Arctic Express Canada: Heart of the Northwest Passage

Canadian Arctic

The quest for trade routes to the Far East inspired much of the age of exploration of North America, with the promise of the Northwest Passage its elusive jewel. This is a journey no traditional vessel can offer: immersing yourself in the full Arctic experience while getting back home a week and a half later. Nature and wildlife are the guides on this voyage as you explore the region’s diverse treasures. The Arctic’s stark beauty offers an unforgettable backdrop, while a world-class team provides the knowledge and insight to help you connect with the region’s unique history and geography

Search for iconic arctic wildlife, such as polar bears, muskoxen, walrus and whales
Follow in the footsteps of famous explorers like Franklin and Amundsen
Explore the Canadian Arctic in just over a week!
Onboard helicopters for unparalleled access and sightseeing
Cruise in a Zodiac to explore icebergs, glaciers, fjords and more
Immerse yourself in the icy realm of the Arctic with optional kayaking adventures

A state of the art expedition vessel...

Ultramarine’s two twin-engine helicopters, 20-quick-launching Zodiacs and unprecedented mix of on-ship amenities and off-ship adventure options will deliver an unrivalled Arctic experience no one else can.

In the footsteps of Legends...

Remote and rich in history, the Canadian High Arctic is as awe inspiring as it is informative. Your days spent exploring this mysterious region will have you traveling back in time to the Age of Exploration. While following in the wake of famous explorers like Sir John Franklin and Roald Amundsen, you’ll navigate the waters and visit the historic sites in the area around Lancaster Sound that were key to the discovery of the Northwest Passage. You’ll also learn about the scientific, cultural, geopolitical and environmental aspects of the route from our world-class experts, guides and the local communities. Reaching remote lands that have lured adventurers for centuries will be an experience you’ll never forget.

Special Offers!

2021 departure: Save 15% for Standard cabins* (excludes Triples or sole use) or 20% for Premium cabins** - Use Promocode EBB15 or EBB20.

2022 departure: Book before May 31, 2021 and save 10% for Standard cabins* (excludes Triples or sole use) or 15% for Premium cabins** - Use Promocode XXQ10 or XXQ15.

- Save additional 15% if paid in full prior within 30 days of booking (contact us for details).

(*Standard Cabins: Explorer Suite; **Balcony Suite, Deluxe Suite, Terrace Suite, Penthouse Suite, Owner's Suite and Ultra Suite)

Stewart's Take

The Canadian Arctic as never before!

Overview

The quest for trade routes to the Far East inspired much of the age of exploration of North America, with the promise of the Northwest Passage its elusive jewel. This is a journey no traditional vessel can offer: immersing yourself in the full Arctic experience while getting back home a week and a half later. Nature and wildlife are the guides on this voyage as you explore the region’s diverse treasures. The Arctic’s stark beauty offers an unforgettable backdrop, while a world-class team provides the knowledge and insight to help you connect with the region’s unique history and geography.

