Whether you're going for the snow safari, the winter sporting, or the ecological treasures, there is a perfect Arctic cruise for you. Visit Greenland, Iceland, Russia's Far East and Wrangel Island, Franz Josef Land, Labrador, Newfoundland, and Spitsbergen or go higher to the North Atlantic Islands or on up to the North Pole. Many trips include Alaskan, Canadian, Scottish, Norwegian, and Russian port stops along the way. Plenty of cool excursions await you at each stop--from sea kayaking and scuba diving to tundra hikes and historical explorer expeditions.

From the ship deck or the icebreaker deck (if you choose to take one of those fabulous polar mobiles), you can encounter this snowy playground at its best from icy seascapes to snow-white landscapes and a glimpse of all its wildlife friends like polar bears, walrus, seals, reindeer, killer whales, bowhead whales, penguin, seabirds, and more. You'll shiver in awe as you watch the glaciers, icebergs, mountains, waterfalls, and tundra plant life roll by right before your eyes.

I bet Karen Carpenter wasn't literally standing on the top of the world when she wrote that famous song, but you can be when you hum a few bars. Go Arctic, take a deep cold breath in, and sing it loud and proud, "I'm on the top of the world looking down on creation..." That's it. Then you can hightail it right back to your cozy room aboard the Arctic cruise ship and appreciate the cold from the best place ever--from the warmth of all aboard.

By Jasmine M