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Northwest Passage & Northern Lights Expedition Cruise

Northwest Passage & Northern Lights Expedition Cruise

From AUD $19,850

Description

Embark on a captivating Northern Lights cruise from Greenland to Canada, tracing the historic ice-filled Northwest Passage. This luxurious round trip begins and ends in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, and journeys through breathtaking locations like Sisimiut, Disko Bay, and Pond Inlet, eventually taking you to the dramatic Arctic waters of Canada’s Nunavut. The cruise offers incredible encounters with varied landscapes and wildlife. Explore Nunavut’s Arctic coast, home to polar bears and narwhals, experience Greenland’s iconic icebergs, and visit remote Inuit communities with colorful homes. Uncover the heritage of the Ilulissat Icefjord in Disko Bay and delve into the intriguing exploration history in places like Radstock Bay. Take part in a multitude of activities designed for an unforgettable luxury cruise experience. Engage in kayaking with the expedition team, enjoy expert lectures, and sharpen your photography skills. Spend leisurely sea days mingling with fellow travelers, or savor panoramic ocean views from the ship’s observation decks, all while soaking in the rich exploration history of this mesmerizing region.

Trip Name
Northwest Passage & Northern Lights Expedition Cruise
Days
16
Overview
Vessel Type: Luxury Expedition / Cruise Ship Length: 115 metres Passenger Capacity: 158 Built: 2020/2021/2022 The SH Vega is a boutique, ice-strengthened expedition ship designed for exploring the world’s most remote destinations in refined comfort. Built in Finland’s renowned Helsinki Shipyard, she combines sleek Scandinavian design with advanced cruising technology, including a Polar Class PC5 hull and extra-large stabilisers for smooth sailing in challenging waters. With space for just 158 guests and 122 crew, she offers an intimate and personalised experience, where every detail is considered – from elegant observation lounges and stargazing decks to fine dining venues and a spa with panoramic views. Her facilities include a heated outdoor pool, open deck jacuzzi, gym, and library, ensuring the journey is as rewarding on board as it is ashore. Accommodation ranges from stylish oceanview staterooms to expansive premium suites, all appointed with contemporary comforts such as a flame-effect fireplace, Illy espresso machine, luxury toiletries, and even complimentary binoculars for wildlife spotting. Private balconies in many cabins provide a front-row seat to breathtaking landscapes, while world-class dining, attentive service, and thoughtful touches like a welcome bottle of Champagne enhance the sense of occasion. Whether navigating polar ice or sailing into sunlit harbours, the SH Vega offers a blend of adventure, elegance, and home-like warmth.

