Seabourn Venture 6 & 29 August 2026 | 23 Days
THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE 2026
Explore our new 2026 Northwest Passage Expeditions on board Seabourn Venture, a purpose-built 264-guest vessel designed for delivering unforgettable expedition experiences above and below the water.
Guided by our masterful 23-member Expedition Team, you will
Connect with the resilient people of the Arctic, whose culture and
● Embark on included Zodiac® cruises and landings, navigating icebergs and glacier fronts
● Search for whales, walrus, and the elusive polar bear by Zodiac, on our nearly 30,000 square feet of open deck space, or from the comfort of your suite’s private veranda.
● Seek out the breathtaking, elusive Northern Lights with more possibilities to view them due to the remote nature and far north destinations explored on these expeditions.
PLUS, enjoy complimentary added amenities such as economy air travel, full laundry services throughout your voyage, and a custom Seabourn PolarShield “two-in-one” Parka and WaterShield waterproof day pack made by Helly Hansen.
Note: to provide the best itinerary experience possible, routing/activity dependent on weather and ice conditions.
The Northwest Passage Experience
Philpots Island Sisimiut Kangerlussuaq Nome Cambridge Bay
Herschel Island
Included air to Reykjavík Anchorage Ilulissat Pond Inlet
29 August 2026 – 23 Days
Gjoa Haven
VERANDA SUITE, SEABOURN VENTURE
Voyage Highlights
● Cruise around billions of tons of ice, around the largest icebergs in the Northern hemisphere at Ilulissat.
● Navigate through the most infamous passage on earth, one whose history of exploration is more fascinating than any other region on earth.
● Contemplate the lonely graves of the Franklin Expedition on wild and stark Beechy Island.
● Explore small Inuit towns such as Cambridge Bay and see how modern life has transformed the people of the Arctic.
● Ponder the ice situation in Bellot Strait and see whether the ship can pass through this narrow and challenging geographical gap.
● Search for marine wildlife both in the water and on any ice that may be encountered.
● Explore the transformative nature of the area and what shrinking sea ice coverage means to the people and wildlife of the region, as well as to modern politics.
● During sea days, join the expedition team on deck as we look for migratory sea birds and marine mammals in these nutrient rich waters, or in the Bow Lounge to explore the many tools on hand to enhance your understanding of the ship’s navigation systems. Throughout the day, the Expedition Team will also be in the Discovery Center, presenting on interesting and informative topics.
8-Days Exploring the Northwest Passage: Your Seabourn Experience
Within this journey, you’ll spend eight days transiting the Northwest Passage, accomplishing something many people spent centuries searching and striving for. Hundreds of lives were lost in this attempt to find a sea passage to Asia around these northern latitudes, the most famous being the Franklin Expedition, departing England in 1845 and which was well-stocked and supplied, with two ships, Erebus and Terror, equipped with the very latest technology. In July 1845 in Baffin Bay some whaling ships encountered Franklin’s Expedition, the last ever heard of them. Only a few lonely graves on Beechy Island gave clues as to the fate of a few members of the expedition. Many of the expeditions that set out in search of Franklin were fated. Only in 2014 was the wreck of the Erebus found, and 2 years later that of Terror.
The story is fascinating, and transiting this region gives visitors much to contemplate in imagining the lives of all those brave explorers. Only in 1906 did the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen report a successful transit and discovery of the Northwest passage after completing an expedition that lasted 3 years.
SEABOURN VENTURE
BEECHY ISLAND
KAYAKING IN ILULISSAT
BELLOT STRAIT
YOUR ITINERARY
THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE - Eastbound Voyage Departs 6th August 2026
Thursday 6 August – Fly Reykjavik to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Board Seabourn Venture in Kangerlussuaq, an airbase constructed in 1941 by the Americans to serve as a refueling stop for single-engine military aircraft being flown to Britain during World War II. Kangerlussuaq is the largest commercial airport in Greenland with a population of 500.
Saturday 8 August - Ilulissat, Greenland
The name Ilulissat is the Greenlandic word for ‘Iceberg’. Despite its proximity to huge glaciers, people have lived here for more than 4,000 years. Founded in 1741 by the Danish merchant, Jacob Severin, the modern settlement has a population of 4,500 and is the third-largest city in Greenland, it’s narrow inner harbour lined by a kaleidoscope of colourful houses - so typical of Greenlandic villages.
