Cruise to the North Pole aboard the nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy (50 Years of Victory)
Voyage to the top of the world aboard the most powerful icebreaker ever built. Fewer than 30,000 people in history have stood at 90°N. This summer, you can join them.
About the cruise
The North Pole —
The Top of the World
An expedition to the North Pole is among the most exclusive journeys on Earth. Since the dawn of polar exploration, humans have been drawn to the heart of the Arctic, yet fewer than 30,000 people in history have stood at 90°N. Here you’ll breathe the polar air, watch multi-year ice drift past the hull, photograph polar bears and walruses in their last unspoiled habitat, and stand at the one place on Earth where every direction is south.
Our expedition departs from Murmansk aboard the nuclear icebreaker 50 Years of Victory. We will reach the North Pole, sail Arctic waters to the Franz Josef Land archipelago, land on its remote shores, and explore the ice by helicopter.
12–24 July 2026
Highlights
What awaits you
on the journey
Ceremony at the Top of the World — 90°N
The icebreaker slows. The captain comes on the radio: “We are at the Pole.” The expedition leader starts the countdown — and all 120 of us step out together onto the point where every meridian on Earth converges. Champagne on the ice, a polar barbecue, and embraces with strangers who have become friends after a week at sea. It hits you like New Year’s Eve when you were eight.
Wildlife
Bowhead whales. Narwhals. Belugas. Walruses. Polar bears. Franz Josef Land is one of the last places on Earth where you’ll see them all in a single week — undisturbed, in their own kingdom.
Helicopter flights
The Arctic from above. Helicopter flights take you over pack ice, glaciers and polar bear country — and double as airborne photography studios.
The Polar Banya
A traditional Russian sauna — wood-panelled, hot enough to redden your skin in seconds — followed by a plunge into the Arctic Ocean at 90°N. No experience like it on Earth.
Photography masterclasses
Onboard masterclasses with professional polar photographers — practical sessions on the ice, on the helicopter and on deck. Bring your camera; you’ll come home with frames worth printing wall-size.
A tour of the icebreaker’s nuclear heart
50 Years of Victory is propelled by two nuclear reactors with a combined output of 75,000 horsepower. During the voyage every guest can descend to the engine room and see the reactor compartment for yourself. This is the only working nuclear reactor on Earth that civilians are allowed to visit.
Itinerary
The expedition route
Day 1
Murmansk, Russia
Arrival in Murmansk
On arrival in Murmansk, a transfer takes you to a hotel in the city centre — overnight stay and breakfast are included in the cruise price. Use your free time to explore the largest city north of the Arctic Circle: walk along the Kola Bay embankment, see the world’s first nuclear icebreaker Lenin, and begin to feel the pull of the Arctic.
Day 2
Murmansk — departure
Embarkation
In the afternoon a transfer takes you to the port. You board the nuclear icebreaker 50 Years of Victory — 160 metres of steel, two nuclear reactors and 75,000 horsepower. Meet the expedition team, settle into your cabin and attend the welcome briefing. Towards evening the icebreaker sets out into Kola Bay — the mainland fades behind you.
Days 3–6
Arctic Ocean
Sailing to the North Pole
Four days through the ice of the Arctic Ocean. The icebreaker crushes three-metre-thick ice right beneath your feet — a sight you can watch from the deck for hours. Lectures by polar experts, visits to the bridge — where the navigator plots a course through the ice — and to the engine room with two operating nuclear reactors. Weather permitting, the first ice landings and helicopter flights over the icebreaker as it carves through the pack.
Day 7
North Pole · 90°N
We are at the top of the world
The captain gently manoeuvres the 160-metre vessel to bring her exactly onto 90°00′ North. Here every meridian on Earth converges — and every direction is south. Step out onto the ice for the formal champagne ceremony. Walk a circle around the Pole — the shortest round-the-world journey on Earth. Polar barbecue, a swim in the Arctic Ocean, banya and dancing. A call home from the Top of the World.
Days 8–10
Franz Josef Land
Islands of the Russian Arctic
Three days at Franz Josef Land — one of the most remote places on the planet. 192 glaciated islands where polar bears reign. They approach the side of the icebreaker, and you observe them from just metres away. Zodiac landings, helicopter flights, encounters with walruses and bird colonies. In Tikhaya Bay you visit the first Soviet polar station and the world’s northernmost post office.
Days 11–12
Return voyage
Heading back to Murmansk
The icebreaker turns south — the Barents Sea sees us off. Two days of open water — the expedition still echoing on board. The team prepares the final photo presentation — a chance to relive the highlights of the journey. Expedition member certificates are awarded. Farewell gala dinner with the captain. And the polar banya with a final plunge into Arctic waters — your last chance to dip in.
Day 13
Murmansk, Russia
Disembarkation
After breakfast — disembarkation and transfer to the airport or hotel. The journey ends, but something has shifted: you’re now one of the few thousand people in history who have stood at 90°N. Until the next expedition.
Special offer
Get the full cruise brochure
Day-by-day itinerary, deck plans, every cabin in detail, full pricing — delivered to your inbox in under 5 minutes.
- Day-by-day itinerary with photographs
- Deck plans and a description of each cabin
- The full list of included services
- Booking and payment terms
About the vessel
Icebreaker 50 Years of Victory
50 Years of Victory (originally 50 Let Pobedy) is the largest and most modern nuclear icebreaker in the world. An Arktika-class icebreaker commissioned in 2007, her two nuclear reactors deliver a combined 75,000 horsepower — enough to break through ice up to three metres thick.
Her robust design allows the vessel to reach the North Pole on a regular basis and return safely home. Over her career she has completed more than 60 voyages to the “Top of the World”.
