Embark on an Oceanwide expedition cruise to the Arctic and experience a wilderness that is truly the stuff of legends, serving as an arena for adventure since the early days of world discovery. Oceanwide’s Arctic expedition cruises give you not only the chance to see some of Earth’s most exotic areas and animals, but also to engage in exhilarating polar activities that fully immerse you in the fascinating Arctic world.
During your expedition cruise, you can explore the Arctic by kayak, set out on shoreline snowshoeing treks, make invigorating inland hikes, or even partake in ski mountaineering outings for a perfect combination of the scenic and the exciting.
Also available only aboard Oceanwide’s new vessel Hondius are special activities focusing on science-based topics that illuminate the incredible Arctic ecosystem.
The Arctic is many things…
It is the deep Nordic forests and aurora-lit islands of Northern Norway. The glacial coastlines and mountainous fjords of eastern Greenland. The rugged tundra, berg-filled bays, and blazing white pack ice of the Svalbard archipelago.
The Arctic is polar bears, seabirds, walruses, whales, and scores of other animals. But most of all, the Arctic is an unforgettable expedition cruise experience.
Join Oceanwide on a voyage into the Arctic, where adventure is just part of the territory.
Cruises to the Arctic
Around Spitsbergen, In the realm of Polar Bear & Ice
Full Spitsbergen Circumnavigation
PLA07-22 Take a cruise around Spitsbergen and explore the icy waters of the North Atlantic. This special expedition offers you the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear.
m/v Plancius
Cruise date:
6 Jul - 15 Jul, 2022
Price:
5150 USD
North Spitsbergen, Arctic Summer
Watch for wildlife in iconic Arctic terrain
RVR26-22 The North Spitsbergen cruise sails to some of the remotest locations of northern Europe. The expedition gives you the opportunity to spot historic whaling remains, glaciers, a variety of Arctic birds including the Little Auk, and polar bears.
s/v Rembrandt van Rijn
Cruise date:
6 Jul - 16 Jul, 2022
Price:
3840 USD
Around Spitsbergen, In the realm of Polar Bear & Ice
Full Spitsbergen Circumnavigation
HDS07-22 Take a cruise around Spitsbergen and explore the icy waters of the North Atlantic. This special expedition offers you the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear.
m/v Hondius
Cruise date:
7 Jul - 16 Jul, 2022
Price:
5150 USD
East Spitsbergen - Arctic Academy
Dutch scientific expedition to Spitsbergen
OTL08-22 This is a voyage, with a group of scientists on the ship, who will follow-up on the investigations which Dutch researchers began on Edgeøya in the 20th century. Academic voyage organized by the Dutch University of Groningen to the Island Edgeøya south...
m/v Ortelius
Cruise date:
13 Jul - 22 Jul, 2022
Price:
5150 USD
North Spitsbergen, Arctic Summer - Hike & Sail
Explore the shores and seas of an amazing island
RVR27-22 The North Spitsbergen cruise sails to some of the remotest locations of northern Europe. The expedition gives you the opportunity to spot historic whaling remains, glaciers, a variety of Arctic birds including the Little Auk, and polar bears.
s/v Rembrandt van Rijn
Cruise date:
16 Jul - 26 Jul, 2022
Price:
on request
Arctic cruise video
Arctic story
Greenland: Land of Superlatives
On September 16th, I flew to Iceland and spent an evening in Reykjavik, then crossed the island for the town of Akureyri
Arctic blog
Oceanwide participates in fourth annual Cleanup for Sarah
During Cleanup for Sarah, we encourage our staff and followers on social media to join us in removing litter from nature
Arctic experiences
See the highlights you may experience:
Arctic wildlife
See the highlights you may experience:
Map of
Arctic cruise reviews

Polar bears in the arctic!
My wife wanted to see/photograph polar bears in the wild. We researched all of the options and settled on Oceanwide Expeditions from Svalbard. We were NOT disappointed. We saw polar bears and more, rode in z
What a delight !!
I've seen so many polar bears in zoos that I thought seeing them in the wild would not be too exciting. I could not have been more wrong. We had an amazing long and close encounter with a mother polar be

Amazing trip
What a great trip that was! A cruise near Spitsbergen. For us as a couple a first time that we experience such a trip. Everything was perfectly arranged. Activities every day. Delicious food. In the evening
Best experience I ever had
I have to say that I never expected the cruise to be so perfect. The whole crew and guide team were amazing, very knowledgeable (shared a lot of different information regarding the nature there), very nice a
Best trip ever
Me and some other students from the Arctic center in Groningen got the opportunity to go on this trip at a discount and I feel so grateful. It truly was a one in a lifetime experience, the guides were amazin
Read full review »Basecamp
It was an excellent trip with perfect Organisation and planning. The crew was very friendly and competently. We would like recommend Oceanwide to our friends.
