Arctic Expedition Voyages

ITINERARIES
All itineraries are intended as an outline of what may be accomplished during a voyage. Sea, weather and ice conditions, together with wildlife sightings, can all play a part in determining where you go and what you do on a day to day basis.

This kind of flexibility is what makes expedition cruising adventurous and exciting. All passengers must accept that the captain and expedition leader decide the exact itinerary and shore landings on a day to day basis, according to local conditions at the time.

WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE LIKE?
In Polar Regions the weather is always an unknown factor and is usually very changeable. Temperatures will be cold, though not perhaps as cold as you might expect. Typically, they range between –15°C and +4°C (5°F and 40°F). The summer average is around 0°C (32°F) but on calm sunny days it can feel a lot warmer. Wet, windy weather must also be expected.

HOW ROUGH WILL THE SEAS BE?
This is always hard to predict but on many voyages time is spent in the open sea so we recommend following the sailors’ advice – “prepare for the worst and hope for the best”. Some trips encounter some heavy seas but how rough and for how long is an unknown quantity. We advise that you try out any medication against motion sickness in advance to check that it works for you.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TRAVEL?
As a populated region, the Arctic is relatively accessible at any time of year but in terms of cruising, the summer season between June and September offer the best conditions for exploration.

For Wildlife Our trips operate at a time when many bird species are breeding, generally July and August, which optimises the chances of encountering large numbers of them. With years of experience in the region, the captain and expedition leader are familiar with the areas where wildlife can be found, so your chances of seeing a good range of mammals are very good, although sightings can never be guaranteed. The weather, as always, can also play a part in what is actually seen on a day-to-day basis.

For Accessibility North and West Spitsbergen cruises are the first to operate in the season, as this is the first part of the archipelago that becomes ice-free. Other parts of the region are only accessible late in summer, when the ice has broken up sufficiently to allow vessels through. Even so, on our cruises around Spitsbergen, to Greenland and the Canadian Arctic, the route can never be guaranteed. It is generally true to say that the later in the season, the more likelihood of getting there!

For Photography While 24 hours of daylight early in the season mean you can watch for wildlife at any time, the light can be rather harsh during the day. Later in the season, the light is often better for photographic purposes.