Explore the wild Northeast and Northwest Passages with Seabourn Expeditions

Got any plans for summer 2023? Well, block out your calendar to discover the Arctic and follow in the footsteps of adventurers with Seabourn.

Discover two of the most remote and intriguing regions in the world and make memories to last a lifetime with an array of wildlife and landscapes.

Onboard two stunning expedition ships, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, you can enjoy tailored amenities such as a Landing Zone for exploration equipment to launch and two battery-powered six-seater submarines.

Seabourn Venture is scheduled to launch in July 2022 and will traverse the Northeast Passage for a 26-day adventure departing from Tromso, Norway to Nome, Alaska on July 29, 2023.

Or, if you fancy, embark on Venture’s sister, Seabourn Pursuit, which is set to launch in March 2023 and sails a 23-day adventure to the Northwest passage from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to Nome departing August 26, 2023.

Explore two legendary routes that link the expansive Atlantic and Pacific oceans with the help of Seabourn’s 26-person expedition team of wildlife experts, including scientists and historians, to ensure you get the most out of your voyage.

Northeast passage cruise with Seabourn

Discover the route that very few have taken and explore 4,000 nautical miles of beautiful landscape.

Admire a plethora of wildlife, such as seabirds, and explore by Zodiac an array of remote islands, such as Storstappen Island, Bolshevik Island and the New Siberian Islands.

- READ MORE: Best expedition cruises for abundant wildlife with Seabourn -

Let’s take a step back in time and appreciate the expansive history the Northeast passage provides. Since the 16^th Century explorers have been fascinated with the area as they searched for a northern route connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans.

This course had the potential to save historic travellers months of travel, yet the ice was usually too thick to break through so the arduous journey around was the only option.

Now, you can voyage through the Northeast Passage as the Arctic ice covers have thinned enough for expedition-style ships to pass through – a truly unique experience.

Don’t worry – you can make this incredible journey in style onboard an ultra-luxury Seabourn expedition ship.

You can confidently say you are a seasoned explorer following this voyage, travelling between Tromso and Nome, hopping off the ship and onto a zodiac or kayak wherever possible to explore further.

Fun fact - the first person to fully journey down the Northeast Passage was Adolf Nordenskiöld, a Finnish-Swedish scientist in 1878-79.

Nature lovers will be in paradise when admiring fascinating rock formations and the delicate flora miraculously growing amongst the sparse Arctic environment – and you can get closer than ever before via kayak.

Visit traditional indigenous villages where the residents still live off the fruit of the land before spotting a variety of wildlife such as walruses, whales, narwhals, arctic foxes and muskoxen – make sure you are quick with your camera to get the perfect snapshot.

You might even witness a majestic polar bear - a sighting of the king of the Arctic is worth the journey alone.

Northwest Passage cruise with Seabourn

Enjoy the uniqueness of your voyage, as the thickness of the ice decides where and how the ship proceeds when sailing the Northwest Passage.

A true highlight of Seabourn’s Arctic Expedition voyage is traversing a route that wasn’t explored until 1906.

- READ MORE: Discover polar bears, walruses and whales on Seabourn’s Arctic cruises -

The history of the Northwest Passage is just as fascinating as the passage itself. John Cabot was the first to find the passage in 1492 after landing in the Canadian maritime islands. His second expedition in 1498 never returned.

However, the most famous failed attempt of discovery was the Franklin Expedition which departed England in 1845. It was last spotted in July that year in Baffin Bay in the North Atlantic Ocean never to be seen again.

The successful explorer to make the first transit through the Northwest Passage was Roald Amundsen (despite taking three years to complete, from 1903-1906).

Northwest Passage highlights include Ilulissat, Icefjord, which boasts the most active glaciers on earth and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Meanwhile, Beechey Island and Devon Island are two stunning spots that possess a unique terrain – with Devon Island being the largest uninhabited island on the planet.

Be a true explorer with Seabourn and immerse yourself in an epic voyage.