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Grave markers on Beechey Island, where Franklin expedition sailors were buried, with sea ice filling the bay behind

Northwest Passage

The Northwest Passage explained: its seven routes, the 2027 cruises that sail it and what they cost, how the ice decides each summer, Canada's rules, who owns it and what happened to Franklin.

Ansgar Walk, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5

What is the Northwest Passage, and can you cruise through it?

The Northwest Passage is the sea route through Canada's Arctic islands between the Atlantic and Pacific, and ships had made 465 complete transits by the end of 2025. In 2027 four expedition ships cross it between Alaska and Greenland in 24 to 29 days, from $25,840 per person on HX with flights included. Partial voyages start at $13,297 per person in a shared triple. Ice can change any route.

Facts checked October 15, 2026 against 41 sources.

Northwest Passage at a glance

Map showing Northwest PassageNorthwest Passage, 72°00′N, 98°00′WNorthwest PassageThe Arctic, 85°48′N, 176°09′WThe Arctic
  1. January: no trips
  2. February: no trips
  3. March: no trips
  4. April: no trips
  5. May: no trips
  6. June: no trips
  7. July: in season
  8. August: best
  9. September: best
  10. October: no trips
  11. November: no trips
  12. December: no trips

Best Season

Type
Sea or passage
Location
72°00′N, 98°00′W
Part of
The Arctic
Season
Expedition voyages run from July to September; the 2027 full crossings depart between July 29 and August 11, and the ice decides the route each year.
Best months
August to September
Getting there
Full crossings start or end in Nome or Seward, Alaska, and in Nuuk or Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, with flights from Seattle, New York, Reykjavík or Paris on many voyages; Aurora's partial voyage flies guests from Calgary to Kugluktuk, and Adventure Canada's charters link Toronto and Yellowknife with Greenland and Kugluktuk.
Wildlife
Polar bears, bowhead whales, narwhals and belugas in and around Lancaster Sound, plus ringed seals, arctic foxes, musk oxen and walruses along the channels.
Landings
Landings depend on ice and weather. Entering the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror wreck site needs written Parks Canada authorization, ships need Nunavut licences and community support, and passengers arriving by ship need no eTA.

The Northwest Passage is the sea route across the top of North America, through the channels of Canada's Arctic Archipelago from the Labrador Sea to the Beaufort Sea and the Bering Strait.1 Explorers hunted for it for more than 400 years as a shortcut between Europe and Asia, and Roald Amundsen finally sailed it between 1903 and 1906.23 By the end of the 2025 season ships had made 465 complete transits, 100 of them on passenger voyages.1 In 2027 four expedition ships are scheduled to cross between Alaska and Greenland in 24 to 29 days, from $25,840 per person, and voyages through part of it start at $13,297 per person in a shared triple cabin.456740

Where does the Northwest Passage go?

Through one of seven sets of channels, each running from the Labrador Sea to the Bering Strait over about 3,300 to 4,100 miles (5,300 to 6,600 km).1 Six of the seven enter by Lancaster Sound; the seventh comes in through Hudson Strait and Foxe Basin.1 Scientists group the channels into a shallow southern route, which passes south of Victoria Island, and a deeper northern route through Parry Channel; the northern one is shorter, but 97% of ships take the southern one.8 The Scott Polar Research Institute's count of transits by route:1

RouteKey channelsDistance, miles (km)Transits to 2025
1Viscount Melville Sound, McClure Strait3,290 (5,300)5
2Viscount Melville Sound, Prince of Wales Strait, Amundsen Gulf3,540 (5,700)19
3Peel Sound, Franklin Strait, Victoria Strait, Coronation Gulf3,920 (6,300)107
4Peel Sound, Rae Strait, Simpson Strait, Coronation Gulf4,100 (6,600)68
5Prince Regent Inlet, Bellot Strait, Franklin Strait, Victoria Strait3,850 (6,200)116
6Prince Regent Inlet, Bellot Strait, Rae Strait, Simpson Strait4,040 (6,500)120
7Hudson Strait, Foxe Basin, Fury and Hecla Strait, Bellot Strait3,790 (6,100)27

