Think of a cruise, and you might picture Caribbean islands, Mediterranean beaches, or villages on the banks of the world’s great rivers. But it’s often the coldest, most remote places that are truly best visited via the water. Smaller ships and expedition yachts, especially, can enter dramatic fjords, weave between ice floes, anchor in sparsely inhabited areas, and provide a warm home base to return to after a day out in the chill.
The excursions tend to be just as special. In cruise destinations near the ends of the earth, you may go scuba diving in the Southern Ocean, hike past glaciers in Patagonia, dip into hot springs in hard-to-reach corners of Iceland, or fish for Arctic char in far-north Canada with Inuit guides. Below, we’ve rounded up some upcoming sailings to have on your radar across Alaska, Greenland, Norway, Antarctica, and beyond—and the one-of-a-kind experiences you can have along the way.
Go Dog Sledding
The eight-day “Arctic Circle Explorer” itinerary, new for 2028 from Hurtigruten, departs from Tromsø, Norway, and loops along the coast of the country’s far north. Stops include Alta and Honningsvåg in Finnmark county, a stronghold of Sami culture, where guests can race across the tundra pulled by a team of huskies.
Explore Underwater
In February 2027, on the 18-day “Fjords and Glaciers of Southern Chile and Patagonia” sailing from Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, travelers can spot orcas, penguins, and elephant seals with the Andes Mountains in the distance. For an extra fee, brave these icy waters more than 300 feet below the surface on Scenic’s own submersible.
Climb Frosty Peaks
On the 13-day “Antarctica Basecamp” voyage and other select Antarctica trips from Oceanwide Expeditions, guests can don their harnesses and crampons and head inland to traverse the glaciated terrain, ice axes in hand. There are options for both technical and beginner-friendly mountaineering, all available at no additional cost.
Encounter Prehistoric Ruins
The Neolithic village at Skara Brae, in Scotland’s far-northern islands, is thought to predate Stonehenge by about two centuries.
Photo by RobNaw/Shutterstock
“Scotland to Spitsbergen: Puffins, Sea Ice, and Wildlife,” a 17-day trip launching in 2027 from Quark Expeditions, visits some of the best-preserved ancient ruins in the region—including 5,000-year-old Skara Brae, a Neolithic settlement in the Orkney Islands that’s now part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Viking-era longhouses and Iron Age homes in the isles of Shetland.
Surf and Ski
Prefer traveling in private? In late 2026, luxury operator EYOS Expeditions will begin to offer charters in Iceland aboard a 12-passenger expedition ship (complete with a hot tub and a sauna). Every itinerary is customizable, and stops could include heli-skiing or night surfing under the bright skies of the captivating aurora borealis.
Spot Polar Bears in the Wild
Departing from Greenland, the 17-day “Polar Wilderness Quest,” an expedition yacht sailing from Atlas Ocean Voyages (new for 2027), continues to Canada, home to 60 percent of the global polar bear population. You may see the animals traversing ice floes in Nunavut or the pebble beaches of far northern Québec; guests disembark in Churchill, Manitoba, the world’s polar bear capital.
See the Land in a New Light
In late summer 2027, the tour operator Adventure Canada will bring aboard a curator from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection—an Ontario museum dedicated to the Group of Seven, a school of early-20th-century landscape artists—for its 15-day “High Arctic Expedition: Where Art Meets Land.” Stops around Nunavut (and nearby Greenland) will illuminate the stark, imposing forms that the painters worked to capture.
Visit Indigenous Communities
The Alaska Native Heritage Center hosts daily demonstrations and cultural programming during its summer season, including performances by the center’s own youth dance group.
Courtesy of Azamara Cruises
New for 2027, Azamara Cruises’ “Alaska Explorer Cruisetour: Denali, Talkeetna, Riverboat and Rail” (13 or 16 days, depending on departure) balances wildlife and nature with plenty of cultural encounters. Possible excursions include visits to the Tlingit towns of Saxman and Klawock; the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage; and Petroglyph Beach on Wrangell Island, dotted with ancient symbols carved into the rocks.
Glide Among Icebergs
Departing in July 2027, the 15-day “Grand Greenland—Mythical Land of the North” voyage from HX Expeditions cruises up and down the Arctic island’s west coast, where you’ll find some of the northernmost settlements on earth. To get a different perspective, reserve a kayak on board—for either a guided excursion or a solo paddle.
