Cruising to Greenland

[DirtyDawg]

Which cruise lines offer Greenland itineraries?

I hadn't thought about Greenland for a long, long time before yesterday.  

I know at least one CC member has cruised there. Which cruise line did you use? Did you like it?

Thanks.

[dkjretired]

16 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

Which cruise lines offer Greenland itineraries?

I hadn't thought about Greenland for a long, long time before yesterday.  

I know at least one CC member has cruised there. Which cruise line did you use? Did you like it?

Thanks.

 

I know Celebrity is going there next summer with the Summit....

[DirtyDawg]

8 minutes ago, dkjretired said:

 

I know Celebrity is going there next summer with the Summit....

Thank You

[Flatbush Flyer]

53 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

Which cruise lines offer Greenland itineraries?

I hadn't thought about Greenland for a long, long time before yesterday.  

I know at least one CC member has cruised there. Which cruise line did you use? Did you like it?

Thanks.

Soon will board Oceania Riviera (8/28 Southampton to NYC) for a North Atlantic extended journey cruise with 3 ports in Greenland.

[cruisemom42]

HAL has a looong cruise (Voyage of the Vikings) that goes roundtrip from the NE US across to Scandinavia and back stopping at Greenland and Iceland along the way. You can do half of it (one way US to Europe or vice versa) or the whole thing.

 

Princess used to offer a TA back from England to the US in the fall with a couple of stops in Greenland; I used to be very interested in doing their British Isles itinerary followed by this TA but since then have decided it's not for me.

 

Try to find some cruise reports to read before deciding to go on a regular cruise just to see Greenland; with some frequency ships are unable to make their scheduled calls there due to weather conditions.  

 

I still want to go to Greenland (interested in their Viking history) but would try to do it with a more expedition-type cruise.

[XBGuy]

It appears that Princess has a 16-day R/T out of New York that includes three stops in Greenland along with stops in Canada.

 

https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details?voyageCode=B027

Edited August 16, 2019 by XBGuy

[Hlitner]

There are more and more options as Greenland has gained in popularity (along with Iceland).  We will be on the Princess cruise that goes to NYC on Monday.  We have also done it (twice) on HAL.  Oceania also has some cruises that stop in Greenland as does Silverseas, Regent  and other lines.   There are some excellent cruise data bases (generally owned by cruise agencies) where it is relatively easy to search for these kind of cruises.  While visiting some of the Greenland ports is interesting, we think the highlight of Greenland is to cruise through Prince Christian Sound.  Not all Greenland cruises do the Prince Christian passage so that is something to look for in an itinerary.

 

Hank

[Essiesmom]

https://www.cruisetimetables.com/

 

From the Ports of Call, choose ports in Greenland to see who is calling there, and their itineraries.  EM

[chengkp75]

And between now and late 2021, the number of ships will gradually decrease that are allowed to go to Greenland.  I believe there is only one ship currently built to Polar Code, and there are a few expedition type ships being built, so open the wallet wide to go to the polar regions in a couple of years.

[rkacruiser]

My Greenland visit experiences have been on the Voyage of the Vikings (Boston to Boston with one ways possible) and an Atlantic Passage from Amsterdam to New York, all on HAL.  Prinz Christian Sund was on the itinerary for all three segments and were highlights.  A Steward with whom I spoke when I asked about how the scenery compared to an Antarctica cruise on which he had worked, he said it was very similar.  Having since sailed to that Continent, I agree.  Greenland:  less ice, but very interesting (at least to me) of the geology that I saw as we said through the Sund.    Antarctica:  more ice and wildlife.  The small ports in Greenland that we visited were of interest as well with NO Diamonds International, etc.

[clo]

3 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

HAL has a looong cruise (Voyage of the Vikings) that goes roundtrip from the NE US across to Scandinavia and back stopping at Greenland and Iceland along the way. You can do half of it (one way US to Europe or vice versa) or the whole thing.

 

Princess used to offer a TA back from England to the US in the fall with a couple of stops in Greenland; I used to be very interested in doing their British Isles itinerary followed by this TA but since then have decided it's not for me.

 

Try to find some cruise reports to read before deciding to go on a regular cruise just to see Greenland; with some frequency ships are unable to make their scheduled calls there due to weather conditions.  

 

I still want to go to Greenland (interested in their Viking history) but would try to do it with a more expedition-type cruise.

You might want to check out Hurtigruten.

 

https://www.hurtigruten.com/destinations/greenland/#voyages

 

We traveled on them to Antarctica and recently a Norwegian coastal cruise.  We loved everything about them.

[chengkp75]

6 minutes ago, clo said:

You might want to check out Hurtigruten.

 

https://www.hurtigruten.com/destinations/greenland/#voyages

 

We traveled on them to Antarctica and recently a Norwegian coastal cruise.  We loved everything about them.

Yes, Hurtigruten's Amundsen and Nansen are two of the very few ships built to PC-6 rating, and the type of expedition ships that will likely be the only option for polar regions in the future.

[clo]

1 minute ago, chengkp75 said:

Yes, Hurtigruten's Amundsen and Nansen are two of the very few ships built to PC-6 rating, and the type of expedition ships that will likely be the only option for polar regions in the future.

We were on Midnatsol to Antarctica and their lovely, small and old Lofoten on the Norwegian coast.  She however, after next season, is going out of regular service and to my knowledge they haven't announced what she will do.  But something.

