It was a spontaneous decision.
“Let’s Go To The Arctic!”
My wife and I were on our way home last summer from a Disney Cruise we took with our daughter and granddaughter. The cruise was great, but the cacophony of excited children grated a bit on our aging nerves. As we were driving home, we discussed our mutual desire for a vacation “Just For Us.” We realized we both had the same desire to spend some time above the Arctic Circle.
After a few weeks of research, we booked a Viking Cruise for August 2025 (they don’t allow children on their cruises). The “Expedition Cruise” took place on a polar-rated ship and spent 2 weeks above the Arctic Circle, along the coast of Greenland, and into the Northwest Passage. Here’s an overview of the cruise route:
We just got home from the cruise. It was one of the best vacations we’ve ever taken.
Today, I’ll tell you about it. And…I’ll share a lot of photos.
Hint: Yes, we saw polar bears.
We just got back from 2 weeks above the Arctic Circle. Want to see what it looks like? Share on X
Traveling in The Arctic
It isn’t easy to get to Greenland.
While the capital city of Nuuk recently expanded its runway to 6,600 feet in length (allowing international jets to land), there are very few flights from the USA. To accommodate the 300+ passengers on our cruise, Viking hired a Charter jumbo jet to fly us all directly from NYC, along with all of the supplies necessary for our voyage (we had marvelous fresh fruit and sushi throughout our trip). An interesting and efficient solution to a difficult-to-service embarkation port. We all flew into NYC, were transported to a nearby hotel for the evening, and set our alarms for 2:15 a.m. to catch our early morning departure to Greenland.
Nuuk was fogged in.
As we approached Nuuk after our 4-hour flight from NYC, we were advised that Nuuk was fogged in and we would have to divert 200 miles to Kangerlussuaq Airport, originally an air force base and one of the only runways in Greenland long enough to land our plane. After sitting on the ground for 3+ hours, we resumed our journey, landed in Nuuk, and were transported to the ship via bus.
In total, it was 30 hours door-to-door.
It isn’t easy to get to Greenland.
In spite of that, it’s an amazing country and well worth a visit. I expect you’ll see a surge of cruises working out of Nuuk in the coming years, and an increase in commercial airline traffic to support the growing tourism industry. FYI, Greenland is a huge country, as illustrated by this overlay on the USA:
Below are highlights from the trip, starting with the vessel we traveled on:
The Ship
The Viking Octantis is a 665 ft long Polar Class 6 vessel, designed for travel in polar regions. In the winter, it travels to Antarctica, across the infamous Drake Passage. She’s tough, but designed for luxury travel. My favorite part of the ship is The Aula auditorium, an engineering marvel with retractable screens that reveal an amazing 270-degree view of the waters behind the ship. Throughout the trip, we enjoyed lectures from polar experts, Inuit “Cultural Ambassadors,” and daily briefings on our upcoming ports of interest.
We were allowed to tour the bridge of the Octantis, a modern-day wonder of technology for travel in some of the world’s most dangerous waters:
The Toys
The ship also carries all of her own “toys”, including kayaks, Zodiacs, two submarines, and Special Operations Boats to transport and entertain guests in the various locations we visited. We toured “The Hanger” during the cruise, and were in awe of the thinking that went into its design.
The Inuit – Indigenous People of The Arctic
One of my unexpected pleasures of the trip was learning about the Inuit culture (they’re not called Eskimos anymore). These are rugged people who live in one of the most inhospitable parts of the world, and comprise the vast majority of the local population (there are 57,000 people in Greenland, about 12% of whom are Danish). In addition to presentations from the Cultural Ambassadors aboard the ship (one of whom was a local high school teacher on her summer break), we were greeted warmly by the Elders in several of the fishing villages we visited on our cruise.
In addition to performing local songs and dances, the elders displayed traditional attire, explained a bit about their culture, and answered every question asked by the curious tourists. In one town, they demonstrated local sporting competitions, which included fascinating techniques of kicking a piece of bone hanging at various heights from a rope. They’re a very soft-spoken people, often assumed to be shy due to their soft voices and focus on communal (versus individual) needs. Theirs is primarily a subsistence hunting culture, though they welcome the growth of tourism and view it as a means to educate outsiders about their unique lifestyle (not to mention the economic boost to their local economy).
Greenlandic homes are colorful, as illustrated in this photo from Sismiut:
In one village, we were invited into an individual’s home for “Kappemik” (local coffee and danishes, baked by the women of the community before our arrival). It was fascinating to spend time inside a “local’s” home, and imagine what their life must be like in such remote communities far above the Arctic Circle.
