Northern Europe
Fjords, polar bears and the northern lights
A Northern Europe yacht charter means two seasons. From June to August, Norway's fjords and coast under the midnight sun, Svalbard's polar bears at 80 degrees north, Iceland's whales and waterfalls and Greenland's icebergs. From November to April, the orcas and the northern lights of northern Norway. It takes an expedition yacht, with an ice-class hull and the tenders to reach the glaciers, and we manage one built for it: ARCTIC.
Summer
June to August: the fjords, the midnight sun, Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland
Winter
November to April: orcas, the northern lights and snow to the waterline in northern Norway
Fly into
Bergen, Tromsø, Evenes, Longyearbyen, Reykjavik, Nuuk or Kangerlussuaq, depending on the week
The yachts
Expedition yachts with ice-class hulls and big tender fleets. ARCTIC, which we manage, leads
The weeks
Seven nights, round trips or one way, and any of them can grow
Who it suits
Active families, people who have done the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, and wildlife lovers
This is the charter for people who have done the Mediterranean and the Caribbean and want something nobody else at the dinner party has done. It is active, it is wild, and the comfort of the yacht at the end of each day is what makes it a holiday rather than an expedition. A glacier landing before lunch, the hot tub after, and a dinner nobody else could have got you to.
Ellie on Norway
How we do Norway on ARCTIC
Ellie Malouf · Ahoy Club
I hosted a trip on ARCTIC through the Norwegian fjords for some of the best charter brokers in the world, and even for people who have been on every yacht going, it was on another level. She started life as a North Sea tug, one of the strongest, most capable vessels ever built, and you can feel that history the moment you step on board.
This is what I would tell a friend to do on their first week up there.
What to do · swipe
“I've been lucky to experience some incredible yachts, and none have left a mark quite like ARCTIC. She has soul, real history, and a warmth that's hard to explain until you're on board, brought to life by a crew who truly feel like a family. Move it straight to the top of your bucket list.”
Ellie Malouf
Ahoy Club
Ellie on Norway
How we do Norway on ARCTIC
I hosted a trip on ARCTIC through the Norwegian fjords for some of the best charter brokers in the world, and even for people who have been on every yacht going, it was on another level. She started life as a North Sea tug, one of the strongest, most capable vessels ever built, and you can feel that history the moment you step on board.
This is what I would tell a friend to do on their first week up there.
Every one of these is from the week I hosted on board.
What to do
01 / 07
“I've been lucky to experience some incredible yachts, and none have left a mark quite like ARCTIC. She has soul, real history, and a warmth that's hard to explain until you're on board, brought to life by a crew who truly feel like a family. Move it straight to the top of your bucket list.”
A reply from someone who has been, usually the same day.
The chart
See how the region fits together
Norway's coast from Bergen to Alta, Svalbard at 80 degrees north, Iceland, and three corners of Greenland. Pick a week to light up its route and see where you are each day, or tap a stop for the one line that matters about it.
Itineraries
Eleven weeks we start from
Ten summer weeks across Norway, Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland, and a winter week for the orcas and the northern lights. Seven nights each, and every one a starting point: we reshape it around your group and your yacht, and the captain sets the final route around the ice and the weather.
Norway Summer, and the winter week
Norway in winter: the orcas and the northern lights
Evenes7 stopsAlta
Lofoten's fishing villages, the Lyngen Alps on skis or a husky sled, a day with a Sámi family and their reindeer, and a day in the water with the orcas. Evenes to Alta.
Open
The Norwegian Fjords from Bergen
Bergen8 stopsBergen
ARCTIC's home waters: Hardanger and Sogn, a helicopter onto two glaciers, cider farms, a Viking lunch and an island whisky distillery. Short legs, Bergen and back.
Open
The Arctic Circle Passage: Bergen to Tromsø
Bergen8 stopsTromsø
The whole coast in a week under the midnight sun: Geiranger, the hole through Torghatten, the Arctic Circle at Træna, Manshausen, Lofoten and the whales off Andøya.
Open
The Lyngen Alps and Senja from Tromsø
Tromsø7 stopsTromsø
Ski from the yacht in spring, hike under the midnight sun in summer: the Lyngen Alps, the outer islands, Sommarøy's white beaches and Senja's peaks.
OpenSvalbard and Iceland June to August
Svalbard: polar bears at 80° North
Longyearbyen7 stopsLongyearbyen
The strongest polar bear week we have: Pyramiden, the walrus at Poolepynten, Ny-Ålesund's icebergs, Magdalenefjorden and north to the pack ice.
Open
Iceland's wild north from Akureyri
Akureyri8 stopsAkureyri
Humpbacks in Eyjafjörður, the sea baths at Húsavík, Dettifoss, puffins on the Arctic Circle at Grímsey and Icelandic horses in Skagafjörður.
