Northwest Passage cruises
The Northwest Passage, linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through Canada’s Arctic archipelago, may be the ultimate polar expedition. It blends huge icebergs, glaciers and amazing wildlife with Inuit culture, and the fascinating history of maritime exploration.
Much of the intrigue around Northwest Passage cruises is down to the Herculean efforts that European explorers put into finding the route in the first place, in particular the ill-starred Franklin expedition of 1845. On our trips, onboard historians explain the significance of the Franklin burial sites on Beechey Island, and show you Victory Point, where the Franklin’s ships HMS Terror and HMS Erebus were finally abandoned.
But the history of polar exploration is only one element of this journey. You are accompanied throughout by hugely experienced and knowledgeable crew members who bring what you’re seeing, and the places you’re visiting, into fascinating perspective. Geologists on Zodiacs fish chunks of sea ice thousands of years old from the water to explain how the ice got its colour, and how climate change is affecting glaciers. Naturalists talk you through the behaviours of polar bears and whales, about the importance of seabird colonies, or the ideal way to frame a photo of a whale’s fluke against an iceberg. Local Inuit guides interpret the history of Arctic exploration, as well as Arctic wildlife and landscapes, through the lens of their own culture.
“It’s such a fabled, multidimensional voyage – you don't get that from any other kind of polar expedition,” says James Turner, commercial director at Wildfoot Travel, who organise some of our most exciting Arctic holidays. “Cruising the Northwest Passage really is an incredible experience.”
Much of the intrigue around Northwest Passage cruises is down to the Herculean efforts that European explorers put into finding the route in the first place, in particular the ill-starred Franklin expedition of 1845. On our trips, onboard historians explain the significance of the Franklin burial sites on Beechey Island, and show you Victory Point, where the Franklin’s ships HMS Terror and HMS Erebus were finally abandoned.
But the history of polar exploration is only one element of this journey. You are accompanied throughout by hugely experienced and knowledgeable crew members who bring what you’re seeing, and the places you’re visiting, into fascinating perspective. Geologists on Zodiacs fish chunks of sea ice thousands of years old from the water to explain how the ice got its colour, and how climate change is affecting glaciers. Naturalists talk you through the behaviours of polar bears and whales, about the importance of seabird colonies, or the ideal way to frame a photo of a whale’s fluke against an iceberg. Local Inuit guides interpret the history of Arctic exploration, as well as Arctic wildlife and landscapes, through the lens of their own culture.
“It’s such a fabled, multidimensional voyage – you don't get that from any other kind of polar expedition,” says James Turner, commercial director at Wildfoot Travel, who organise some of our most exciting Arctic holidays. “Cruising the Northwest Passage really is an incredible experience.”
Northwest Passage Cruise Map
Where do Northwest Passage small ship cruises go?
There are various Northwest Passage cruise routes, and choosing the right sailing for you will usually come down to your time frame and budget. Shorter Northwest Passage cruises, such as one from Cambridge Bay in Canada to West Greenland, can run to around two weeks, while the full passage from Greenland to the Beaufort Sea and the northern coast of Alaska takes about a month.“Size of ship is also a consideration,” adds James. “I'd say for the Northwest Passage any vessel that carries 150 or fewer passengers is really the sweet spot. Larger ships have a lot more restrictions on where they can land and people can go ashore.”
Canada to Greenland cruise, Northwest passage
Traverse the legendary Northwest Passage in optimum comfort
From
£19395
16 days
ex flights
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What do Northwest Passage cruises involve?
The Northwest Passage is the most expeditionary of all the Arctic cruises, in the sense that it’s going into the unknown and the unexpected.![]()
Expedition cruising
“The nature of expedition cruising is that it’s uncertain,” says James. “And because the ice is continually moving, the Northwest Passage is the most expeditionary of all the Arctic cruises, in the sense that it’s going into the unknown and the unexpected.”
Assuming you are going east to west, which is the most common direction through the Northwest Passage, you are expedition cruising for the most part once you get past Canada’s Baffin Island. Where ships go, and where they land, is down to the expedition leader and the captain, and while they may have a preferred route, there is no fixed plan or schedule – you travel as the conditions dictate. The weather, the ice, or wildlife sightings can all influence your direction of travel, and that flexibility is the beauty of a polar expedition cruise.
Assuming you are going east to west, which is the most common direction through the Northwest Passage, you are expedition cruising for the most part once you get past Canada’s Baffin Island. Where ships go, and where they land, is down to the expedition leader and the captain, and while they may have a preferred route, there is no fixed plan or schedule – you travel as the conditions dictate. The weather, the ice, or wildlife sightings can all influence your direction of travel, and that flexibility is the beauty of a polar expedition cruise.