The tight spots are tight: Simpson Strait is only 21 ft (6.4 m) deep, and Bellot Strait, where complex currents also run, is just over half a mile wide at its narrowest.14 Expedition ships stop at Inuit hamlets on the way, including Pond Inlet (1,555 people in 2021), Gjoa Haven (1,349) and Cambridge Bay (1,760), and at Beechey Island, where Franklin's men spent the winter of 1845 to 1846.9101112 Lancaster Sound, the eastern gate, is Tallurutiup Imanga in Inuktut,5 also the name of a national marine conservation area of about 41,700 sq mi (108,000 km²) that Parks Canada calls critical habitat for polar bears, bowhead whales, narwhals and belugas.13

Is there a cruise through the Northwest Passage?

Yes. The first passenger ship through was the Lindblad Explorer in 1984, and the cruise ship Crystal Serenity carried about 1,750 passengers and crew through in 2016 and about 1,400 in 2017.1 In 2027 four expedition ships are scheduled to sail the whole way between Alaska and Greenland: HX's Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' HANSEATIC spirit and Lindblad's National Geographic Resolution.5467

Six more lines sail part of it. Adventure Canada's Ocean Victory takes the historic middle on 17-day voyages in each direction between Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, and Kugluktuk in western Nunavut, by Lancaster Sound, Beechey Island, Bellot Strait and Cambridge Bay.4041 Aurora Expeditions' Sylvia Earle runs east from Kugluktuk by Cambridge Bay and Bellot Strait to Greenland, while Ponant's L'Austral reaches Bellot Strait and Seabourn Venture reaches Cambridge Bay from Greenland.141516 Quark's Ultramarine turns back after Lancaster Sound and Beechey Island, and Viking Octantis crosses only to Pond Inlet and three days in the Canadian High Arctic.1718

How much does a Northwest Passage cruise cost?

A full crossing in 2027 starts at $25,840 per person on HX's Fridtjof Nansen, with flights included; a partial voyage starts at $13,297 per person in a shared triple cabin on Adventure Canada's Ocean Victory, or $15,747 with two sharing, plus about $2,750 in charter flights.440 The fares below are the cheapest cabins open on each line's own site on October 15, 2026, per person with two in a cabin unless noted:

Voyage and shipDays2027 departureRouteFromOffers and flights
HX, Through the Arctic Labyrinth, Fridtjof Nansen25Aug 11Nuuk to Nome$25,840 (was $30,173)4Extra 5% off cabins booked by Nov 9, 2026; flights included4
HX, Across the Top of the World, Roald Amundsen25Aug 8Nome to Nuuk$27,118 (was $31,101)19Same promotion; flights included195
Hapag-Lloyd, Expedition Northwest Passage, HANSEATIC spirit29Aug 10Seward to Kangerlussuaq€27,990, outside cabin; US$30,789 online620Early booking price until Oct 31, 2026, then €29,490; charter flight included6
Lindblad, Greenland to Alaska, National Geographic Resolution24Jul 29Nome to Nuuk, as published$86,680; the $63,500 cabins were sold out21No flights included7
Adventure Canada, Into the Northwest Passage, Ocean Victory17Aug 25Kangerlussuaq to Kugluktuk$15,747 in an Albatros Cabin (was $22,495); $13,297 in a Triple Cabin with three sharing (was $18,995)4030% off until Nov 26, 2026; charter flights extra, $1,650 from Toronto and $1,100 to Yellowknife40
Adventure Canada, Out of the Northwest Passage, Ocean Victory17Sep 10Kugluktuk to KangerlussuaqSame fares and offer41Same charters in reverse41
Aurora, Northwest Passage, Sylvia Earle15Sep 12Kugluktuk to Kangerlussuaq$22,156 (was $27,695); $20,396 with three sharing14Discount shows no end date; charter flight from Calgary14
Ponant, In the Heart of the Northwest Passage, L'Austral20Aug 28Kangerlussuaq to Nuuk$29,230 after a 10% PONANT Bonus15Flights from and to Paris included15
Seabourn, Northwest Passage and Baffin Island, Seabourn Venture20Jul 30Kangerlussuaq round trip$31,998, Veranda Suite16$500 shipboard credit if booked by Nov 16, 2026; charters from Reykjavík included1622
Quark, The Legendary Arctic Sea Route, Ultramarine17Aug 16 and Aug 30Eastern end only$28,090 in an Explorer Suite; the $24,190 triples were sold out23A promo code on Quark's page takes 20% off the cruise part, with no end date shown; charters from Reykjavík included2317
Viking, Into the Northwest Passage, Viking Octantis13Six, Jul 11 to Sep 9Nuuk round trip, eastern end only$17,199, Nordic Balcony, Aug 4, the cheapest stateroom listed (headline fare $16,999)18Fall Sale fares until Oct 31, 2026; flights $1,999 extra18

