North Pole: The Ultimate Arctic Adventure
Embark on an Arctic adventure and see the beauty of the North Pole aboard the 50 Years of Victory
Price: Upon request
A 14-day expedition cruise
The Trip Highlights
Experience the chill of a polar plunge
Photograph Polar seabirds
Discover Cape Flora
Observe polar animals in their natural habitat
Your Polartours 'Plus' Experience
Reach the North Pole!
Get unimaginable views of the polar regions from the air
Your trip is 100% carbon offset
Expedition Parka to take home
Live an incredible experience that few travelers have the chance to do in their lives: reach the North Pole. Travel to the top of the world where no matter which direction you look, you will be looking south. Take advantage of these two weeks of travel to experience the thrill of an Arctic dive, cross the ice floes as far as the eye can see, climb aboard a helicopter to photograph the icy ocean from the sky.
Stand at the very top of the world with this 14-day expedition cruise to the North Pole!
We compensate all 4.5 tons of CO2 that this trip will cause.
Your ship: 50 Years of Victory
(copied from website, needs editing) Welcome aboard the 50 Years of Victory! Twenty years in the making, 50 Years of Victory is the first Arktika-class icebreaker to have a spoon-shaped bow. Your ship, designed with a stainless-steel ice belt 18 feet (5 meters) wide,breaks through ice up to 9.2 feet (2.5 meters) thick! This is the world’s largest, most-powerful icebreaker.
Complete with a helicopter for shore excursions, Victory is a ship unlike any other, with the ability to go where other ships cannot. Enjoy your time on board by chatting over cocktails at the bar, swimming in the pool or c … Read more about 50 Years of Victory
Amenities
Fitness Center
Bar
Observation Deck
Pool
Zodiac Fleet
Observation Lounge
Helicopter Landings
Gift Shop
Multi-purpose Sports Court
Sauna
Medical Services
Library
Open Bridge Policy
Food & Drinks
If there is one constant at sea, it is that you’ll enjoy delicious meals on daily basis. While meal times may change due to landings and wildlife encounters, you’ll always be served three meals a day. Hours of operation will be posted around the ship, and are subject to change based on the activities planned for each day.
Breakfasts and lunches are normally served buffet style, while dinners are served plated. À la carte meals are made at the time of your order, allowing the chefs to prepare each dish to your individual needs. Working in a small kitchen, chefs are able to monitor and control the quality of food being served, ensuring you receive top quality meals during the course of your expedition.
The dress code on the ship is casual, though some may choose to dress up a little for the Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions.
Assortments of fresh-baked cookies and/or pastries are offered each afternoon. There is also a selection of hot and cold snacks available in the lounge during cocktail hour.
The well-stocked bar on the ship is open to enjoy with your fellow shipmates in the late morning, afternoon and evening. Soft drinks, juices and water are available at no cost, and beer and wine are offered with dinner. A selection of liquors, spirits, and premium beer, wine and champagne is available and can be charged to your shipboard account.
Day 1 • Your incredible Antarctic adventure starts in Helsinski
Your Arctic adventure begins in Helsinki, renowned for its extraordinary architecture and design scene and intriguing mix of eastern and western influences. If you arrive early, explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District before retiring at your included hotel.
Day 2 • Fly to Murmansk, Russia, and Embark
From Helsinki, you’ll join your fellow passengers on the charter flight to Murmansk, Russia, where you’ll embark on your voyage to the North Pole and get acquainted with 50 Years of Victory, a nuclear icebreaker.
The Northeast Passage is the name given to the little-used maritime polar shipping route between the Bering Sea in the North Pacific and Northern Europe via the Russian Arctic coast.
First successfully navigated in 1878, the route is not frequently used by commercial vessels due to the sea ice that makes the route unusable for much of the year. It's precisely the difficulty of traversing the Northeast Passage that makes it such a wonderful destination for adventure cruises.
From the remote and still mainly unexplored polar desert of Severnaya Zemlya ("Northern Land") - an archipelago discovered in 1913 and only finally mapped in 1930 - to the remote tundra plains of Chukotka, and the largest city north of the Arctic Circle, Murmansk, the Northeast Passage offers an unlimited variety of landscape and wildlife.
