The Northwest Passage – In the Wake of the Great Explorers

Discover Iceland's modern capital 

Packed full of art, culture and history, Reykjavík is a delight to explore. Take a stroll along Laugavegur with its boutiques and outdoor shops, or head to the striking Hallgrímskirkja church or the fascinating Reykjavík Art Museum.

MS Fridtjof Nansen awaits you in Reykjavík Harbour. After collecting your complimentary expedition jacket, it's time to check out your cabin, meet the Expedition Team and explore the ship as we set sail on this epic expedition cruise through the Northwest Passage.

If you'd like to spend more time here before you set off on your Northwest Passage expedition cruise, you can book a Pre-Programme with us to tour the Golden Circle or Icelandic Highlands.

In the wake of Vikings 

We sail to Greenland across the Denmark Strait, the route taken by Erik the Red, supposedly the first European to have settled there. Take this time to relax and explore the stylish onboard facilities of our hybrid electric–powered ship.

Your Expedition Team will explain the protocols of respectfully visiting wildlife habitats and indigenous Arctic communities. In the Science Center, you can learn more about Greenland's geology, or join one of our Citizen Science projects. Then hit the gym, soak in one of our on-deck hot tubs or enjoy a delicious meal in one of our three onboard restaurants.

Breathtaking panoramas and abundant wildlife 

We aim to explore the incredible waters of the 60-mile-long Prince Christian Sound today. Sharp-peaked granite mountains provide a stunning contrast to the bright white glaciers. Look out for calving icebergs and colourful houses in the village of Aappilattoq.

Nature is abundant here. Keep an eye out for ringed and bearded seals resting on the ice, and Glaucous Gulls and Black Guillemots soaring above. You may even spot minke and humpback whales.

If sea ice prevents us entering the sound, we'll head to craggy Cape Farewell, the southernmost point of Greenland.

Ivittuut's fascinating WWII history 

As you wander around the abandoned ruins of this ghost town, it’s hard to believe that Ivittuut, a former mining outpost, once played a pivotal role in the course of history.

During WWII, the US secretly stationed troops here to prevent rare cryolite – used to make aluminum alloys – falling into enemy hands. Supplies were instead shipped to the UK to manufacture aircraft used in the Battle of Britain.

Here, you can walk among the area's deserted buildings. Once the last Viking settlement in Greenland, these days the only inhabitants you’re likely to see are musk oxen.

Experience Greenlandic culture, old and new, in Nuuk 

After several days exploring remote, idyllic icescapes, you'll cruise into Nuuk, Greenland’s colourful capital. With a population of 18,000, it has a striking mix of old and new buildings.

Compare the old buildings – such as Hans Egede House and Nuuk Cathedral – with the ultra-modern architecture of the Parliament of Greenland building.

Visit the national museum to gain fascinating insight into life here 500 years ago and see the six Qilakitsoq mummies. Or join a long nature walk through Paradise Valley and around Mt. Lille Malene.

Watch for wildlife and get involved in Citizen Science 

Leaving Greenland behind, our expedition cruise continues to Canada across the Labrador Sea. We'll enter the Davis Strait, named after English explorer John Davis, who led expeditions here in the 16th century. The Expedition Team will continue their onboard lectures on topics such as the wildlife of Northern Labrador, Inuit culture and the history of Arctic exploration.

The strait is known for its abundance of seals, whales and cod. Why not take part in one of our Citizen Science programme projects, helping photograph and track whales, or observe the clouds to help scientists study our climate by contributing to the GLOBE Program.

Crossing a historical sea corridor through Canada's Arctic archipelago 

Like the pioneering explorers who've come before you, we won't have an exact itinerary as we attempt to sail our state-of-the-art, ice-class ship from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the famed sea route: the Northwest Passage. Stops might include Pond Inlet, Dundas Harbour, Fort Ross, Gjoa Haven, Cambridge Bay and Smoking Hills.

As we explore, we'll land at sites linked to early exploration history, visit Inuit communities, and look out for Arctic wildlife such as polar bears, whales, narwhals, seals and seabirds.

You'll go small expedition boat cruising between ice floes, and go ashore to experience the pristine wilderness first hand. Your Expedition Team will adapt activities to ice and weather conditions, giving you the best experience possible.

We’ll try to reach Pond Inlet and the Inuit community of Mittimatalik on Baffin Island. On Devon Island – the largest uninhabited island on Earth – we'll visit Dundas Harbour and learn about its Thule heritage. We may even pay our respects at the graves of three Franklin expedition team members on Beechey Island.

We'll continue west to Fort Ross, a former Hudson Bay Trading post, before sailing to Gjoa Haven, where Roald Amundsen learned polar survival tips from the Netsilik Inuit people. If we are able to land here, we'll take a walking tour to learn more.

From here, we'll sail onward to wildlife-rich Cambridge Bay, where you might see Arctic char, musk oxen and caribou. Pick up some prints, tapestries, and other crafts made by local artists in Ulukhaktok before we arrive in the Amundsen Gulf.

Here we hope to see the remarkable Smoking Hills, where lignite – eroded shale mixed with pyrite – spontaneously ignites when exposed to air, creating a photogenic phenomenon of smoke billowing from the cliffs.

Science and wildlife watching at sea 

Having successfully traversed the Northwest Passage, our expedition cruise continues towards Nome. Join your Expedition Team for more insightful lectures. Topics might include subjects such as wildlife, tectonic activity, glaciology and local history.

Wildlife lovers and birdwatchers are in for a treat. Keep an eye out for bowhead and grey whales as we cross the Beaufort Sea to Point Barrow, the northernmost point of the United States, before crossing the International Date Line – with 'tomorrow' on your right and 'today' on your left.

As we sail through the Bering Strait, look out for over 30 species of seabirds, including Black-legged Kittiwakes, auklets and murrelets

Fascinating history of gold prospectors and explorers 

Prospectors first came to Nome in 1898, and people still hunt for gold here today. You'll see evidence of the Gold Rush era all around, including abandoned dredges, turn-of-the century steam engines and old railroad tracks, lending the town a unique and intriguing atmosphere.

You’ll be in good company as you explore the town. Wyatt Earp, the famous sheriff, opened a saloon here. Nome was also the end point of three of Roald Amundsen's great polar expeditions, making it a fitting place to end your own great adventure before flying onward to Vancouver.

njoy British Columbia’s largest city 

Our Northwest Passage expedition cruise ends in the beautiful city of Vancouver, located at the foot of the Rockies. You'll spend the night here before returning home.

Vancouver's neighbourhoods buzz with restaurants offering delicious international cuisine. Don’t miss Gastown, Vancouver’s old Victorian district. Here you'll find the Vancouver Lookout, offering 360º panoramic views over the city.

While you're here, why not join our Post-Programme to the beautiful mountain resort of Banff. What better way to end your adventure!