Five reasons to visit the Arctic in September

  1. Experience the explosion of autumn colours across the Greenlandic tundra, a great time for trekking
  2. With the sun now lower in the sky, soft light and dramatic sunsets make September a great month for photography
  3. The recession of pack ice north allows a short window of opportunity to explore East Greenland’s Scoresby Sund
  4. From mid month the day’s start to shorten, temperatures drop and the first new snow begins to appear
  5. The return of the polar night provides great opportunities to experience the Aurora Borealis

Swoop says

Swoop Says background image

September marks that narrow annual window of opportunity when the Northwest Passage briefly loosens its icy clasp, allowing ships to slip through this fabled labyrinth.

Alex Mudd Head of Swoop Arctic

Arctic cruises in September 2026

Special Offers:Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.

Ultimate Baffin Bay Circumnavigation

For an extraordinary Arctic introduction, join this unique full circumnavigation of Baffin Bay’s icy waters aboard a comfortable, state-of-the-art expedition ship. Travelling clockwise, you will navigate deep fjords, witness towering icebergs and explore remote sites. Venturing further north than almost…

  • 21 Days
  • $16,719
  • 2-Sep-2026
Scoresbysund Autumn Micro Cruise

Join a 12-guest micro cruise to explore Scoresbysund in autumn. Witness the Northern Lights illuminating the fjords and discover a wild, pristine landscape on hikes across the autumnal tundra. Spot iconic Arctic wildlife like musk oxen and Arctic hares, and…

  • 9 Days
  • $18,995
  • 3-Sep-2026
West Greenland & Disko Bay

This might be a short trip but it packs a huge amount in. Sail among the ice of Disko Bay and spot humpbacks hunting herring; trek to the look out over Jakobshavn Glacier; explore the settlements of Sisimiut and Itilleq…

  • 8 Days
  • $5,266
Fjords, Bergs & Aurora

Discover the vast landscapes and enormous icebergs of Scoresbysund in East Greenland. Visit tiny remote communities and trek in pristine wilderness then spend the night watching the Northern Lights above…

  • 11 Days
  • $11,451
East Greenland Small Ship Adventure

Focused on East Greenland’s Ammassalik region, specifically the incredible ice-choked Sermilik Fjord, this trip offers the best of this entire coastline in microcosm. Travelling slowly in a rarely visited area, maximising time off ship to hike and explore the tundra,…

  • 10 Days
  • $9,890
East Greenland in Style

Combining the majestic landscapes of remote East Greenland and a slice of western Iceland with all the trappings of travelling aboard a state-of-the-art luxury expedition ship, this trip overdelivers on every front. Enjoy the sensory overload of Arctic landscapes during…

  • 16 Days
  • $25,000
  • 8-Sep-2026
Northeast Greenland National Park Micro Cruise

Embark on this epic fly and cruise 11- or 13-day expedition into the wildest, least visited corner of Greenland, which combines the labyrinthine Scoresbysund fjord system with the vast Northeast Greenland National Park. By day, navigate spectacular fjords and pass…

  • 11 or 13 Days
  • $24,800
Northwest Passage, Ellesmere & West Greenland

Traversing west to east this voyage takes you to iconic sites such as Cambridge Bay, Lancaster and Smith Sounds and Ellesmere Island, before exploring the fjords and towns of West Greenland. Bears, narwhal, musk ox, beluga and northern lights are…

  • 17 Days
  • $13,872
  • 11-Sep-2026
The Geographic North Pole & East Greenland

As if a voyage to the North Pole isn’t special enough, this extended version includes exploring both east Greenland and Svalbard as well, thereby ticking off three very distinct and contrasting parts of The Arctic in a single thrilling voyage.…

  • 17 Days
  • $63,150
  • 11-Sep-2026
Greenland to Newfoundland Explorer

We love this voyage for its breathtaking variety – landscape, wildlife, habitat and culture – as you journey south from the icy home of the Inuit, through the boreal forest belt, to finish in Newfoundland, with its Viking and Celtic…