Compare cabins, inclusions and itineraries line by line in our Northwest Passage cruises guide, and see Baffin Island for the voyages that linger in its fjords.

What are the best cruises through the Northwest Passage?

The best value depends on how much of the passage you need to see; these picks are ours, drawn from the fares and routes above.

  • The whole passage for the least money: HX's westbound Through the Arctic Labyrinth on Fridtjof Nansen, August 11, 2027, at $25,840 with flights from New York to Nuuk and from Nome to Seattle included, the lowest full-crossing fare in the table.4
  • Beechey Island and Bellot Strait on a budget: Adventure Canada's 17-day Ocean Victory voyages, from $15,747 with two sharing or $13,297 in a triple, plus $2,750 for the two charter flights; the 30% saving ends November 26, 2026.40
  • A short taste from Greenland: Viking's 13-day Nuuk round trip reaches Pond Inlet and spends three days in the Canadian High Arctic, from $17,199 without flights in a Fall Sale that ends October 31, 2026, the shortest trip in the table, though its published itinerary names neither Beechey Island nor Bellot Strait.18
  • Skip all of them if you need a fixed itinerary: HX calls its crossings attempts, Hapag-Lloyd says ice and official approvals decide the route, and Adventure Canada says its published itinerary cannot be guaranteed.5640

Will ice block the Northwest Passage?

It can, and conditions change sharply from one summer to the next, so operators write ice into their plans: HX labels its crossing an "Attempt" whose route depends on ice, and Hapag-Lloyd says its itinerary depends on official approvals, weather and ice.56

The last three summers show the range. In 2024 the northern route cleared late, in early October, and was nearly ice-free by then.24 In 2025 Amundsen's southern route was mostly free of ice, while heavy ice held M'Clure Strait at the western end of the northern route.24 In 2026 Arctic sea ice reached its smallest extent on September 12, tied for tenth lowest on record, yet in early October significant ice remained in the southern route and heavy ice still blocked M'Clure Strait.2526

A 2024 study of 2007 to 2021 found that old, thick ice drifting south from the high Arctic keeps choke points in place. For a medium ice-class ship, Larsen and Peel Sounds on the southern route had the shortest seasons, under 15 weeks, while Lancaster Sound stayed open for about 20 to 25 weeks; parts of the northern route lost up to 14 weeks.8 Complete transits by year:1

Year2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
All transits19333256527413835
Passenger voyages340600911810

What are Canada's rules for Northwest Passage cruises?

Canada regulates every ship in the passage, from reporting and ice limits to licences for each community visit; for passengers that means customs checks, permit-only historic sites and no eTA when arriving by sea. Transport Canada's passenger vessel guidelines, last updated in 2018, list the operators' steps.27

RuleWhat it means
Vessel Traffic Services Zones Regulations, in force since March 31, 2026Replaced NORDREG; ships of 300 gross tonnage or more give 24 hours' notice before entering Canadian waters, including the Arctic28
Arctic Shipping Safety and Pollution Prevention RegulationsBring the IMO's Polar Code into Canadian law; 16 control zones have entry dates for each class of ship, unless it uses the AIRSS or POLARIS systems27
Polar CodeMandatory since January 1, 2017; ships need a Polar Ship Certificate29
CustomsPassenger ships arrange Canada Border Services Agency clearance in advance and file a pre-arrival notice27
NunavutA Nunavut Planning Commission review, a territorial outfitter licence, letters of support from the communities and a Class 1 archaeological site permit27
Franklin wrecksNo entry to the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror site without written Parks Canada authorization; fines reach $100,000 for a person and $500,000 for a company30
PassengersVisa-exempt travelers need an eTA to fly into Canada but not to arrive by cruise ship; US citizens are exempt31

Nunavut licensed 13 cruise operators in 2023, and ships called between July and October. Pond Inlet had the most visits that year (16), ahead of Gjoa Haven (11), Cambridge Bay (8) and Resolute (6).32 Accidents happen: in August 2018 a Russian-flagged passenger ship with 162 people aboard ran aground in the passage.33

Who owns the Northwest Passage?

