We depart Tromsø harbor, the main town of Northern Norway. As we sail out to Ballsfjorden, watch for porpoises, common eiders and sea eagles as you sit snuggled under cozy blankets with a mug of hot chocolate. If there is fresh snow on the deck and you’re feeling inspired, build a snowman on the deck and pose for photos! Depending on the weather and tides, you may sail past the Tirpitz shipwreck, cruise through ice floes, or see Olavsvern, a former Royal Norwegian Navy base. This Cold War-era base is an immense feat of engineering; 900 meters into the mountain exists an entire military base including; housing space, offices, storage and even a submarine dry dock! Your local guides will share the history and culture of the local sites as you cruise by. On most cruises, we sail deeper into the fjords where there's a chance to see a frozen fjord that is fed by many freshwater rivers and it is this freshwater that floats on top of the salty seawater, and freezes. It is unusual for fjords to freeze, since they are usually entirely salt water but here, the locals have adapted to this frozen fjord. We’ll sail in as far as we can, but we don’t want to break up too much ice. Although our hull is ice-class, it is important to respect the locals who call this palace home. They use the ice for ice fishing and if we break it apart, it becomes very unsafe for them to go fishing. Sit back in the top deck lounge, take a deep breath and enjoy the scenery and silence. You’ll also have the opportunity to taste a traditional slow-cooked reindeer soup. Join us in the warm saloon for a hearty lunch of soup, fresh bread, cookies, coffee and tea. The return cruise is casual with time for sipping hot drinks, taking in the sights and incredible photo opportunities. If you’ve upgraded your cruise to include the hot tub, now is the time to soak! Watch the beautiful fjord slip by in the winter light as you sit soaking in the deck top hot tub. As your polar fjord cruise comes to a close, admire the skyline of Tromsø in the lingering sunset light as we approach. We’ll slide back into the harbor in time for you to enjoy your evening in town.