Arctic Crossing (over the top)?

[Nitemare]

Since we don't have an Arctic board, I hope I can post this here or be directed to a more appropriate location.

 

We loved Antarctica 3 years ago and are now thinking of doing a cruise from NYC (or similar) to Vancouver (or similar) thru the Arctic for summer 2022 or 2023.  We've looked at a few websites and understand this will be more expensive as it seems to be a minimum of 21 days, and we did Antarctica in 12 days.  We loved Silverseas and would prefer to be on a smaller ship (under 300 passengers) at that level of luxury if possible

 

Our hopes and dreams include:

Under 28 days

High level of comfort

Under $1500/day per person

 

We've seen some awesome itineraries with stops in Greenland and Russia and all over Alaska, and those look great, but are well over 28 days.  We're fine with just 1 or 2 Greenland stops and then stops at uninhabited northern Canada locations and similar.  Start in NYC or Boston or Halifax or Newfoundland are all good, as is ending in Seattle or Vancouver or even Juneau or Anchorage would work.

 

Thanks!

[donaldsc]

Your request is very specific.  There are TAs who specialize in just Arctic and Antarctica cruises.  I have used one but we are not allowed to recommend specific TAs on CC.  I would suggest that you do a Google search and then call any agencies that look good to you to find out if you are comfortable w them.

 

DON

[Nitemare]

Thanks, Don.  I have had a couple conversations with a specialist, they seem to be starting me out at the 48 day/$50K per person options that would be great if I had twice as much money in the bank and no job.  I expect we will work our way down to shorter and more affordable options, hopefully while we are still young enough to appreciate the area!  🙂

[generichandle]

Here is an interesting one:

 

https://www.abercrombiekent.com/tours/luxury-expedition-cruises/2021/northeast-passage-cruise-across-the-russian-arctic?did=9376&utm_content=s-dc_pcrid_485851105397_pkw_%2Barctic %2Bcruise_pmt_b_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItOWX_taX7wIVhuazCh1aqwCMEAAYBCAAEgIn6vD_BwE

[generichandle]

Wow! Just watched the 10 minute video. Amazing. Wish to God I could afford this. If you can, I envy you this.

[donaldsc]

19 hours ago, generichandle said:

Here is an interesting one:

 

https://www.abercrombiekent.com/tours/luxury-expedition-cruises/2021/northeast-passage-cruise-across-the-russian-arctic?did=9376&utm_content=s-dc_pcrid_485851105397_pkw_%2Barctic %2Bcruise_pmt_b_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItOWX_taX7wIVhuazCh1aqwCMEAAYBCAAEgIn6vD_BwE

 

Sounds like a great cruise.  The ideal cruise along these lines would be a B2B cruise combining a Northwest passage followed by a Northeast passage.  I figure that 100K would probably the cost for that trip.  Now all I have to do is win one of the big lottery prizes.

 

DON

[Nitemare]

I didn't even know that was possible! 

[donaldsc]

10 hours ago, Nitemare said:

I didn't even know that was possible! 

 

It is not possible as a true B2B.  You would have to do it w 2 separate cruises with different companies and figure out how to connect the 2 cruises totally ignoring the cost that would be ~100,000 dollars.  Also, lots of companies do Northwest Passage cruises but almost nobody does a Northeast Passage cruise.  Just a pipe dream of mine and even if I won the big lottery, I would guess the DW would not let me go.  I am certain that DW would not want any part of it.

 

Another dream cruise for me when I win the lottery would an Antarctica circumnavigation cruise.  I have seen a 32 day semi-circumnavigation cruise that starts from Ushuaia and ends up in New Zealand but I don't think that any cruise company or for that matter any ship has done a true Antarctica circumnavigation.

 

SOB!!

 

DON

[Nitemare]

We thought Antarctica was expensive at $25K for the two of us all in, but the NW passage is going to be at least double that, so now we're looking at just doing Greenland out of Iceland, and maybe spend a few (more) days in Iceland

[2552phxcrzr]

4 hours ago, Nitemare said:

We thought Antarctica was expensive at $25K for the two of us all in, but the NW passage is going to be at least double that, so now we're looking at just doing Greenland out of Iceland, and maybe spend a few (more) days in Iceland

We ended up doing back-to-back Greenland with Quark.  Yes, expensive but the west/south and East itineraries were different enough that we bit the bullet.  Have never regretted it.  When we disembarked in Iceland at the end of the second leg, we spent two weeks driving around the country.  It was a fantastic trip.

[Nitemare]

I am requesting Greenland brochures now from Quark and others.  I know everything is online, but for cruises we like brochures in hand.

[2552phxcrzr]

@Nitemare if you want to get a sense of the Greenland experience with Quark, I wrote about our expedition.  It may be helpful in your decision making ... or at least give you an idea of what to expect ashore.

 

We went back to back, starting in Ottawa for the west/south itinerary (first post: http://2totravel.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-peace-tower-and-we-join-our-quark.html).

 

For the eastern itinerary, it was round trip out of Iceland (first post: http://2totravel.blogspot.com/2014/02/last-day-first-day.html)

 

DIY driving vacation around Iceland (first post: http://2totravel.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-blue-sky-day-in-reykjavik_24.html)

[kaisatsu]

We visited East Greenland as a trip from Svalbard to Iceland. A few different companies do this once each season as part of the southbound reposition. They often fill up shortly after they’re listed, so we were crazy lucky to catch a last-minute cancelation one year.

 

I’m an ice buff, so I still love Antarctica more, but northeast Greenland was so different from all the other polar regions I’ve visited that I’m very glad to have seen it!