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Best Price Guarantee
Best Price Guarantee
Length
11 Days
Ship category
Luxury
Ship type
Large Ship
Capacity
138 Passengers
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Our Polartours team is very proud to introduce the wonderful Ocean Explorer, the latest addition to the fleet, purpose-built for polar expeditions.
With a capacity for 138 passengers, this modern vessel boasts cutting-edge expedition ship technology, including the renowned ULSTEIN X-BOW®, ensures a smooth and comfortable sailing experience.
We have been enchanted by the light-filled two-story library located at the bow, offering a welcoming ambiance for guests to unwind. The Scandinavian-designed cabins, most with verandas, providing luxurious accommodations, exceeded our expectations.
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Bar
Mudroom
Gym on board
Expedition Parka
Observation Deck
Zodiac Fleet
Kayaks on board
Observation Lounge
Hot Tub
All meals
Interconnecting cabins
Water, Coffee, Tea & fresh juices
Sauna
Medical Services
TV in room
Library
English guides
Internet/Wifi
Restaurant
The dining rooms are located on deck 5. While mealtimes may change due to landings and wildlife encounters, you’ll always be served three delicious meals a 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, the 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.
An assortment of freshly 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, expedition activities permitting.
When booking online, you can choose the option to "Upgrade to single occupancy". This will guarantee you the whole cabin to yourself, for an additional fee. If you don't select this option, then another traveler of the same sex might be placed into the same cabin with you. Exceptions may apply.
An official Quark Expeditions parka to keep.
Expedition leadership, scheduled shore landings and other included activities.
Scheduled Zodiac transfers and cruises.
Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping.
All meals, snacks, soft drinks and juices aboard.
Selected beer, wines and cocktails during bar service hours and dinner.
Coffee, tea and cocoa around the clock.
Scheduled presentations by the expedition team and guest speakers.
A photographic expedition journal.
Waterproof expedition boots on loan for landings and Zodiac excursions.
Hair dryer and bathrobes in every cabin.
Basic Wi-Fi on one device, subject to polar connectivity.
Service taxes, port charges and luggage handling aboard.
The required Charter Flight & Hotel Package, covering the specified Reykjavik hotel nights, Reykjavik-Kangerlussuaq and Nuuk-Reykjavik charter flights, and the stated Nuuk transfer.
International airfare.
Passport and visa expenses.
Government arrival and departure taxes not expressly listed.
Meals ashore unless specified.
Travel insurance, including baggage, cancellation, interruption and medical cover.
Excess-baggage fees.
Mandatory waterproof trousers and other personal equipment not listed as included.
Laundry, spa, phone and other personal charges.
Voluntary gratuities for the expedition team and crew.
Additional accommodation and transfers not expressly listed.
Paid adventure options not listed as included activities.
This is an expedition route; ice, weather, wildlife and local access can change the order or content of every day.
Wildlife sightings, including whales, are possible but never guaranteed.
The Charter Flight & Hotel Package is required and charged separately from the voyage fare.
Sea Kayaking and Paddling are paid, capacity-limited options requested in advance.
Ocean Explorer carries up to 138 guests on the current official ship specification.
After completing your booking, you will receive an invoice from your travel specialist by email. A deposit of 30% of the trip price is required to secure your booking. Payment can be made through bank transfer or by credit card through a secure payment link.
Full payment is expected 30 days before your trip. Payment can be made in installments.
Long-haul flights and the on-the-ground program generate 3.3 t CO₂e on this trip. Polartours regularly measures and monitors the carbon footprint of its journeys and actively reduces emissions through sustainable travel design: no unnecessary flights, fewer feeder flights, integration of rail and public transport, and promoting longer stays for a more balanced relationship between travel distance and impact.
From 2018 to 2024, we supported carbon reduction projects equivalent to the emissions generated. Recognizing the limits of traditional offsetting, we now focus on active environmental protection through our own rainforest project, Forest Guardians.
More information on our climate and environmental responsibility: https://www.venturatravel.org/impact
All cruises in the polar regions operate to itineraries that are more-or-less fixed. We say "more or less", because wildlife (breeding, seasonality) and weather always play an important role in routing. Most cruises will offer a range of land-based and water-based activities that you will enjoy at various points in your cruise, including:
All boats carry English speaking, scientifically trained guides. They will lead you on your excursions, allowing you to learn as much as possible about the unique wildlife and habitats of the Polar Regions.
Choosing the right ship for a cruise to Antarctica or the Arctic seems difficult, but it doesn't have to be. Our fleet is over 30 vessels, we are sure that there is the perfect one for you. Please, follow these simple steps, and you will be able to find your ideal ship:
In addition: We work with responsible partners who provide a great experience for their passengers. All of our providers are committed to sustainability and to preserving the beauty of the polar regions. You don’t need to worry about the impact of your cruise, because we’ve already taken care of it.
We love to help people find their dream vacation to the Arctic and Antarctic. Whether you give us a call, contact us via email, or use our website inquiry form, one of our Polar travel experts will be more than happy to answer any questions, recommend ships and itineraries, and walk you through the whole process!
Step 1: Find your perfect trip. If you have already started looking for Polar Cruises, you will have quickly noticed that the sheer amount of options can be quite overwhelming. To help you navigate the countless departures and itineraries that our fleet offers, we have put together a great filter page for Antarctic and Arctic Expedition Cruises. Use this page to filter all trips by price, date, ship category, and even destinations you wish to visit. We update all dates, prices, and availabilities daily, and are proud to host what is doubtlessly the world's most complete collection of information.
Step 2: Found something you love? We'll hold your spaces, free of charge! If you find a cruise you like, you can either inquire directly with us or make an unbinding booking online. We will then reach out to the shipowners to put a hold on your spaces for a limited time, free of charge. Once we have confirmed your block with the ship, we will send you a written confirmation of your reservation and include full payment details in an invoice. Typically, we are able to hold unpaid reservations for up to 1 week*. This gives us time to clarify all your remaining questions, and also ensures that no other passengers can book your spaces, while we continue our conversation.
Step 3: Confirm your booking. In order to confirm your booking, we ask for a deposit payment. You can pay via bank transfer or credit card. Keep in mind, that we can only hold your spaces for a limited amount of time. If we don't receive your payment after this time, we can no longer guarantee that the places will be available or that the price won't increase. To prevent disappointment, we will automatically cancel your reservation if we don't receive your deposit by the due date stated on your booking reservation.
Step 4: Booking confirmation & Payment. As soon as we have received your deposit and a completed passenger information form, we will be pleased to send your booking confirmation and updated invoice, along with your trip itinerary, important information, and other great tips for your cruise.
Step 5: Final payment. In your initial invoice, we will define a final payment date by when you need to pay us the remaining amount of your trip. Once we have received your final payment we'll send you your cruise documents and voucher. As your trip approaches, we make sure to pass along all necessary information, so you feel super prepared and stress-free.
*For last-minute bookings, we might not be able to hold your spaces for so long. We will also require the full payment of your cruise upon booking.
An expedition cruise to Antarctica or the Arctic is a big deal! Most people plan for this type of trip at least 8 months in advance. This means the earlier you book, the better chance you'll have to reserve your prefered cabins. Early bird discounts are also popular and a great way to get 10-30% off your cruise.
Most expedition cruises offer optional activities like camping and kayaking, but the spaces are limited. A cruise with 120 passengers can have only 10-15 spaces for kayaking. These are reserved on a first come first served basis. The earlier you book, the higher your chance of grabbing a spot.
Even though last minute deals do occur, keep in mind that the airline prices will be much higher if you purchase them last minute. You may save a few hundred on your cruise, but you may end up paying the most for airfare.
Price
Upon Request
Uummannaq's mountain, town and seldom-visited fjord branches
Ilulissat Icefjord and its procession of immense icebergs
Sisimiut's harbour, history and everyday community life
Eternity Fjord's high cliffs, glaciers and waterfalls
Best Price Guarantee: Find a better price elsewhere, and we’ll match it.
Polar Expedition Specialists: We focus exclusively on polar voyages, with advice rooted in real, firsthand expertise.
Travel that gives back: Every booking directly funds our mission to protect and restore global rainforests.
Travel south through West Greenland aboard Ocean Explorer, linking Uummannaq's heart-shaped mountain and fjord with the immense ice of Disko Bay, Ilulissat and the deep walls of Eternity Fjord. Local partnerships add community walks and cultural encounters in Uummannaq and Sisimiut to a route defined by glaciers and drifting ice.
This 11-day itinerary crosses the Arctic Circle and ends in Nuuk before the return flight to Reykjavik. Zodiac operations, walks and every wildlife sighting depend on ice, weather, local arrangements and the expedition team's safety decisions.
Keep in mind this is an expedition cruise, so your itinerary will depend greatly on the weather, amount of ice and wildlife breeding behavior.
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Make your own way to the included airport-area hotel and use the remaining time to explore independently or rest before the charter journey to Greenland.
Settle into Ocean Explorer while sailing north of the Arctic Circle. Join polar presentations, watch for seabirds and drifting ice, or use the observation areas as West Greenland opens ahead.

