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STANT ON TOP OF THE WOLRD IN 2020!
This incredible adventure starts in Murmansk, Russia. There you embark the nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Years of Victory for a roundtrip voyage to the geographic North Pole. Anticipation heightens as the mighty ship takes us smashing through the frozen Arctic Ocean toward our goal. In addition to the exhilaration of cruising aboard a state-of-the-art icebreaker and the thrill of standing at the top of the world, you also have the opportunity to explore the rarely visited Russian Arctic archipelago of Franz Josef Land. This is an extraordinary voyage on a one-of-a-kind ship, worthy of a true adventurer.
Day 1 - Murmansk, Russia
Welcome to the city of Murmansk on Russia’s Kola Peninsula, starting point of our adventure. Upon your arrival at the airport we provide a transfer to your hotel, which has been arranged by us and is included in the price of the voyage.
Day 2 - Murmansk; Embarkation Day
Today we provide a group transfer to the port where we welcome you aboard the nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy. Explore the ship and get orientated as we slip our moorings and sail north out of Kola Bay.
Day 3/6 - The Voyage North
Nowhere can it be more truly said that “getting there is half the fun”. As we cruise northward through the Barents Sea there is always the possibility of seeing whales. Meanwhile, you have the opportunity to learn about the unique icebreaking capabilities of the ship. You are also treated to a tour of the engine room.
As we make our way across the ice cap, you witness firsthand the ship’s awesome power as massive ice blocks give way under the enormous bulk of the spoon-shaped bow. The sensation of being on deck at this time is surreal and unforgettable.
We also take advantage of 24-hour daylight to offer helicopter flightseeing tours. From the air you can observe the ship crushing a path through the ice. You also have a unique vantage point from which to witness the stunning beauty of this vast polar icescape.
Day 7 - North Pole
Welcome to the geographic North Pole! After carefully navigating to 90 degrees North, we ceremoniously drop the anchor on a sturdy stretch of ice and disembark onto the frozen sea.
Now is the time to experiencing the long-anticipated thrill of standing at the top of the world. Join hands with your fellow passengers and literally walk around the world during our special International Round Dance. You are also treated to a barbeque meal on the ice. You may even have the chance to take a plunge into the icy water!
After our memorable time at the North Pole we turn around and head south. But the adventure is not over yet. The High Arctic archipelago of Franz Josef Land is still to come!
Day 8/10 - Exploration of Franz Josef Land
The Franz Josef Land archipelago, part of the Russian Arctic National Park since 2012, is a nature sanctuary. Polar bears and other quintessential High Arctic wildlife—such as walruses and some rare whale species—can be spotted anytime, anywhere in and around Franz Josef Land. Scree slopes and cliffs around the islands host enormous nesting colonies of migratory seabirds such as guillemots, dovekies, and ivory gulls. We take advantage of 24-hour daylight to exploit every opportunity for wildlife viewing and excursions via Zodiac and helicopter.
Franz Josef Land is home to some interesting geological features, such as the mysterious stone spheres on Champ Island. Collectors of geographical extremes may take note that Cape Fligely on Rudolf Island is the northernmost point of land in the Eastern Hemisphere.
Franz Josef Land also offers visitors the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of famous polar explorers at well-preserved historical sites. The journals of explorers such as Julius von Payer, Benjamin Leigh Smith, Frederick George Jackson, and Fridtjof Nansen come alive at Cape Norway, Cape Flora, Eira Harbour, and Cape Tegetthoff. Memorials, monuments, crosses, and the remains of dwellings are testimony to incredible historical events that are further illuminated by our expert lecturers.
Tikhaya Bukhta is currently a Russian Arctic National Park ranger station occupying Soviet-era research buildings and was also a major base for polar expeditions. Nearby, the fascinating columnar basalt cliffs of Rubini Rock are home to thousands of nesting seabirds.
Day 11/12 - The Voyage South
After our amazing time in Franz Josef Land we cross back south through the bountiful waters of the Barents Sea. Presentations and workshops by our expert staff ensure that these days at sea are not idly spent. You may also take advantage of onboard facilities and amenities such as a polar library, volleyball court, gym, two saunas, warm seawater pool, gift shop, and massage treatments. Seabird viewing and whale sightings can be enjoyed from panoramic open decks as well as exterior stateroom windows.
Day 13 - Murmansk; Disembarkation
Our once-in-a-lifetime journey comes to an end. After breakfast we say farewell in Murmansk. We provide you with a transfer to the airport for your flight home.