The NE passage is a vast area to explore that can be divided into the different sea regions and island groups on route. Furthermore, the species encountered will vary along the route according to their distribution. If sea conditions allow, landings by Zodiac will bring you to encounters with polar bears and walruses, and from your ship, you will see bowhead whales, beluga, and narwhals, as well as large concentrations of many species of seabirds.
For the birdwatchers some of the potential highlights include the Ross's Gull and the Steller's Eider.
Day 3-6 • At sea towards the North Pole
The crossing from Murmansk to the North Pole can take us anywhere from four to six days, depending on the ice conditions. This means you’ll have plenty of time to get to know your shipmates and be treated to presentations and discussions with your Expedition Team while looking out for wildlife.
The Northeast Passage is the name given to the little-used maritime polar shipping route between the Bering Sea in the North Pacific and Northern Europe via the Russian Arctic coast.
First successfully navigated in 1878, the route is not frequently used by commercial vessels due to the sea ice that makes the route unusable for much of the year. It's precisely the difficulty of traversing the Northeast Passage that makes it such a wonderful destination for adventure cruises.
From the remote and still mainly unexplored polar desert of Severnaya Zemlya ("Northern Land") - an archipelago discovered in 1913 and only finally mapped in 1930 - to the remote tundra plains of Chukotka, and the largest city north of the Arctic Circle, Murmansk, the Northeast Passage offers an unlimited variety of landscape and wildlife.
The NE passage is a vast area to explore that can be divided into the different sea regions and island groups on route. Furthermore, the species encountered will vary along the route according to their distribution. If sea conditions allow, landings by Zodiac will bring you to encounters with polar bears and walruses, and from your ship, you will see bowhead whales, beluga, and narwhals, as well as large concentrations of many species of seabirds.
For the birdwatchers some of the potential highlights include the Ross's Gull and the Steller's Eider.
Day 7 • Stand at the top of the world, the North Pole, 90° North!
The anticipation reaches a climax as you arrive at the North Pole! Many travelers find themselves overcome with emotion, while others are in a festive and celebratory mood. Take photos, call your family, wave a flag—just be sure you enjoy your moment at the top of the world!
Later, everyone will celebrate with a toast and a barbecue on the ice. If the opportunity allows, you have the option of taking a polar plunge into the icy waters around the North Pole. We’ll also attempt to launch passengers high above the Pole in our hot air balloon to commemorate this great moment (weather dependant, extra cost).
The remote Arctic archipelago of Franz Joseph Land has only been available for exploration since the 1990s. Following the Second World War, the Soviet Union placed great importance on Franz Joseph Land as a military asset, treating it as "an unsinkable aircraft carrier" in the Arctic ocean.
Swathed in secrecy, and only accessible to military personnel, the archipelago remained a mystery until only 30 years ago. Now, Arctic expedition cruises can visit this remote land of glaciers and rugged hills that lies only 550 miles from the North Pole.
While still home to a fully-operational and quite active military base (Russia's northernmost), the archipelago is also a haven for wildlife and is a designated marine mammal sanctuary. Species readily encountered here include harp seals, walrus, and bearded seals. A particular highlight is the critically endangered bowhead whale, for which Franz Joseph Land is an important habitat. If you are lucky, you may also see a Narwhal, that is scarce in Svalbard. In contrast, there are no reindeer here. As with Svalbard, Franz Joseph land is a good place to look for Polar Bears.
Most of the cruise ships that head up to the North Pole pass through Franz Joseph Land.
Day 8 • Sail back south towards Franz Josef Land
The remote Arctic archipelago of Franz Joseph Land has only been available for exploration since the 1990s. Following the Second World War, the Soviet Union placed great importance on Franz Joseph Land as a military asset, treating it as "an unsinkable aircraft carrier" in the Arctic ocean.
Swathed in secrecy, and only accessible to military personnel, the archipelago remained a mystery until only 30 years ago. Now, Arctic expedition cruises can visit this remote land of glaciers and rugged hills that lies only 550 miles from the North Pole.
While still home to a fully-operational and quite active military base (Russia's northernmost), the archipelago is also a haven for wildlife and is a designated marine mammal sanctuary. Species readily encountered here include harp seals, walrus, and bearded seals. A particular highlight is the critically endangered bowhead whale, for which Franz Joseph Land is an important habitat. If you are lucky, you may also see a Narwhal, that is scarce in Svalbard. In contrast, there are no reindeer here. As with Svalbard, Franz Joseph land is a good place to look for Polar Bears.
