The Arctic’s Most Exciting Frontier
Silversea Expeditions’ ice-strengthened Silver Wind anchored deep in a remote Greenland fjord beneath glacier-carved peaks. Photo captured firsthand by Ignacio Maza.
Greenland is undeniably the Arctic Region’s most exciting, dramatic, and fastest-growing destination. Lonely Planet recognized Greenland as one of the world’s “Top 10 Countries to Visit,” and for discerning travelers who value untouched wilderness, it delivers an experience unlike anywhere else on Earth.
This vast, remote, and spectacular island surprises travelers at every turn: sheer granite walls plunging thousands of feet into crystalline fjords, immense calving glaciers giving birth to gargantuan icebergs, thousands of years of rich Inuit history, and deep cultural warmth. While global travel demand to polar waters has surged, Greenland remains blissfully pristine, where your expedition ship is often the only vessel in sight for hundreds of nautical miles.
Following an extensive educational voyage along Greenland’s dramatic coastline aboard Silversea Expeditions’ Silver Wind, I had the privilege of sitting down with David Swanson—the celebrated travel photojournalist and former President of the Society of American Travel Writers. Below, we address the exact questions luxury travelers and advisors ask when considering an Arctic expedition to Greenland.
Question 1: Why Visit Greenland?
“What makes Greenland stand out from every other destination in the world?”
Ignacio Maza: “It is the sheer, untamed scale of the wilderness, coupled with living culture. When you sail Greenland, you are not visiting an amusement park or a manicured national park; you are experiencing one of the planet’s final true frontiers.”
Greenland is home to the Greenland Ice Sheet, the second-largest body of ice on Earth (surpassed only by Antarctica), covering roughly 80% of its landmass. When you cruise the protected coastal fjords, you witness ice that has been compacted over hundreds of thousands of years spilling into the sea.
Unlike traditional cruise destinations where ports are built around cruise piers and commercial gift shops, Greenland has zero roads connecting its towns and settlements. All transit between communities occurs by boat, dogsled, snowmobile, or aircraft. An expedition ship is by far the most comfortable, intimate, and practical way to navigate this monumental wilderness.
- Monumental Icebergs: Disko Bay and the Ilulissat Icefjord showcase towering ice cathedrals, tabular bergs the size of city blocks, and neon-blue arches sculpted by wind and sun.
- Authentic Indigenous Settlements: Visiting colorful coastal villages such as Qaqortoq, Sisimiut, and small hunting communities gives travelers direct, respectful insight into modern and ancestral Inuit traditions.
- 24-Hour Midnight Sun: In June, July, and August, the sun never sets beneath the horizon, bathing the ice-strewn fjords in a golden, surreal light perfect for midnight photography from your private veranda.
Question 2: Greenland vs. Iceland vs. Antarctica
One of the most common questions clients ask is: “I have already visited Iceland, or I am planning Antarctica; why should I choose Greenland?” Here is how these three iconic polar and sub-polar destinations compare:
| Destination |
Core Character |
Human Culture |
Wildlife Profile |
Travel Style |
| Greenland |
Deep fjords, towering icebergs, sheer peaks, massive ice sheet |
4,500+ years of living Inuit culture, vibrant fishing towns |
Humpback/minke whales, musk oxen, Arctic fox, seabirds |
Small-ship expedition cruising; zero roads between settlements |
| Iceland |
Volcanoes, geothermal hot springs, waterfalls, lava fields |
Nordic European history, high-density modern tourism |
Puffins, Icelandic horses, whales (fewer Arctic land mammals) |
Accessible road-tripping (Ring Road), boutique hotels, buses |
| Antarctica |
Absolute polar isolation, continent surrounded by ocean |
Zero indigenous population; scientific research bases only |
Hundreds of thousands of penguins, leopard seals, orcas |
Strictly expedition ship-based; heavily regulated IAATO landings |
In summary, Iceland is a convenient, highly developed “fire and ice” road trip with bustling tourist corridors; Antarctica is an otherworldly, uninhabited wildlife pilgrimage dominated by penguin rookeries; and Greenland represents the perfect equilibrium: majestic polar ice and staggering scenery combined with authentic human history, living indigenous culture, and profound tranquility.