  • 14 Days
  • $14,166
  • 14-Sep-2026
East Greenland Fly & Cruise Adventure

Exploring East Greenland doesn't get any easier. A short charter flight from Iceland saves you time and a potentially rough crossing of the Denmark Strait. On arrival, embark your small, expeditionary sailing ship and spend the next nine full days…

  • 11 Days
  • $6,150
  • 21-Sep-2026
Wilderness Explorer: Greenland, Labrador & Newfoundland

In two weeks and over 2,200 nautical miles, sail from west Greenland to Newfoundland along Canada’s dramatic Labrador coast. Along the way explore four pristine Canadian National Parks. Prepare to be wowed by the variety with everything from Inuit culture…

  • 15 Days
  • $9,495
  • 27-Sep-2026

Arctic cruises in September 2027

Special Offers:Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.

North Pole in Luxury

Reach the top of the world in serious comfort onboard a state-of-the-art luxury, hybrid-powered icebreaker. Travel north through icebound waters and join the exclusive list of intrepid explorers who have visited the geographical North…

  • 13 Days
  • $42,532
  • 1-Sep-2027
Expedition Svalbard & East Greenland

This extraordinarily varied two-centre combination Arctic voyage not only consistently overdelivers, but it's also sensibly priced for all you will experience. Travelling onboard an elegant, sturdy older ship, any shortcomings it may have in the luxury amenities department are more…

  • 15 Days
  • $8,999
  • 1-Sep-2027
Ultimate Baffin Bay Circumnavigation

For an extraordinary Arctic introduction, join this unique full circumnavigation of Baffin Bay’s icy waters aboard a comfortable, state-of-the-art expedition ship. Travelling clockwise, you will navigate deep fjords, witness towering icebergs and explore remote sites. Venturing further north than almost…

  • 21 Days
  • $16,627
  • 1-Sep-2027
East Greenland Explorer: Icebergs & Northern Lights

Sailing in August or September, explore the massive fjords of East Greenland and their legendary icebergs, spot musk oxen and visit ancient and modern Inuit settlements. Late summer provides a great chance of spotting the Northern Lights. A choice of…

  • 10 Days
  • $6,250
  • 2-Sep-2027
Into the Far North of West Greenland

This 16-day voyage is one of only a few that ventures as far as 78° North. Perfect for explorers, this journey navigates the remote Smith Sound and journeys to the rarely visited community of Upernavik. Follow in the footsteps of…

  • 16 Days
  • $20,446
  • 2-Sep-2027
East and South Greenland In Depth

Start off in Akureyri, then cross the Arctic Circle as you sail north across the Denmark Strait and along Greenland's immense eastern coastline. The final leg of the voyage is across the Greenland Sea to Longyearbyen. This is a truly…

  • 14 Days
  • $8,300
Fjords, Bergs & Aurora

Discover the vast landscapes and enormous icebergs of Scoresbysund in East Greenland. Visit tiny remote communities and trek in pristine wilderness then spend the night watching the Northern Lights above…

  • 11 Days
  • $12,052
A Circle Around Spitsbergen

Circumnavigate the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, cruising as far as 80° North to reach the edge of the pack ice. This voyage includes an impressive eight days of off-ship exploring, with ample opportunities to spot remarkable Arctic wildlife…

  • 10 Days
  • $7,901
  • 7-Sep-2027
Northwest Passage, Ellesmere & West Greenland

Traversing west to east this voyage takes you to iconic sites such as Cambridge Bay, Lancaster and Smith Sounds and Ellesmere Island, before exploring the fjords and towns of West Greenland. Bears, narwhal, musk ox, beluga and northern lights are…

  • 17 Days
  • $14,247
  • 10-Sep-2027
Northeast Greenland National Park Micro Cruise

Embark on this epic fly and cruise 11- or 13-day expedition into the wildest, least visited corner of Greenland, which combines the labyrinthine Scoresbysund fjord system with the vast Northeast Greenland National Park. By day, navigate spectacular fjords and pass…