Inuit culture
“Very few vessels go to this part of the world,” says James. “It takes years and years of planning to cruise through the Northwest Passage, working with local communities, getting their acceptance to land in these places, and creating a harmonious environment. We're not going as tourists, we really engage. Visits must have meaning for both parties.”
Our Northwest Passage expeditions spend time in Inuit communities so you can get a sense of how people survive and thrive in this harsh wilderness. Inuit guides will show you around, talking about their childhood and upbringing, relating stories passed down generations, and giving Inuit perspectives on many different subjects.
On shore excursions you’ll sometimes see evidence of traditional hunting practices, whether that be whale carcasses, or polar bear skins hung up to dry, which can be unsettling. “We have to understand that there's no other way for the Inuit to survive in this world,” says James. “They only take what they need – nothing is wasted.”
Hunting is a good example of the challenges Inuit people face to preserve their culture in the modern world. In the past, hunters could rely on the guidance of their elders on where and when to find their prey, but that knowledge is not so reliable now that the climate is changing. So they must employ technology, like phone apps. You can also see that interesting blend of old and new in supermarkets, where traditional hunting tools are hung up for sale alongside the frozen foods – in the Arctic, even the bread is frozen.
“As tour operators we have a real duty of respect and an understanding of the Inuit’s challenges, and we really try to give back,” says James, “such as by encouraging our clients to buy local produce and souvenirs. But still the future is concerning – traditions like throat singing have to exist for more than just tourism.”
Our Northwest Passage expeditions spend time in Inuit communities so you can get a sense of how people survive and thrive in this harsh wilderness. Inuit guides will show you around, talking about their childhood and upbringing, relating stories passed down generations, and giving Inuit perspectives on many different subjects.
On shore excursions you’ll sometimes see evidence of traditional hunting practices, whether that be whale carcasses, or polar bear skins hung up to dry, which can be unsettling. “We have to understand that there's no other way for the Inuit to survive in this world,” says James. “They only take what they need – nothing is wasted.”
Hunting is a good example of the challenges Inuit people face to preserve their culture in the modern world. In the past, hunters could rely on the guidance of their elders on where and when to find their prey, but that knowledge is not so reliable now that the climate is changing. So they must employ technology, like phone apps. You can also see that interesting blend of old and new in supermarkets, where traditional hunting tools are hung up for sale alongside the frozen foods – in the Arctic, even the bread is frozen.
“As tour operators we have a real duty of respect and an understanding of the Inuit’s challenges, and we really try to give back,” says James, “such as by encouraging our clients to buy local produce and souvenirs. But still the future is concerning – traditions like throat singing have to exist for more than just tourism.”
Wildlife watching
Where ships can go, whales can surely follow. Grey whales were hunted to extinction in the Atlantic Ocean, but at least one has been sighted in the Mediterranean Sea, presumably having arrived from the Pacific Ocean through the Northwest Passage. Unless it flew there, but that does seem somewhat unlikely.
These waters are teeming with wildlife, and our small ships serve as very effective viewing platforms. You don’t spend a great deal of time in your cabin while cruising in the Arctic. Among the many, many highlights of a cruise through the Northwest Passage is Cunningham Inlet on Somerset Island, where beluga whales congregate in the summer months to shed their skins. Did you know beluga whales shed their skins? You do now. They rub themselves against the sandbanks, watched closely by hungry polar bears who are often rewarded with a feast.
You pass through Lancaster Sound on your entrance to the passage. It’s something of a migratory superhighway. Here, the cacophonous sea cliffs of Prince Leopold Island play host to around half a million migratory birds including kittiwakes, guillemots and puffins. If you’re immensely lucky you might encounter narwhals, the elusive ‘unicorns of the sea’. Off Baffin Island you might see many more whale species including humpback, sei and fin.
Bowhead whales overwinter in the Amundsen Gulf that lies at the western end of the passage. In places like Banks Island you might see everything from Arctic foxes to snow geese, caribou, musk ox and even grizzly bears. Long story short, pack your binoculars.
These waters are teeming with wildlife, and our small ships serve as very effective viewing platforms. You don’t spend a great deal of time in your cabin while cruising in the Arctic. Among the many, many highlights of a cruise through the Northwest Passage is Cunningham Inlet on Somerset Island, where beluga whales congregate in the summer months to shed their skins. Did you know beluga whales shed their skins? You do now. They rub themselves against the sandbanks, watched closely by hungry polar bears who are often rewarded with a feast.
You pass through Lancaster Sound on your entrance to the passage. It’s something of a migratory superhighway. Here, the cacophonous sea cliffs of Prince Leopold Island play host to around half a million migratory birds including kittiwakes, guillemots and puffins. If you’re immensely lucky you might encounter narwhals, the elusive ‘unicorns of the sea’. Off Baffin Island you might see many more whale species including humpback, sei and fin.