A RUSSIAN VISA IS REQUIRED FOR THE TRIP. THE VISA MUST BE OBTAINED BY THE CUSTOMER AND IS AT HIS OR HER EXPENSE. Please, contact your local Russian Consulate to learn more about the procedure for obtaining a Russian Visa.
Please consider that our voyages are expeditionary in nature. This means, that there are no concrete itineraries, your captain and expedition leader will utilise their vast experience to chart the best course for your expedition depending on the climatic and environmental conditions. Mentioned highlights and wildlife cannot be guaranteed.
The vast, intricate, and ever-changing icescape of the Arctic Ocean offers a unique and challenging world of subjects for photographers of all backgrounds. Our free photography program gives you the chance to learn and practice your photography skills alongside an expert photographer.
Primeval landscapes, intriguing geological features, poignant historical remains, and charismatic Arctic wildlife in Russia’s Franz Josef Land also provide a wealth of inspiration for the photographer. Our expert will be available to help you make the most of this bounty in your viewfinder.
We take advantage of continuous daylight to offer flightseeing tours with the icebreaker’s onboard helicopter. From aloft you have a unique and exciting perspective from which to witness the ship plowing its way through the ice and to experience the surreal beauty of the vast frozen ocean.
We also use the helicopter to achieve landings in Franz Josef Land when conditions prevent landings by Zodiac, giving you unparalleled access to this remote and hard-to-reach Arctic wilderness. Weather permitting, flightseeing tours and landings by helicopter are included free on all North Pole voyages.
Imagine standing on the only spot on the planet and no matter which direction you step it will always be Southward. From the North Pole, all directions are south. Its latitude is 90 degrees north, and all lines of longitude meet there (as well as at the South Pole, on the opposite end of the Earth). Polaris, the current North Star, sits almost motionless in the sky above the pole, making it an excellent fixed point to use in celestial navigation in the Northern Hemisphere.
When it comes to expedition vessels, there is none more serious than the 50 Years of Victory, she is the world’s largest, most powerful nuclear ice-breaker and the only nuclear powered tourist vessel in operation! With a spoon-shaped bow, her powerful engines, she is capable of breaking ice 2.5 metres thick, there is very little that is going to stop this vessel!
Imagine flying at the top of the world, this unique expedition travels with helicopters to allow just that! Of course, we are subject to the weather conditions at the Pole, there is a very good chance you will enjoy helicopter sightseeing at the North Pole. For those, with a true sense of adventure Hot Balloon tours can be booked at an additional cost.
As the Arctic pack ice sweeps across the North Pole it engulfs the coast of Franz Josef Land. Breeding home to one of the world’s greatest concentrations of polar bears and walruses, these isolated islands remain locked in ice for ten months of the year. Franz Josef Land remains a geographical mystery even in the new millennium.
Pre and post-cruise transfers are provided in Murmansk, as well as 1 night pre-cruise accommodation.
Expedition boots and a specially designed high quality polar expedition jacket are provided on board.
A helicopter aboard the 50 Years of Victory in our North Pole cruises lets our passengers be more than just spectators in this intrepid mission.
Our expert Photographer will be on hand to answer your questions and give advice, both in the form of on-board lectures and workshops on shore.
50 Years of Victory
We don’t have the heart to use she when we talk about i/b 50 Years of Victory – it’s not ladylike at all. Elegance doesn’t matter when it comes to the right vessel to take you to the top of the world. The most powerful icebreaker ever built generates 75,000 horsepower and crushes multi-year ice layers three meters thick. After a few days aboard, you’ll feel her (or him?) sharing power as you together battle your way through the Arctic icecap to 90º north. I/b 50 Years of Victory is not a tourist ship. Rather, the icebreaker was purpose-built to pilot scientific and cargo ships to hard-to-reach areas of the Arctic and along the Northeast Passage. It is just during the short summer months when adventurers get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to travel aboard this real working icebreaker to the geographic North Pole. The i/b 50 Years of Victory is the largest and most modern nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world. The spoon-shaped bow of the "Victory" is designed for greater icebreaking ability and makes the ship capable to force its way through 2.5 meters thick ice fields.
Single Traveller Options:
Family Options
| Luxury star rating: | 3 |
| Guests #: | 128 |
| Crew #: | 140 |
| Ice Class: | LL1 |
| Speed: | 21 |
| Refurbished: |
| Year built: | 1989 |
| Length: | 151m |
| Width: | 30 |
| Draft: | 11 |
| Tonnage: | 23440 |
| Registry: | Russia |
| Elec Outlets: | 220V / 2 Round Pin |
We understand that the trip of a lifetime takes planning, so we make the financial commitments easy to manage.