Canada says it does: the government calls the waters of the Arctic archipelago, including the channels of the Northwest Passage, internal waters of Canada "by virtue of historic title."34 The United States sees the part that runs through the archipelago as an international strait.33 After a US icebreaker's transit in 1985 set off a diplomatic dispute, the two countries signed an Arctic cooperation agreement in January 1988 under which, observers say, they agreed to disagree. The US pledged that its icebreakers would sail waters Canada claims as internal only with Canada's consent, and neither side gave up its legal position.33

What happened to the Franklin expedition?

All of its men died. Sir John Franklin's 1845 search for the passage claimed all 129 crew, and no survivors were ever found.235

WhenWhat happened
May to July 1845HMS Erebus and HMS Terror leave Greenhithe, England, on May 19 with 134 officers and crew; 129 carry on from Disko Bay, Greenland36
1845 to 1846Winter at Beechey Island, where three crewmen are buried3612
September 1846The ships are trapped by ice off King William Island36
June 11, 1847Franklin dies37
April 22, 1848The 105 survivors abandon the ships and head south for the Back River3637
1847 to 1859More than 32 search and relief expeditions map much of the Canadian Arctic; in 1859 McClintock's search finds a note in a cairn on King William Island3537
2014 and 2016Parks Canada finds Erebus in Wilmot and Crampton Bay and Terror in Terror Bay3537

Inuit knowledge helped solve the mystery. Explorer John Rae learned from Inuit, years later, that the ships and crews had been lost, and Parks Canada calls the wreck discoveries "a testament to the accuracy of Inuit oral tradition and knowledge."35 Aurora's 2027 voyage aims to explore the western side of King William Island.14

Who first sailed through the Northwest Passage?

Roald Amundsen, in the 47-tonne Gjøa with a crew of six, between 1903 and 1906.3 The search had begun with Martin Frobisher, the first Englishman to look for the passage, in 1576.2 Robert McClure was credited with the first navigation in 1854, but much of his journey was over ice: after his crew came close to starving he was ordered to abandon his ship, Investigator, and he reached Beechey Island by sledge.38 Amundsen wintered twice at Gjøa Haven on King William Island, taking magnetic readings, then sailed on August 13, 1905, through Simpson Strait to the Bering Strait. Some of his route was only about 3 ft (1 m) deep, too shallow for larger ships.31

The RCMP schooner St. Roch, under Henry Larsen, became the first ship to cross from the Pacific to the Atlantic, a 27-month voyage from Vancouver to Halifax ending in 1942. In 1944 it returned west by the deeper northern route in 86 days, the first ship to make the crossing in both directions; it is now preserved at the Vancouver Maritime Museum.39

For more of the region, see the Arctic hub, Greenland and Nuuk, where many of these voyages start or finish, Ilulissat, the polar bear page and our Arctic cruises guide.

Voyages that visit Northwest Passage

Landings depend on weather and ice, so no operator can promise a specific site.

  • Into the Northwest Passage

    Viking Expeditions · Viking Octantis · 13 days · from Nuuk, Greenland · No Drake · July to September

    Fare details

    Viking Octantis, Aug 4 to Aug 16, 2027: Nordic Balcony from $17,199, the cheapest stateroom type listed for any 2027 sailing, per person, double occupancy, Special Cruise Fare in Viking's Fall Sale for bookings made by Oct 31, 2026. Viking's headline From fare for that sailing is $16,999, below any stateroom it lists. Six 2027 departures from Jul 11 to Sep 9, headline fares $16,999 to $18,499. Flights from US gateways cost $1,999 extra (shown crossed out at $2,499). Includes one landing or shore excursion in each port, all meals, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi and port taxes. Calls at Ilulissat, Uummannaq, Pond Inlet, three days in the Canadian High Arctic and Sisimiut. Read Oct 15, 2026.