Hint: The Inuit don’t like their pictures being taken, so always ask for permission first (the elders in the photo above invited us to take that picture, it’s the only picture of Inuit I took the entire trip)
The Scenery
It’s hard to describe how wild Greenland and Nunavut, the Northernmost province of Canada, really are. The western coast of Greenland is the most beautiful coastline I’ve ever seen. With 80% of the country covered by an ice sheet, I can only imagine how remote and wild the interior is. There are over 150 named fjords in Greenland (and countless unnamed ones), most of which terminate with a glacier. Here’s one example:
The town of Ilulissat (which in Inuit means “Iceberg”) sits where the Ilulissat Icefjord (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) runs from the interior ice field to the sea. A bit of trivia – the iceberg that sank the Titantic was deposited in the sea from this icefjord. I can’t even begin to describe the scale of the icefjord – note the people in the bottom of this picture for scale:
I took a 5-mile hike from the town to an awe-inspiring overlook of the icefjord. It was worth every step:
The Entrance To The Northwest Passage
After a week cruising the western shore of Greenland, we were excited to enter the infamous Northwest Passage, where we spent the second half of our journey. No article about traveling in the Arctic would be complete without a photo showing the entrance to the famous waters in the Canadian province of Nunavut:
The Furthest Point North – Beechey Island
One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Beechey Island, 562 miles above the Arctic Circle (for the record, it’s at 74.7° North and has 6 weeks of 24-hour daylight). Sadly, it’s also the final resting place for three members of the failed Franklin Expedition in 1845*. This map gives you a sense of how far North we were:
* Side note: Read some books before you go. I benefited greatly by reading Across The Top of The World (Amazon Affiliate link) before our departure, an amazing book about the early expeditions in search of the Northwest Passage, including a chapter on the doomed Franklin Expedition.
The Polar Bears
We visited Beechey Island early in the morning.
Why? Because we needed the rest of the day to go “hunting.” Based on ice maps the crew studied daily, they knew there was a large swatch of sea ice nearby. From experience, they knew that’s where the polar bears would be. Even in the summer, the polar bears use the sea ice to hunt for seals.
We had a successful “hunt.”
We spotted 6 polar bears, and savored every minute watching them in their natural environment. The highlight was watching a Mom with her cub as they faced a life-threatening male, which are known to eat cubs. We were spellbound by the drama and watched as Mom and cub ultimately jumped in the water and swam 500 yards to move downwind from the male, who (fortunately) missed his snack.
By the time the day was done, even the ship’s crew was excited by the results. “I’ve been traveling to the Arctic for years, and you just don’t see them this close!” Yes, it was that good. We all took photos with our cell phones, but I’m pleased to share some professional photos with you (thanks to John Chardine, a retired research scientist who was a guest speaker on the ship and permitted me to use his photos – he took them while we were standing next to each other on the deck of the boat. Check out his photography site here).
Conclusion
The trip is one my wife and I will never forget. Sure, it cost a lot of money, but creating special memories is an investment I’ll never regret in these few short years we have to live our dream lives. How much did we enjoy it? Enough that we’ve already booked a second Expedition Cruise with Viking. In November 2027, we’ll be sailing The Octantis to Antarctica.
We can’t wait.
Long-time readers know I’ve been struggling to spend in retirement. The good news? I’m getting better at it. I recently wrote a LinkedIn post, which summarizes my thoughts on our trip and is an appropriate conclusion for today’s post.
After we retire, what’s the best use of our money?
Once your basic needs are covered, give yourself permission to spend (within safe limits) on creating memories. In time, those memories will become your greatest investments.
I returned last night from an (expensive) 2-week Expedition to Greenland and The Northwest Passage.
The value of watching polar bears (including this mom and her cub) live in their natural environment, 500 miles North of The Arctic Circle?
Priceless.
Life is short. Invest in making new memories, while you still can.
#NoRegrets
P.S. If you enjoyed this “travel blog” article, you may be interested in the following summaries of every major trip we’ve taken since my retirement in 2018:
- 2018: A 7,000-Mile Train Trip
- 2019: A Summer In The Pacific Northwest
- 2020: Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and A Drive Across America
- 2021: A Tour of The Midwest
- 2022: How COVID Attacked Our 2022 RV Adventure
- 2023: Slow Travel Visiting Family
- 2024: The Maryland Shore and A Month in The Ozarks
Your Turn: What’s the best vacation you’ve ever taken, and why? Have you ever considered traveling in the Arctic? Want to join us in Antarctica? Let’s chat in the comments…
Serendipitous to see this article as I am packing to leave in 2 days for a trip through the Northwest passage and down the coast of Greenland. So glad you had a great trip, amazing photos!
That looks amazing, thanks for the inspiration. I hope we can do that in the near future, and before this gets too crowded.
Great article and loved the photos! Best trip I’ve ever taken was three weeks in Egypt. It was incredible, we did everything and I have always considered it my “trip of a lifetime “. But, since we retired a year ago we are beginning to plan new lifetime trips – with excitement!
