A suite on an expedition ship
The cabin or suite on a scheduled voyage that suits your dates, the region and the size of ship you want.
Choosing the ship
Luxury Arctic cruises
Svalbard, Greenland, the Northwest Passage or the coast of Norway, on a small expedition ship or a yacht of your own. We arrange the voyage, the private jet to the port and the nights either side. Bank transfer in any major currency; crypto also accepted.
Bank transfer or cryptoAny major currency, or crypto.
What we arrange for an Arctic cruise
An Arctic voyage is booked months ahead and depends on a flight to a remote port. We handle both through one contact: the place on board, the aircraft that gets you to the ship, and the stays before and after.
A private yacht or the whole ship
A yacht built for ice, or a small expedition ship chartered for your party, with the route planned around you.
Yacht and ship charterThe private jet to the port
The aircraft to Longyearbyen, Greenland, Reykjavík or Tromsø, timed to the embarkation.
The gateway airportsStays and kit
A night at the port before sailing, the hotel after, and what to pack for the ship's landings.
Before and afterWhere to go: Svalbard, Greenland, the Northwest Passage and Norway
Four regions cover most Arctic voyages. They differ in how remote they are, how long the voyage runs and which airport you fly to.
Svalbard
The Norwegian archipelago between the mainland and the North Pole: glaciers, fjords, walrus and polar bears. Most voyages start and end in Longyearbyen. Since 2025, ships with more than 200 passengers may not enter its protected areas, so the smaller ships reach the most.
Greenland
Icebergs and the ice fjord at Ilulissat on the west coast; the deep fjord systems of the east coast. West coast voyages fly in to Greenland itself; east coast voyages often start from Iceland.
The Northwest Passage
The sea route through Canada's High Arctic islands, between Greenland and the western Arctic. It is sailed late in the summer, when the sea ice is at its lowest, and the voyages are long.
The Norwegian coast and Lofoten
Fjords, fishing villages and the Lofoten islands, sailed all year. A summer voyage has the midnight sun; a winter one the northern lights.
When to go: June to September for the ice
Expedition voyages run in the short Arctic summer, broadly June to September, as the sea ice draws back. Which month suits you depends on what you want to see, and the ice decides the rest: the captain may change the route on the day.
Early summer
Svalbard has the midnight sun from 20 April to 23 August, so June and July voyages sail in daylight around the clock. More sea ice remains early in the season.
Late summer
Arctic sea ice reaches its smallest extent in September. Late August and September are the months for the Northwest Passage and for reaching further north.
Autumn and winter
From September to March the nights are dark enough for the northern lights in northern Norway. The coastal voyages sail through the winter; expedition voyages to Svalbard and Greenland are mostly a summer affair.
A small expedition ship or a private yacht
The size of the ship decides where it may go and how many guests go ashore at once. In Svalbard's protected areas, tourist landings are limited to designated sites, and the 200-passenger limit keeps larger ships out.
Passenger ships and larger vessels working in polar waters fall under the International Maritime Organization's Polar Code, in force since 1 January 2017, which grades them by the ice they are built for. For a yacht, we ask the owner which ice class and polar certificate it holds, and the answer goes into the proposal.
Small expedition ship
Usually a scheduled voyage with an expedition team on board, landings by small boat and the best suites booked first. We compare the voyages on your dates and reserve the cabin.
Private expedition yacht
A yacht with crew, built or refitted for ice, for a family or a small group. The route is yours within the limits the captain and the ice set.
Whole-ship charter
A small expedition ship for your party alone, for a family celebration or a company trip. Availability depends on the ship's season, so this needs the longest notice.
Private jet to the ship: the Arctic gateway airports
Most Arctic voyages start in a small town with one airport. Flying private puts you there on your schedule, with the luggage on board, rather than on a set charter flight or a connection through Oslo or Copenhagen. Which airport the aircraft can use is confirmed by the operator for the jet and the date.
| Gateway | Airport | Voyages | From London | From New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longyearbyen | Svalbard Airport (LYR) | Svalbard | about 3,000 km | about 5,600 km |
| Kangerlussuaq | Kangerlussuaq (SFJ) | West Greenland | about 3,200 km | about 3,300 km |
| Nuuk | Nuuk (GOH) | West Greenland | about 3,200 km | about 3,000 km |
| Ilulissat | Ilulissat (JAV) | Disko Bay, Greenland | about 3,200 km | about 3,400 km |
| Reykjavík | Keflavík (KEF) | East Greenland, Iceland | about 1,900 km | about 4,200 km |
| Tromsø | Tromsø (TOS) | Norwegian coast, Svalbard | about 2,200 km | about 5,900 km |
Great-circle distances from London Luton and New York JFK, rounded, from OurAirports coordinates. The flight time depends on the aircraft, the winds and any fuel stop.