    from $17,199about $1,323 a day

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  • Arctic Canada and Greenland: Circumnavigating Baffin Bay

    HX Expeditions · Roald Amundsen · 19 days · New York, USA (flight to Nuuk, Greenland, included) to Nuuk, Greenland (flight to New York included) · No Drake · September

    Fare details

    Roald Amundsen, Sep 1, 2027, the only departure, per person with two sharing, after HX 130th anniversary discounts (was $21,576; the extra anniversary discount applies only to bookings made by Nov 9, 2026); read Oct 15, 2026. Includes economy flights between New York and Nuuk with taxes, transfers, drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities. Round trip from Nuuk via Baffin Island, Devon Island, north-west Greenland and Disko Bay.

    from $17,928about $944 a day

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  • Northwest Passage

    Aurora Expeditions · Sylvia Earle · 15 days · Kugluktuk, Nunavut (hotel night in Calgary and charter flight included) to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (charter flight to Reykjavík included) · No Drake · August to September

    Fare details

    Aurora Stateroom Triple on Sylvia Earle, Sep 12 to 27, 2027 (Calgary to Toronto, tour NWP010S): $20,396 per person with three sharing after a save up to 20% offer (was $25,495; no end date shown), limited availability when read Oct 15, 2026. Cheapest two-sharing cabin: Aurora Stateroom Superior at $22,156 (was $27,695). The Aug 30 to Sep 14 departure (Toronto to Calgary, NWP009S, save up to 10%) starts at $22,946 in a triple; its Superior twin at $24,926 was sold out. The published inclusions, written for a Calgary start, list a Calgary hotel night, charter flights, premium drinks, a polar jacket, port fees and Wi-Fi; kayaking costs from $890. The published day by day sails from Kugluktuk via Cambridge Bay, King William Island, Bellot Strait, Devon Island and Croker Bay to Kangerlussuaq in Greenland. Aurora's page contradicts itself on the ends: the header reads Calgary to Reykjavík and the itinerary ends with a charter from Kangerlussuaq to Reykjavík, but the departure blocks read Toronto to Calgary (Aug 30) and Calgary to Toronto (Sep 12); confirm the gateway cities when booking.

    from $20,396about $1,360 a day

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  • Northwest Passage: Through the Arctic Labyrinth

    HX Expeditions · Fridtjof Nansen · 25 days · New York, USA (included flight to Nuuk, Greenland) to Nome, Alaska, USA (included flight to Seattle and a hotel night) · No Drake · August

    Fare details

    MS Fridtjof Nansen, Aug 11, 2027, the only departure: lowest cabin fare shown (category not named), per person with two sharing, after HX 130th anniversary pricing (was $30,173); the extra 5% anniversary discount on cabins applies to bookings made Sep 1 to Nov 9, 2026; read Oct 15, 2026. Includes economy flights from New York to Nuuk and from Nome to Seattle, a Seattle hotel night, transfers, drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities. Sails westbound from Nuuk via Lancaster Sound, Bellot Strait, Gjoa Haven and Cambridge Bay to Nome; HX calls the route an attempt that depends on ice.

    from $25,840about $1,034 a day

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  • Northwest Passage: Across the Top of the World

    HX Expeditions · Roald Amundsen · 25 days · Seattle, USA (hotel night and flight to Nome, Alaska, included) to Nuuk, Greenland (flight to New York included) · No Drake · August

    Fare details

    Roald Amundsen, Aug 8, 2027, the only departure, per person with two sharing, after HX 130th anniversary discounts (was $31,101; the extra anniversary discount applies only to bookings made by Nov 9, 2026); read Oct 15, 2026. Includes a Seattle hotel night, economy flights from Seattle to Nome and from Nuuk to New York, transfers, drinks and Wi-Fi. Sails Nome to Nuuk through the Canadian Arctic; the route depends on ice.

    from $27,118about $1,085 a day

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  • Expedition Northwest Passage

