Life at the top of the world is as magical as you’ve always dreamt. Polar bears, glaciers, whales and fjords, they’re all here, and our Discovery Team can help you experience them all.
Join us on board Scenic Eclipse and prepare for a journey into the unknown. Our discovery yacht features pioneering safety and navigation equipment to bring you closer to the wonders of the Arctic than ever before, and all in unparalleled six-star luxury and comfort.
Whether you’ve always wanted to witness arctic wildlife or experience the wild tundra of the polar regions, discovering the Arctic with Scenic Eclipse promises to be a journey like no other. To give you a taste for what awaits on our Arctic ocean cruises, we’ve put together this guide to some of the region’s choice highlights.
Nowhere on Earth has geography so breath-taking as the Arctic. Even without its incredible wildlife the region would be an enthralling place to travel, its glaciers, mountains, fjords and frozen seas providing an extraordinary backdrop for your journey. Here are a few highlights to look out for along the way.
Glaciers have influenced the landscape and climate of the Arctic for millions of years, and their slow descent towards the sea continues to sculpt and change the very foundation of the land today. The Svalbard region is home to over 2,100 glaciers, with the largest stretching for mile after mile through the landscape. Indeed, Svalbard is home to one of the world’s largest glaciers, the cathedral-like ice cap of Austfonna, which covers an area of 8,450km2 on the island of Nordaustlandet. Greenland itself has some 200 glaciers, the largest of which is Jakobshavn, which has thickened considerably in recent years.
From Bergen to Scoresby, glacial fjords and lakes pepper these Arctic lands, providing moments of supreme natural wonder. Formed by glaciers over hundreds of years, these deep waterways are among the most beautiful features of Norway, Greenland and Svalbard, their mirrorlike surfaces reflecting back the frozen landscape around them. The most beautiful fjords of Svalbard are found in inner Spitsbergen, where a diverse array of flora grows in the summer months. Elsewhere, Greenland’s vast Scoresby Sound remains the world’s largest glacial fjord, while Norway’s UNESCO-protected Geirangerfjord is considered one of the world’s most beautiful lakes.
Polar bears, narwhals, walruses – it’s incredible that a hostile region like the Arctic is home to such a rich and diverse array of life. Discover some of the extraordinary animals you can encounter below.
The beluga whale is an icon of Arctic waters, its distinctive white skin and bulbous forehead setting them apart from other whales in the region. Like many whales, belugas travel vast distances during their annual migration, but always return to the Arctic in the spring and summer months when the sea ice has retreated. Known to be exceptionally sociable, belugas travel in large pods and have been known to approach small boats and kayaks out of curiosity, making it likely that you’ll come across one on the seas.
One of the most unusual and enchanting marine mammals to call the Arctic home; narwhals are a whale species easily identifiable by their long, spiralling ivory tusk. These unusual animals can be found in high Arctic regions, where they negotiate the labyrinthine ice flows with the help of their unicorn-like tusks, which scientists have recently discovered contain thousands of nerve endings. Narwhals are notoriously elusive, but with their numbers improving in recent years, there’s every chance you might encounter one whilst kayaking through the waters of Svalbard and Greenland.
Scenic invites you to the top of the world, where our world’s first discovery yacht can help you uncover the enchanting wildlife and spectacular natural wonders of the Arctic. Our Journey Designers have pieced together a handful of unforgettable itineraries in these frozen lands, where our expert Discovery Guides will be on hand to make sure you get the most from your visit to this majestic region.
Whether searching for polar bears via helicopter, kayaking through ice flows or dipping beneath the waves on board Scenic Neptune (our state-of-the-art discovery submarine), your Arctic experience will be all the richer and more immersive thanks to our pioneering discovery and excursion vessels. With our help, you can go beyond the horizon, where few others have travelled, and experience the wild wonders at the edge of the world.
Inspired to visit the Arctic? Our collection of Scenic Eclipse ocean cruises to the far north promise memories that will last a lifetime. Click here to view our full collection of Arctic ocean cruises or call our team today on 1-866-689-8611.