We’ve compiled the top Northwest Passage cruises aboard expedition ships under 300 guests that focus on active, off-ship guided exploration. Let our expertise be your guide to discovering this incredible sea route. Our options span Northwest Passage cruise itineraries in 2026, 2027 and 2028 so you can plan ahead for this bucket list experience. Browse the trips here, then let our specialists work one-on-one with you to find the best match for both your adventurous spirit and travel needs.
Roald Amundsen finally completed the first sea voyage across the Arctic archipelago in 1906. Since that time, this hard-to-transit passage has entered the vernacular of explorers worldwide seeking to do the same. And more recently, passenger ships are increasing in number as ice conditions allow them to more successfully make the transit.
On our curated Northwest Passage cruise expeditions, get a glimpse into the world that captivated early explorers such as Franklin, Amundsen and Larsen. Sailings are offered in various lengths, as well as eastbound and westbound. Some highlights:
- Observe polar bears, musk ox, walrus, ringed seals, belugas, bowhead whales and perhaps even narwhals.
- Walk through the remains of historic dwellings, for example on Herschel Island where you'll find a scattered mixture from the Inuvialuit people and the once-booming whaling industry.
- Visit memorials from John Franklin's failed expedition on Beechey Island.
- Visit "Jewel of the North" Pond Inlet, a small Inuit community known for its friendly community and world-renowned soapstone carvings. This area has been inhabited by Inuit for more than 1,000 years.
- Explore Baffin Island’s Lancaster Sound, a favorite Inuit hunting and fishing location for hundreds of years. Carved by Ice Age glaciers, Lancaster Sound is also the eastern gateway to the Arctic Archipelago, where European explorers like William Baffin first ventured in the 17th century to search for the Northwest Passage.
Some Northwest Passage cruise itineraries even extend to Greenland's Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ask our experts to ensure you're choosing the right itinerary for your interests, and read a Northwest Passage cruise review from our travel specialists' time exploring the region.
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