Yes, of course. The cruise ship will be our starting point or basecamp. Unpack your things only once and be at ease. You will be able to visit an exciting range of places, because the ship moves from place to place. The ships are equipped with inflatable landing crafts known as Zodiacs, which we will use for shore landings and ocean-level cruising.

There are a myriad of activities offered on the shore and throughout the summer. In the Arctic, you may visit Inuit in their home communities. You will hike carpeted tundra valleys or the beautifully glistening ice fields. Optional activities may include kayaking, cross-country, camping, skiing and mountaineering depending on the time of summer, the vessel, and location. Please contact us if you have any further questions regarding the activities.

Guests must complete a number of standard travel forms when they travel with us. The forms should be completed as soon as possible after receiving them and returned to us:

• Personal Information Form – one for each person traveling.
• Medical Information Form – one for each person traveling.
• Cruise Contract – signed.
• Flight information form – we need to know when you will be arriving by air and when you will be departing.
• Parka Form – one for each person traveling.
• Visa Express Kit – only required when traveling through Russia.

The polar regions are beautifully vast and foreign to most. The resources of these locations are not the same as yours at home. These are remote areas without access to sophisticated medical facilities, you should not join the expedition if you are suffering from a life-threatening condition. Our expedition cruises require sufficient independent mobility to negotiate steep gangways while onboard. The terrain is rough in both polar regions for the shore activities. If you have difficulty walking or need an assistance device to move about, our trips may not be for you. Please call us and we can help you evaluate if this is a good experience for you.

Please note that we try to provide a range of activity levels to meet the needs of our guests when they go ashore, not everyone has to hike!

Transport to the place where the expedition begins (the staging point) and from the place where the expedition ends is not included so be prepared for this expense. We can arrange flights at your request, please ask if you would like us to help.

Wearing the right clothes is essential, weather is definitely variable. You may need to purchase additional outdoor clothing, gloves, etc.

Gratuities or tips are always at your discretion. We recommend that you budget $10 to $15 per person per day, if you are pleased with the service on board. Gratuities are collected anonymously at the end of each voyage. They are distributed among staff and crew. Payment can be made in cash or charged to your shipboard account, whichever is more convenient.

It is a condition of booking any voyage that you and all members of your party have comprehensive travel insurance coverage, with a minimum of $50,000 of emergency medical coverage.

Please note that we try to provide a range of activity levels to meet the needs of our guests when they go ashore, not everyone has to hike!

Our polar specialists can help to arrange flights from your home to the embarkation point (the city in which your expedition begins). And back from the city where your expedition ends. Our specialists will research for you, the best available connections and prices based on your personal criteria and desires.

Getting to remote communities like Anchorage, Alaska, often requires a connecting flight. Our specialists are familiar with the special needs of polar travelers such as yourself, and are eager to share their knowledge and advice with you.