  • 11 or 13 Days
  • $21,995
Northwest Passage Revealed (Eastbound)

Beginning in Cambridge Bay, this westbound-arching route encapsulates the best that the Northwest Passage and West Greenland have to offer. Thread your way through the icy labyrinth of staggering landscapes, dramatic history, remote Inuit settlements and charismatic Arctic wildlife, with…

  • 16 Days
  • $25,495
  • 12-Sep-2027
The Geographic North Pole & East Greenland

As if a voyage to the North Pole isn’t special enough, this extended version includes exploring both east Greenland and Svalbard as well, thereby ticking off three very distinct and contrasting parts of The Arctic in a single thrilling voyage.…

  • 17 Days
  • $52,578
  • 13-Sep-2027
Greenland to Newfoundland Explorer

We love this voyage for its breathtaking variety – landscape, wildlife, habitat and culture – as you journey south from the icy home of the Inuit, through the boreal forest belt, to finish in Newfoundland, with its Viking and Celtic…

  • 14 Days
  • $13,741
Scoresbysund Autumn Micro Cruise

Join a 12-guest micro cruise to explore Scoresbysund in autumn. Witness the Northern Lights illuminating the fjords and discover a wild, pristine landscape on hikes across the autumnal tundra. Spot iconic Arctic wildlife like musk oxen and Arctic hares, and…

  • 9 Days
  • $18,995
East Greenland Fly & Cruise Adventure

Exploring East Greenland doesn't get any easier. A short charter flight from Iceland saves you time and a potentially rough crossing of the Denmark Strait. On arrival, embark your small, expeditionary sailing ship and spend the next nine full days…

  • 11 Days
  • $6,150
Wilderness Explorer: Greenland, Labrador & Newfoundland

In two weeks and over 2,200 nautical miles, sail from west Greenland to Newfoundland along Canada’s dramatic Labrador coast. Along the way explore four pristine Canadian National Parks. Prepare to be wowed by the variety with everything from Inuit culture…

  • 15 Days
  • $10,497

Arctic cruises in September 2028

Special Offers:Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.

Greenland to Newfoundland Explorer

We love this voyage for its breathtaking variety – landscape, wildlife, habitat and culture – as you journey south from the icy home of the Inuit, through the boreal forest belt, to finish in Newfoundland, with its Viking and Celtic…

  • 14 Days
  • $15,240
Ice & Fire: East Greenland & Iceland Combined

There are few wilder, more remote places on the planet than East Greenland. Travelling by a small, very comfortable custom-built expedition ship, this voyage aims to showcase the best of Greenland’s eye-popping scenery, vast ice and exotic wildlife. Walk the…

  • 12 Days
  • $19,769
  • 6-Sep-2028
North Pole in Luxury

Reach the top of the world in serious comfort onboard a state-of-the-art luxury, hybrid-powered icebreaker. Travel north through icebound waters and join the exclusive list of intrepid explorers who have visited the geographical North…

  • 13 Days
  • $38,771
  • 10-Sep-2028

Planning your Arctic cruise

When to visit the Arctic

When to visit the Arctic

The arctic summer, blessed with long days and buzz of wildlife and human activity, is favoured by travellers seeking the classic arctic experience. But delve deeper and you'll find…

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Arctic Cruise Ships

Arctic Cruise Ships

We partner with selected ice-strengthened Arctic expedition vessels from small yachts and nimble little ships with convivial atmospheres, to larger Russian research boats and …

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Walrus hauled out on the ice in Svalbard

Arctic Animals & Wildlife

The Arctic is one of the richest and most diverse wildlife habitats on Earth, harbouring a vast array of animals, spanning from the mighty white bear, to the strong musk oxen, to …

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Find Your Arctic Ship

Making the correct choice of ship is key. With firsthand experience of all of the ships we offer, let Swoop help guide you to exactly the right one.

Find your Arctic Ship

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3. Reserve

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