Dear Fritz, What you have achieved my friend, no one I have known had done so far. If we wanted to describe a life so filled with joy and happiness and bliss, it is yours.
I did travel in the last three years around the world – two trips to South America ( Peru, Mexico and Chile), the Patagonia and Macchu Picchu stood out. Then there were my yearly trips to U.S. we did Alaska, part of the Appalachian trail and the last one was Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Arizona trip across 1900 miles visiting 5 National Parks. Then there was Japan in the East and the Middle East trips included Egypt and Emirates.
Life couldn’t be better, now it seems more meaningful than what it had been may be five years back. The more the years have progressed – the more we have witnessed the confluence of people, ideas, culture and geography, all enmeshed into something very important at every moment, as never before.
Please write about your next adventures, it is so enjoyable to read. I would perhaps never be to the Arctic, but through your eyes I just saw it already.
God bless you.
Regards
Procyon
This spring I finally realized my dream of spending 3 weeks in Europe, specifically Amsterdam, Paris and London. It took me almost a year to plan it. I loved the whole experience of learning and experiencing the culture, history and districts I visited. Where will next year’s trip take me? I don’t know yet but there will be one. Thanks for sharing the adventure you both went on.
Good for you for learning to spend your $$$! Nine years into full retirement and spending money on ourselves is still a challenge. At the age of 72, we’re trying Viking for the first time in December as we travel to Vietnam and Cambodia. Best vacation? We traveled to Oman twenty five years ago with backpacks and a cooler full of non-perishable foods as checked luggage. A rented jeep and off we went in search of wadis, sea turtle grounds, the Bimmah Sinkhole and rugged mountains. It was one of our greatest adventures because we traveled independently, didn’t have a daily schedule, had allotted two full weeks to explore, and had no fear of this little known country (at the time.) We had considered taking extended family on a Disney cruise but for the same reason you stated, we’ve switched to staying within the DisneyWorld park next summer and letting individuals come and go as they please.
Great photos and a serendipitous post as I am leaving in 2 days for a trip through the Northwest Passage and down the coast of Greenland. This trip stretches my budget but you only live once! So glad you had an amazing trip.
What a great adventure, Fritz, and thanks for sharing the amazing pictures. As we discussed, we did a much less adventurous Greenland cruise around the same time with NCL and had a great time—further South than your route, though. And no Zodiacs either. But your kind of adventure is definitely on our to-do list! I find that early retirement is more fun if you spend lavishly and confidently and without worries of running out of money.
Looks amazing – My first liveaboard trip was a sail/ski trip in Iceland. Six guests and a crew of two. I’m not sure how I’d do on boat with 300 guests… I’m up for another artic trip, but my wife, she’s more of a “let’s spend three months diving in Southeast Asia” kind of person. Looks like you’re on the right track going on as many “trip of a lifetime” trips as possible.
Hey Fritz…I loved reading your article. My husband and I are going on Viking to Antarctica in January of 2026. Now, I may need to follow your lead and schedule a trip with them to the Arctic the following year. I never even considered going to the Arctic until now. Sounds like a great trip! We are going on the Polaris, but I hear the Octantis and Polaris are pretty similar (if not identical). We have taken a Viking river cruise before, but are excited about this upcoming expedition cruise. Love the fact that the Arctic itinerary leaves from NYC since we are from New Jersey as well! Thanks for all of the great pics and enjoy your 2027 cruise. Cannot wait to see your review!
Fritz…your post was just what I needed to hear this morning. My wife and I just got back from cruising in Europe. We love cruising and prefer the smaller luxury lines. We love Seabourn and SilverSeas, but have looked at Viking. While we have made significant memories together, my wife has been challenging me to free up the purse strings and make more memories with the kids and grandkids. Her attitude is, we can leave them money when we are gone, or spend it now and create memories. Your post came at the perfect time and has me sitting at my computer at this moment finalizing a Disney cruise for the entire family.
I’m glad you went on your trip and enjoyed it so much. My trip of a lifetime was this year. I’d never been to Europe and was fortunate to take a Mediterranean cruise in May, before the weather got too hot. We started in Barcelona and viewed the amazing Sagrada Familia, saw the coliseum in Rome, saw Michelangelo’s David, toured Pompeii, had an amazing seafood lunch in Corfu, walked around the GOT castle in Dubrovnik, ate crepes in Cannes, and had a wonderful gondola ride through the canals of Venice. Trips like this are all the sweeter because 15 years ago I couldn’t afford a cup of coffee. Next year’s cruise is to the UK. I’m loving this part of my life and seem to have no problem spending!
If life is an adventure, you are living it.