Read full review »Arctic FAQ
What should I take into account when travelling to the Arctic?
Avoid unnecessary damage to the ground surface and vegetarian cover, as regeneration rates are extremely slow. Do not take specimens from plants. Do not pick flowers. Avoid disturbing or feeding the wildlife. Be aware of your activities and whethe
Read more »What checks should I undertake before going to the Arctic?
Ensure that the footwear you intend to take has been scrubbed clean and all soil and seeds removed. Check all of your clothing for soil, seeds and insects, especially cuffs, pockets, hoods and all Velcro. Check that any equipment and luggage you
Read more »Which ships travels to the Arctic?
All of our motor vessels and our sailing vessel make Arctic trips.
Read more »When does Oceanwide Expeditions travel to the Arctic?
Our Arctic trips take place during the Northern Hemisphere summer.
Read more »Where is the Arctic?
The north Pole is the top point of earth. At the North Pole, night and day occurs continuously half the year. This depends on whether the pole is facing the sun or not.The North Pole is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean and is surrounded by Alaska, C
Read more »Who lives in the Arctic?
The Arctic is inhabited by different groups of people with mostly an European background. People from the surrounding countries live at the North Pole.
Read more »About
Arctic Expedition Cruises
The first explorers who set foot in the Arctic must have almost thought they’d wandered onto a different planet. But though they were certainly astonished by the dramatic scenery and rich wildlife, their main concern was surviving until they could find a northern trade route to the Indies.
Instead they discovered Spitsbergen, or “New Land of the Pointed Mountains.” Dutch captain Willem Barentsz named the island in 1596, and over four centuries later it still bears his handle. But though the Dutch didn’t succeed in finding their route, they did manage to return to Amsterdam a year later still wearing the fur clothes and white fox hats gotten in their expeditions ― but without their captain, who died during the journey.
Unlike the explorers, our motivation is purely for experience. We lead cruises to the Arctic and North Atlantic islands so our passengers can enjoy one of the last truly wild places on Earth. Remote and occasionally hostile, these areas are home to countless eye-popping sights: fiery sunsets glowing over the jagged glaciers, peaks and snowdrifts reflected up from water clear as glass, and white-winged birds streaking the bright blue sky. But nothing can prepare polar travelers for their first sight of the undisputed sovereign of the Arctic: the polar bear.
Today we visit these locations during the summer season, taking advantage of the long hours of daylight when temperatures are not so severe. Yet still this harsh and beautiful landscape echoes the history of those first brave voyages of discovery that happened so many centuries ago.
Facts About The Arctic
- Unlike Antarctica, the Arctic is not a continent but a region ― extending into Canada, the US, Russia, Finland, Greenland, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland
- Almost 4,000,000 people live in the Arctic despite its severe conditions
- The name “Arctic” comes from the Greek word ἀρκτικός (pronounced “arktikos”), which means “near the bear.” This name refers to one or both of two constellations in the northern sky: Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Ursa Minor contains the star Polaris, also known as the North Star
- The Arctic Ocean is about 8,690,450 km2, larger than the surface area of Europe
- Until recently it was unknown whether the Arctic’s massive sheet of ice was on top of land or water. The answer was revealed in 1958 when the submarine USS Nautilus navigated under the ice, proving it was indeed over water
- The coldest temperature ever recorded in the Arctic was around -68°C in Siberia
- The Arctic glacier holds about 7% of the world’s fresh water
Travel to the Arctic
Oceanwide Expedition’s Arctic cruises take you on a voyage through a region of the Earth that, despite one of the harshest environments, offers many of the planet’s once-in-a-lifetime sights. The lands of the midnight sun and polar night both fall within the Arctic’s borders.
Join us aboard our ice strengthened cruise ships m/v Plancius and m/v Ortelius and explore the northern territories of the polar regions. There you’ll enjoy hiking, bird watching, whale spotting, snow shoeing, and firsthand contact with awe-inspiring wildlife and history. Depending on which trip you take, you may also be able to zip up next to a whale in a Zodiac, take a hike around Greenland, dive under the Arctic waters, or if your love of the Arctic runs even deeper than that, help us clean up the shores of Spitsbergen.
But if you’d prefer to take a cruise on a ship that’s a little smaller ― though definitely not small in terms of adventure ― take a look at the Arctic voyages offered aboard our sailing ships s/v Rembrandt van Rijn and s/v Noorderlicht.
Whatever your choice, climbing aboard one of Oceanwide’s Arctic cruises gives you the chance to investigate one of the last surviving wildernesses on the planet.