    Hapag-Lloyd Cruises · 29 days · Seward, Alaska, USA to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (charter flight out included) · No Drake · August

    Fare details

    Outside Cabin, Category 1 (22 m²), on HANSEATIC spirit, Aug 10, 2027, US$30,789 in the booking engine; €29,490 before an early-booking discount that ends Oct 31, 2026. PLATINUM fare, per person with two sharing; includes full board, selected soft drinks, Zodiac landings, gratuities, harbour fees and a loaned parka and boots. Route: the Aleutians, the Pribilofs, Nome, the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, the Northwest Passage to Lancaster Sound, then Uummannaq, Disko Bay and the Ilulissat Icefjord. Read Oct 15, 2026.

    from €27,990about €965 a day

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  • Northwest Passage: The Legendary Arctic Sea Route

    Quark Expeditions · Ultramarine · 17 days · Reykjavík, Iceland (charter flight to Greenland included) to Reykjavík, Iceland (charter flight from Kangerlussuaq included) · No Drake · August

    Fare details

    Lowest brochure fare on sale, Explorer Suite (285 sq. ft.) on Ultramarine, Aug 16 and Aug 30, 2027, $28,090 per person (5+ cabins on each); the $24,190 Explorer Triple was sold out on both; promo code 20PROMO, which discounts the cruise but not the $1,995 flight package, brought the suite to $22,871 (no end date shown); read Oct 14 and 15, 2026. The fare includes that $1,995 charter flight and hotel package (a Reykjavik hotel night at each end and charters to and from Greenland), meals, select drinks at bar hours and dinner, a parka and loaned boots. Route: Nuuk across Davis Strait to Qikiqtarjuaq and the fjords of Baffin Island, Lancaster Sound and Beechey Island, then Ilulissat and Kangerlussuaq. It enters the eastern end of the passage and does not sail through it.

    from $28,090about $1,652 a day

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  • In the heart of the Northwest Passage

    Ponant · 20 days · Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (flight from Paris included) to Nuuk, Greenland (flight to Paris included) · No Drake · August

    Fare details

    Window or Porthole Stateroom (226 sq ft) on L'Austral, Aug 28 to Sep 16, 2027, the only 2027 departure: per person, two sharing, after the 10% PONANT Bonus shown on the page (an early-booking discount with no published end date); lower deck balcony staterooms from $31,330. Also offers no single supplement and a back-to-back offer. Includes flights from Paris to Kangerlussuaq and from Nuuk to Paris, transfers, and Ponant's open bar and port taxes. Booked by quote, not online. Route: Disko Bay, Pond Inlet, Philpots and Devon islands, Somerset Island, Bellot Strait, Prince of Wales and Prescott islands, Lancaster Sound and Beechey Island, then West Greenland to Nuuk. Read Oct 15, 2026.

    from $29,230about $1,462 a day

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  • 20-Day Northwest Passage & Baffin Island Expedition

    Seabourn · Seabourn Venture · 20 days · Reykjavík, Iceland (hotel night and charter flight to Kangerlussuaq included) to Reykjavík, Iceland (charter flight from Kangerlussuaq and a hotel night included) · No Drake · July

    Fare details

    Veranda Suite on Seabourn Venture, Jul 30, 2027, per person with two sharing, taxes and fees included, on sale when read on Oct 15, 2026. Booked by Nov 16, 2026, the fare also earns the Explore Beyond Event's $500 shipboard credit per suite; the page shows no struck-through fare. Includes a Reykjavík hotel night, charter flights between Reykjavík and Kangerlussuaq and a Reykjavík hotel night at the end. Boards in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, and sails by Ilulissat, Pond Inlet, the Northwest Passage, Cambridge Bay, Baffin Island and Nuuk before returning to Kangerlussuaq.

    from $31,998about $1,600 a day

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  • Northwest Passage: Greenland to Alaska

    Lindblad Expeditions · National Geographic Resolution · 24 days · Anchorage, Alaska (charter flight to Nome, where the ship boards) to Nuuk, Greenland (group flight to Reykjavik extra; Keflavik hotel night included) · No Drake · July