Open
Iceland's west and the Westfjords from Reykjavik
Reykjavik8 stopsReykjavik
Snæfellsnes, the car-free island of Flatey, Dynjandi, Vigur's puffins, Hornstrandir by sea and the Látrabjarg cliffs. Direct flights at both ends.
OpenGreenland Summer
Disko Bay and the Ilulissat Icefjord
Kangerlussuaq7 stopsKangerlussuaq
The flagship: stand on the ice sheet, then the icebergs of the Ilulissat Icefjord, a day in front of the calving Eqi glacier and Disko Island.
Open
East Greenland: Scoresby Sund
Constable Pynt7 stopsDanmark Ø
The biggest fjord system on earth: musk oxen, an Inuit hunting town, the iceberg graveyard round Red Island and walls of two thousand metres.
Open
South Greenland: the Norse fjords
Nuugaarsuk7 stopsUunartoq
Erik the Red's farm, Hvalsey Church, Tasermiut's granite walls, a whole day through Prins Christian Sund and hot springs among the icebergs.
Open
Nuuk and the Godthåb Fjord
Nuuk7 stopsNuuk
Greenland's capital, humpbacks at the fjord mouth, Arctic char at Qooqqut, a glacier off the ice sheet and the Norse Western Settlement.
Open
- Managed by Ahoy Club
- In Europe for all of 2027
Meet ARCTIC
The Guinness World Record explorer yacht, managed by Ahoy Club
There is only one ARCTIC
At 88 metres she is the largest explorer yacht you can charter anywhere in the world, and for more than half a century she has gone where other yachts would not.
She has circumnavigated the globe, cruised from Tahiti to Alaska, crossed into Antarctica and won a World Superyacht Award along the way. She is part salvage tug, part legend, and entirely her own. Her owners have trusted us to share her with the charter world, and we intend to do her justice: every guest who steps on board should leave knowing exactly why she is so loved.
1969
Built to work. Launched as an ice-class salvage tug, one of the strongest, most capable vessels of her day, built for the North Sea at its worst.
1994
The first of her kind. Kerry Packer turned her into the world's first true luxury expedition yacht, and the largest converted explorer of her time.
Since
Around the world. Decades of private world cruising: a circumnavigation, Tahiti to Alaska, Antarctica, a World Superyacht Award, and a Guinness World Record for the furthest south any motor yacht has been.
Guinness World Record holder
No landscape is too far
ARCTIC holds the Guinness World Record for reaching the southernmost point ever navigated by a motor yacht. So never hesitate to ask for somewhere specific. She is an adventure boat, always after the next adventure, and with ARCTIC there are no limits.
In Europe for all of 2027, winter and summer
Confirmed and committed to Europe for the whole year. Norway is her base, and from there Svalbard, Iceland, Greenland and beyond are all open to you.
Winter: January to April
Northern Norway
Snow to the waterline, the orcas following the herring into the fjords, the northern lights overhead, and skiing straight from the yacht in the Lyngen Alps.
The winter weekSummer: May to September
The fjords and the far north
Norway's fjords and coast under the midnight sun, then Svalbard's polar bears, Iceland's whales and waterfalls, and Greenland's icebergs.
The summer weeksAny time
Beyond
Somewhere that is not on the list? Ask. She has cruised every ocean and been further south than any motor yacht in history. If it is on the water, she can take you there.
Life on board
Five-star, at the edge of the world
After a day on the ice, this is what you come back to. Warm, refined interiors and seven spacious suites, a private 4D cinema, a massage and wellness suite, a gym, and an adjustable-depth pool and Jacuzzi that work in any season. Her decks are among the largest of any charter yacht, and the helideck becomes a dining room, a yoga deck or a dance floor under the stars.
The dive centreA full dive centre on board, with the scuba equipment and the crew to take you diving wherever she anchors DiningSo many spaces to dine that a long charter never repeats itself: inside, out on deck with the heaters and blankets, or on the helideck under the stars WellnessMassage suite, gym, and a pool and Jacuzzi for any season 
The toysSeven tenders, from a 10m Riva to landing craft, plus jet skis, kayaks and paddleboards
- Length
- 88 m
- Guests
- 12 in 7 suites
- Crew
- 28
- Tenders
- 7
- Helideck
- Yes
- Hull
- Ice class
How we manage her
Her owners trusted us with her. We take that personally.
We run ARCTIC's charter programme for her owners, planned with Captain Paul and a crew who have been with her for decades, some heads of department for over thirty years. You get one Ahoy Club contact from the first call, and the same team and standard as the Malouf family's own yachts.
When to go
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
- June to August: the midnight sun. The fjords, the Arctic Circle passage, Svalbard, Iceland and West Greenland. Our summer months.
- Late August and September: East and South Greenland, once the ice has cleared from Scoresby Sund and Prins Christian Sund. The fjords are still lovely.