Day 1 Arrive in Toronto, Canada Your Arctic expedition begins in Toronto. Explore this vibrant city on your own before spending the night enjoying the comfort and amenities of your designated hotel. Day 2 Fly to Resolute and Embark This morning, board your charter flight to Resolute, Nunavut. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your ship via Zodiac or helicopter (depending on ship location and weather conditions). Days 3 to 7 Exploring Canada’s High Arctic Winding your way around the remote islands of the Canadian High Arctic aboard the brand-new Ultramarine, you’ll navigate the same icy inlets, channels and bays that fascinated legendary explorers of long ago as they searched for the fabled Northwest Passage, the great sea route at the top of the world. Designed to give polar adventurers unprecedented access to the hardest-to-reach places on the planet—and equipped with two onboard twin-engine helicopters for unparalleled access—this one-of-a-kind ship will take you beyond the familiar in polar exploration. Throughout your journey, your Expedition Team will work hard to give you a taste of the best the Canadian Arctic has to offer, immersing you in the heart of the Northwest Passage in under a week. Land of the Inuit... While this waterway is known to European cultures as the Northwest Passage, these lands and waters have nurtured and sustained the Inuit and their predecessors who have called these shores home for almost 5,000 years. Moving through these remote landscapes you will be traveling through the ancestral homelands of this ancient culture, illuminated by Inuit guides onboard and ashore. Nunavut is an Inuktitut word meaning “our land” and the Nunavummiut (the people of Nunavut) are renowned for their incredible resourcefulness, hospitality, good humor, and a deep knowledge of the land and animals that has allowed them to thrive in the far north for millennia. Arctic Wildlife... Wildlife sightings are almost guaranteed, as many of the areas we hope to explore are home to a surprising number of birds and mammals that thrive in this challenging environment. You may see polar bears, muskoxen and several bird species, such as gyrfalcons and dovekies (little auks). If you’re lucky, you may even spot the elusive narwhal or a bowhead whale, though sightings of these iconic creatures in the wild are rare, even in places where we have the greatest chances of encountering them. Coburg and Devon Islands Coburg Island is a wildlife reserve for such birds as snowy owls and peregrine falcons, while the impressive vertical cliffs of Prince Leopold Island are dotted with nesting seabirds like northern fulmars and black guillemots. The sheltered shores and steep cliffs of Arctic Bay, a hamlet located in Admiralty Inlet, provide an ideal nesting habitat for various High Arctic birds such as thickbilled murres (Brünnich’s guillemots) and kittiwakes. This community, whose inhabitants’ ancestors have lived a traditional Inuit nomadic lifestyle in the region for almost 5,000 years, is also an ideal spot to go ashore and learn more about the Inuit culture, sampling the local cuisine and mingling with artists, perhaps picking up carvings or other handicrafts as a memento of your polar adventure. Devon Island is another possible locale for wildlife encounters, as walrus, polar bears and muskoxen inhabit the area, which is also the location of the remains of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police outpost, established at Dundas Harbour in 1924 to curb foreign whaling and other activities. Here you’ll find a small cemetery, one of Canada’s most northerly, still maintained by the RCMP to this day. Another exciting excursion your Expedition Team might offer, conditions permitting, is the opportunity to fly up to explore the Devon ice cap, one of the largest in the Canadian Arctic. In the wake of Franklin... At the western end of Devon Island, windswept Beechey Island might be small, but it’s steeped in history, as its broad shore and safe anchorage made a suitable stopover for Arctic expeditions. You’ll want to pay your respects to the ill-fated Franklin expedition of 1845–46 at the small marked graves of three crew members on the island, one of Canada’s most significant historical sites. This is also where Norwegian Roald Amundsen stopped to pay his own respects to his childhood hero, Franklin, during his 1903–06 voyage, which became the first successful transit of the Northwest Passage. History buffs will be further intrigued by the chance to explore an abandoned Hudson’s Bay Company trading post at Fort Ross, at the southern end of Somerset Island. Fort Ross is at the eastern entrance of Bellot Strait. One of the goals of this expedition is to transit this famous channel, one of the most narrow and challenging of the passage. If we’re successful, at the midpoint you’ll sail past Zenith Point, the northernmost point of continental North America. Named for Frenchman Joseph Bellot, one of several explorers who set out in the 1850s to search for Franklin’s doomed expedition, the strait separates Somerset Island from the Boothia Peninsula on mainland Canada. (On Beechey Island, you can visit the memorial to Bellot, who disappeared during his search for Franklin.) Those looking for even more excitement may have the opportunity to cruise by Zodiac along the face of an active glacier near Croker Bay, Devon Island and possibly even witness the wonder of calving ice, at a safe distance. Listen closely for the steady crackle and loud roars as pieces of ice break off and crash into the water below. You’ll also want to be on the lookout for the walrus that are often seen in the area. A true adventure awaits... There is no shortage of natural beauty, wildlife and history in Canada’s High Arctic. Each day, you’ll discover something new and inspiring, whether it is admiration of the tundra flora that survive here, a rare bird species soaring overhead, a polar bear on the hunt in its natural habitat, or the ancient remains of a Thule dwelling, ancestors of the Inuit. Remember that no two polar voyages are alike, since each expedition presents new opportunities and different weather and ice conditions. While this voyage has no fixed itinerary, our objective is to visit as many of the incredible highlights the season has to offer, using the opportunities provided by the weather and ice to give you the best experience. Each day, your highly skilled Expedition Team will read the conditions and choose the best course to set, but despite their extensive expertise in these areas, each visit brings something new to discover. That said, our expeditions will have some elements in common, including daily Zodiac cruising, land excursions, a robust education program, a community visit and wildlife viewing opportunities. And thanks to our onboard helicopters, you’ll also discover the ultimate polar expedition experience: as stunning as polar landscapes are from your ship, they’re even more striking from the air! Conditions permitting, you’ll enjoy ultra-immersive activities like flightseeing (short sightseeing flights around your ship and surrounding areas) and helilandings (flying to places we could not otherwise access), two breathtaking options that are unique to Ultramarine and give you an exhilarating polar experience like no other. Day 8 Disembark in Resolute, Canada & fly to Toronto After disembarking in the Inuit hamlet of Resolute, you’ll be transferred to your charter flight to Toronto, where you’ll spend the night at your included hotel. Day 9 Depart Toronto Today, make your way to the airport to catch your homeward flights, or spend the day exploring this fascinating city. MANDATORY TRANSFER PACKAGE EXTRA COST:

