Canadian Northwest Passage & Northern Lights
18 Days - SH Vega
Your Arctic Discovery voyage leaves from Greenland, and circles around Baffin Bay in the Canadian Arctic. Then you’ll sail to the Northwest Passage among mountainous icebergs, charming fjords and some of the world’s most active glaciers. Spot polar bears and narwhals, discover landscapes covered in arctic willow and purple saxifrage, encounter Inuit communities, and explore a spectacular region visited by some of history’s greatest explorers.
from USD $17165pp
Home » 18 Day SH Vega: Canadian Northwest Passage & Northern Lights
Itinerary Highlights
- Marvel at the glistening icebergs that crack and calve spectacularly off glaciers into the meltwater
- Learn about the history of the Inuit, Dorset and Thule people from our experts on board
- Gaze up at the vertiginous cliffs of Prince Leopold Island important for nesting birdlife
Itinerary in Brief
- Day 1: Arrive in Keflavik
- Day 2: Fly Keflavik to Kangerlussuaq & board your cruise
- Day 3: Sisimiut
- Day 4: Ilulissat, Disko Bay
- Day 5: Qeqertarsuaq
- Day 6: Day at sea
- Day 7: Pond Inlet, NU
- Day 8: Dundas Harbour, Devon Island, NU - Croker Bay
- Day 9: Radstock Bay, NU - Beechey Island, NU
- Day 10: Port Leopold, NU - Elwin Bay, NU
- Day 11: Fort Ross, NU - Cruising Bellot Strait, NU
- Day 12: Cruise Peel Sound, NU - Coningham Bay, NU
- Day 13: Day at sea
- Day 14: Buchan Gulf, NU
- Day 15: Qikiqtarjuaq
- Day 16: Day at sea
- Day 17: Kangerlussuaq
- Day 18:Disembark & Fly Kangerlussuaq to Keflavik
This itinerary is a guide only and is subject to change due to weather, sea state and other conditions beyond control.
Day 1: Arrive in Keflavik
Upon arrival in Keflavik International Airport, you will be met by the cruise representative and driven on the group transfer to your hotel.
Day 2: Fly Keflavik to Kangerlussuaq & board your cruise
This morning you will take the group transfer from your hotel in Keflavik to the airport and board the charter flight to Kangerlussuaq. Upon arrival, you will take the group transfer to the port and board your cruise.
Once a WWII airbase at the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord, Kangerlussuaq's history is told at the airport’s museum, showcasing Inuit artefacts. This ice-filled glacial area and tundra is a haven for wildlife, including reindeer, arctic foxes, arctic hare, gyrfalcons and around 10,000 muskoxen.
Day 3: Sisimiut
The northernmost city in Greenland, just north of the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut remains ice free in winter and is known as an adventure sports hub. Inhabited for more than 4,500 years by the Inuit, Dorset and then Thule people, dog sled remains a common form of transport. Abandoned settlements lie between Sisimiut and the Thule district to the north. The area is home to humpback whales, walrus, and Arctic foxes in their summer coat.
Day 4: Ilulissat, Disko Bay
Sailing through the iceberg capital of the world to Disko Bay, the Ilulissat Icefjord is one of the cruise highlights. Given UNESCO World Heritage Site status, the Ilulissat Icefjord is a popular tourist destination, and thanks to the productive Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, thousands of gargantuan icebergs calve from the Greenland ice cap into the sea. The city of Ilulissat is home to many sled-dogs.
Day 5: Qeqertarsuaq
Qeqertarsuaq is the largest town on Disko Island, Greenland's largest island, on its west coast, part of Disko Bay, a UNESCO-listed site for its icebergs. The Lyngemark Glacier rises above the town. The area’s hills, basalt columns and black sand beaches reflect its volcanic origin. The area is fertile and home to species not found elsewhere in Greenland. Keep an eye out for its hot springs as we move through floating icebergs.
Day 6: Day at sea
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.
Day 7: Pond Inlet, NU
The views of snow-capped mountains have given Pond Inlet in northern Baffin Island the name of Canada’s ‘jewel of the north’ and the area is a prime breeding ground for narwhals - toothed whales with a distinct large tusk. The traditional Inuit community living in the hamlet of Mittimatalik are renowned for their craft skills from printmaking and stone carving. Nearby at Qulalukat the thousand-year-old Inuit sod houses, or qarmaq, merit a visit.
Day 8: Dundas Harbour, Devon Island, NU - Croker Bay
Dundas Harbour, the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage on Devon Island, Canada's largest uninhabited island, shows signs of life despite the harsh terrain, with relics of a 1000 A.D. Thule settlement and a 1920s Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) outpost for controlling illegal whaling. Nearby Croker Bay is on the shores of iceberg-laden Lancaster Sound. The Devon ice cap feeds the huge South Croker Bay Glacier that calves into the bay.
Gracing the eastern high Arctic, Croker Bay, a mesmerising Arctic waterway, carves its way into Devon Island within the vibrant Qikiqtaaluk Region. This deep inlet, an extension of Lancaster Sound and Barrow Strait, unveils a landscape of captivating beauty. The Devon ice cap feeds the huge South Croker Bay Glacier that calves into the bay.
