Last updated: 4 November 2026

Yes, you can sail the Northwest Passage in 2026, but only on a small ice-class expedition ship in August or September. Quark, HX, PONANT and Adventure Canada all run voyages this season. Expect 16 to 25 nights and fares that start well above £10,000 per person. No regular cargo or sealift ship sells passenger berths through the passage.

What is the Northwest Passage?

The Northwest Passage is the sea route across the top of North America. It links Baffin Bay and the Atlantic with the Beaufort Sea and the Pacific. It threads through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. There is no single channel. Ships choose between straits such as Lancaster Sound, Bellot Strait and Peel Sound, depending on where the ice lies that year.

For centuries the route was a European obsession. Sir John Franklin’s 1845 expedition vanished here with both ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. Their wrecks were only found in 2014 and 2016. Roald Amundsen made the first complete transit in the small sloop Gjøa between 1903 and 1906, wintering at what is now Gjoa Haven.

Who sails the Northwest Passage in 2026?

Only a handful of expedition lines run full or partial transits. Each season has just a few departures, and they sell out early.

Quark’s voyage is a partial transit focused on the eastern High Arctic. HX’s Roald Amundsen trip is the most complete, running from the Pacific side to Iceland. PONANT’s L’Austral loops from Greenland into the heart of the passage and back.

Watch: what to expect sailing the Northwest Passage

How much does a Northwest Passage voyage cost?

This is one of the most expensive sea journeys you can book. PONANT’s 2026 L’Austral voyage is listed from £17,635 per person in a Superior Stateroom, plus port taxes. Quark and HX quote fares on request for these departures. For comparison, Quark’s 10-night Antarctic trips on Ocean Explorer start from about US$13,100, and Arctic passage voyages are longer and more remote.

The route: Greenland, Nunavut and Alaska

Most east-to-west voyages start in West Greenland. Ships call at Nuuk, Sisimiut or Ilulissat, then cross Davis Strait or Baffin Bay to Baffin Island. Pond Inlet is a common first Canadian call and clearance port. The ship then enters Lancaster Sound, with stops at Dundas Harbour and Devon Island.

Beechey Island is the emotional centre of most trips. Franklin’s men wintered here in 1845–46, and three crew graves remain. Further on, Bellot Strait and Fort Ross mark the narrow link south. Western sections pass Gjoa Haven, Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk before the Beaufort Sea and Nome in Alaska.

Watch: life on board a Northwest Passage expedition ship

Can you cross the Northwest Passage on a cargo ship?

Not as a booked passenger product. Arctic sealift carriers such as Desgagnés and NEAS supply Nunavut communities each summer. In September 2010 the Camilla Desgagnés became the first commercial cargo ship to make a resupply run through the passage, delivering to Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk, Gjoa Haven and Taloyoak. However, we found no sealift line selling passenger berths for 2026. For a real freighter experience in the Arctic, look at Greenland supply routes instead, then join an expedition ship for the passage itself.

When to go: ice and season

Ice varies every year. Captains change routes on the day, and some sites in the brochure will be skipped. Wildlife is the reward: polar bears, walrus, narwhal, belugas and musk oxen are all possible.

Tips

1. Book 12–18 months ahead. Departures are few and cabins limited.
2. Choose direction: east to west starts in Greenland; west to east ends there.
3. Buy insurance that covers Arctic medical evacuation and cancellation.
4. Pack layers, a waterproof shell and seasickness tablets for Baffin Bay.
5. Treat the itinerary as a wish list. Ice decides the real route.
6. Respect Inuit communities: ask before photographing people.

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Sources: Quark Expeditions, HX Expeditions, PONANT and Adventure Canada 2026 itineraries via operator and agent listings; Cruise Industry News (Feb 2026); Radio Canada International on Camilla Desgagnés (2010). Prices indicative. Checked November 2026.