[cruisemom42]

19 minutes ago, clo said:

We were on Midnatsol to Antarctica and their lovely, small and old Lofoten on the Norwegian coast.  She however, after next season, is going out of regular service and to my knowledge they haven't announced what she will do.  But something.

 

I was booked on a Norwegian coastal on Midnatsol a couple of years ago (in winter, to see the northern lights) but cancelled it when something more attractive and "one-off" came along that year. My travel is still governed by work scheduling and PTO, unfortunately. But it is still on my (long) bucket list. 

 

A couple of fellow travelers once told me that they have two bucket lists: "walking" (more strenuous) and "walker" (less strenuous). I sort of put the Norwegian coastal/Northern Lights in the latter category. I'll get there, eventually.

 

 

[clo]

2 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

A couple of fellow travelers once told me that they have two bucket lists: "walking" (more strenuous) and "walker" (less strenuous). I sort of put the Norwegian coastal/Northern Lights in the latter category. I'll get there, eventually.

 

That's funny.  Well, not really.  I took a really hard fall not too long before our trip.  Xrays of back and hip showed nothing broken but I was in brutal pain.  That is the last time we won't have insurance.  I barely went ashore and then never for long.  At all.  But if I had to have a pretty non-ambulatory venue this was it.  SO beautiful.  And a lovely old ship.

 

[jollyjones]

Silversea's Silver Cloud is up there now.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2687830-silver-cloud-expedition-live-81419-82619-reykjavik-to-kangerlussuaq/

 

[jocap]

Fred Olsen and Cruise and Maritime are offering cruises which touch Greenland next summer- older, small ships with mainly adult passengers- in fact C&M's Marco Polo must be the oldest cruise ship still sailing. She is adult only.

There's also the brand new Saga ship, which is for 50+ years only.

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, jocap said:

Fred Olsen and Cruise and Maritime are offering cruises which touch Greenland next summer- older, small ships with mainly adult passengers- in fact C&M's Marco Polo must be the oldest cruise ship still sailing. She is adult only.

There's also the brand new Saga ship, which is for 50+ years only.

It is a true phenomenon about the Brits loving those new "old" vessels.  We cruised on the Marco Polo in the early and mid 90s (she was an old ship at that time) when she was owned by Orient Lines.  We enjoyed our cruises on that vessel and when we see her in Europe it brings back great memories.  From the outside is does seem like C&M has done a good job taking care of the ole girl.

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

56 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

It is a true phenomenon about the Brits loving those new "old" vessels.  We cruised on the Marco Polo in the early and mid 90s (she was an old ship at that time) when she was owned by Orient Lines.  We enjoyed our cruises on that vessel and when we see her in Europe it brings back great memories.  From the outside is does seem like C&M has done a good job taking care of the ole girl.

 

Hank

 

Not to mention the German line, Phoenix Reisen, which has successfully rehabilitated a number of older but well-designed and well-built small cruise ships (most recently HAL's Prinsendam). They refer to them as "classic cruise ships".  I like that. 

[Hlitner]

12 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Not to mention the German line, Phoenix Reisen, which has successfully rehabilitated a number of older but well-designed and well-built small cruise ships (most recently HAL's Prinsendam). They refer to them as "classic cruise ships".  I like that. 

Oh my!  DW and I have both had a love affair with the Prinsendam since our first cruise on that lovely old vessel.  I do hope that Phoenix Reisen is successful with the vessel.  Not sure we are ready to go on a German cruise line (we do not know any German) but that is one very special ship!  About a year ago I calculated that we have exactly 200 days on the Prinsendam which is more days then we have on any other vessel.  And we can say without any hesitation that we loved every single day :).

 

Hank

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, jocap said:

Fred Olsen and Cruise and Maritime are offering cruises which touch Greenland next summer- older, small ships with mainly adult passengers- in fact C&M's Marco Polo must be the oldest cruise ship still sailing. She is adult only.

There's also the brand new Saga ship, which is for 50+ years only.

I can't find any information whether the Saga ship is Polar Class or not, but any of the older ships, especially the Marco Polo will not be allowed north or south of 60* in the future.

[GeeDunk]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

It is a true phenomenon about the Brits loving those new "old" vessels.  We cruised on the Marco Polo in the early and mid 90s (she was an old ship at that time) when she was owned by Orient Lines. 

 

Hank

 

Sailed the Marco Polo, to Antarctica, in 2006.

Great Ship. Owned by Orient.

Due to Landings, the Ship sailed at half capacity

[DirtyDawg]

Thank You everyone.

 

You guys and gals are better than Google any day! 😀

[clo]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

Not sure we are ready to go on a German cruise line (we do not know any German)

Do they only speak German?  We've been on a Norwegian line - not THAT Norwegian - and the announced were made in Norwegian, English and German.  And all the crew spoke English.

[clo]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

I can't find any information whether the Saga ship is Polar Class or not, but any of the older ships, especially the Marco Polo will not be allowed north or south of 60* in the future.

You seem super knowledgeable about these ships.  Is this why Hurtigruten is removing the Lofoten, built in the 60s, from even the coastal trips.  But they told us that she would be kept in use.  Maybe some days trips?  And her furnishing, especially all the gorgeous wood is protected by law.