Most of the cruise ships that head up to the North Pole pass through Franz Joseph Land.
Day 9-10 • Explore Franz Josef Land, an archipelago of 200 islands
The remote Arctic archipelago of Franz Joseph Land has only been available for exploration since the 1990s. Following the Second World War, the Soviet Union placed great importance on Franz Joseph Land as a military asset, treating it as "an unsinkable aircraft carrier" in the Arctic ocean.
Swathed in secrecy, and only accessible to military personnel, the archipelago remained a mystery until only 30 years ago. Now, Arctic expedition cruises can visit this remote land of glaciers and rugged hills that lies only 550 miles from the North Pole.
While still home to a fully-operational and quite active military base (Russia's northernmost), the archipelago is also a haven for wildlife and is a designated marine mammal sanctuary. Species readily encountered here include harp seals, walrus, and bearded seals. A particular highlight is the critically endangered bowhead whale, for which Franz Joseph Land is an important habitat. If you are lucky, you may also see a Narwhal, that is scarce in Svalbard. In contrast, there are no reindeer here. As with Svalbard, Franz Joseph land is a good place to look for Polar Bears.
Most of the cruise ships that head up to the North Pole pass through Franz Joseph Land.
Day 11-12 • At sea towards Murmansk
The Northeast Passage is the name given to the little-used maritime polar shipping route between the Bering Sea in the North Pacific and Northern Europe via the Russian Arctic coast.
First successfully navigated in 1878, the route is not frequently used by commercial vessels due to the sea ice that makes the route unusable for much of the year. It's precisely the difficulty of traversing the Northeast Passage that makes it such a wonderful destination for adventure cruises.
From the remote and still mainly unexplored polar desert of Severnaya Zemlya ("Northern Land") - an archipelago discovered in 1913 and only finally mapped in 1930 - to the remote tundra plains of Chukotka, and the largest city north of the Arctic Circle, Murmansk, the Northeast Passage offers an unlimited variety of landscape and wildlife.
The NE passage is a vast area to explore that can be divided into the different sea regions and island groups on route. Furthermore, the species encountered will vary along the route according to their distribution. If sea conditions allow, landings by Zodiac will bring you to encounters with polar bears and walruses, and from your ship, you will see bowhead whales, beluga, and narwhals, as well as large concentrations of many species of seabirds.
For the birdwatchers some of the potential highlights include the Ross's Gull and the Steller's Eider.
Day 13 • Disembarkation in Murmansk and Fly to Helsinki
Returning to Russia’s most northerly city, you’ll have time to bid farewell to the 50 Years of Victory. You’ll be transferred to the airport for your charter flight to Helsinki, Finland, to enjoy one final night with your newfound friends.
The Northeast Passage is the name given to the little-used maritime polar shipping route between the Bering Sea in the North Pacific and Northern Europe via the Russian Arctic coast.
First successfully navigated in 1878, the route is not frequently used by commercial vessels due to the sea ice that makes the route unusable for much of the year. It's precisely the difficulty of traversing the Northeast Passage that makes it such a wonderful destination for adventure cruises.
From the remote and still mainly unexplored polar desert of Severnaya Zemlya ("Northern Land") - an archipelago discovered in 1913 and only finally mapped in 1930 - to the remote tundra plains of Chukotka, and the largest city north of the Arctic Circle, Murmansk, the Northeast Passage offers an unlimited variety of landscape and wildlife.
The NE passage is a vast area to explore that can be divided into the different sea regions and island groups on route. Furthermore, the species encountered will vary along the route according to their distribution. If sea conditions allow, landings by Zodiac will bring you to encounters with polar bears and walruses, and from your ship, you will see bowhead whales, beluga, and narwhals, as well as large concentrations of many species of seabirds.
For the birdwatchers some of the potential highlights include the Ross's Gull and the Steller's Eider.
Day 14 • Your incredible Arctic adventure comes to an end in Helsinki
After breakfast, your journey comes to an end. We do encourage you to spend time exploring Helsinki, and its surrounding areas.
