Arctic wildlife cruises
Polar Bears
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!
- Jonathan Turner, one of our traveler reviews
Our Arctic cruising Vacations
Spitsbergen wildlife cruises
Encounters with glaciers, polar bears and icebergs.
Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
Chukotka and Wrangel Island wildlife cruises, Russia
Explore Russian Arctic - home to Polar Bears, walrus & more
North Spitsbergen cruise, in search of Polar Bears
Expert Led, Polar Bears, Whales, Birdlife, photography
Arctic sailing voyages, Spitsbergen
Experience sailing in the fjords
Arctic wildlife vacation, Polar bear explorer
A wildlife focused specialist led Arctic safari in Svalbard.
Spitsbergen polar bear watching cruise
Venture into the staggering realm of the King of the Arctic
Arctic wildlife cruise vacation, heart of the Arctic
Immerse yourself in Arctic culture and landscape
Greenland adventure and diving expedition
Greenland's dramatic scenery for divers & non-divers alike
Arctic cruise vacations
Explore the Arctic: Greenland, Spitsbergen and Iceland
East Greenland cruise
Dramatic Arctic Mountains, Inuits, Towering Icebergs Whales
Polar bear expedition in Spitsbergen
Expedition cruise searching for polar bears in the Arctic
Iceland circumnavigation cruise
A thrilling, complete Iceland experience!
Spitsbergen cruise, 6 days
A 6 day 'taster voyage' to explore Spitsbergen's highlights
Wrangel and Herald Islands expedition cruise
Diverse, abundant wildlife, dramatic and volcanic landscapes
Kamchatka cruise in Russia, ring of fire expedition
Discover dramatic scenery & birdlife in the Russian Far East
Spitsbergen sailing expedition
5-day sailing expedition on Svalbard
Arctic polar bear cruise, Spitsbergen
Arctic expedition cruise searching for polar bears
Arctic cruise to Greenland and Iceland
Explore the stunning natural beauty of Greenland and Iceland
Arctic cruise vacation, Spitsbergen
Explore the unique landscape and culture of Spitsbergen.
Arctic expedition cruise, circumnavigation of Spitsbergen
Discover incredible wildlife and glaciers on this Arctic Voyage
Spitsbergen summer vacation, glaciers of Isfjorden
Arctic summer vacation - the Norwegian archipelago, Svalbard
Northern lights sailing vacation in Norway
Sailing and hiking in the land of the Aurora Borealis!
Arctic cruise from Spitsbergen to Greenland
Expedition cruise taking in the Arctic highlights
Spitsbergen Arctic Cruise
An exciting wildlife cruise around the Svalbard archipelago
Arctic cruise adventure vacation
Sail from Spitsbergen to Greenland on an arctic adventure
Spitsbergen and North East Greenland cruises
Northern Lights Whales Polar Bears Icebergs Glaciers Culture
Baffin Island cruising expedition, Canada
Expert Led, Polar Bears Belugas, Narwhals, Inuit Culture
Spitsbergen luxury cruises
Experience this Arctic wildlife paradise in ultimate luxury!
Spitsbergen to Franz Josefland cruise
bowhead whales polar bears walrus birdlife & kayaking


Walrus
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.“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 wildlife cruises
Encounters with glaciers, polar bears and icebergs.