Question 3: Why Sail Silversea Expeditions?
“Why choose Silversea over larger cruise lines or basic expedition operators?”
Ignacio Maza: “Silversea’s Silver Wind provides the optimal balance: serious polar exploration capability paired with uncompromising Italian luxury, world-class dining, and personalized butler service.”
Navigating deep into East Greenland fjords where cascading glacial meltwater and dramatic ice falls meet calm, sheltered Arctic seas.
1. The Advantage of the Reimagined Silver Wind
Following an extensive multi-million-dollar polar conversion, Silver Wind was reinforced with an Ice Class 1C hull, allowing her to safely navigate polar waters, drift ice, and remote coastal channels with complete confidence. Yet, despite her rugged expedition hardware, the ship remains an intimate luxury haven:
- Intimate Capacity: Hosting just 274 guests, Silver Wind can access shallow inlets, fjords, and anchorages that mega-cruise ships simply cannot navigate.
- All-Suite Accommodations: Every stateroom on board is an ocean-view suite, with over 90% featuring private teak verandas—essential for spotting feeding whales or watching icebergs drift by in your robe.
- Dedicated Butler Service: Every suite, regardless of tier, enjoys personal butler service to unpack luggage, polish expedition boots, serve private in-suite dinners course-by-course, and keep your champagne chilled.
- Rapid Zodiac Dispatch: With 24 Zodiacs carrying only 8 to 10 guests each, embarkation and disembarkation are exceptionally fast. You spend your precious daylight exploring ashore, not waiting in shipboard queues.
2. An Unrivaled 28-Member Expedition Team
A polar expedition is only as good as the guides leading your outings. Silversea staffs each Greenland sailing with a 28-member multidisciplinary expedition team comprising marine biologists, glaciologists, historians, ornithologists, professional photographers, and local Inuit cultural experts who deliver enriching daily lectures and accompany every Zodiac excursion and tundra hike.
Question 4: What Are the Top Highlights of a Greenland Cruise?
A typical Silversea Greenland voyage weaves through sheltered fjords, historic settlements, and monumental ice fields. Here are the landmark experiences you can anticipate:
Sculptural icebergs reflected in mirror-calm fjord waters under the Arctic sun.
Vibrant, colorful wooden homes in remote Greenlandic coastal settlements.
1. Ilulissat Icefjord (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Located in Disko Bay, Ilulissat is the undisputed crown jewel of Greenland. It is fed by the Sermeq Kujalleq (Jakobshavn Glacier), one of the fastest-moving glaciers in the world, discharging over 20 million tons of ice each day. The resulting icebergs—some towering more than 200 feet above the water and stretching several city blocks in length—ground along the mouth of the fjord, creating a cathedral of ancient ice. Cruising past these monoliths by Zodiac or hiking the elevated boardwalk to the UNESCO viewpoint is an emotional, unforgettable encounter.
2. Nuuk: A Dynamic Arctic Capital
Nuuk offers a captivating synthesis of ancient Inuit heritage and modern Nordic cosmopolitanism. Travelers can visit the Greenland National Museum to witness the world-famous 500-year-old Qilakitsoq mummies, explore contemporary Greenlandic art at the Nuuk Art Museum, and sample innovative Arctic cuisine (such as musk ox carpaccio, smoked Arctic char, and wild angelica) at forward-thinking local bistros.
3. Prins Christianssund & Skjoldungen Fjord
At Greenland’s southern tip, ships navigate Prins Christianssund (Ikerasassuaq), a breathtaking 60-mile waterway flanked by near-vertical 3,000-foot granite mountains with waterfalls tumbling directly into the sea. On East Greenland itineraries, navigating Skjoldungen Fjord and approaching the majestic Thrym Glacier offers awe-inspiring silence broken only by the rumble of glacial calving.
