Arctic cruises: 5 elegant expedition ships to admire the ice and polar bears

Ever thought about taking an Arctic cruise? For over a century, travelers have ventured to the Arctic by ship. Since 1893, when the Norwegian company Hurtigruten introduced an Arctic cruise to carry passengers and cargo along the coast of Norway. These ferries, which still operate today, traveled to the northern reaches of Norway, well beyond the Arctic Circle, towards Svalbard, one of the most scenic corners of the Arctic. Located just 800 miles from the North Pole, this archipelago under the control of Norway is renowned for its majestic mountains, glaciers, fjords and notable presence of polar bears.

In more recent times, operators such as Hurtigruten, Ponant, Lindblad and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises have significantly expanded their Arctic cruise destinations, ranging from the legendary ice-water route through the Canadian Arctic, known as the Northwest Passage, to remote routes carved by glaciers in Franz Josef Land, off the Russian coast.

Spartans? Once…

Until recently, most ships venturing into these regions offered a relatively spartan experience. Some of them were government or scientific ships, sturdy and designed to navigate the ice, but not necessarily designed for passenger comfort.

The new ships designed for Arctic cruises they offer a high level of comfort. Modern ships that feature spacious and exclusive cabins, many of which have a private balcony. But also elegant restaurants, SPAs and fitness centersand sometimes even swimming pools and hot tubs located on the deck. Some offer exclusive services, including helicopters and submarines to explore underwater wonders. And despite their luxury and comforts, these new Arctic cruise ships have been designed and built with extraordinary durability, an essential feature to meet the challenges of the polar environment and ensure the safety of passengers during their epic Arctic adventures. Here are 5 below.

National Geographic

The Endurance and Resolution ships have departures from Svalvard (Longyearbyen) scheduled for May and June 2024. These ships are designed to accommodate a limited number of passengers, no more than 126, ensuring a uniquely intimate experience while exploring the fascinating polar regions . What further distinguishes these vessels is their remarkable stability, thanks to an innovative sloping bow design. This element can make a significant difference when navigating the sometimes rough waters of some parts of the Arctic, ensuring a more comfortable and safe journey for passengers.

Organized by tour operator Lindblad, each of the ships has a PC 5 Category A polar class rating (a step above many expedition cruise ships), allowing them to travel easily through icy areas. They’re also packed with viewing areas for taking in the views, and they carry kayaks, snowshoes, and cross-country skis for polar exploration, as well as Zodiacs and even underwater drones. Price per person starts at $13,526. Info on the site.

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Introduced only in the last three years, the World Navigator, World Traveler and World Voyager are the first ships from Atlas Ocean Voyages, a brand new operator of “expedition yachting” cruises. Like the Lindblad ships, the three Atlas ships are designed to carry relatively few passengers (up to 184 on polar cruises) and are equipped with internal and external observation areas, including an innovative external area on the deck up to the waterline with seats heated seats.

Built for polar exploration (all three ships have a PC 6 rating, a notch below the Lindblad ships), but they are also designed for super comfort with spas and butler service in the suites. Departures are from June to September, for 7, 9, 11 days and depart from Tromsø, Longyearbyen and Reykjavik (with exploration in Greenland). Cruises have truly varied prices, starting from $4000 up to $8500 for the most exclusive suites. Info here.

Hurtigruten Expeditions

The company has a long and storied history of Arctic travel. It is therefore no surprise that it broke new ground in the polar cruise niche when it introduced the 528-passenger Roald Amundsen and sister ship Fridtjof Nansen in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

Named after the famous Norwegian polar explorers, the ships were the first in the cruise industry to run on hybrid electric engines. This not only saves fuel, but also allows for quiet operation in sensitive polar areas where silence can make a difference (near a calving glacier, for example). Other unusual features include a truly state-of-the-art science center and underwater drones for passenger use. There’s also the older but more intimate Hurtigruten Fram polar ship, which carries just 200 passengers. Departures to Svalvard are in June and July, for 10 days, starting from €6,192. Info here.

Ponant

Launched between 2010 and 2015, these four sister ships regularly visit the Arctic and Antarctica as well. A pioneer of polar voyages, Ponant has a long tradition of voyages to the polar regions and this series of ships was designed specifically for the ice. They are all tough (rated ice class 1C by Lloyd’s Register) but also stylish, with contemporary interiors and comfortable rooms.

The blog thepointsguy explains that the environment aboard these ships can sometimes be significantly different depending on whether they are traveling on a voyage marketed by Ponant (where announcements and on-board programming will be in both French and English, with many French-speaking passengers) or Tauck or Abercrombie & Kent (where the onboard experience will have a much more typically American feel). In both cases the trip is very exclusive, ergo very expensive (from €28,890). Info here.

Commander Charcot

For exploring the Arctic outside your comfort zone this is the only vessel tough enough to reach some of the most remote and hard to reach parts of the region, including the North Pole. Unveiled in late 2021, the 245-passenger vessel is a true icebreaker. The vessel is designed specifically for high-end polar cruises, with a PC 2 polar class rating, the highest ever for a vessel designed for cruise travel. This means it’s certified to break through some of the thickest ice, especially ice found in the polar ice caps.

In addition to being durable, Le Commandant Charcot was designed to be elegant and refined. She features spacious suites and cabins, each of which has a balcony, something relatively rare for expedition ships. She also offers a restaurant with dishes created by famous French chef Alain Ducasse, a spa with an indoor saltwater pool, a gym and a terrace area with a super-heated children’s pool. Sailings from Reykjavík, Iceland to Greenland begin in April and “Northeast Greenland’s unexplored sea ice” which explores the north of Greenland lasts 15 days and the cost starts from €21,000.