Bowhead whales overwinter in the Amundsen Gulf that lies at the western end of the passage. In places like Banks Island you might see everything from Arctic foxes to snow geese, caribou, musk ox and even grizzly bears. Long story short, pack your binoculars.
Environmentally friendly vessels
For the Northwest Passage our holidays charter cruise ships that use advanced designs and technologies to ensure they have minimal impact in these fragile Arctic landscapes. Polar cruise ships already have some of the cleanest engines in the industry, but some vessels also have a tapered bow resembling the nose of a dolphin, allowing them to cleave through the waves and glide along with a greater degree of stability. As well as making for a more comfortable voyage, this also significantly reduces fuel consumption and emissions.
Ships process all waste onboard, so nothing is dumped as they go along. Some now also use a ‘virtual anchoring’ system that use satellites to maintain a precise position without the need to actually drop anchor and risk damage to the ocean floor. During land excursions, groups may take part in voluntary beach clean-ups – sadly plastic pollution reaches even here.
Our Northwest Passage cruises also offer you the chance to get involved in citizen science. These ships are effectively floating laboratories, conducting research throughout the voyage. Your sightings of seabirds and marine mammals enable scientists to track migratory patterns and population growth. Cataloguing sky patterns and cloud formations, with the data submitted to institutions like NASA, helps that organisation understand global weather patterns. “Ultimately, it's about passengers becoming ambassadors for these regions,” says James.
Ships process all waste onboard, so nothing is dumped as they go along. Some now also use a ‘virtual anchoring’ system that use satellites to maintain a precise position without the need to actually drop anchor and risk damage to the ocean floor. During land excursions, groups may take part in voluntary beach clean-ups – sadly plastic pollution reaches even here.
Our Northwest Passage cruises also offer you the chance to get involved in citizen science. These ships are effectively floating laboratories, conducting research throughout the voyage. Your sightings of seabirds and marine mammals enable scientists to track migratory patterns and population growth. Cataloguing sky patterns and cloud formations, with the data submitted to institutions like NASA, helps that organisation understand global weather patterns. “Ultimately, it's about passengers becoming ambassadors for these regions,” says James.
When to go
Northwest Passage sailings take place in a very limited window of August to September, when the narrow channels that make up the passage are free of ice. Come later, in September, for the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights during your cruise.
What is the Northwest Passage?
It took 300 years, vast expense and hundreds of lives for European explorers to establish the Northwest Passage, a 1,450km route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean across the top of the world via Canada’s Arctic archipelago. Though it’s a fair bet that Inuit and First Nations people had discovered it themselves long before.
The passage is located 800km north of the Arctic Circle, and plotting a route through required navigating a maze of narrow, iceberg-strewn channels that are entirely frozen for much of the year. Ships unable to make safe harbour in time could become stranded, frozen in place and carried wherever the ice sheet took them. Such was the fate of Sir John Franklin’s 1845 expedition, which ended in a desperate trek across the ice, cannibalism, and the tragic loss of all hands.
So why do it, then? Why risk so much to unpick a dangerous route that no-one was even sure existed? Because if it could be found, the Northwest Passage would be a useful shortcut between Europe and Asia, a potential alternative to both the Suez and Panama canals. Opening such a route to commercial shipping would have had an enormous effect on global trade.
Roald Amundsen, the legendary Norwegian explorer later to reach the South Pole, was the first European to successfully navigate the length of the Northwest Passage in 1906, but it took him three years. The first cruise ship managed it in 1984, and since then this has become an iconic polar route for adventure travellers. Thankfully, however, it has yet to be fully opened up for commercial shipping, so for now at any rate, roaming these pristine landscapes remains the preserve of small expedition vessels. Long may that continue.
The passage is located 800km north of the Arctic Circle, and plotting a route through required navigating a maze of narrow, iceberg-strewn channels that are entirely frozen for much of the year. Ships unable to make safe harbour in time could become stranded, frozen in place and carried wherever the ice sheet took them. Such was the fate of Sir John Franklin’s 1845 expedition, which ended in a desperate trek across the ice, cannibalism, and the tragic loss of all hands.
So why do it, then? Why risk so much to unpick a dangerous route that no-one was even sure existed? Because if it could be found, the Northwest Passage would be a useful shortcut between Europe and Asia, a potential alternative to both the Suez and Panama canals. Opening such a route to commercial shipping would have had an enormous effect on global trade.
Roald Amundsen, the legendary Norwegian explorer later to reach the South Pole, was the first European to successfully navigate the length of the Northwest Passage in 1906, but it took him three years. The first cruise ship managed it in 1984, and since then this has become an iconic polar route for adventure travellers. Thankfully, however, it has yet to be fully opened up for commercial shipping, so for now at any rate, roaming these pristine landscapes remains the preserve of small expedition vessels. Long may that continue.
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