Itinerary



Day 1 - Days 0 - 1 Pre Cruise & Kangerlussuaq
Once a WWII airbase at the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord, Kangerlussuaq's history is told at the airport’s museum, showcasing Inuit artefacts. This ice-filled glacial area and tundra is a haven for wildlife, including reindeer, arctic foxes, arctic hare, gyrfalcons and around 10,000 muskoxen.
Day 2 - Day 2 Sisimiut
The northernmost city in Greenland, just above the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut remains remarkably ice free in winter and is known as an adventure sports hub all year round. Inhabited for more than 4,500 years by the Dorset, Thule and eventually the Inuit people, dog sledding remains a vital form of transportation. The area is home to humpback whales and Arctic foxes in their summer coat.
Day 3 - Day 3 Disko Bay
Known for its Inuit culture, whales and icebergs, Disko Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Western Greenland. The bay is also home to the Ilulissat Icefjord, one of the fastest-moving glaciers in the world. First visited by Europeans in 1596, in search of a Northwest Passage to Asia, it has been an Inuit home for millennia. The village of Qeqertarsuaq embodies thriving Inuit traditions, preserving the cultural legacy.
Day 4 - Day 4 Day at sea
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.
Day 5 - Day 5 Pond Inlet, NU
The views of snow-capped mountains have given Pond Inlet in northern Baffin Island the name of Canada’s ‘jewel of the north’ and the area is a prime breeding ground for narwhals - toothed whales with a distinct large tusk. The traditional Inuit community living in the hamlet of Mittimatalik are renowned for their craft skills from printmaking and stone carving.
Day 6 - Day 6 Croker Bay
Gracing the eastern high Arctic, Croker Bay, a mesmerising Arctic waterway, carves its way into Devon Island within the vibrant Qikiqtaaluk Region. This deep inlet, an extension of Lancaster Sound and Barrow Strait, unveils a landscape of captivating beauty. The Devon ice cap feeds the huge South Croker Bay Glacier that calves into the bay.
Day 7 - Day 7 Radstock Bay, NU
This area is closely associated with the exploration of Canada’s High Arctic and the Northwest Passage. Much of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago was mapped while searching for the missing crew of British explorer Sir John Franklin’s fateful 1845-46 Northwest Passage Expedition. Radstock Bay sits below the mighty Caswall Tower mountain and hides many secrets, with evidence of sledge tracks, camps and food tins that may help reveal what happened.
Day 8 - Day 7 Beechey Island, NU
Beechey Island Sites, five historical locations in Canada’s High Arctic, mark where Sir John Franklin wintered in 1845–46 during his ill-fated Northwest Passage expedition. The search for his crew led to much of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago being mapped. Nearly six decades later, in 1903, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first to successfully navigate the Northwest Passage.
Day 9 - Day 8 Port Leopold, NU
Port Leopold is a place of raw, rugged natural beauty and landscapes that evoke a sense of awe and wonder. The pristine wilderness and untouched terrain create a feeling of remoteness and isolation, while the Arctic wildlife that calls this place home adds a touch of wildness and unpredictability. The area's history as a former Hudson's Bay Company trading post also lends a sense of nostalgia and intrigue.
Day 10 - Day 8 Batty Bay, NU
Uninhabited Batty Bay, Nunavut, part of Prince Regent Inlet on Somerset Island, features dramatic cliffs and hills and is a historic Arctic site. It saw early explorers like Sir John Franklin and Captain John Ross, who left boats there in 1832. Batty Bay's history and pristine Arctic setting continues to attract explorers and researchers. While not a beluga hotspot, the wider region sees significant beluga migrations.
Day 11 - Day 9 Cruising Bellot Strait, NU
The Bellot Strait, named in honour of the French explorer Joseph-René Bellot, is a narrow, 2.3-km-wide, and 25-km-long waterway. It separates Somerset Island to the north from the Boothia Peninsula to the south. This strait played a historical role during an expedition to locate Sir John Franklin's lost expedition, tragically marked by Bellot's death in the area in 1853.
Day 12 - Day 9 Strzelecki Harbour
Strzelecki Harbour, on the east coast of uninhabited Prince of Wales Island, lies within Peel Sound opposite Bellot Strait. Its nutrient-rich waters attract arctic marine mammals like beluga whales and narwhal, while the surrounding low tundra offers occasional sightings of polar bears and muskoxen. This remote island was first encountered by Europeans in 1851 during Sir Francis McClintock's search for the lost Franklin Expedition.
Day 13 - Day 10 Cunningham Inlet, NU
Cunningham Inlet, on the eastern side of Nunavut's Somerset Island, draws crowds of beluga whales each summer. Up to 2,000 whales gather around the Cunningham River estuary. The whales come to the inlet to mate, raise their young, socialise and shed their old, yellowed skin in the warm, shallow waters, revealing their snow-white epidermis beneath. Observers can witness these activities firsthand, often enjoying close-up views from the shore.
Day 14 - Day 11 Day at sea
Spend your day at sea enjoying the facilities available onboard. Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or relax in the hot tub while taking in incredible views along the way. If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable experts.
Day 15 - Day 12 Buchan Gulf, NU
Buchan Gulf, a remote Arctic fjord on Baffin Island's northeastern coast, is one of the world’s most important nesting sites for northern fulmars, who roost on the towering cliffs and rocks. Polar bears roam the shores of Icy Arm, a narrow fjord with the relics of an ancient Thule semi-subterranean home sitting on the edge of the boggy tundra. Pods of narwhals are at home in the deep waters of this glacial fjord system on eastern Baffin Island.
Day 16 - Day 13 Qikiqtarjuaq
Qikiqtarjuaq is a remote, beautiful Baffin Island community surrounded by towering mountains and glaciers. The rugged landscape and pristine wilderness offer endless opportunities for outdoor adventure, from kayaking to wildlife watching. The town's Inuit culture and traditions are still alive. But what sets Qikiqtarjuaq apart is the warmth and hospitality of its people, who welcome visitors and share their rich history and traditions with pride.
Day 17 - Day 14 Day at sea
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.
Day 18 - Day 15 Kangerlussuaq
Once a WWII airbase at the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord, Kangerlussuaq's history is told at the airport’s museum, showcasing Inuit artefacts. This ice-filled glacial area and tundra is a haven for wildlife, including reindeer, arctic foxes, arctic hare, gyrfalcons and around 10,000 muskoxen.
Day 19 - Please note:
Itineraries are subject to change. 
Day 20 - Please note:
Itineraries are subject to change. 

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
02-09-202617-09-2026AUD $19,850Oceanview D4
02-09-202617-09-2026AUD $20,850Oceanview M4
02-09-202617-09-2026AUD $23,825Balcony D5
02-09-202617-09-2026AUD $24,800Balcony M5
02-09-202617-09-2026AUD $34,725Suite
02-09-202617-09-2026AUD $39,700Premium Suite

Inclusions

    • Marvel at glistening icebergs as they crack and calve dramatically into the meltwater.
    • Learn about the rich history of the Inuit, Dorset and Thule peoples from onboard experts.
    • Gaze up at the towering cliffs of Prince Leopold Island, alive with nesting birdlife.

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