Few destinations on Earth can compare to the Arctic, with its other-worldly beauty, ice-capped peaks, majestic fjords, picturesque fishing villages, and abundant wildlife. Spectacular centuries-old glaciers glisten blue, whales turn arcs in the water while polar bears, harp seals, puffins, and other birds thrive along the unspoiled seacoast. Sailing from Toronto, we will navigate the St. Lawrence Seaway and its incredible locks, and continue along the St. Lawrence River and the heavily indented coast of Labrador, keeping watch for beluga, minke, and fin whales as well as gannets and puffins nesting on the cliffs, and explore isolated fishing communities and historic sites, including Red Bay and Battle Harbor.

Baffin Island, part of Canada’s newest territory, Nunavut, created in 1999 and inhabited largely by the Inuit, harbors pristine wilderness and an abundance of wildlife. In Greenland, discover a land of glaciers, tundra, and centuries-old villages whose life is closely connected with the sea. On one of our several expeditions aboard our Zodiac landing craft, we will float among the icebergs and floes for an intimate look at the Ilulissat Ice Fjord. Summer is the best time of year to explore these pristine lands, with long daylight, ideal for exploring the treasures of the Arctic.

Clelia II navigates the renowned Thousand Islands, a popular vacation spot for over a century. Then enter the St. Lawrence Seaway, a system of lakes, canals, and locks that provide a deepwater passage from Lake Ontario to the St. Lawrence River—and a glimpse of North America’s heartland.

The second-largest French-speaking city in the Western world after Paris, Montreal is one of North America’s most cosmopolitan cities, striking a dynamic balance between the avant-garde and Old World charms. Our tour includes a stroll through the cobblestoned streets of Vieux-Montreal (the old quarter); resplendent Notre Dame Basilica; and Mont-Royal Park, where the Iroquois established their original settlement. The afternoon is at leisure to further discover Montreal on your own.

Sail through the Strait of Belle Isle to Red Bay on the mainland of Labrador, which was established some 400 years ago by Basque settlers. Explore Red Bay, also a national historic site, and learn about its fishing and maritime traditions. This afternoon sail to Battle Harbour, a small island near the coast of Labrador. Founded in 1759, one of the earliest European settlements in Labrador, Battle Harbour prospered from its fishing and maritime activities, becoming Labrador’s capital in 1848. As the region’s fishing industry faded, so did the fortunes of this lovely town, when it was abandoned in the early 1960s. Declared a protected national historic site, the island is now under the care of the Battle Harbour Historic Trust.

From Cape Harrison, explore the spectacular Labrador coast via Clelia II’s Zodiac landing craft. Dotted with small settlements accessible only by sea or by air, the jagged, mountainous coastline is one of the most remote and unspoiled regions of North America. The coastline, particularly near Cape Harrison, is known as “Iceberg Alley” for the thousands of icebergs that traverse these waters every spring and summer before melting in the warmer waters off Newfoundland.

Sail along Labrador’s remote coast to the seldom-visited fishing village of Nain, the region’s northernmost settlement. Visit the Piulimatsivik-Nain Museum, containing exhibits on both the indigenous Inuits of Labrador, whose artisans are famous for their soapstone carving, and the Moravian missionary community that settled here in 1771.

Clelia II cruises the coast of northern Labrador, a wilderness of rugged seacoasts, fast-running rivers, and breathtaking mountain ranges contrasting sharply with the northern tundra. The area is rich in marine life and shorebirds, especially puffins, which breed in large colonies. Experience the awesome scenery and the rich bird life and wildlife of the Button Islands via Zodiac landing craft.

Land on the Lemieux Islands, an archipelago lining Baffin Island’s Hall Peninsula in Nunavut, created by Canada in 1999 as a self-governing territory for the Inuit, who make up 85% of the region’s population. In Inuktitut, nunavut means “our land.” Use Zodiac landing craft to explore these seldom-visited islands and their wildlife and then cruise in the Cumberland Sounds toward Pangnirtung.

The small Inuit village of Pangnirtung is built on the side of a spectacular fjord and is our gateway to Auyuittuq (“the land that never melts”) National Park. Ice-capped jagged peaks reaching to 7,000 feet, Arctic tundra, long fjords, and glacier-scarred valleys mark the area. Explore this magnificent region and its abundant wildlife. Arctic hare, arctic fox, and caribou are common here, as is the polar bear, which breeds along the eastern shore of Baffin Island. The waters off the park are home to ringed, bearded, and harp seals; beluga whales; narwhal; and walrus.

Sail into Disko Bay and explore the Ilulissat Ice Fjord, an extension of the Greenland Ice Cap, the world’s fastest flowing glacier outside Antarctica. Board Zodiacs to cruise among the icebergs and floes. Later in the day, arrive at the Inuit village of Ilulissat, beautifully set at the mouth of Ice Fjord. Explore the Royal Greenland Processing Plant, where the bounty of Greenland’s fertile seas is processed; the Knud Rasmussen Museum, in honor of Ilulissat’s most famous native son, with its exhibits on ancient Inuit artifacts and Rasmussen’s expeditions across the North American Arctic; and the restored Turf House located just outside the museum. Also, visit the Lutheran Mount Zion Church, a Danish-style timber structure built in 1779 and one of the largest churches in Greenland.

Cruise along Greenland’s fjord-lined west coast to arrive in Sisimiut, an important fishing center. Located above the Arctic Circle, the midnight sun is visible here during the summer months. The region was once occupied by the ancient Saqqaq culture that, archaeologists believe, migrated from Canada 4,500 years ago. See what locals call “Legoland,” or the newest section of town, with its multicolored block houses and stop at the Sisimiut Workshop for Arts, an old harbor warehouse converted into a studio for local artists. Continue to the Old Town, whose oldest house dates from 1756. Visit Sisimiut Museum; the meat market; and several colorful homes.

Disembark in Kangerlussuaq and transfer to the airport for a chartered flight to Montreal. Upon arrival in Montreal, check in to the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, our accommodations for the night.

1-night stay at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in Montreal
• 14-night cruise aboard the all-suite, 100-guest Clelia II
• Welcome and farewell cocktail receptions aboard ship
• All meals aboard ship, including house wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
• Open bar aboard ship throughout the cruise
• Complete program of tours and excursions
• Educational program of lectures and discussions by accompanying guest lecturers
• Complete pre-departure materials
• Baggage handling and transfers abroad on the designated program departure and arrival dates
• Port and embarkation taxes
• Gratuities to porters, guides and drivers