Truly enjoyed your trip recap and the photos are phenomenal. Couldn’t agree more with your message about the value of creating memories. Our most memorable trip was to Sydney, Australia, with an excursion to Hobart, Tasmania. Visited our youngest son, who lived in Sydney for 6 years. Why the best? Spending time with our son (who we hadn’t seen in 2 yrs.), the chance to thank two incredible local families for looking after him and welcoming him, as one of their own (including holidays) and sightseeing in a stunningly beautiful country. No polar bears, but my wife was able to hand feed a group of wallabies, which we captured in photos and on video. A highlight for her. Loved a full-day culinary tour we booked, in Tasmania, which included stops at a distillery, berry farm, brewery, bakery, cheese shop, and oyster farm. Our son loves the idea that his decision, to settle & work in Australia, spurred us to see a part of the world that we otherwise never would have visited. It’s a big world out there and we only have one chance to explore it! Looking forward to your follow-up blog, Fritz, recapping your upcoming Antarctica adventure.
Awesome trip report Fritz. Not sure I could get my wife to do Antarctica as she gets cold but send me some details. I think my favorite trip(s) were when we took 2-week long road trips with our kiddos. We have so many great memories of exploring California, Yellowstone/Tetons, Canada/NY and even one long trip around three parts of Costa Rica. Don’t get me wrong, our recent trips for just us (cruising Italy/Greece etc) are great too but different.
Fritz, my husband, Chris, and I were on the same cruise you so beautifully described. Like you, we are investing our money in creating memories, memories of a lifetime.
We learned about and booked the Arctic cruise while we were on the Octantis last fall doing the Great Lakes expedition cruise. The on board travel agent initially talked us out of the Arctic cruise because my husband can’t do the expeditions and “it is an expedition ship.” We returned to our stateroom and I could see my husband‘s disappointment, it was written all over his face. I told him, “ no one decides where you go and how you spend your money!” So we got on our computer and found the Arctic cruise that had an accessible room available. The Octantis has two wheelchair accessible rooms. We made another appointment with the travel guide and this time told her which date we would be sailing on the Arctic expedition and which room we were booking. We have absolutely no regrets about making the decision to book the Arctic expedition cruise. We had a fabulous time!
We both love the Octantis! The ship is wheelchair accessible, once you are on board. Fortunately, my husband was able to slowly walk up the gangway to board the ship and walk down the gangway to disembark. Together we enjoyed briefings, lectures,, live entertainment, weather balloon launches, photo opportunities, polar bear and whale sightings, icebergs, glaciers, and views of the small communities that our ship was positioned near. Together we toured the bridge and the galley! We explored every deck on that ship together!. A highlight for us are the expedition diaries! Many nights at 9 PM or later, an expedition guide told stories in the Hide, a bar on a lower level of the ship!
My husband may not have been on the expeditions, but he heard all about the ones I was on and saw all the pictures I took. And he had the opportunity to meet the expedition guides and hear their stories.
I am a retired medical social worker. I am a great advocate for my husband! For years, I planned for people to go places they did not want to go and spend money on care that they needed. Now I plan trips for us to places we want to go and we spend money on creating shared memories!
We live in Duluth, Minnesota, and we boarded the Octantis in Duluth, our home port, to do the Great Lakes expedition. That trip ended in Toronto We highly recommend that expedition cruise also!!
Can you describe the on-board experience?
Great trip! I am trying to convince my wife to do the same one. We may also look into the Antarctic trip as well. I have been to the North Pole via US Navy on the submarine the USS Puffer, SSN 652, in 1991. We transited the Bering Strait and surfaced numerous times through the ice. The food wasn’t as good and the views were limited unless we got to walk out on the ice. Fortunately, we did not see any polar bears because we would have been prey!!
Nunavut is a Canadian territory, not a province.
Beautiful Fritz, life should be an adventure and that trip definitely qualifies!
Again, you so bring this event to life with zest, enthusiasm and joy that we, as readers can feel. You are a gifted writer because you feel life so deeply. Love you and your love of life!
Hi Fritz, thank you so much for sharing your photos and experiences on your trip to the Arctic. I will look into one of the trips to Antarctica as it might be cheaper for me living in South Africa.
Wow. Incredible. That’s all I’ve got to say, Fritz. So cool that you guys did this!
Well written article.
Do you have any qualms about the environmental consequences of this sort of mass tourism in such a fragile part of the world? While it looks very interesting, and as you say forms wonderful memories for you and your wife, should there be a consideration for the inevitable impact huge cruise ships have, in this place, as well, for the animals, the human presence where there has been next to none for ever. The energy used, and waste produced and left behind (despite all the precautions I’m sure the cruise company trumpets they take) – are those memories worth this?
The Artic has never been high on my travel bucket list, but those polar bear pics alone may make me change my mind. My favorite trip was to Thailand (I prefer warm weather travel). Any travel that takes you into another culture is what makes the experience memorable! Good for you to start spending in retirement!
Hi Fritz – thanks for sharing- awesome trip.
Did Viking supply those Jackets? I assume at a cost? Please advise.