North Pole Icebreaker Cruise
Get the unique experience of travelling aboard the most powerful nuclear icebreaker. Explore High Arctic spaces from various angles: shoot incredible airscape photos of the moving icebreaker from the helicopter; feel the thickness of Arctic pack ice under your feet while walking on ice; meet polar bears who venture close to the ship, observe Arctic birds and walruses; land and explore the remote and beautiful islands of Franz Josef Land archipelago.
Note:
This is a sample itinerary. We do our utmost to guarantee the best experience, unfortunately we have no control over the weather or wildlife behaviour. Ports of embarkation and disembarkation and sites may change depending on vessel and departure dates, weather- and ice conditions.
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Alexander Land
World War II history, with the remains of Germany’s Schatsgräber station found here. There is also a large air landing strip and the frontier Russian station Nagurskaya, which was abandoned in 1996.
Relics from the turn of the 20th century are found along the shores of Alger Island. A number of expeditions, including the Baldwin-Ziegler expedition of 1901-02 and the Fiala- Ziegler expedition of 1903-05 set up bases here. Remains of their huts and time here are found at Camp Ziegler and West Camp Ziegler. At the center of the island is the impressive Mount Richthofen (0.25 miles, 404 m). Nearby Matilda Island also offers insights into life here more than 100 years ago.
APOLLONOV ISLAND
This small island has a ridge that may provide a vantage point for viewing a walrus rookery, known to haul-out on the island. Zodiac cruising for watching walrus from a distance is also a possibility.
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BELL ISLAND
In 1881 Benjamin Leigh-Smith’s expedition built a hut here, but never had the opportunity to use it as their ship wrecked off the coast. The hut is in supreme condition, and has a number of interesting inscriptions on its interior walls. An old Russian isba (wood structure) is also found here, which may even pre-date the official 1873 discovery of
Franz Josef Land.
CALM BAY, HOOKER ISLAND
Sporadically in use today, this is the site of the first ever polar station in the archipelago, built in 1929. Memorials to Georgiy Sedov’s wintering in 1913-14 are built here and the remains of a glaciologist hut can also be seen.
CAMBRIDGE STRAIT
This is a well-known area for spotting polar bears. This is a popular hunting ground for them as seals also frequent the area. -
CAPE FLIGLEY, RUDOLF ISLAND
The most northern point of the archipelago is marked with a copper plaque and memorial cross. This is also the most northern part of Europe, reaching further north than Spitsbergen. The island is almost entirely ice-covered and temperatures only rise above freezing for a few shorts weeks each summer.
CAPE FLORA, NORTHBROOK ISLAND
More than half a dozen expeditions passed through here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries - among them was the
‘1000 Days in the Arctic’ expedition of Jackson-Harmsworth. Many buildings from the time are in ruins or have fallen into the sea, but some remain. Memorials and crosses have been erected in more recent years in memory of the survivors and victims of those early expeditions.
CAPE FORBE, GRANT LAND
Of interesting note is a Norwegian hut from the 1930’s, which was used for walrus hunting.
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CAPE HELLER, WILCZEK LAND
Historically significant markers can be found here, including the remains of a stone hut used by two men from the 1898-
99 Walter Wellman expedition. There is a grave site and large memorial post in honor of the one member who died here just after New Year’s in 1899.
CAPE NORWAY, JACKSON ISLAND
Sometimes unreachable, even to icebreakers, weather is always a factor at this northern part of the archipelago. A variety of arctic flora is found in this area, making it
particularly interesting for botanists. This is also the location where Fridtjof Nansen and Frederick Jackson stayed during the 1895-96 winter and the remains of their stone hut can
be visited.
Dates and Rates
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50 Years of Victory North Pole Icebreaker Cruise
- 50 Years of Victory
- 12 nights
- Max number of Passengers 128
- Learn more about this vessel
-
Dates
- 7th Jul - 19th Jul 2019
- Embark: Murmansk, Russia
- Disembark: Murmansk, Russia
Prices from
- Arktika Suite
- EUR 38,280
- Victory Suite
- EUR 37,425
- Suite
- EUR 33,910
- Mini Suite
- EUR 27,830
- Standard Twin
- EUR 25,455
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50 Years of Victory North Pole Icebreaker Cruise
- 50 Years of Victory
- 12 nights
- Max number of Passengers 128
- Learn more about this vessel
-
Dates
- 18th Jul - 30th Jul 2019
- Embark: Murmansk, Russia
- Disembark: Murmansk, Russia
Prices from
- Arktika Suite
- EUR 38,280
- Victory Suite
- EUR 37,425
- Suite
- EUR 33,910
- Mini Suite
- EUR 27,830
- Standard Twin
- EUR 25,455
-
50 Years of Victory North Pole Icebreaker Cruise
- 50 Years of Victory
- 12 nights
- Max number of Passengers 128
- Learn more about this vessel
-
Dates
- 29th Jul - 10th Aug 2019
- Embark: Murmansk, Russia
- Disembark: Murmansk, Russia
Prices from
- Arktika Suite
- EUR 38,280
- Victory Suite
- EUR 37,425
- Suite
- EUR 33,910
- Mini Suite
- EUR 27,830
- Standard Twin
- EUR 25,455