Cosmopolitan Reykjavík

Discover Iceland’s modern capital.

Your Grand Expedition Cruise to Greenland and the Northwest Passage begins in Reykjavík, Iceland’s cosmopolitan capital.

Packed full of art, culture and history, it’s well worth taking time to explore Reykjavík, either before or after your cruise.

Stroll along the boutiques and outdoor shops of Laugavegur or head to the striking Hallgrímskirkja church and the fascinating Reykjavík Art Museum. We recommend joining one of our optional Pre-Programs.

MS Fram awaits you in the Reykjavík harbor. Find your cabin, meet your Expedition Team, and explore the ship. Your adventure has begun!

At Sea

Crossing the Denmark Strait

Today, we sail to Greenland across the Denmark Strait.

Your Expedition Team will explain the protocols of visiting wildlife habitats and how to respectfully interact with the Indigenous Arctic communities.

In the Science Center, learn more about Greenland’s geology, or join one of our Citizen Science projects. Why not hit the gym? You can also just relax in the panoramic sauna before enjoying a delicious meal in one of our onboard restaurants.

Scoresby Sund fjord system

Largest fjord system on Earth

You will spend the next nine days exploring the vast wilderness of Scoresby Sund, the world’s largest fjord system.

Cruising peacefully against a backdrop of looming mountains, blue icebergs, and mirror-like waters, you’ll seek out wildlife like whales and Greenlandic gyrfalcons. We will make the most of current conditions and pack in as many shore landings, nature walks, kayaking tours, and wildlife sightings as possible.

Visit Ittoqqortoormiit, the most remote inhabited community in the Western Hemisphere. Conditions permitting, we’ll sail towards the ever-changing eastern ice edge of the Greenland Sea to scout for wildlife.

If you want to do your part, participate in Citizen Science projects that help preserve the region for future generations.

Relax at sea

Heading back to Iceland

After exploring the remote beauty of Greenland, we’ll set our course back to Iceland. Spend the days at sea recapping your experiences with your new friends, studying nature in the Science Center, listening to a lecture or two, or just relaxing on deck. Look out for the seabirds that follow our ship and keep an eye out for whales.

Greenland’s beauty is sure to have left its mark on you. There will be plenty to think of as you reflect on the first leg of your Grand Expedition Cruise, from the delicate ecology of the fjord systems to the ethereal elegance of the floating ice.

Rest in Reykjavík

Enjoy an outdoor spa experience at the Blue Lagoon

Upon returning to Reykjavík, you have another opportunity to explore the delights you may have missed on your first visit. In this city of art and culture, there are plenty of galleries and museums to enjoy. Or if you simply wish to relax, why not take a trip to the famous Blue Lagoon?

Enjoy an unforgettable outdoor spa experience as you relax in bright blue waters heated by geothermal energy. The water gets its iconic color from silica and other minerals carried down from the volcanic landscape. As you soak, enjoy a drink and chat with locals and fellow guests as you look forward to the next step on your adventure: western Greenland and the Northwest Passage!

Denmark Strait, revisited

Onward toward Greenland and the Northwest Passage

We sail across the Denmark Strait once again to western Greenland, the route taken by Erik the Red, supposedly the first European to settle there.

Prepare to explore Greenland’s west coast. Most Greenlanders live on the west side of the country. Explore some of the towns and settlements scattered along this coast, as well as its awe-inspiring fjords, glaciers, and mountains.

Prince Christian Sound

Breathtaking panoramas and abundant wildlife

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We aim to explore the incredible waters of Prince Christian Sound, which is 60 miles long. Sharp-peaked granite mountains provide a stunning contrast to the bright white glaciers. Look out for icebergs and colorful 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 from entering the sound, we’ll head to the jagged Cape Farewell, the southernmost point of Greenland.

Explore Kvanefjord

Discover the glacial beauty of the west coast fjords.

