arctic

Top 3 Arctic cruise destinations
A few cruises visit all three of these Arctic cruise destinations.

1. Svalbard   Norway
   This archipelago is only about 1200 kilometers (750 miles) from the North Pole. Most of the land is wonderful wilderness, with many polar bears and striking glaciers. Ignore the capital city Longyearbyen. Lackluster describes it.
   
2. Iceland
   Don't miss Gullfoss Waterfall, Jokulsarlon Glacial Lake, Myvatn Lake Region, and Vatnajokull Glacier, and Iceland's geothermal springs. The national capital Reykjavik has a fun, dynamic downtown area.
   
3. Greenland   governed by Denmark
   Fjords are Greenland's chief attraction. They are numerous, long, and spectacular - and can be easily viewed from a cruise ship. If the cruise ship takes you to only one, make sure it's the Ilulissat (Jakobshavn) Ice Fjord.

Runners-up: Baffin Island (Canada) and North Cape (Norway).

When to go on an Arctic cruise
The season runs from May to September. July and August offer the best all-around climate for Arctic cruises.

Top Arctic cruise appeals
Here are popular dos-and-sees:

Wildlife
Polar bears • Whales • Caribous or reindeers • Walruses • Arctic birds

Landscapes
Icebergs • Glaciers • Waterfalls • Volcanoes • Geothermal springs

Activities
Sightseeing • Photographing • Hiking • Kayaking

And ...
Midnight sun • Natives & cultures

Arctic cruise tips & insights
Arctic cruise length
Single-nation cruises usually last about week. Those encompassing multiple countries typically range 12 to 24 days.

Ship size
Small and medium are the best for Arctic cruising. However, if a ship is too small, it won't handle rough open-sea weather well. Neither will converted research and icebreaker ships because of their shallow, rounded hulls.

Guides
Your cruise will be only as good as the quality of the expedition leader & staff, onboard lecturers, and shore excursion guides.

Definition of "Arctic"
There are two widely accepted definitions:

• All the sea and land north of the Arctic Circle. (See red circle on first-page map.)
  
• Everything north of the tree line.

The first definition is precise (a perfect circle). The second isn't. The distance of the tree line to the North Pole varies from place to place due to climactic conditions,

Iceland qualifies for the second definition, but just misses the first. That's why I prefer the second. It's truer to the traveler's experience.

Unpredictable weather
Don't be surprised if your captain has to make a last-minute change in the itinerary or shore excursion landing. Weather rules the Arctic.

Arctic pests
Biting insects run rampant in most Arctic cruising regions. Bring repellant.

Health
Forget about taking an Arctic cruise if you are not physically fit and in good health. Some shore excursions are challenging and ships are sometimes great distances from a hospital and emergency evacuation service.

Clothing
As in Antarctica, you need to dress in many layers. Your parka and other outer clothes should be waterproof and windproof. And wear thermal underwear. You also need rubber Wellington boots for stepping out of a Zodiac boat into calf-deep cold water (some Arctic shore excursion sites don't have docks).

The Arctic is very international
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the USA share it.

The big difference between the Arctic and Antarctica
Antarctica is mainly land mass, Most of the Arctic above the Arctic Circle is a deep sea blanketed by ice.

Midnight sun
This summertime treat extends your daylight sightseeing hours, which max on June 21st.