Arctic wildlife cruises
Polar Bears
The world’s largest land predator inspires awe amongst all Arctic travelers – not least because when you’re out looking for polar bears, you’re never quite sure if there’s one out there looking for you.
Known as nanuk by the Canadian Inuit, this cuddly-looking creature is anything but. Weighing up to 550kg, they feed mainly on the blubber of seals which they catch when the seal pops up through a breathing hole in the sea ice. The bears must follow the ice; the seals live at sea, and catching a swimming seal is near impossible. Trapped or beached whales provide a rare but welcome feast – if a carcass is spotted, your ship will likely make a diversion to see if any polar bears are feeding on it.
One of the most sought-after sights is a mother with her cubs. They emerge from their dens in early spring, and make their way to the sea ice. The polar bear’s Latin name, Ursus maritimus, means sea bear, and these creatures actually spend most of their time at sea. 350km is the furthest a polar bear has ever been recorded swimming – so you’ll need to keep an eye on the sea as well as the ice floes to spot the bear!
Known as nanuk by the Canadian Inuit, this cuddly-looking creature is anything but. Weighing up to 550kg, they feed mainly on the blubber of seals which they catch when the seal pops up through a breathing hole in the sea ice. The bears must follow the ice; the seals live at sea, and catching a swimming seal is near impossible. Trapped or beached whales provide a rare but welcome feast – if a carcass is spotted, your ship will likely make a diversion to see if any polar bears are feeding on it.
One of the most sought-after sights is a mother with her cubs. They emerge from their dens in early spring, and make their way to the sea ice. The polar bear’s Latin name, Ursus maritimus, means sea bear, and these creatures actually spend most of their time at sea. 350km is the furthest a polar bear has ever been recorded swimming – so you’ll need to keep an eye on the sea as well as the ice floes to spot the bear!
Watching a mother and cub polar bear for over an hour, watching a male bear stalking reindeer... seeing and hearing a splendid walrus waking up and bellowing atop a small berg echoeing around a small remote glacial bay!! Hearing polar stories ashore, whilst keeping lookout for bears...
- Jonathan Turner, one of our traveler reviews
- Jonathan Turner, one of our traveler reviews
Our Arctic cruising Vacations
Spitsbergen Arctic Cruise
An exciting wildlife cruise around the Svalbard archipelago
From
£6432
12 days
ex flights
Chukotka and Wrangel Island wildlife cruises, Russia
Explore Russian Arctic - home to Polar Bears, walrus & more
From
US $11450
15 days
ex flights
Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
From
£3210
10 days
ex flights
Arctic wildlife vacation, Polar bear explorer
A wildlife focused Arctic safari in Svalbard
From
£7895 to £9595
11 days
ex flights
Arctic sailing voyages, Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen tall-ship wildlife and natural history sailing
From
€2850 to €3990
8 days
ex flights
North Spitsbergen cruise, in search of Polar Bears
Expert Led, Polar Bears, Whales, Birdlife, photography
From
€3375
8 days
ex flights
Northern lights sailing vacation in Norway
Sailing and hiking in the land of the Aurora Borealis!
From
€2100
8 days
ex flights
Luxury Arctic cruise Spitsbergen & Franz Josef Land
A unique expedition to rarely visited Franz Josef Land
From
£7995
14 days
ex flights
Svarlbard luxury cruise in the Arctic
Polar bears, glaciers and snow covered mountains in luxury
From
£8265
11 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen polar bear watching cruise
Venture into the staggering realm of the King of the Arctic
From
£2799 to £4099
11 days
ex flights
Northwest Passage cruise in the High Arctic
In-depth adventure along the fabled sea route
From
£11500
17 days
ex flights
Russian Arctic cruise, High Arctic Odyssey
Explore the extreme regions of the High Arctic
From
£12500
22 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen 2 week cruise, in depth
Rugged, wild, unspoiled and utterly unforgettable
From
£7900
14 days
ex flights
10 Day Introduction to Spitsbergen vacation
Cruise, kayak and hike in the wildlife capital of the Arctic
From
£5100
10 days
ex flights
Greenland cruise, southern coasts and Disko Bay
Explore one of Greenland’s most remote regions
From
£8300
15 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen to Franz Josefland cruise
bowhead whales polar bears walrus birdlife & kayaking
From
£4990
11 days
ex flights
Russian Arctic cruises to Franz Josef Land
Voyage to icy archipelagos in the Russian High Arctic
From
£8300
16 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen, East Greenland to Iceland Arctic cruise
Expedition cruise taking in the Arctic highlights
From
US $11190
15 days
ex flights
Wrangel and Herald Islands expedition cruise
Wrangel Is: Russia's haven for Polar Bears, Walrus & Whales
From
US $8999
15 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen cruise, 6 days
A 6 day 'taster voyage' to explore Spitsbergen's highlights
From
£1300 to £3000
6 days
ex flights
Highlights of Spitsbergen vacation
5 night cruise through the heart of the Arctic
From
£4300
7 days
ex flights
Western Arctic cruise, Canada and Greenland
Venture where the sun never sets
From
£13100
20 days
ex flights
Kamchatka cruise in Russia, ring of fire expedition
Discover dramatic scenery & birdlife in the Russian Far East
From
US $7800
13 days
ex flights
Baffin Island cruising expedition, Canada
Expert Led, Polar Bears Belugas, Narwhals, Inuit Culture
From
£10850
17 days
ex flights
Arctic island cruises, Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland
A voyage encompassing three Arctic countries
From
£8200
15 days
ex flights
Svalbard in depth cruise
An 11-day exploration of Svalbard and its unique wildlife.
