Silversea’s passengers have crossed the iconic Northeast Passage for the first time in the line’s history.

Guests on board the Silver Explorer witnessed Polar bears and cubs navigating the ice and a vast number of Walruses swimming near the breathtakingly beautiful Kolyuchin Island.

All this while they enjoyed champagne and blinis with caviar in temperatures of just 3C.

“It was a life-defining voyage,” says Stefan Kredel, Silversea’s expedition leaders for this Northeast Passage crossing.

“Nothing is guaranteed this far north but we were very fortunate with the weather and ice conditions. We are delighted to have unlocked so many unique and memorable experiences for our guests in this remarkable region, from a folklore performance by locals in Provideniya to various sightings of Polar Bears and Walruses.”

The passengers travelled 5019 nautical miles between Nome and Tromso visiting 27 destinations across three countries from 10 August to 5 September. The itinerary included 15 experts from Silversea’s expedition team including three historians, a marine biologist, a botanist, a geologist, an ornithologist and a professional photographer.

The passengers travelled 5019 nautical miles between Nome and Tromso visiting 27 destinations across three countries from 10 August to 5 September. The itinerary included 15 experts from Silversea’s expedition team including three historians, a marine biologist, a botanist, a geologist, an ornithologist and a professional photographer.

Birdwatching fans saw Short-tailed Shearwaters, Crested Auklets, Brunnich’s Guillemots, Horned and Tufted Puffins, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Glaucous Gulls and Vega Gulls. Ornithologist Dr Dane Sheehan was on hand to identify the various species.

Near Kolyuchin Island, passengers climbed on zodiacs to witness seven Polar Bears in just one hour. At Ayon Island in the East Siberian Sea, passengers rose at 6am to search for wildlife in surrounding ice floes. They were not disappointed. Many walruses were spotted resting on ice and a spectacular Polar Bear sighting when a female bear and her two cubs were seen navigating the ice.

On the remote shores of Ostrov Isachenko, guests were given a once-in-a-lifetime experience when the ship’s hotel team ventured ashore and set up a temporary bar near an abandoned weather station serving champagne and blinis with caviar in temperatures of just 3C.

Silversea will offer two concurrent crossings of the Northwest and Northeast Passages next year.

There’s a 24-day voyage onboard Silver Cloud for the crossing of the Northwest Passage, departing Kangerlussuag for Nome on 21 August 2020 taking passengers to Greenland, Canada and Alaska.

The 25-day Northeast Passage crossing onboard Silver Explorer will depart Nome on 22 August 2020 for Tromso, visiting Alaska, Russia and Norway.