    Fare details

    Lowest published fare: $63,500 per person, Category 1 window cabin, two sharing, on National Geographic Resolution, Jul 29 to Aug 21, 2027, the only 2027 departure. That category was sold out when read Oct 15, 2026; two cabins were open, the cheapest a Category 3 balcony at $86,680 (three sharing, $72,233 each). Lindblad publishes the route eastbound (Anchorage and Nome to Nuuk) and westbound and says some departures follow a modified itinerary, so confirm the direction. Includes meals, drinks, crew gratuities and kayaking; flights are not included.

    from $63,500about $2,646 a day

    View

Lowest published price per person in the operator's currency, checked October 15, 2026. Taxes, flights and single supplements vary.

Wildlife at Northwest Passage

Arctic animals

Which animals live in the Arctic and where and when travelers see them, from Svalbard's walruses and reindeer to Canada's narwhals and Greenland's musk oxen, with a month-by-month calendar and IUCN status.

Walrus

Where to see walruses: Svalbard's beach haul-outs, Northeast Greenland, Arctic Canada and Alaska's Round Island, with best months, 2027 cruise prices, population, IUCN status and the distance rules.

Plan the trip

Northwest Passage cruises in 2027: who sails it, fares and ice risk

Every 2027 Northwest Passage cruise we found, full transits and partial voyages, with days, fares per day, what the ice can do to the route and what each line refunds if it does.

How do you choose a Greenland cruise? Routes, ships and 2027 fares

Every 2027 Greenland cruise we could price, from Disko Bay round trips and Scoresby Sund voyages to Iceland, Svalbard and Canada combinations and big-ship crossings, compared by route, length and fare per day.

Sources

  1. 1.Northwest Passage transits to end of the 2025 navigation season (revised 1 November 2025), Robert Headland, Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  2. 2.Searching for the Northwest Passage, Royal Museums Greenwich. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  3. 3.Roald Amundsen North-West Passage expedition 1903-06, Royal Museums Greenwich. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  4. 4.Northwest Passage: Through the Arctic Labyrinth (2027), HX Expeditions. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  5. 5.Northwest Passage: Across the Top of the World (2027, 25 days, Seattle and Nome to Nuuk and New York), HX Expeditions (Hurtigruten Expeditions). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  6. 6.Seward - Kangerlussuaq: Expedition Northwest Passage, HANSEATIC spirit, 10 Aug 2027 to 08 Sep 2027 (SPI2713), Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  7. 7.Northwest Passage: Greenland to Alaska, Lindblad Expeditions. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  8. 8.Sea ice choke points reduce the length of the shipping season in the Northwest Passage (Communications Earth and Environment, 2024), Cook, Dawson, Howell, Holloway and Brady; Communications Earth and Environment (Nature Portfolio). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  9. 9.Focus on Geography Series, 2021 Census of Population: Pond Inlet, Hamlet, Statistics Canada. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  10. 10.Focus on Geography Series, 2021 Census of Population: Gjoa Haven, Hamlet, Statistics Canada. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  11. 11.Focus on Geography Series, 2021 Census of Population: Cambridge Bay, Hamlet, Statistics Canada. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  12. 12.Beechey Island (Canadian Register of Historic Places), Canadian Register of Historic Places (HistoricPlaces.ca, Parks Canada with provinces and territories). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  13. 13.Where is Tallurutiup Imanga? Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area, Parks Canada. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  14. 14.Northwest Passage expedition (Sylvia Earle), 2027 and 2028 departures, Aurora Expeditions. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  15. 15.In the heart of the Northwest Passage, L'Austral, Aug 28 to Sep 16, 2027, PONANT. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  16. 16.20-Day Northwest Passage & Baffin Island Expedition | Seabourn, Seabourn. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  17. 17.Northwest Passage: The Legendary Arctic Sea Route, Quark Expeditions. Accessed October 15, 2026.
  18. 18.Into the Northwest Passage, 2027 itinerary, Nuuk to Nuuk, Viking. Accessed October 15, 2026.
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  20. 20.Hapag-Lloyd Cruises online booking engine: cabin categories and per-person fares for 2026-27, 2027 and 2027-28 expedition departures, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Accessed October 15, 2026.
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