From
£7000 to £11900
11 days
ex flights
Svalbard wildlife cruise
Search for polar bears on this small-group cruise
From
£3150 to £11900
8 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen and North East Greenland cruises
Northern Lights Whales Polar Bears Icebergs Glaciers Culture
From
£7880
15 days
ex flights
Greenland adventure and diving expedition
Greenland's dramatic scenery for divers & non-divers alike
From
€3875
9 days
ex flights
Arctic cruise, heart of the Northwest Passage
Explore the Arctic region’s diverse treasures
From
£5600
9 days
ex flights
The subject of surreal songs, stories and poems, the walrus - with its whiskery moustache and old-man skin - is often anthropomorphised in both contemporary and traditional culture.![]()
Walrus
Most people’s first impression of a walrus is how astonishingly large they are – up to 3.5m long and rearing up to shoulder-height. Their distinctive tusks help them haul their blubbery bodies out of the water and onto slippery ice. During the mating season, they are also used as dangerous weapons by aggressive, territorial males. Walrus can be seen in Canada, Greenland, Russia and Alaska throughout the summer – often drifting on ice floes.
Arctic foxes
The Arctic fox is one of the most beautiful creatures to inhabit this snowy landscape. Perfectly camouflaged, their blue-white fur turns brown in summer once the snow melts and the rocks reappear. They use their thick tails for extra warmth, curled in their burrows.Andrew Appleyard, from our supplier Exodus, had a magical experience watching foxes hunting on Svalbard:
“Just outside of Longyearbyen is probably the best place to see Arctic foxes. They’re at the bottom of one of the bird colonies there. The hatchlings fly from the cliff face straight into the ocean, but quite a lot of them don’t make it. They bounce on the tundra, and the Arctic foxes pick them off. They then bury them in the ground for future use if they get enough. There are a number of Arctic foxes, so a lot of that birds from that colony don’t make it to the water’s edge. The foxes also take eggs from the rookery edge – it’s a great place to see them in action.”
“Just outside of Longyearbyen is probably the best place to see Arctic foxes. They’re at the bottom of one of the bird colonies there. The hatchlings fly from the cliff face straight into the ocean, but quite a lot of them don’t make it. They bounce on the tundra, and the Arctic foxes pick them off. They then bury them in the ground for future use if they get enough. There are a number of Arctic foxes, so a lot of that birds from that colony don’t make it to the water’s edge. The foxes also take eggs from the rookery edge – it’s a great place to see them in action.”
Our top Arctic cruising Vacation
Spitsbergen Arctic Cruise
An exciting wildlife cruise around the Svalbard archipelago
From
£6432
12 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
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All whales have an air of mystery, but those inhabiting the Arctic waters are more mysterious than most, from the ghostly beluga to the narwhal - the 'sea unicorn'.![]()
Whales
The white beluga is one of the smallest whales, living in social pods across the Arctic. It is related to the narwhal, whose long, spiral tusk is actually an oversized tooth, although its purpose has never been discovered. The Inuit still hunt narwhals, whose skin is an important source of vitamin C. The 60-ton bowhead whale has the most enormous mouth of any creature, with 3m-long baleen plates. It is endangered throughout much of it range due to extensive whaling.
More about Arctic cruising
The best time to go on an Arctic cruise is during the summer months, when the sea ice melts enough to let ships pass, and the midnight sun bathes these northern lands - find out more with our month by month guide.
Our Arctic cruises travel guide reveals why the best way to explore is a small ship expedition cruise, and compares the different Arctic areas - with Northern Lights, Inuit art, dog sledding,and - of course - polar bears.
There are several Arctic cruise itineraries available, focusing on different regions and activities - wildlife features on any Arctic cruise, but use our interactive map to find out which species you are likely to see and where.
An Arctic cruise is not all about onboard entertainment - the most exciting things to do on an Arctic cruise all involve disembarking and getting up close to the action on zodiacs, on foot, by kayak or even on snowshoes.
On a typical Arctic cruise the amenities are quite basic as the aim is to spend a lot of time on land - optional activities in the Arctic range from nature hikes to kayaking and even the chilling ‘Polar Plunge’!
The big ticket attraction on Arctic cruises is the chance to see polar bears and while sightings can never be guaranteed certain locations are more likely than others - read on to find out where to see polar bears on an Arctic cruise.
With at least 17 species seen in Arctic waters at different times of year, responsible whale watching in the Arctic has immense potential, and onboard experts are always at hand to explain what species and behaviours you’re witnessing.
With comfortable but compact cabins, and various practicalities that you’ll need to prepare for, knowing what to pack for an Arctic cruise is essential to make the most of the space in your suitcase and ensure you bring all you need.
An Arctic cruise is likely to be one of the most memorable vacations of your life, so it’s important to get it right - here's our advice on choosing a ship for an Arctic cruise so you have all you need to know before making a decision.
What will the sleeping and eating arrangements be, how many fellow passengers can you expect, but most importantly, what will you be doing each day - read on to find out what life onboard ship on a typical Arctic cruise vacation involves.
Deciding whether you ought to save or splurge on an Arctic cruise vacation is likely to be one of the biggest issues you face during the planning process - here are some of the ways you can either cut costs or supersize your trip.
Read on for the best Arctic cruises travel advice offered up by our vacation experts who have spent years working in the far north, with tips on which regions to visit, recommendations for twitchers and health and safety advice.
Responsible tourism in the Arctic is a thorny issue but taking a responsible Arctic cruise can help strengthen this region, its communities and wildlife against exploitation, climate change and land grabs - find out more below.
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