Discover Iceland's modern capital Packed full of art, culture and history, Reykjavik is a delight to explore. Take a stroll along Laugavegur shopping street up to the striking Hallgrimskirkja Cathedral, or visit the fascinating Reykjavik Art Museum. If you'd like to spend more time here before you set off on your Northwest Passage expedition cruise, you can book a Pre-Programme with us to tour the Golden Circle or Icelandic Highlands. MS Fridtjof Nansen awaits you in Reykjavik Harbour. Collect your complimentary expedition jacket, settle into your cabin, meet your Expedition Team, and explore the ship as we set sail on this epic expedition cruise through the Northwest Passage.

In the wake of Vikings We cruise towards Greenland across the Denmark Strait, the route taken by Erik the Red, generally thought to be the first European to have settled there. It's time to relax and enjoy the comfortable facilities aboard our hybrid-powered ship. You can work out in the gym, soak in our on-deck hot tubs or enjoy a delicious meal in one of our restaurants. Your Expedition Team will share the protocols of respectfully visiting wildlife habitats and indigenous Arctic communities. In the Science Center, you can learn more about Greenland's geology, or join one of our Citizen Science projects.

Breathtaking panoramas and abundant wildlife We aim to explore the incredible waters of the 60-mile-long Prins Christian Sund on your included excursion today. Sharp-peaked granite mountains provide a stunning contrast to the bright white glaciers. Look out for calving icebergs and colourful houses in the village of Aappilattoq. Nature is abundant here. You'll see ringed and bearded seals resting on the ice, and Glaucous Gulls and Black Guillemots soaring down from above. You may even spot minke and humpback whales. If sea ice prevents us entering the sound, we'll head to craggy Cape Farewell, the southernmost point of Greenland.

Ivittuut's fascinating WWII history As you wander around the abandoned ruins of this ghost town, it’s hard to believe that Ivittuut, a former mining outpost, once played a pivotal role in the course of history. During WWII, the US secretly stationed troops here to prevent rare cryolite – used to make aluminium alloys – falling into German hands. Supplies were instead shipped to the UK to manufacture aircraft, used in the Battle of Britain. Enjoy an included guided walk of the area's deserted buildings. Once the last Viking settlement in Greenland, these days, the only inhabitants you'll find are muskoxen.

Experience Greenlandic culture, old and new, in Nuuk After several days exploring remote, idyllic icescapes, you'll cruise into Nuuk, Greenland’s colourful capital. With a population of 18,000, it has a striking mix of old and new buildings. Compare the old buildings – Hans Egede's House and Nuuk Cathedral – with the ultra-modern architecture of Greenland's Parliament. Visit Katuaq Cultural Centre, where you'll experience a Greenlandic mask dance, enjoy some local delicacies, and listen to the local choir on an included activity. Visit the National Museum to see six Qilakitsoq mummies, offering a fascinating insight to life here 500 years ago. Join us for an optional nature walk around Mount Lille Malene and explore the pristine nature around Nuuk.

Watch for wildlife and get involved in Citizen Science Leaving Greenland behind, our expedition cruise continues to Canada across the Labrador Sea. We'll enter the Davis Strait, named after English explorer John Davis, who led expeditions here in the 16th century. The Expedition Team will continue their onboard lectures on topics from the wildlife of Northern Labrador to Inuit culture and the history of Arctic exploration. The strait is known for its abundance of seals, whales and cod. You can take part in one of our Citizen Science programmes, helping photograph and track whales or contributing to the GLOBE Observer project.

Crossing a historical sea corridor through Canada's Arctic archipelago Like pioneering explorers who've come before you, we won't have an exact itinerary as we attempt to sail our state-of-the-art, ice class ship from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the famed sea route, the Northwest Passage. Stops might include Pond Inlet, Dundas Harbour, Fort Ross, Gjoa Haven, Cambridge Bay and Smoking Hills. As we explore, we'll land at sites linked to early exploration history, visit Inuit communities, and look out for Arctic wildlife such as polar bears, whales, narwhals, seals and seabirds. You'll go expedition boat cruising between ice floes, and go ashore to experience the pristine wilderness first hand. Your Expedition Team will adapt activities to ice and weather conditions, giving you the best experience possible. We’ll try to reach Pond Inlet and the Inuit community of Mittimatalik on Baffin Island. On Devon Island - the largest uninhabited island on Earth – we'll visit Dundas Harbour and learn about its Thule heritage. We may pay our respects at the graves of three Franklin expedition team members on Beechey Island. We'll continue west to Fort Ross, a former Hudson Bay Trading post before sailing to Gjoa Haven, where Roald Amundsen learned polar survival tips from the Netsilik Inuit. If we are able, we'll take a walking tour to learn more. From here, we'll then sail onto wildlife-rich Cambridge Bay where you might see Arctic char, muskoxen, and caribou. Pick up some prints, tapestries, and other crafts made by local artists in Ulukhaktok, before we arrive in the Amundsen Gulf. Here we hope to see the remarkable Smoking Hills, where lignite – eroded shale mixed with pyrite – spontaneously ignites when exposed to air, creating a photogenic phenomenon of smoke billowing from the cliffs.

Science and wildlife watching at sea Having successfully traversed the Northwest Passage, our expedition cruise continues towards Nome. Join your Expedition Team for more insightful lectures. Topics may include wildlife, tectonic activity, glaciology or local history. Wildlife lovers and birdwatchers are in for a treat. You may spot bowhead and grey whales as we cross the Beaufort Sea to Point Barrow, the northernmost point of the USA, before crossing the international date line – with 'tomorrow' on your right and 'today' on your left. As we sail through the Bering Strait, look out for over 30 species of seabirds, including Black-legged Kittiwakes, auklets and murrelets.

Fascinating history of gold prospectors and explorers Prospectors first came to Nome in 1898, and people still hunt for gold here today. You'll see evidence of the gold rush all around, including abandoned dredges, turn-of-the century steam engines and old railroad tracks, lending the town a unique atmosphere. You’ll be in good company as you explore the town. Wyatt Earp, the famous sheriff, opened a saloon here. Nome was also the end point of three of Roald Amundsen's great polar expeditions, making it a fitting place to end your own great expedition, before flying on to bustling Vancouver.

Enjoy British Columbia’s largest city Our Northwest Passage expedition cruise ends in the beautiful city of Vancouver at the foot of the Rockies, where you'll spend the night before returning home. Vancouver's neighbourhoods buzz with restaurants offering delicious international cuisine. Don’t miss Gastown, Vancouver’s Victorian neighbourhood. Here you'll find Vancouver Lookout, offering 360º panoramic views over the city. While you're here, why not join our Post-Programme to the beautiful mountain resort of Whistler. What better way to end your adventure.

Itineraries are subject to change.