Nuuk's 2,200-metre runway opened in November 2024 and Ilulissat's on 29 October 2026, replacing an 845-metre strip. Kangerlussuaq keeps its longer runway and a direct flight to Copenhagen in 2026.
For Lofoten, Leknes has a runway of under 900 metres; Bodø and Evenes, with runways over 2,700 metres, are the usual choices for a jet.
Private jet charter
How we find the aircraft and price the flight.
Private jet charterWhat a charter costs
Hourly rates by aircraft size, and the charges quoted on top.
Private jet charter costsWhich jet reaches it
Check which aircraft fly from your city to the gateway without a stop.
Private jet range calculatorEntry rules for Svalbard, Greenland and Canada
Svalbard and Greenland sit outside the Schengen area, so a flight from Norway or Denmark is a border crossing. Your contact checks the rules for each passport in the party before anything is booked; the authorities below have the final word.
Svalbard
Every visitor shows a passport or national ID card. Svalbard itself needs no visa, but a traveller who needs a Schengen visa needs one to pass through mainland Norway, with two entries so they can return. Sources: the Governor of Svalbard and Visit Svalbard.
Greenland
Greenland is outside the EU and Schengen, and a Schengen visa is not valid there. EU citizens need no visa; travellers who need one apply for Greenland separately. Source: Greenland Airports.
Canada
Visa-exempt travellers need an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) to fly into Canada, but not to arrive by ship. That matters when a Northwest Passage voyage ends in Canada. Source: the Government of Canada.
Before and after the voyage: stays and kit
Weather can hold flights in the Arctic, so we plan a night at the port before the ship sails: Longyearbyen, Reykjavík, Tromsø or the Greenland gateway. After the voyage, the stay can be a few days on, or the jet straight home.
Pack in layers: a waterproof jacket and trousers, warm hat and gloves, and sunglasses for the low sun on the ice. The ship's kit list says what is supplied on board, such as boots or a parka. Ask your insurer whether the policy covers evacuation from remote polar areas; the voyage terms say whether proof is required.
Wildlife comes on its own terms. In Svalbard, everyone must keep at least 300 metres from polar bears, and 500 metres from March to June.
From brief to boarding
Four steps, whether you book a suite or charter a ship. Bank transfer in any major currency; crypto also accepted.
Share your brief
The region, your dates or the month, the party and the kind of ship. The form below or a WhatsApp message is enough.
Other ways to reach usReceive options and their terms
The voyages, yachts or ships free for your dates, and the flight to the port, each with its price, what is included and its cancellation terms.
Approve the arrangements
Nothing is booked until you approve an option and its payment terms are met. Each booking is confirmed in writing.
Receive the itinerary
Flight times, the night at the port, embarkation and the contacts for each part.
Frequently asked questions
What does your Arctic cruise service include?
The place on board (a cabin or suite on a scheduled voyage, a private yacht, or a small ship chartered for your party), the private jet to the embarkation port, and the stays before and after. The written proposal sets out what is included, part by part, before you approve anything.
When is the best time for an Arctic cruise?
Expedition voyages run broadly from June to September. June and July have the midnight sun in Svalbard, which lasts until 23 August; late August and September, when the sea ice is at its smallest, are the months for the Northwest Passage. For the northern lights, the Norwegian coast from September to March is the choice.
Can I fly by private jet to the ship?
Yes, to the airport nearest the port, such as Longyearbyen for Svalbard, Kangerlussuaq, Nuuk or Ilulissat for West Greenland, Keflavík for Reykjavík or Tromsø for northern Norway. The operator confirms that the aircraft can use the airport on your dates, and we time the flight to the embarkation.
Do I need a visa for Svalbard or Greenland?
Svalbard needs no visa of its own, but travellers who need a Schengen visa need one to pass through mainland Norway. Greenland is outside Schengen: EU citizens need no visa, and others who need one apply for Greenland separately, as a Schengen visa is not valid there. We check each passport in the party before booking.
Can we charter a whole expedition ship or a private yacht?
Yes, subject to availability. A private yacht suits a family or a small group; a small expedition ship chartered whole suits a larger party. Both need long notice, because the Arctic season is short and the ships are booked well ahead.
How much does a luxury Arctic cruise cost?
It depends on the region, the length of the voyage, the cabin or the charter, and the flight to the port. We don't publish prices; the proposal for your dates sets out the cost of each part. A budget in your enquiry helps us propose options that fit it.
Plan your Arctic cruise
The region, your dates, the party and the kind of ship you have in mind. We reply with options and their terms; nothing is booked until you approve one.