Northern Europe Polar expeditions cruise Trips

Antarctica was somewhere I had long wanted to visit and I have finally been. This is the best trip I have ever done with Explore and there have been very many wonderful ones. To anyone considering going to Antarctica, I'd say, 'do go', you will not regret it.

It’s really difficult to say whether I’d recommend the NWP trip. Our trip was extraordinary in terms of weather, sea and animal sightings. You couldn’t get better. Narwhals, beluga and musk-ox. And 8 polar bears including mother with two cubs. The trip that went from east to west from Greenland saw much less than we did and believe it or not couldn’t get into Ilulissat as too much ice - a Greenland highlight. 7 ships made it into Pond Inlet this season - Sylvia Earl twice and Greg twice. So even today the NWP is a serious challenge.

Anyone considering going on this trip needs to think about why they are going. If it is for wildlife eg. birds, they need to investigate the best time of the year to go, taking migration into account etc. I had a wonderful time on this trip. Whilst the wildlife were not particularly co-operative, or the weather, the Expedition Team did their best at all times to fulfil the itinerary and give us the best opportunity to see the expected wild life. Whilst many whales were missing, we had the unusual bonus of seeing six Polar Bears and 17 Narwhals! You win some, you lose some! The M/V Greg Mortimer is an impressive ship, keeping the rocking and rolling across Baffin Bay, to a minimum. Inside it is extremely comfortable, all the 'hotel' staff are friendly and very professional. The rooms were kept spotless and serviced twice a day. There was a very large choice of good food at all meals. Two meals are buffet and the evening dinner, a served meal. The lectures on board, given by members of the Expedition Team and some guest lecturers, were linked to the programme and additional ones added where particular interest was shown by passengers. They were of a high standard. I am very happy to recommend this trip to those who are prepared to be flexible, both with the itinerary and daily programme. One day we started on Plan A and ended on Plan E thanks to the weather! It should not be considered as a cruise but a truly exploratory trip, getting into zodiacs a couple of times a day to go and get close up views of icebergs, bird nesting cliffs, glaciers: anything that may be of interest.

It was full of beautiful and wonderful landscapes. This itinerary has interesting places of culture of each country. The optionals are great and completely different one from another. I almost did all. We have time to feel the views and the places we visited. I love all my trip. 💗

Love that this trip takes you through the Artcic circle and to the northernmost point of Europe. It covers a lot of mileage- which is why I chose this itinerary - just means you get to witness even more of the gorgeous scenery (especially in Norway). Also really enjoyed all the ferries and boat rides. My favourite places- Stockholm and the entirety of Norway (especially Geiranger). Favourite optional experiences- swedish summer dinner, Traditional Lapland dinner at a family reindeer farm, wilderness river adventure, and trolls road. Favourite hotel was the one in Geiranger.

This is a once in a lifetime trip! The 4 countries visited are beautiful. The short time scheduled in two countries was enough to make you want to come back for more. The highlight of the adventure was the end in Norway where we spent a glorious week making our way from the Arctic Circle. The weather throughout was unusually sunny and warm. The guidance given throughout by our tour director, was fantastic! There was history of the area, interesting stories, explanations of the next days events and humour in all his presentations. The local guides were also well versed and interesting. Our bus driver, was a valuable member keeping us safe and on time and very pleasant. His ability on switchback roads was remarkable. Insight should be proud to have these two gentlemen as part of their team. The entire experience encourages one to return for future excursions.