Cosmopolitan Reykjavík

Discover Iceland's modern capital.

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

At Reykjavík Harbor, MS Fridtjof Nansen awaits you. After collecting your complimentary expedition jacket, 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, we recommend booking a Pre-Program with us to tour the Golden Circle or Icelandic Highlands.

Across the Denmark Strait

In the wake of the 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 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, 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.

Prince Christian Sund

Breathtaking panoramas and abundant wildlife

We aim to explore the incredible waters of Prince Christian Sound, stretching 60 miles long. Sharp-peaked granite mountains provide a stunning contrast to the bright white glaciers. Look out for calving 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.

Ivittuut: forgotten town

Ivittuut’s fascinating World War II 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 World War II, the US secretly stationed troops here to prevent rare cryolite, used to make aluminum alloys, from falling into enemy hands. Supplies were instead shipped to the UK to manufacture aircraft that fought in the Battle of Britain.

Here, you can walk among the area's deserted buildings. In what was once the last Viking settlement in Greenland, the only inhabitants you’re likely to see nowadays are musk oxen.

Nuuk, Greenland’s capital

Experience Greenlandic culture, old and new, in Nuuk

After several days exploring remote, idyllic icescapes, you’ll 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.

Crossing the Labrador Sea

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. 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 the Northwest Passage, the infamous sea route. Stops might include Pond Inlet, Dundas Harbor, 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 cruising on small boats (RIBs) 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 hope to visit Dundas Harbor 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.

From here, we 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.

Along the Alaskan coast

Science and wildlife 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 gray 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.

No place like Nome

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.

Vibrant Vancouver

Enjoy 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 neighborhoods buzz with restaurants offering delicious international cuisine. Don’t miss Gastown, Vancouver’s old Victorian district. Here, you’ll find the Vancouver Lookout, offering a panoramic view over the city.

While you’re here, consider joining our Post-Program to the beautiful mountain resort of Banff. What better way to end your adventure!