Polar cruise: cruise liner, expedition ship or sailboat?

Search for “polar cruise” and you will find ships that have almost nothing in common: from cruise liners carrying several thousand passengers to sailboats with a dozen berths. They all promise ice, bears and northern lights; they do not offer the same voyage at all. Here is how to find your way, in all honesty.

Polar cruise: what are we talking about?

A polar cruise is a voyage by ship through the polar regions: you sleep on board while the ship moves from one anchorage to the next. In the Arctic, the main destinations are Spitsbergen (the Svalbard archipelago), Greenland and northern Norway; in the Southern Hemisphere, Antarctica.

Yet the same words cover three very different ways of travelling, depending on the size of the ship: the cruise liner, the expedition ship and the sailboat. The number of passengers changes everything: what you will see, how long you will spend ashore, how free the itinerary is and the atmosphere on board.

The cruise liner: the Arctic from the deck

Large cruise ships carry anywhere from several hundred to several thousand passengers. They follow a schedule of ports of call set in advance, in well-equipped harbours such as Tromsø, Honningsvåg for the North Cape, or Longyearbyen. Excursions take place ashore, by coach or on foot, and the finest scenery, fjords and glaciers, is enjoyed from the deck.

Their strengths: the comfort of a floating hotel, restaurants and shows, and an often lower price per day. Their limit: you watch the Arctic more than you live it. These ships do not land their passengers on a wild beach or at the foot of a glacier and, in Svalbard, the protected areas are closed to them (see below).

Who is it for? For a gentle first taste of the Far North, when comfort and budget matter more than immersion.

The expedition ship: the expedition cruise

Expedition ships are designed for the polar regions: an ice-strengthened hull to sail close to the ice, Zodiacs to land wherever it is allowed, naturalist guides and lectures on board. The itinerary is no longer a list of ports: it adapts every day to the ice, the weather and the wildlife. This is what is called an expedition cruise.

But here too, size matters. The largest expedition ships carry from 100 to more than 300 passengers: landings must be organised in rotations, and everyone spends only part of the planned time ashore. On a small expedition ship, with 12 to around fifty guests, everyone can go ashore at the same time, the guides know every traveller, and the captain can change course for a bear or a whale.

Who is it for? For experiencing the Arctic up close, ashore and by Zodiac, with guides: the heart of a polar cruise.

The sailboat: adventure under sail

A few expedition sailboats also offer polar cruises, for about ten guests. The atmosphere is that of a crew: you sometimes help with the sails, you live as close as possible to the elements and the silence, and landings are made by tender, in very small groups.

The trade-off: cabins that are often small, sometimes shared bathrooms, and slower sailing that is more sensitive to the swell, and therefore to seasickness. These are wonderful voyages, best suited to sailors at heart.

Who is it for? For sailing lovers, ready to trade a little comfort for adventure.

What really makes the difference: time ashore

In the polar regions, rules limit the number of visitors ashore, to protect wildlife and sites. In Svalbard, since 1 January 2025, ships carrying more than 200 passengers may no longer enter the protected areas, which cover nearly two thirds of the archipelago’s land; within these areas, landings are only allowed at 43 designated sites, with a guide for each group. We explain these rules in our guide to Svalbard’s regulations.

In Antarctica, international rules point the same way: ships carrying more than 500 passengers do not land their passengers, and no more than 100 people should be ashore at the same time at any one site.

The direct consequence: the smaller the ship, the more time you spend ashore, and the further the itinerary can go, right into the national parks and nature reserves.

In short: four ways to go

• The cruise liner: hundreds to thousands of passengers; ports of call; scenery mostly from the deck; a fixed schedule; great comfort and the lowest price per day.
• The large expedition ship: 100 to more than 300 passengers; Zodiac landings in rotations; in Svalbard, protected areas closed above 200 passengers; guides and lectures; hotel-style comfort.
• The small expedition ship: 12 to around fifty guests; the whole group goes ashore together; an itinerary adapted every day; guides available to everyone; private cabins; a higher price per day.
• The sailboat: about ten guests; landings by tender; life as part of the crew; basic comfort; slow sailing that depends on the wind.

What about the price?

Per day, a cruise on a small expedition ship costs more than a cruise on a liner: the ship, the crew and the guides are shared among far fewer passengers. On board Polarfront, there are as many people looking after you as there are guests: a crew of ten and two naturalist guides for twelve guests.

To compare, look at what the price includes (full board, landings and Zodiac outings, lectures, cold-weather gear…) and the number of days actually spent at the heart of the Arctic. Our prices and everything they include are detailed in our guide How much does a Spitsbergen cruise cost?

The right questions to ask before booking

• How many passengers on board, and how many ashore at the same time?
• How many landings or Zodiac outings per day, on average?
• How many naturalist guides, and in which language?
• Is the itinerary fixed in advance, or does it adapt to the ice and the wildlife?
• Can the ship enter Svalbard’s protected areas?
• What is included in the price, and what is not?

Our choice: 12 guests aboard Polarfront

At Latitude Blanche, we have chosen the very small expedition ship. Polarfront, a former 55-metre weather ship, welcomes only 12 guests in 8 suites, with a crew of ten and two naturalist guides. Everyone goes ashore together, the itinerary follows the ice and the wildlife, and the atmosphere on board is warm and friendly.

We sail to Spitsbergen from spring to autumn, to northern Norway in winter and to East Greenland at the end of summer. Any questions? Write to us: an advisor will reply within 48 working hours.

DREAMING OF A REAL EXPEDITION, FAR FROM CRUISES?

Polar spring in Spitsbergen

Midnight sun in Svalbard

From Spitsbergen to East Greenland

Winter magic in Norway