The mass and sheer volume of icebergs from nearby Jacobshavn Glacier has made Ilulissat the most popular tourist destination in Greenland. Fast flowing Jacobshavn Glacier is the island’s largest, and drains a catchment area of 42,500 miles, meaning that an incredible 6% of the whole Greenland ice-sheet is draining through one single glacier. Ilulissat Icefjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
INCLUDED EXCURSION:
‘A Walking Tour of Ilulissat’
An expert local guide will tell you about the town’s history, art, nature and cultural development in recent years and how life is living 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Included is a visit to the Ililissat museum with it’s exhibits and stories about historical Polar expeditions, then a tour of the Art Museum.
INCLUDED EXCURSION:
‘Hiking the Arctic Tundra’
Following a short drive through town, passing the colourful Arctic houses, trek through Arctic tundra, rocky terrain and dedicated paths, enjoying views of Disko Bay and learning about the Arctic flora and fauna, the Kujalleq Fjord and the Sermermiut settlement. The tour will include a refreshment stop at a viewpoint overlooking the Ilulissat Icefiord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, followed by a visit to the fascinating Ilulissat Icefiord Research Centre.
OPTIONAL EXCURSION: ‘IceFjord Cruise’**
Meet your local captain and set off on your 1.5-hour boat journey to see the magnificent icebergs of the Ilulissat Icefjord, coming from one of the world’s fastest and most active glaciers, Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier, moving around 130ft per day. The size of 66,000 football fields, the glacier is responsible for creating 10% of the Greenland’s icebergs. Navigate through the ice and take pictures of these enormous chunks of ice, some as tall as skyscrapers!
OPTIONAL EXCURSION: ‘Ilulissat Helicopter Adventure’**
Sunday 9 August - Sisimiut, (Holsteinsborg), Greenland
Greenland’s second largest city has been settled by people for over 4,500 years. Fishing for shrimp, salmon, halibut, and cod is the main industry. It is the most northerly yearround ice-free port in Greenland, located 25 miles north of the Arctic circle. The Sisimiut Museum is housed in the old Danish colonial buildings, while Sisimiut’s blue church is the best-preserved in Greenland.
INCLUDED EXCURSION: ‘Sisimiut on Foot with Musk Ox Wool and A Taste of Greenland’
Stroll through the old town with its beautiful colonial houses, Nalunnguarfik Lake from which all winter activities start, and the meat market. See the unique dog “village”, where Greenlandic huskies are kept in packs. Next, meet the pioneers who discovered the value in musk ox wool, locally known as Qiviut, softer than cashmere with a higher warmth ratio, a prized regional commodity. At a local hotel, sample Greenland specialities such as musk ox, dried cod, fresh shrimp, the famous mattak and seal blubber.
INCLUDED EXCURSION:
‘Arctic Circle Trail Hike’
Transfer by motorcoach to the town border and the start of the Arctic Circle Trail, often listed as one of the best long-distance hikes in the world at 125 miles long and typically taking 9-11 days to complete. Today we hike a small portion of this, trekking through the mountain landscape, crossing creeks to discover the delicate Arctic Mountain flora.
OPTIONAL EXCURSION: ‘Cruise to Assaqutaq: An Abandoned Settlement’**
Tuesday 11 August - Pond Inlet, Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada
The Inuit town of Pond Inlet was named in 1818 by explorer Captain John Ross for John Pond, an English astronomer. With over 1,600 inhabitants, Pond Inlet is one of northern Canada’s most interesting, culturally rich and welcoming communities. Caribou antlers hang from private homes. The hides of seals, caribou and maybe even a polar bear hang on racks drying in the sun. At the local market there are usually parts of seal, whale, caribou and a huge variety of fish.
INCLUDED EXCURSION: ‘Pond Inlet’
After clearing Canadian immigration (time and conditions permitting) go ashore to take a guided walk-through town, learning what it’s like to live in a small, subsistence-based community at the northern end of Baffin Island, with a chance to view and purchase local handicrafts at the community centre.
Wednesday 12 August - Dundas Harbour, Devon Island, Canada
The largest uninhabited island on Earth, first sighted by W. Baffin in 1616, its’ eastern third is blanketed by a huge Icecap with ice thicknesses of 1,500-2,100 ft. In the 1920s, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stations were established along the southern shores to fly the Canadian flag and the derelict buildings serve as a silent reminder to lonely seasons spent here by the Mounties. Also here are the 1,000-year-old stone remains of the Thule people, ancestors to today’s modern Inuit.