Day 9: Radstock Bay, NU - Beechey Island, NU
This area is closely associated with the exploration of Canada’s High Arctic and the Northwest Passage. Much of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago was mapped while searching for the missing crew of British explorer Sir John Franklin’s fateful 1845-46 Northwest Passage Expedition. Radstock Bay sits below the mighty Caswall Tower mountain and hides many secrets, with evidence of sledge tracks, camps and food tins that may help reveal what happened.
Beechey Island Sites, five historical sites in Canada's High Arctic, mark where British explorer Sir John Franklin wintered in 1845-46 during his fateful Northwest Passage Expedition. Much of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago was mapped while searching for the crew. Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen paid his respects to Franklin in 1903 before successfully discovering the Northwest Passage.
Day 10: Port Leopold, NU - Elwin Bay, NU
Port Leopold is a place of raw, rugged natural beauty and landscapes that evoke a sense of awe and wonder. The pristine wilderness and untouched terrain create a feeling of remoteness and isolation, while the Arctic wildlife that calls this place home adds a touch of wildness and unpredictability. The area's history as a former Hudson's Bay Company trading post also lends a sense of nostalgia and intrigue.
Crossing Lancaster Sound to Elwin Bay, the ship passes Prince Leopold Island, hosting over 500,000 nesting pairs of thick-billed murres, black guillemots, northern fulmars, and black-legged kittiwakes. Beluga whales moult in shallow gravel beds, while in Prince Regent Inlet, polar bears hunt ringed seals on sea ice.
Day 11: Fort Ross, NU - Cruising Bellot Strait, NU
The ship sails past Fort Ross, on Somerset Island, the northernmost fur trading post of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Near the Bellot Strait, it was eventually abandoned due to harsh ice conditions. The strait separates Somerset Island from Boothia Peninsula, home to Point Zenith, the northernmost continental point of the Americas. It's also where Sir James Clark Ross located the Magnetic North Pole during Sir John Ross's 1829 Arctic expedition.
The Bellot Strait, named in honour of the French explorer Joseph-René Bellot, is a narrow, 2.3-km-wide, and 25-km-long waterway. It separates Somerset Island to the north from the Boothia Peninsula to the south. This strait played a historical role during an expedition to locate Sir John Franklin's lost expedition, tragically marked by Bellot's death in the area in 1853.
Day 12: Cruise Peel Sound, NU - Coningham Bay, NU
Choked up by ice in winter, Peel Sound is a 125-mile-long channel separating Prince of Wales Island to the west and Somerset Island to the east. The icebound arctic waters thwarted several 19th-century explorers - Sir John Franklin in 1846, Francis Leopold McClintock in 1858 and Allen Young in 1875. Today, Peel Sound still remains a challenging waterway, but is also home to abundant wildlife, including polar bears, seals and whales.
Coningham Bay, on Prince of Wales Island in the heart of the Northwest Passage, holds historical and cultural significance and serves as a haven for Arctic wildlife. The nutrient-rich waters attract beluga whales, sustaining the well-fed local polar bear population. The bay's rich history is intertwined with Arctic exploration, as Captain James Cook charted it in 1778 during his final voyage through the Northwest Passage.
Day 13: Day at sea
Days at sea are the perfect chance to relax, unwind and do whatever takes your fancy. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, trying to spot a whale from the deck, reading a chapter or two, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to the green days spent exploring on land.
Day 14: Buchan Gulf, NU
Buchan Gulf, a remote Arctic fjord on Baffin Island's northeastern coast, is one of the world’s most important nesting sites for northern fulmars, who roost on the towering cliffs and rocks. Polar bears roam the shores of Icy Arm, a narrow fjord with the relics of an ancient Thule semi-subterranean home sitting on the edge of the boggy tundra. Pods of narwhals are at home in the deep waters of this glacial fjord system on eastern Baffin Island.
Day 15: Qikiqtarjuaq
Qikiqtarjuaq is a remote, beautiful Baffin Island community surrounded by towering mountains and glaciers. The rugged landscape and pristine wilderness offer endless opportunities for outdoor adventure, from kayaking to wildlife watching. The town's Inuit culture and traditions are still alive. But what sets Qikiqtarjuaq apart is the warmth and hospitality of its people, who welcome visitors and share their rich history and traditions with pride.
Day 16: Day at sea
Today as you sail, you’ll bask in the endless comforts of your ship. From the deck, marvel at the dramatic sea views. Relax with a nurturing facial treatment or massage in the spa or delve into the ship’s learning resources. Or, simply take refuge in your cabin and enjoy the opportunity to rest.
Day 17: Kangerlussuaq
Once a WWII airbase at the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord, Kangerlussuaq's history is told at the airport’s museum, showcasing Inuit artefacts. This ice-filled glacial area and tundra is a haven for wildlife, including reindeer, arctic foxes, arctic hare, gyrfalcons and around 10,000 muskoxen.
