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Ship:  MV Orlova

Itinerary:  Arctic Explorer

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Day 1 :	Kuujjuaq
Days 2-9 :	Exploring the Arctic Seascape
Day 10 :	Kuujjuac
	Click for full itinerary

Days	Dates	Deck + Cabin Type
Destinations : Arctic, Baffin Island Activities : Ancient Ruins, Cultural Activities, Modern History, Nature Viewing, Photography, Whale Watching

Summer comes early to Hudson Strait, traditional hunting ground for nomadic Inuit cultures. The deep undercurrents of the Atlantic Ocean rise to meet the Arctic seas, and nutrient-rich waters stimulate the growth of phytoplankton that feed the entire marine food chain. Tides exceed 16 metres (50 feet), some of the highest in the world, and icebergs drifting down from Greenland gather in the calm waters of Ungava Bay. Here, under the circling midnight sun, wildlife sightings are more predictable. Polar bears patrol the ice floes in search of dozing walrus and seals, and we call in at a few of the small, traditional Inuit communities to learn more about this fascinating culture.

Day 1 : Kuujjuaq

We depart from Montreal to Kuujjuaq, a name that means “Great River” in Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit. After a brief tour of the town and buffet lunch, we transfer to the ship and prepare for our expedition. We may have time to visit the restored Hudson’s Bay Company fur trading post at Old Fort Chimo, the site of the original settlement dating back to 1830.

Days 2-9 : Exploring the Arctic Seascape

Among the places we may visit are:

Akpatok Island
An uninhabited island of soaring bird cliffs and small rocky beaches. Here we’ll use our zodiacs to scout the beaches in search of walrus and polar bears.

Kangiqsujuaq
Passing through a deep fiord with steep rocky walls, we anchor in Wakeham Bay. We feast on locally harvested foods, and enjoy an amazing performance of traditional Inuit throat singing and drum dancing.

Digges Island
At Digges Island, we visit the spot where Henry Hudson first encountered native Inuit.

Cape Dorset & Mallikjuak Territorial Park
Cape Dorset is widely known as the Inuit art capital of the world. We’ll take time to enjoy the artists’ creations – scrimshaw, fine soapstone carvings, stonecut printing, lithographic printmaking, etching and sculpting. At nearby Mallikjuaq Island we explore archaeological sites dating back three millennia.

Kimmirut for Katannilik Territorial Park (Soper Heritage River)
We hike along the shores of Soper Lake and picnic beside the emerald-green waters of Soper River. We’ll visit the community of Kimmirut for demonstrations of soapstone carving and stencil print making.

Inukjuaq
This Hudson Bay community has a wonderful Inuit cultural artifact museum, surrounded by expansive plateaus with breathtaking views of lakes and rivers. We hike across the tundra, keeping watch for wildlife and important archaeological sites.

Day 10 : Kuujjuac

Disembark in Kuujjuac and fly Montreal for return flights home

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- Additional fuel surcharge of $58/night on ship, per person, for Antarctic departures between Oct 2008 - Mar 2009.
- GUARANTEED NO FUEL SURCHARGE FOR CRUISES FROM APR 2009- MAR 2010
-Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double or triple occupancy. Request the Twin or Triple Share Program where you are matched with a cabin mate of the same gender. Even if a cabinmate is not found for you, no single supplement will be charged.
-Standard Twin Cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.7 times the shared price
-Emergency medical evacuation coverage for a minimum of US$100,000 per person required. Contact us for details on arranging travel insurance.

Ship Description: MV Orlova

click to enlarge
  Voyage on expedition cruise ship MV Orlova for a fantastic polar adventure

Built in Yugoslavia in 1976 and refurbished in 2006, the M/V Orlova is a 90 meter ice-strengthened passenger ship. Ship features include a fully equipped lecture hall and theatre, attractive bar and lounge, and also a well stocked Antarctic library. There is an excercise room, and there is a medical infirmary and physician on board.

Accommodation onboard ranges from triple and twin cabins to superiors and suites. All cabins have two lower berths and private facilities with either a porthole or window. They also feature a writing desk, sitting space and ample storage.

Our European chefs serve delicious international cuisine and the comfortable bar is stocked with a good selection of wine and spirits. The ship is crewed by Russian officers and crew, all highly experienced in polar navigation. Our team of naturalists and lecturers from all over the world will offer a unique educational program for passengers during their Antarctica travel, covering subjects such as natural history, ornithology, marine biology, geography, geology, history and the environment.

We maintain an 'open bridge' policy which means that you are almost always welcome to visit the Bridge with its sophisticated communication and navigation equipment at any time (subject to weather conditions). Passengers can use the ship's sophisticated communication equipment for satellite phone and email service.

Triple 7 cabins (400-405, 416) with private baths with shower. 180 sq ft. Each has 2 chairs, 3 wardrobes, cupboard, telephone, window (doesn\'t open), two lower twin beds, and one upper bed	Lower Deck Twin 14 cabins (300-312, 315) with private baths with shower. 159 sq ft. Each has 2 chairs, 2 wardrobes, cupboard, telephone, 2 storage boxes, window (doesn\'t open), and two lower twin beds
Main Deck Twin 23 cabins (407-412, 414,415, 417-429, 431) with private baths with shower. 127 sq ft. Each has a chair, 2 wardrobes, cupboard, telephone, window (can be opened), and two lower twin beds	Captain Eight cabins (600-607) with private baths with shower. 110 sq ft. Each has a TV, safe, chair, wardrobe, cupboard, telephone, two windows (one window can be opened), and two lower twin beds
Superior Three cabins (503, 505, 506) with private baths with shower. 128 sq ft. Each has a TV, safe, two chairs, locker, telephone, two windows (one window can be opened), and two lower full beds	Amundsen Suite Two cabins (501 and 502) with private baths with shower. 334 sq ft. Each has a TV, sofa, safe, refrigerator, table/desk, 2 armchairs, wardrobe, locker, cupboard, telephone, 4 windows (some windows can be opened), and two full beds