On board
Amenities aboard the icebreaker
Dates and prices
North Pole cruises
Prices are quoted per person.
Included in the price
Not included
Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
An expedition cruise lets you reach remote and difficult-to-access places without sacrificing a reasonable level of comfort. You see, in person, what most people only see on television.
The whole point is to land — repeatedly — on shores with no infrastructure. That’s why expedition vessels are small: they reach places that standard cruise ships can’t.
For polar landings you will need warm waterproof clothing: thermal base layers, a fleece, a waterproof jacket and trousers, and warm boots with non-slip soles. Gloves and a hat are essential.
On board — comfortable everyday clothes. For the farewell dinner with the captain you may wish to bring something more formal. We recommend confirming the full packing list at the time of booking.
No special physical preparation is required. General fitness is enough — being able to walk on uneven surfaces and transfer in and out of Zodiac landing craft during shore landings.
Medical restrictions are minimal, but we recommend consulting your doctor, especially in the case of chronic conditions.
Yes — children are welcome from age 6. The expedition gives children a unique educational experience: lectures by polar scientists, wildlife observation and the chance to stand at the North Pole.
We recommend confirming accommodation details and family-friendly aspects of the programme with our manager in advance.
The day starts with a briefing where the team outlines the upcoming landings and weather conditions. Then come the expedition activities: shore landings by Zodiac, wildlife observation, helicopter flights.
In the evening — lectures by polar experts, dinner and informal time together. The programme is flexible and adapts to the weather and ice conditions.
The main factor when choosing your clothing is comfort. Casual and informal clothing is fine. For the evening events — the captain’s cocktail and the farewell gala dinner — we recommend bringing something more elegant.
Satellite communication is available on board. Bandwidth is limited — fine for messaging and email, not for video streaming. The ship offers satellite phone service for urgent calls home.
Mobile networks do not work at the North Pole, but the ship’s communications keep you in constant contact with the mainland.
Yes, a professional ship’s doctor is on board and a medical station is fitted out. Helicopter evacuation is possible if required. We recommend bringing any necessary medication and arranging insurance with evacuation cover.
The IMO ranks ocean cruising among the safest forms of leisure travel. All vessels meet strict international certification, and crews regularly drill emergency procedures.
A full set of safety and rescue equipment is available on board. The icebreaker <em>50 Years of Victory</em> has completed more than 60 successful voyages to the North Pole.
The expedition programme may be adjusted depending on ice conditions, weather and decisions of the captain. This is the nature of polar expeditions — nature dictates the route.
The team always aims to deliver the full programme, and any changes are compensated with alternative activities.
Shore and ice landings are made by Zodiac — agile, reliable and safe, the standard for expedition cruises.
At the North Pole the landing is made directly onto the ice — a unique moment you will remember for a lifetime.
Follow us
More from the journey
on our social channels
Stay in touch
More photos and videos
on our social channels
Special offers, traveller stories, expedition films and announcements of new departures.
Newsletter
Be the first to hear
about new dates and offers
Subscribe to receive only the essentials: early-booking promotions, available cabins and limited-time cruise offers.
No spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
Reviews
What guests say
about our Pole expeditions
for the North Pole
the North Pole with our club
The expedition to the North Pole was excellent. The impressions began the moment we saw the icebreaker 50 Years of Victory — she is huge, slightly intimidating, and the cabins are very comfortable. We had no prior experience of cruises like this, but I would not say it was hard. An unusual journey that will stay with you for a long time.
We took the cruise to the North Pole. A grand journey, every part of it unique and unusual — we absolutely loved it. The photographs came out unreal, and the polar banya stays with you. Every activity was included, and they even gifted us a jacket. Thank you for the excellent organisation.
Best operator for expedition cruises — and I have a lot of experience here. The destinations really are unusual, and everything is fully planned and organised: from the cabins to the programme and the locations. A professional approach at every stage.
In 2019 we sailed to the North Pole with a stop at Franz Josef Land — I recommend it without hesitation. This year our friends are going. We want to repeat a journey like this — that says it all.
It was a long-held dream of mine to reach the North Pole. There are many operators; I chose carefully — read the programme, looked at the reviews. Settled on this one and did not regret a single moment. Everything met my expectations and even exceeded them.
Our family wishes to thank you for the trip. Everything went very smoothly — we travelled with two children aged 7 and 11. A cruise on a comfortable vessel, with everything you need at hand. The programme is full but manageable, and genuinely engaging.
Other cruises
Popular expeditions
Antarctic Peninsula
North Pole · 90°N
Antarctic Peninsula
About the company
The Expedition Cruises Club
A trusted guide to the world of expedition travel — helping you reach the most remote corners of the planet.
“Achievers” with Oscar Konyukhov
Oscar is the son of Fyodor Konyukhov — the Russian explorer who has reached both Poles, summited Everest and sailed solo around the world. Guests on the show are people with global ambitions: polar explorers, entrepreneurs and researchers. Topics include leadership, resilience and the experience of trailblazers.
Operating expedition cruises since 2013. Thousands of clients have visited the most inaccessible places on the planet.
The North Pole, Antarctica, the Arctic, the Russian Far East, the Galápagos, French Polynesia and round-the-world voyages.
A small group means every guest receives personal attention. No crowds — only like-minded travellers.
We work directly with the world’s leading cruise operators. No hidden mark-ups — you pay only what the journey costs.
We work with Poseidon, Swan Hellenic, Ponant and other leading operators — only proven vessels and professional expedition teams.
Our managers stay in touch at every stage — they will help you choose a route, prepare your documents and answer questions at any time.
Officially registered tour operator under Russian law, with mandatory financial liability cover. Russian Tour Operator Registry: РТО 022681
All trips are fully protected — financial responsibility and client insurance are guaranteed by law.