One night’s pre-expedition hotel accommodation in Toronto
Group transfer from the Toronto hotel to the airport on Day 2
Charter flights between Toronto and Resolute
Group transfers between the Resolute airport and the ship
Group transfer from the Toronto airport to hotel on disembarkation day
One night’s post-expedition hotel accommodation in Toronto

PACKAGE PRICE: $1,995 USD Important reminder: Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.

Luxury Expedition Vessel: Ultramarine

Ultramarine, is designed to go beyond the familiar in polar exploration, to discover new places, and to immerse you in the best the region has to offer. Equipped with two twin-engine helicopters, Ultramarine offers the most robust portfolio of adventure activities in the industry, the most spacious suites in its category, breathtaking public spaces, and more outdoor wildlife viewing spaces than other expedition ships its size. It also features an innovative mix of sustainability features that exceed all industry standards. With all this and more, Ultramarine is set to deliver the ultimate polar expedition experience - voyages start in 2021!

For full information about this vessel click here:

Included

Leadership throughout your voyage by experienced Expedition Leaders, including shore landings and other activities
All Zodiac transfers and cruising per the daily program
All shore landings per the daily program
Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping
All meals, snacks, soft drinks and juices on board throughout your voyage (Please inform us of any dietary requirements as far in advance as possible. Unfortunately, the ships’ galleys cannot prepare kosher meals.)
Beer and wine during dinner; and coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock
Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled
A photographic journal documenting the expedition
A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for landings and Zodiac cruising excursions
An official Expedition parka to keep
Complimentary reusable water bottle
Hair dryer and bathrobes in every cabin
All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program
All luggage handling aboard the ship
Emergency Evacuation insurance for all passengers to a maximum benefit of USD $500,000 per person
Greenland voyages cruise passenger tax

Excluded

Mandatory Transfer Package*
International airfare
Arrival and departure transfers, except where listed in the Mandatory Transfer Package
Passport and visa expenses
Government arrival and departure taxes not mentioned above
Meals ashore unless otherwise specified
Baggage, cancellation, interruption and medical travel insurance—strongly recommended
Excess-baggage fees on international flights
Mandatory waterproof pants for Zodiac cruising, or any other gear not mentioned
Laundry, bar, beverage and other personal charges unless specified
Phone and Internet charges
Voluntary gratuity at the end of the voyage for shipboard staff and crew
Additional overnight accommodation
Adventure Options not listed in Included Activities

Rates and Share Bookings Prices shown are per person in US Dollars on a shared basis. If you are travelling alone and wish to share, you will be matched with someone of the same gender and pay only the share rate. If desired, Single occupancy is available at 1.7 times the twin share rate. Deposits Reservations require a deposit of 20% (minimum $1000 per person) at the time you receive a booking confirmation from Expeditions Online. A payment link will be sent to you and this may be paid by major credit card. Bookings within 120 days of departure require full payment. Final Payments Balances are due 120 days prior to departure and may be paid by bank transfer. Cancellations All requests for cancellation must be received in writing to Expeditions Online. Cancellations received 180 days or more prior to departure, are refunded less a fee of $1000 per person. If cancellation is received between 179 days and 120 days, the full deposit is forfeited. If cancellation occurs less than 120 days prior to departure, all payments are forfeited. If full payment has not yet been received, the full penalty will still apply and any unpaid balance is due immediately. We strongly recommend that you obtain adequate trip cancellation insurance. Booking Terms Please read carefully the Terms and Conditions for Expeditions Online (link at the bottom of this page). This voyage is operated by Quark Expeditions and you additionally travel under their terms and conditions as the operator as well as of the Shipping Company/transport carrier. Details will be forwarded to you at the time of booking.