As Arctic expeditions to destinations like Greenland and Svalbard, Norway, top the bucket lists of more and more retirees, the region is seeing an unprecedented travel boom. In fact, cruise individual passengers to Greenland recently surged by 64%, while ship calls to rugged Svalbard have more than doubled over the last decade. But these aren't your average vacation cruises.
With individual bookings routinely running anywhere from $8,000 to well over $20,000 per person, these are serious voyages that require considerable planning, specialized gear and a real commitment to navigating extreme, unpredictable polar environments. True expedition travel is defined by a focus on the landscape itself. These trips utilize rugged, ice-strengthened hulls to reach wild spaces completely inaccessible to traditional ships, operating under the guidance of marine biologists, ice pilots and polar researchers.
For a long time, entering this space meant choosing between two extremes: legacy, institutional research vessels that offer bare-bones, utilitarian quarters or massive, ultra-luxury liners that bring high-passenger crowds into highly fragile ecosystems. The challenge for modern travelers has been finding an option that offers a deep, uncompromised connection to the wilderness without relying on fuel-heavy infrastructure or crowded shore excursions.
Right on cue, a new alternative is entering the polar sector to bridge that exact gap. Selar, a nature-powered polar expedition company, has officially expanded bookings for its highly anticipated inaugural 2027 calendar. Spearheaded by Sophie Galvagnon—the French-Swedish captain recognized as the first female commander of commercial polar expedition ships—Selar is ditching traditional engines for the silence of the wind and sun aboard its near-zero emission flagship, Captain Arctic.
“Building Selar has meant challenging every pre-existing norm about how a polar vessel operates,” says Galvagnon, CEO and Co-founder of Selar. “We’ve set out to invent something truly different, and usher in a new category of Arctic travel designed to introduce guests to life-changing adventures. From the wild edges of Svalbard to the untamed landscapes of Greenland, expect bold, unforgettable adventures with no set itineraries that allow nature and one’s own intuition to lead the way.”
For Galvagnon, founding the company was a direct response to the operational realities of high-north tourism. “The Arctic is becoming increasingly fragile, yet expedition tourism continues to grow,” lifestyle data reveals, making this conscious shift all the more vital. “The industry has largely been built around larger ships, fixed itineraries and fuel-intensive operations, ‘ticking boxes.’ We carry only 36 guests, that is key. We sail slower. We adapt to nature rather than forcing nature to adapt to us, creating experiences that reconnect people to the environment.”
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Sailing Without a Script
Selar
Rather than booking a trip where every hour is blocked out on a rigid grid, Selar operates on a fluid model where the journey is entirely written by the elements. A handpicked crew of polar navigators follow the literal rhythm of the Arctic, pivoting toward spontaneous wildlife sightings and shifting ice.
While a trip without a fixed schedule might sound unpredictable, Galvagnon emphasizes that behind-the-scenes precision ensures total safety. “In the Arctic, weather and ice conditions constantly evolve, so rigid itineraries are often less safe and less intelligent than adaptive ones,” Galvagnon notes. “Captain Arctic is operated by highly experienced local polar professionals who know the field by heart. What guests experience is freedom, while what happens behind the scenes is actually extremely rigorous.”
The newly expanded 2027 lineup features specialized, seasonally driven voyages designed to follow the literal rhythm of the far north. The season kicks off in late winter with the Ski Trip In The Viking Fjords (February 18-24, 2027), a dedicated ski touring voyage in Norway that allows guests to carve down pristine, untouched slopes straight from the ship’s deck. By mid-summer, the focus shifts further north for Svalbard in the Midnight Sun (July 8-19, 2027), sailing through a wilderness where the sun never sets, offering rare encounters with polar bears and walruses.
As autumn approaches, the flagship heads west for Untamed Greenland (September 9-18, 2027), charting a course deep into the spectacular, iceberg-laden Scoresby Sund fjord alongside local Eastern Inuit communities. The year concludes back in Norway with two atmospheric late-season chapters: In Pursuit Of Northern Lights (October 24-30, 2027), which combines hiking and kayaking under the aurora's glow, and Dancing With Orcas (November 5-11, 2027), an adventure inviting brave travelers to snorkel directly alongside whales and orcas under a crisp winter sky.
Related: This Luxury, Adults-Only Cruise Line Just Dropped the Ultimate 2027 'Coolcation' Itineraries
Sailing Closer to the Ice
Selar
Capping the passenger list at just 36 guests across 19 horizon-facing cabins allows the ship to slip into narrow fjords and remote anchorages that massive, commercial cruise ships cannot physically reach.
The destinations themselves were pulled straight from Galvagnon's personal history on the ice. “As a Franco-Swedish captain, I’ve spent a large part of my career navigating and living in these regions,” she shares. “What drew me to places like Svalbard or Greenland was the feeling they create, a unique sense of freedom. The silence, the light, the wildlife, the vastness... it’s one of the rare places left where you truly feel that nature is still stronger than us. The ship itself is not a floating entertainment platform, but a moving home base you return to after intense days of outdoor immersion.”
Related: Orient Express Debuts Its First-Ever Cruise Ship And Its a Dreamy, 54-Cabin Ode to European Glamour
Engineering a Cleaner Way to Sail
ScreenshotSelar
What sets Captain Arctic apart isn't just its size, but how it harnesses the polar environment to power itself. The vessel features 20,000 square feet of solar-clad sails that capture wind and solar power, allowing it to glide through polar environments without the roaring noise or harsh exhaust scents of conventional cruise liners. It also doubles as a scientific platform equipped to remove marine plastics from remote waters.
“The industry is clearly moving toward smaller ships and stronger expectations around environmental impact,” Galvagnon says. “Large industrial cruise companies often face complex transitions because of the scale of their fleets. We are in a very different position because we are sustainable from day one. We can experiment faster and adopt new technologies more naturally. Additionally, Captain Arctic operates only in the Arctic rather than crossing oceans at high speed every season, which reduces unnecessary emissions and creates a much stronger connection to local communities.”
While the engineering is complex, the lifestyle onboard is beautifully simple. The ship features minimalist, refined Scandinavian interiors by acclaimed designer Joséphine Fossey. The experience is entirely menu-free, key-free and WiFi-free, allowing guests to fully unplug. Between outdoor whale-watching sessions, steps into the onboard sauna, and yoga, guests can indulge in fresh, Arctic-influenced fare, go fishing directly with the chef, or enjoy evening drinks alongside the onboard scientists, artists and expedition leaders.
For a generation of travelers looking for a vacation that delivers pure wonder without a heavy footprint, Selar is drawing a line in the ice. It’s an approach built for those who understand that the world’s most extraordinary, fragile places are best met quietly and entirely on their own terms.
Related: You Can Now Win a National Geographic Expedition to Alaska or the Galápagos Worth Up to $60,000
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