Experience the sublime fjords of Greenland’s west coast as we reach Kvanefjord in Sermersooq, meaning ‘Place of Much Ice’.

Have your camera ready for glistening icebergs and semi-submerged glacial ice, which is pure white with undertones of crystalline blue. These sculpted ice blocks are some of Arctic nature’s finest creations.

Few people venture into this remote fjord, making it even more special to spend the day exploring here. The Expedition Team will select places to venture ashore, where you will enjoy beautiful scenery on a nature walk. You can also head out in boats to scout for wildlife.

Nuuk, Greenland’s capital

Experience Greenlandic culture, old and new, in Nuuk

After several days exploring remote, varied icescapes, we cruise into Nuuk, Greenland’s colorful capital. It has a population of 18,000 people and a striking mix of old and new buildings.

Compare the old buildings, like the Hans Egede House and Nuuk Cathedral, with the ultra-modern architecture of Greenland’s parliament 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.

Spectacular Sisimiut

Explore ancient traditions in Arctic Greenland

We reach Sisimiut, Greenland’s second city. It sits in a spectacular location just 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle. This area has a history spanning more than 4,500 years.

Old traditions are alive and well here, and you can learn more about the ancient Saqqaq artifacts in the local museum.

If you’re looking for a special souvenir, pick up a scarf, hat or mittens made of qiviut, the inner wool of a musk ox, said to be 10 times warmer than sheep wool. Why not explore the area by foot and stretch your legs on a hike?

UNESCO-listed Ilulissat

The town where you can see and hear the ice floe

Our expedition cruise reaches Disko Bay, a haven for whales and seals. You’re in for a unique experience. Ilulissat is nestled in the magnificent Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An ever-changing gallery of passing icebergs slides by against a backdrop of colorful houses.

Marvel at giant icebergs floating past in the deep blue waters, as they take on different hues of white, gray, and blue. With the help of the ship’s photographer, enthusiasts can capture the nuances of these sculptures of nature.

Crossing the Labrador Sea

Watch for wildlife and participate 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. Consider joining one of our Citizen Science projects by helping to photograph and track whales. Or contribute to the GLOBE Program by observing the clouds and helping scientists study our climate.

The Northwest Passage

Cross a historical sea corridor through Canada’s Arctic archipelago

Like the pioneering explorers 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 this famed sea route. Stops might include Pond Inlet, Dundas Harbour, Fort Ross, Gjoa Haven, and Cambridge Bay.

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 cruising on small boats (RIBs) between ice floes and go ashore to experience the pristine wilderness firsthand. 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 hope to visit Dundas Harbour and learn about its Thule heritage. We may stop at Beechey Island and pay our respects at the graves of three Franklin expedition team members.

We will continue west to Fort Ross, a former Hudson’s 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.

Wildlife of Cambridge Bay

Wildlife and conservation in this fish-rich bay

Our expedition cruise continues into wildlife-rich Cambridge Bay, where you will disembark. Here, you might see Arctic char, musk oxen, and caribou. You’ll also find the Canadian High Arctic Research Station, an important center for climate change research.

Home to only 2,000 residents, Cambridge Bay is popular with fly-fishers who want to net giant Arctic char or lake trout. Even its name, ‘Iqaluktuuttiaq’, means ‘a good fishing place’.

Walk around and explore before we take our evening flight to Montréal.

Explore vibrant Montréal

A blend of Canadian cultures in Québec’s premier city

Your adventure concludes in Montréal, the largest city in the beautiful province of Québec. It’s a hub of Canadian history and culture, with a cosmopolitan feel and a year-round calendar of events.

There’s plenty to see and do, from shopping, cuisine, and culture, to the Basilica of Notre Dame, found among the historic streets of Old Montréal. You’ll find a kaleidoscope of color in the city’s Plateau district, and a lively atmosphere in the downtown social hub of Crescent Street.

If you’d like to explore more, you can always join an optional Post-Program.