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Reach Uummannaq by Zodiac beneath its heart-shaped mountain. Walk among colourful homes, the stone church, museum and artisan market, with possible locally hosted cultural exchanges subject to arrangements.

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Use a second day to explore narrower branches of Uummannaq Fjord, where high cliffs, glaciers and waterfalls create a side of the region few visitors see. The exact Zodiac route follows conditions.

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Approach Ilulissat and the UNESCO-listed Icefjord, where ice from Sermeq Kujalleq moves through Disko Bay. A boardwalk viewpoint reveals the scale of the ice; whales may be seen but are not guaranteed.

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Continue around Ilulissat's harbour, town and ice-filled coast. Learn about explorer Knud Rasmussen and watch immense icebergs move among fishing boats before Ocean Explorer turns south.

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Land in Sisimiut for guided walks through a working Greenlandic town. The harbour, Taseralik Cultural House, lake and mountain setting offer insight into daily life and regional history.

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Enter Evighedsfjorden, or Eternity Fjord, for condition-led Zodiac cruising or a landing among steep mountains, glacier fronts and waterfalls. Ice and weather determine the day's exact reach.

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Disembark in Nuuk, transfer to the airport and take the charter flight to Reykjavik for the included post-expedition airport hotel.
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After breakfast, make your own way to the airport or continue independent travel arrangements in Iceland.