sea lunge among titanic tabular icebergs.

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The Plants of Antarctica

Surviving in Antarctica is a monumental challenge for any plant. The extreme cold, limited sunlight, scarce moisture, poor soil, and short growing season make it nearly impossible for most flora to thrive. Yet, some plants have adapted to these harsh conditions and have managed to flourish where others cannot.

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Visiting the Nearly Unknown: New Zealand’s Campbell Island

New Zealand is a renowned destination globally, and for good reason: It’s absolutely stunning. Almost every corner is filled with unparalleled beauty. But did you know that New Zealand includes several sub-Antarctic Islands that are almost completely unknown?

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12 Tips to Help Keep Birds Safe During an Antarctic Cruise

One of the most incredible experiences on an Antarctic cruise is observing the numerous penguins in their natural environment. Naturally, passengers often worry about the potential of disturbing the penguins and other Antarctic birds, which could disrupt their breeding and nesting patterns.

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Churches in Antarctica

'Below 40 degrees South there is no law; below 50 degrees South, there is no God', goes the old adage. When faced with a storm in the turbulent and freezing waters of the Drake Passage, one might think so.

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The disastrous expedition in the Arctic west

In 1902, Otto Sverdrup, captain of the Fram on Nansen’s expedition, led his own Arctic expedition to the north of Canada. Over the period of the expedition, which started in 1898, Sverdrup and his 15-man crew charted over 250,000 square kilometres of the Arctic using the Fram and sledges. During the expedition Ellesmere Island’s west coast was explored and new islands discovered.