Day 18:Disembark & Fly Kangerlussuaq to Keflavik
This morning you will disembark and take the group transfer from the port to Kangerlussuaq Airport for your charter flight to Keflavik.
This itinerary is a guide only and is subject to change due to weather, sea state and other conditions beyond control.
Dates | Cabin | From | Special Offer |
---|---|---|---|
29 Aug 2025 - 15 Sep 2025 | USD $17165pp | ||
Triple Oceanview M4 | USD $17165pp | Contact us | |
Oceanview D4 | USD $19578pp | Contact us | |
Oceanview M4 | USD $20599pp | Contact us | |
Triple Balcony M5 | USD $21616pp | Contact us | |
Balcony D5 | USD $24646pp | Contact us | |
Balcony M5 | USD $25939pp | Contact us | |
Quadruple Suite | USD $26776pp | Contact us | |
Balcony D6 | USD $27299pp | Contact us | |
Suite | USD $35701pp | Contact us | |
Premium Suite | USD $39306pp | Contact us |
**Prices are per person based on twin / shared accommodation.
**Single supplements may apply
Cabin Details
Oceanview D4
20 m2
Oceanview Staterooms feature two single beds or a double bed, a bedroom with living room area, and a luxurious bathroom.
Oceanview M4
20 m2
Oceanview Staterooms feature two single beds or a double bed, a bedroom with living room area, and a luxurious bathroom.
Balcony D5
25 m2
Balcony Staterooms feature two single beds or a double bed, bedroom with living room area, a luxurious bathroom, and a 5m2 (54ft2) private balcony.
Balcony M5
25 m2
Balcony Staterooms feature two single beds or a double bed, bedroom with living room area, a luxurious bathroom, and a 5m2 (54ft2) private balcony.
Balcony D6
25 m2
Balcony Staterooms feature two single beds or a double bed, bedroom with living room area, a luxurious bathroom, and a 5m2 (54ft2) private balcony.
Suite
40 m2
Suites feature a king size bed, and have a separate living room, with a flame-effect fireplace. There’s also a luxurious ensuite bathroom – with separate bath tub and walk-in shower – and a 10m2 (108ft2) private balcony.
Premium Suite
47 m2
Premium Suites have a king size bed, separate living room, and flame-effect fireplace. There’s also a luxurious ensuite bathroom – with separate bath tub and shower – walk-in wardrobe, and a 12m2 (129ft2) private balcony.
Triple Oceanview M4
19 m2
Located on Deck 4 at the bow. Light, bright and crafted from natural materials Oceanview staterooms features 2 single beds or a double bed, a bedroom and living room and a luxurious ensuite bathroom.
To make it a Triple room, the third guest will sleep on a Single Sofa bed – Dimensions of the Sofa: 1860 X 1230 mm
Triple Balcony M5
28 m2
Balcony stateroom is a Swan Hellenic guest favorite. Located on Deck 5 at the centre of the ship, staterooms features 2 single beds or a double bed, bedroom, living room, luxurious bathroom and your own 6 m2 balcony.
To make it a Triple room, the third guest will sleep on a Single Sofa bed – Dimensions of the Sofa: 1900 X 1380 mm
Quadruple Suite
44 m2
Located on Deck 5 and 6 at the centre of the ship, our spacious Suites with a 12 sq.m. private balconies are a favorite with discerning guests, and those that prefer a little more space and comfort.
To make it a Quad room, the third and fourth guests will sleep on a Double Sofa bed – Dimensions of the Sofa: 1900 X 1380 mm
SH Vega Deckplan
Specifications
CREW: 120
GUESTS: 152
DECKS: 9
LENGTH: 337 ft (115 m)
DRAFT: 18 ft (5.5 m)
BREADTH: 75 ft (23 m)
REGISTERED: Panama
CRUISING SPEED: 15.5 knots in open water
LIFEBOATS: 2 fully enclosed
PROPULSION DIESEL-ELECTRIC ENGINES: 4x Medium speed, Polar code Cat A
Whats included?
- One-night pre-cruise accommodation with breakfast in a 4/5-star hotel
- All meals onboard
- 24-hour room service
- Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and selected alcoholic beverages available 24 hours per day
- Lecture programs by our experienced expedition team and guest speakers
- Standard WiFi
- Onboard gratuities and port taxes
- One selected shore excursion/expedition activity per port of call
- Branded expedition parka and use of rubber boots in Polar Regions.
- Branded backpack and stainless-steel water bottle
- Group transfer from Airport (KEF) to hotel
- Group transfer from the hotel to the airport (KEF) for the charter flight to Kangerlussuaq (SFJ)
- Group transfer from Airport (SFJ) to ship
- Group transfer from Ship to Airport (SFJ)
- Return Charter flights from/to Keflavik (KEF) - Kangerlussuaq (SFJ)
What’s not included?
- Flights not mentioned
- Upgraded internet (please refer to attached WIFI leaflet)
- Spa treatments
- Optional tours
- Kayaking (USD250 pp)
- Top shelf alcoholic drinks
- Dry Cleaning (24/7/ self-service laundry is free)
- Use of onboard medical centre