Kenlow11
20.04.2021 4:11:08
To see discounted cruises in this region, use the Find a Bargain box on the left.
See full version: Northwest Passage
To see discounted cruises in this region, use the Find a Bargain box on the left.
Northwest Passage cruises allow adventurous travelers to sail along the unique Arctic Sea route connecting the Northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Pioneered by history's greatest explorers, the route was once impassible due to the thick and treacherous ice that covered the region year-round. In recent years, the once-impossible passage has become accessible, now providing fascinating journeys through spectacular fjords, glaciers and waterways.
For a list of ports or places you can visit in the Northwest Passage, click here. more
In the Northwest Passage, Savissivik is an unmissable stopping point. It is the largest iceberg cemetery in the world. With an average depth of 40 metres, in reality the bay has trapped a great number of these ice giants. Of varying sizes, with changing colours, the icebergs float like spectres abandoned to their fate. The scene is hypnotic. [links]
Whether in the south of Greenland or in the entrance to the Fury and Hecla Strait, the Inuits have preserved their centuries old traditions. Skilled sled dog handlers, outstanding hunters and meticulous craftspeople, they have managed to embrace the modern world while still preserving their culture. Visiting the village of Igloolik, in the Nunavut, discovered in 1822, or that of Kullorsuaq, in the west of Greenland, provides precious encounters with the inhabitants who are happy to share their history and their skills. here
Today, the Northwest Passage is within reach for certain modern, privileged explorers, who adventure in higher latitudes. Here is a summary of this iconic place, which has always been the subject of fantasies and was only discovered fairly recently.
Today, the Northwest Passage is within reach for certain modern, privileged explorers, who adventure in higher latitudes. Here is a summary of this iconic place, which has always been the subject of fantasies and was only discovered fairly recently. more
Reaching the North Pole: a dream for many travellers passionate about exploration. But what can you see during a cruise through the Northwest Passage, the entry point into the Great North, that is still so rarely visited? more
If you’ve got your heart set on seeing a polar bear, you’ll want to book an itinerary that visits the Svalbard Archipelago and Spitsbergen, the chain’s largest island. The town you’ll visit on Spitsbergen is Longyearbyen, which was originally a mining village until the population realized in the 1970s that tourism and polar research were better ways to make a living and keep the area environmentally friendly. Today, national parks and nature reserves cover 60 percent of the Svalbard Archipelago. This is the magical place that will show you snowy white polar bears, shy Arctic foxes, seals (bearded and ringed), whales (blue and fin), reindeer, walrus, and so many other beguiling wild animals. Birding is fantastic here and the scenery seems never ending with snow-capped mountains, glaciers, fjords, and sea ice. It’s a magical place. here
Note: Tipping is a custom in Britain. Figure 12.5 to 15 percent at restaurants, but don’t tip in a pub. In Scotland, tip wait staff and taxi drivers 10 to 15% (but be sure the dining receipt doesn’t already include a service charge). In Ireland, many restaurants automatically add a gratuity. If they don’t, tip 10%.
Note that in Russia, tips are not required but are becoming more commonplace. Some restaurants add a service charge so check your bill before adding a gratuity. Most tour guides do expect a small tip at the end of the day. If you plan to go to the ballet or theater, dress sharply. Don’t discuss politics or refuse a drink if offered: both are considered impolite.
Iceland may not immediately come to mind when you think “European cruise,” but voyages to and around this Nordic island are breathtaking. Towering volcanoes, glaciers, geysers, and hot springs define the landscape. Hiking and snowmobiling are popular pastimes here and just two ways to get you closer to the marvelous natural habitat that is home to reindeer, Icelandic sheep and horses as well as Arctic foxes, mink, harbor seals, puffins, and kittiwakes. Polar bears occasionally end up on the island after floating over on an iceberg from Greenland, but it’s rare. here
Unsurprisingly, most Northern Europe cruises depart from a Northern European city, so look for flights that can connect you to cruises from Amsterdam, cruises from Copenhagen, cruises from Stockholm, cruises from Berlin, cruises from Rotterdam or cruises from Hamburg
At the height of the Soviet administration, large convoys of ships assisted by powerful icebreakers plied this route carrying much needed supplies to Eastern Russia.
The indigenous peoples of the north coast of Siberia were undoubtedly familiar with sections of this seaway but it wasn't until 1878-1880 that Swedish explorer Adolf Erik Nordenskiold completed the first ever transit. Earlier attempts to find a route in the 16th century had been thwarted by either ice or politics or both. The Russian empire had been expanding eastwards and in an attempt to control and tax the burgeoning fur trade, all foreign shipping was banned from 1616 until 1753. Commercial interest in the route was revived in the late 19th century when several trading vessels reached as far as the Ob and Yenisey Rivers and initiated trade with the interior as it proved much easier to ship timber, fur, gold and grain down these rivers than carry them overland to markets in the west. here
In 1914-15 the Imperial Russian Navy icebreakers Taymyr and Vaygach made the second transit of the Northern Sea Route in an attempt to render the seaway navigable for strategic purposes. In 1932 the Soviet Union formed the Northern Sea Route Administration. It was headed up by Otto Schmidt who established a number of Polar research and weather stations along the Siberian coast and on the many islands along the way. Personnel at these stations were responsible for reporting weather and ice conditions as well as carrying out invaluable research into the regions unique birds, plants and animals. here
Russia controls one of the greatest seaways in the world. Within Russia it is known as the Northern Sea Route, while the rest of the world calls it the Northeast Passage. Only a handful of expedition vessels have ever transited this seaway, but recent changes in the summer sea ice conditions mean this historic and fascinating sea route is now accessible to a few suitably constructed expedition vessels.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s spelled the end of this operation and the number of vessels using the Northern Sea Route dwindled, but there has been renewed commercial interest from international shipping companies in this route which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans due to the huge savings in both time and fuel that it potentially offers. more
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