Question 5: What is Kayaking & Zodiac Exploration Like?
Sea kayaking in mirror-still glacial fjords: paddling silently past ancient sapphire-blue ice floes.
Kayaking in Greenland is an exceptionally intimate way to experience polar waters. When you glide across the water at water level in complete silence, the only sound you hear is the rhythmic dip of your paddle and the subtle “pop and hiss” of ancient pressurized air bubbles escaping from melting glacial ice—often referred to by glaciologists as glacial seltzer.
Silversea provides top-of-the-line sea kayaks, dry suits, and specialized safety briefings led by certified polar kayak instructors. In addition, guests take daily Zodiac cruises that safely navigate among floating brash ice and approach sea caves, waterfall basins, and secluded bird cliffs.
Question 6: Who is Ideally Suited for Greenland — And Who Isn’t?
✓ The Ideal Greenland Traveler
- Curious explorers who value raw, untouched natural landscapes over man-made entertainment.
- Seasoned travelers who have visited Alaska, Norway, or Antarctica and seek a rarer, uncrowded destination.
- Cultural seekers who want genuine interactions with Inuit communities, artists, and historians.
- Photographers & nature lovers eager to capture 24-hour midnight sun light, whales, and icebergs.
- Travelers with reasonable mobility able to step in and out of Zodiacs and walk uneven tundra.
✗ Who Might Prefer Another Journey
- Travelers looking for warm-weather tropical beaches or lounging poolside in bathing suits.
- Guests seeking bustling nightlife, high-end designer shopping boulevards, or casinos.
- Travelers requiring rigid, minute-by-minute itineraries that cannot tolerate weather or drift ice adjustments.
- Anyone unwilling to dress in layers or venture into crisp polar morning air (40°–55°F).
Question 7: How Should Advisors Position & Book Greenland?
For travel advisors introducing Greenland to their prospective clients, here are strategic recommendations from Ignacio Maza:
- Frame it as an Expedition, Not a Commercial Cruise: Greenland is about discovery, flexibility, and frontier exploration. Preparing clients to embrace the journey as a luxury expedition sets the perfect expectation.
- Leverage Silversea’s Door-to-Door Inclusions: Commercial air travel into Greenland can be complex. Silversea simplifies logistics by providing private charter flights directly from Reykjavik (Keflavik) or Copenhagen straight into Kangerlussuaq or Nuuk, complete with luggage handling and airport transfers.
- Encourage Pre- or Post-Extensions in Iceland: Because many Greenland expeditions embark or disembark via Reykjavik, pairing 2 to 3 nights in Iceland (visiting the Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, and downtown Reykjavik) creates an extraordinary Arctic dual-destination vacation.
- Secure Suites Early: With only 274 guests per sailing on Silver Wind and a limited 8-week peak summer season, prime veranda suites frequently sell out 10 to 14 months in advance.
Advisor Discussion & Feedback
AB
Ann Baucom, MCC
• Master Cruise Counselor
“Wonderful article, Ignacio! You truly made me feel like I was there. The distinction between Iceland, Antarctica, and Greenland will be invaluable when presenting polar options to my luxury clients.”
Ignacio Maza • Author Reply
“Thank you, Ann! I’m thrilled you found this helpful. Greenland is an unforgettable frontier that deserves to be on every luxury client’s radar.”
IM
About the Author: Ignacio Maza
Senior Luxury Travel Advisor • Executive Vice President, Signature Travel Network • 40+ Years Luxury Travel Veteran
Ignacio Maza has spent over four decades in executive leadership across luxury hospitality and travel, having previously held senior leadership roles at Virtuoso, American Express, TWA, and Pan American World Airways. A prolific travel writer for Luxury Travel Advisor, AFAR, and Travel + Leisure, Ignacio has traveled to over 100 countries and personally evaluates premier expedition ships, lodges, and destinations worldwide.