Greenland - Adventure Cruises
Senior Travelers Save on Norwegian Cruise Bookings
Book an adventure cruise and get AARP discount from the leader in tours to Greenland - the hot (or cool) destination for senior adventure travelers seeking new horizons
Anyone who seeks a truly unusual adventure this summer should check out Norwegian Coastal Voyage's cruises around Greenland. The company offers AARP Passport members a $300 per person discount until March 1 for any of its June or July Greenland cruises.
The cruise line features a 12-day expedition program to Greenland on board the MS Fram, a brand-new ship named for the vessel sailed by Norway's great explorer Fridtjof Nansen -- The cruises include PolarCirkel boat landings, excursions, and lectures by expert guides.
American tourists fly to Iceland and begin by spending two nights in its capital, Reykjavik, with an option to sample its vibrant culture and do some sightseeing.
It's not just for Bjork fans! Shore excursions include the Golden Circle, featuring Gullfoss, Iceland's more famous waterfall and geyser; whale watching (the cruise line says you are "almost guaranteed" to spot the largest animal on earth, the blue whale); the Westman Island, which has loads of birds; and Lake Myvatn, an area with "amazing" lava formations and sulphur pits and boiling mud pools.
Then catch a charter flight to Kangerlussuaq ("the long fjord"), which is north of the Arctic Circle and is one of the best places to observe native wildlife. In the early 1960's musk oxen were introduced to Kangerlussuaq from North East Greenland, and today there are over 5,000. A guide meets the group there for the transfer to the MS Fram by motor coach and then PolarCirkel boats to start the Greenland adventure.
The next six days include opportunities to experience native Inuit culture, spectacular icebergs, numerous species of whales and seals, abundant bird life including the white-tailed eagle, the unique Arctic flora, and, weather permitting, the Midnight Sun. One of the stops is at the glacier Eqip Sermina, where tourists may be lucky enough to watch an iceberg "calve," or separate, from the main glacier, up close and personal.
From the ship, travelers have the chance to take optional hikes, go dog sledding on the Lygnmark Glacier, and take a stroll trhough small hunting and fishing villages. Aboard ship there are lectures about the Arctic as well as an introduction to the flora and fauna in Greenland. Or, stay onboard and watch a spectacular daily panorama of fjords, icebergs, and mountains.
For those who have "done" Antarctica and other exotic colder climate destinations, or who don't want to follow the crowd, Greenland sounds like a gorgeous and lesser-visited alternative. Package prices (including airfare) start at $4,148 per person for a double-occupancy cabin. AARP discount offer good until March 1st.