- November to April: northern Norway in winter. The orcas follow the herring into the fjords, the northern lights come out on clear nights, and in spring the skiing from the yacht in the Lyngen Alps is some of the best in the world.
- May and October: the yachts moving between seasons. We would rather you came either side of them.
Getting there
Norway: Bergen, Evenes, Tromsø and Alta, all a short hop from Oslo, with direct flights to Bergen and Tromsø from London. Svalbard: Longyearbyen, from Tromsø or Oslo. Iceland: Keflavík, direct from the US and most of Europe, then Akureyri. Greenland: Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq have international flights; Constable Pynt is a short flight from Iceland. A private jet makes the far ones easy.
How we'd plan it
What we tell people before they book
Two seasons, two different trips
Summer is long days, calm fjords, hiking, kayaks and the ice of Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland. Winter is snow, a few hours of soft light, the orcas, the reindeer and the northern lights. Decide which you want first, then we pick the week.
Start with a guide on board
A full-time polar guide is where we start every plan. The guide knows the Sámi families, the orca skippers and the farm restaurants, and turns a beautiful week into an extraordinary one. On ARCTIC it is the Explorer level.
The ice and the weather decide
The days on every itinerary are the route we would suggest. On board, the captain sets the final one around the ice, the weather and the wildlife. That is part of it: a polar bear on the ice is worth changing a day for.
Book the far ones early
Svalbard and Greenland need permits, expedition guides and, for landings, armed polar bear guards, and the few yachts that go are only in each region for part of the summer. Talk to us a year ahead for those weeks.
Join two weeks together
Most weeks are seven nights, but the best trips join two: the fjords then the Arctic Circle, or Iceland then East Greenland. Extra nights are always possible.
Pack for the deck, not the beach
Layers, a good waterproof and proper boots. An expedition yacht has the gear, the wetsuits for the orcas and the drysuits for the kayaks, and the sauna and hot tub for after.
Yachts
On the water in Northern Europe
The expedition yachts and explorers that come north in season, live from our charter list. ARCTIC leads because we manage her; the rest change with the month.
The live list for Northern Europe is a tap away.
Every yacht available here, with its published weekly rate.
Explore available yachtsQuestions we get asked
Northern Europe, answered
Common questions
When is the best time for a yacht charter in Norway, Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland?
There are two seasons. June to August for the fjords, the midnight sun, Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland, with late summer for East and South Greenland once the ice clears. November to April for northern Norway in winter: the orcas, the northern lights and the snow. May and October are the yachts moving between the two.
Can you see the northern lights from a yacht?
Yes, and the deck of a yacht in a dark fjord is one of the best places to see them, away from any town's lights. They appear on clear nights from late September to early April; our winter week in northern Norway runs from November to April and is built around them and the orcas.
Can you swim with orcas in Norway?
Yes. In winter the orcas follow the herring into the fjords of northern Norway, and with a marine guide and the right conditions you can snorkel with them from a heated RIB. It is the highlight of our winter week, in Kvænangen, and the guide decides on the day whether it is safe.
Can a yacht see polar bears in Svalbard?
Svalbard is the best place in Europe to see them, and our Svalbard week is the strongest polar bear itinerary we have. The yacht pushes north to the edge of the pack ice, ice and weather allowing, and approaches by Zodiac with an expedition guide. Every landing goes ashore with armed guards under the Governor of Svalbard's rules.
Which yachts charter in Northern Europe?
Expedition yachts: ice-class hulls, big tender fleets and often a helideck, because the best of it is out on the ice or with the whales. Only a handful charter this far north. ARCTIC, the 88-metre ice-class yacht we manage, is the one we know best: the largest explorer yacht for charter in the world and a Guinness World Record holder, with twelve guests in seven suites, a crew of 28, a helideck and the largest tender fleet in charter. She is in Europe for the whole of 2027, winter and summer. Ask us which others are in the region the month you want.
How long is a yacht charter in Northern Europe?
Most weeks are seven nights, round trips from Bergen, Tromsø, Longyearbyen, Akureyri, Reykjavik, Nuuk or Kangerlussuaq, or one way from Bergen to Tromsø. Any week can be extended, and the best trips join two regions together.
Do you need permits for Svalbard and Greenland?
Yes. Svalbard and East Greenland need permits, expedition guides and armed polar bear guards for landings, and a helicopter needs local permission to fly. We arrange all of it before the charter.
Is a Northern Europe charter suitable for children?
Very. The Norwegian fjords from Bergen and Iceland's north are the weeks we suggest for families: short legs, waterfalls, whales, puffins, kayaks and Viking history. The orca swimming is for confident swimmers, with an age set by the guides, and Svalbard and Greenland suit older children best.
Want this shaped around you?
Tell us the month and who is coming. We tell you which yachts are where that month, which week suits the group, and how much guiding and adventure to build in.