Wednesday 12 August - Croker Bay, Devon Island, Canada
A fjord on the south coast of Devon Island on the Lancaster Sound, this island, named by William Baffin in 1616 for England’s Devonshire has its own extensive ice cap, which feeds a glacier into Croker Bay. The area is a breeding site for fulmars and kittiwakes, with sightings of seals and walruses. The wide face of the glacier, backed by a spectacular stacked plateau of differently coloured rock layers provides a spectacular landscape.
SISIMIUT
JACOBSHAVN GLACIER WATERFALL
DEVON ISLAND
8 days Exploring the Northwest Passage: The Seabourn Experience
Regardless of the exact route you take between the islands, a voyage through the Northwest Passage is one of contemplation and discovery. Included Zodiac cruises, hikes and walks will enhance your experience.
HIGHLIGHTS
Beechy Island - Resting place of 3 members of the Franklin Expedition, whose lonely graves were discovered, and later a 4th one added. These graves and their discovery only intensified the mystery behind the vanished expedition.
Cambridge Bay – a small town of under 2,000 people is the remote administrative and transportation hub for Nunavut Bellot Strait – This narrow gap separates Somerset Island from the northernmost tip of mainland Canada, and with steep slopes on either side and strong currents, is often blocked with too much ice to pass through. If impassable, another option is to go around the top of Somerset Island.
Tundra landscapes – Hike across vast, seemingly barren landscapes with Expedition Staff who will show you the delightful small plants and flowers that thrive in this hostile environment. Admire rock formations and landscapes created by frost and water over time, with chances to encounter arctic foxes, hares or interesting bird species.
Cultural remains – Many of these areas were traditional hunting and fishing locations where species such as caribou, seals, and Arctic char were harvested for centuries. Archaeological discoveries show the Pre-Dorset people occupying this area approx. 4,000 years ago.
Monday 17 August - Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada
A remote community situated along the southern coast of Victoria Island in the Arctic Ocean serving as the team’s vital transportation and administrative centre, and renowned for its breathtaking Arctic landscapes, including icy waters and vast tundra, which attract adventurers and researchers alike. The community, deeply rooted in the Inuit culture, offers a rich tapestry of traditions, art, and storytelling, providing a glimpse into the resilience and adaptability of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic.
INCLUDED EXCURSION: ‘Cambridge Bay’ Weather and ice allowing enjoy a guided tour of the community, a chance to visit the Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHAR), and an opportunity to see locally made handicrafts.
Friday 21 August - Herschel Island, Yukon
Territory, Canada
An uninhabited piece of land in the far north of Canada’s Yukon Territory, this was for generations the home of the Thule people, who thrived across the Arctic and were the ancestors of today’s indigenous communities. At the turn of the 20th century, Herschel Island was a small, thriving community involved in the commercial whaling of bowhead whales, however, was deserted when the industry collapsed. Now a haven for all kinds of wildlife, Herschel offers marine and land mammals here, as well as astounding bird life - a large population of nesting black guillemots, as well as numerous migratory land birds.
3
Days at Sea - Beaufort, Chukchi, Bering Seas
INCLUDED EXCURSIONS: Zodiac Cruises and Nature walks
Tuesday 25 August - Nome, Alaska (overnight)
Incorporated on 9 April 1901, Nome was once the most-populous city in Alaska, lying within the region of the Bering Straits Native Corporation. During 1925, a diphtheria epidemic raged among Alaska Natives in the Nome area. Fierce territory-wide blizzard conditions prevented the delivery of a lifesaving serum by airplane from Anchorage. A relay of dog sled teams was organised to deliver the serum. Today, the Iditarod Dog Sled Race follows the same route they took and ends in Nome.
Saturday 29 August - Anchorage
Located on the traditional homelands of the Dena’ina Athabascan people, this city combines wild Alaska beauty, convenient urban comforts, mesmerising outdoor spaces, and captivating arts and culture.
THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE – Westbound Voyage
Departs from Anchorage 29 August 2026 and arrives into Kangerlussuaq, Greenland on 21 September 2026
Extend your Voyage
From Polar Bears to Penguins: Additional New 2026 Itineraries
After exploring the wonders of the Northwest Passage, Seabourn Venture will continue to explore the Arctic before making her way through the Caribbean and visiting the hidden gems of South America en-route to Antarctica. These new itineraries provide the opportunity to combine destinations for more diverse, in-depth exploration. Visit seabourn.com for more inspiring expeditions.
BEECHY ISLAND
ANCHORAGE
