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Blog
Five Birds You Might See on Your Greenland Cruise
A Greenland expedition cruise offers birdwatchers a unique opportunity to capture stunning avian photographs. With over 230 bird species, Greenland boasts both spectacular landscapes and diverse winged wildlife.
Blog
Humpback Whales: the Stars of the Western Antarctic Peninsula
The marine ecosystem of the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) stretches from the Bellingshausen Sea to the northern tip of the peninsula. This region includes the Antarctic Sea Ice Zone, a highly productive area that supports large populations of marine mammals, birds, and Antarctic krill. One of the highlights of this region, which you can observe on a whale-spotting Antarctica cruise, is the humpback whale.
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16 Conversation-Starting Svalbard Facts
It might seem odd that an icy, snowy, bear-packed cluster of islands at the edge of the world could be such a hotspot (so to speak) of outdoor tourism.
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Where the Polar Bears Roam
Going to the Arctic without clapping eyes on a wild polar bear can be reasonably compared to visiting Africa without seeing a giraffe or a zebra or, most analogously, a lion.
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The Impact of Small vs. Large Cruise Ships
The generalization that larger ships impact the environment more than smaller ships seems like such a no-brainer that if someone said it to you, you’d be easily forgiven for thinking you were being tricked.
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The Evolving Shipboard Eco-traveler
Feeling stuck in the monotony of everyday life? Looking for a change of scenery? Look no further! Most of us spend our lives on solid ground, despite our bodies being composed of 71.5% water. You'd think we'd have a natural inclination to be in or on the water! So why not try something different? Consider an Arctic holiday adventure on the same waters that famous explorers once navigated!
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Deception Island deceptively active
In Antarctica, the South Shetland archipelago is home to Deception Island, a volcanic-rounded island that is 15 km in diameter with a shield volcano. The volcano is mainly basalt-andesite and was one of the first parts of Antarctica to be discovered, probably around 1820 by UK and USA sealers.
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Port Pastimes: 7 Fun Things to Do in Longyearbyen
Waiting in port for an Arctic expedition cruise to begin might seem a little like waiting for water to boil or coffee to brew or a Seinfeld reunion to materialize: Time seems to defy its own laws, life slows to a crawl, and you begin to wonder if it’s really going to be worth it.
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How and When Did Greenland Become Covered in Ice?
Although it may be hard to believe, there was a time when Greenland was more green than icy. Today, those who embark on a Greenland expedition are greeted with views of the Greenland ice sheet and the marine life that thrives in this region, including seals and whales. Polar bears are also prominent in the northern and eastern parts of Greenland. These animals have adapted to their environment, but a few million years ago, the massive island would not have been as welcoming to them.
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Weddell Sea, Shackleton’s Endurance, and New Swabia
Our Antarctica 2023-24 cruise program is packed with incredible expeditions, including a new itinerary that explores key locations such as South Georgia, the Weddell Sea, and the more easterly region of New Swabia (Neuschwabenland).
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A Diving Dream Fulfilled
Last January, Mark Hatter achieved a dream he’d been training for over two years. Booking his berth aboard the m/v Ortelius and making the long flight to Ushuaia, Argentina, he and two of his friends sailed down the famous Drake Passage, bound for Earth’s southernmost continent. But their Antarctica trip was not just about shoreline walks and photographing penguins.
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The Mysteries of the Beluga Whale
Beluga whales, also known as white whales, sea canaries, and sometimes melonheads, are a rare but cherished sight during Arctic cruises, thanks to their striking appearance. Despite the rarity of beluga sightings, a good amount is known about these friendly-faced cetaceans.
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The Return to Franz Josef Land
As the possibility of international travel slowly returns, we are eagerly awaiting all the great locations, activities, and wildlife we might experience in the coming season. One of the things we’re most excited about is the return of our Franz Josef Land voyages.
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The Most Enchanting Antarctica Cruise Islands
Whether it’s Greenland in the Arctic or Snow Hill Island in Antarctica, the bulk of our polar expeditions take place around, between, and upon islands.
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The Research Stations of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic
Numerous research stations operate throughout the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic, engaged in all manner of scientific inquiry. This article will cover the stations under the management of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), which conducts year-round terrestrial and atmospheric research in some of the most compelling polar locations on Earth.
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Arctic Foxes: Constant Gardeners of the Arctic
Given how widespread their habitat is, it is little wonder that Arctic foxes are one of the animals we most often see during our Greenland and Svalbard expeditions. The Arctic fox is a circumpolar species whose feeding grounds include North America, Eurasia, even Iceland, ranging from nearly the North Pole all the way down to the sub-Arctic islands.
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10 Bountiful Blue Whale Facts
The umbrella term “whale” refers to a wide variety of large marine mammals. To zero in on blue whales, however, we’ll need to unpack this term a bit. The Latin word for whale, cetus, is the root of the whale infraorder, Cetacea, the largest parvorder of which is Mysticeti.
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Weddell seals: The data collectors scientists of Antarctica
Weddell seals inhabit some of the coldest and darkest waters deep within the Ross Sea ice, making them the southernmost naturally occurring mammals on Earth. During the winter and summer months, their movements are largely governed by the presence of sea ice and the availability of suitable breathing and exit holes.
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Seven Facts About Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Penguins
Approximately 50 million years ago, Antarctica was detaching from the vast supercontinent of Gondwana, and penguins were emerging as a distinct species. Initially native to warmer regions, they gradually adapted to the cooling climate of Antarctica as they ventured further south.
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The Small but Social Commerson’s Dolphin
Despite being one of the lesser-known Antarctic cetaceans, Commerson's dolphins are quite social and have been given various names over the years, including Piebald dolphins, skunk dolphins, and panda dolphins. These names have been in use since their discovery in 1767 by French naturalist Philibert Commerson.