• Arctic cruise line ships drift between glaciers amid snow-topped mountains.Alaskan cruise ship image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
  
  Arctic and antarctic cruises take a lot of planning and decision making. Decide first whether you want to calmly drift past the glaciers and point rapturously to the black and white bodies of coastal penguins or power through icy waters by kayaking through snow-piled fjords. The first choice for an arctic traveler is selecting to visit Antarctica or the Arctic, two distinctly different destinations.
  
  The Arctic is an ice-covered ocean surrounded by land in the north; Antarctica is a continent surrounded by an ocean in the south. If you want to spot polar bears, walrus and musk oxen in their natural habitat, choose the Arctic. Note that Arctic temperatures in January and February hover around -29 degrees Fahrenheit with an average temperature lingering around 7 degrees. Summer cruises offer more sunshine but not much more warmth: summer highs in the arctic hit around 29 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
  

National Geographic Expeditions: Antarctica Travel

• Kayak in icy waters.kayak image by Lovrencg from Fotolia.com
  
  National Geographic's partnering cruise touring company, Lindblad Expeditions, offers antarctic cruises to curious travelers and researchers. The Lindblad crew, a mix of researchers, National Geographic scientists and journalists, takes tourists on a small-ship expedition through Antarctica. While tourists explore the antarctic coastline towns and relax on the top deck of the ship, the National Geographic ice team perform research from the vessel. Since 1966, Lindblad has offered cruise travel to Antarctica.
  
  The Lindblad tours are ideal for those travelers seeking an educational, informational, in-depth look at arctic climates and environments. Travelers take hikes on land to spot wildlife, float past icebergs, kayak in protected waters all while learning from experts in the field of arctic exploration. Tourists can even choose to participate in interesting research projects along the way. As of 2010, the Lindblad offers annual 14- to 20-day cruises to Antarctica, South Georgia Island and the Falklands Islands usually from January through November.
  
  

Quark Expeditions: Adventure Options

• At ports-of-call, power through snowy drifts on cross-country skis.cross country skier image by eichnersmith from Fotolia.com
  
  For an adventurous, extreme sport-centered arctic cruise, consider Quark Expeditions. The cruise line offers trips to the Arctic and Antarctica. For Arctic-bound travelers, choose to add sea-kayaking or camping to your adventure. In the Antarctic, adventurous travelers can choose to sea-kayak, camp in the snow, mountain climb or cross-country ski at the ports-of-call. Travelers can also choose all four expeditions. Travelers cruise in a large, modern ship with all modern amenities.
  
  Travelers should be aware that waters can get rough and temperatures stay extremely low throughout the voyage if traveling in winter. Travelers can choose a short eight-day cruise which makes a passage across the Arctic Circle or opt for a cruise up to 31 days, like the "End of an Era Antarctic expedition," which honors Douglas Mawson, Australia's revered polar explorer. This cruise visits research stations and Antarctica’s far eastern coast as well as Pacific islands. Cruise size is, at times, limited to just around 100 passengers so book a cruise early.
  
  

Scan Tours: Polar Cruises

• Spy on polar bears in their natural habitat.Polar image by Kimprebble from Fotolia.com
  
  Scan Tours, a Scandinavian cruise line company, offers cruises through Scandinavian waters and outlying islands. The tours offer luxury ships and expedition ships. Luxury ships, like tropical cruise lines, offer fully equipped rooms, entertainment centers, dining areas and amenities. Expedition ships were designed for adventurous travelers seeking authentic antarctic immersion; the ships vary from simple to comfortable, but are not luxurious. On-board programs have an educational focus on natural and cultural history.
  
  A Voyage to Vinland: Reykjavik to Halifax: The Spirit of Oceanus luxury ship explores the geothermal wonders of Iceland. The cruise offers small zodiac boat journeys through the fjords and glimpses of arctic wildlife and whales in L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland.
  
  The arctic cruise Spitsbergen, as of 2010, offers a comfortable expedition ship with a moderately exploratory program for curious and active tourists. With the help of expert guides, ice-walking trips onto land allow tourists to witness polar bears in their natural habitats trudging across the white expanses and walruses plunging into icy waters.
  
  Scan tour cruises range from 10- to 12-day cruises and specialize in introducing tourists to more unknown territories. The 12-days-and-11-nights cruise, for example, aboard the Polar Star, goes to east Greenland, one of the most isolated regions in the world.