Best Kemi Icebreaker Cruises

Each winter the top of the Gulf of Bothnia freezes into a white plain that runs to the horizon, and a few old icebreakers out of Kemi spend their days smashing a path through it with passengers on board. Halfway out the ship stops, you step down onto the sea, then zip into a survival suit and float in the channel it has just broken. Three cruises cover every version of that day, two from Kemi and one from just over the Swedish border. Below, each price sits next to the hours you actually spend on the ice and the small print the listings bury.

  • Ice season: roughly January to AprilThe cruises start once the bay is frozen, and walking on the ice is safest from February
  • Book early for February and MarchThe afternoon Sampo departures with lunch go first, and school holidays fill whole weeks

In a hurry? Our top pick is the Sampo afternoon cruise from Kemi: ~$451 a person for four hours on the old 1960 icebreaker, with lunch in its restaurant, a tour of the engine room and the float. Book it here.

Book on GetYourGuide Book on Viator Compare all 3

Icebreaker cruises at a glance

  • A half day that fills a whole oneThree to four hours at sea, six to seven door to door from a Kemi hotel
  • Three ships, three moodsTwo Kemi ships from one company, the 1960 Sampo and the shorter Arktis, plus Polar Explorer with seven decks in Swedish waters
  • You float, you do not swimA thick suit keeps you dry and on your back among the floes. Floating starts at 140 cm tall on the Kemi ships
  • The ice decidesEarly in winter it can be too thin to walk on, and strong wind can keep everyone aboard. No listing promises either

If you only have a minute

Which Kemi icebreaker cruise should you book?

If a friend asked us how to do the icebreaker in Lapland, this is what we would tell them over a coffee in Kemi.

The best icebreaker cruise from Kemi for most visitors is Sampo's afternoon cruise, from ~$451. The ship was built in 1960 and still breaks real sea ice, the cruise lasts close to four hours, and the ticket covers lunch on board, a guided tour of the ship, the float in a survival suit and the exhibitions at the SnowCastle.

Want the most reviewed cruise in the region? Polar Explorer from Axelsvik in Sweden costs ~$365 with a shuttle and has 490+ reviews, but cancelling for free ends 45 days out. On a tighter budget, Arktis at ~$344 gives you three hours on the ice with the same float, and nothing to eat unless you pay for it.

None of them can promise a walk on the ice. Read what each cruise really costs and when the ice is thickest, see how the day is spent, then check what the listings play down before you pay.

Our pick

The icebreaker day we would book: Sampo, afternoon

Not the cheapest ticket in Kemi. It is the one with the longest time at sea, the most ship to explore and a hot lunch you do not have to buy on top.

The black hull of the icebreaker Sampo stopped in white sea ice, with passengers walking on the frozen sea beside it Our pick

Icebreaker Sampo Cruise with Ice Floating, Icebreaking Company

★★★★★ 4.7 from 80+ reviews on GetYourGuide · free cancellation up to 24 hours before

Sampo spent decades clearing shipping lanes for the Finnish state before Kemi turned it into a passenger ship, and it still does the same work, only now with tourists on deck. The afternoon cruise runs from about 1:30 to 5:30 pm. A shuttle picks you up at your Kemi hotel late in the morning and stops at the SnowCastle area for check-in, where your ticket also opens the snow and gemstone exhibitions.

On board you get a welcome drink, then a guide takes small groups down to the engine room and up to the bridge. The buffet lunch is served in the ship's own restaurant. When the ship halts far out in the bay, you go down onto the ice for photos and a walk, weather permitting. Then the crew helps you into a survival suit and lowers you into the open channel to float among the broken floes.

Price
from ~$451 per person
Duration
6.5–7 hours with transfers
At sea
About 3.5–4 hours
Pickup
Kemi hotels and the railway station
Food
Lunch buffet on the afternoon cruise
Floating
From 140 cm tall
Also included
Ship tour, certificate, SnowCastle exhibitions
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours; reserve now, pay later
GetYourGuide Viator

Live availability and prices on GetYourGuide

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How the afternoon runs, step by step

Ice and wind can shuffle the order on board. This is the timetable the listing gives for guests picked up in Kemi:

In Kemi

  • Pickup from 10:45 am at four stops in Kemi, from Hotel Toivola to the railway station
  • Check-in at the SnowCastle area from 11:30 am, with time for the exhibitions
  • Shuttle to Ajos harbor at 1 pm, a ride of about 15 minutes

On the frozen bay

  • About four hours at sea from 1:30 pm, lunch included
  • A stop in the ice to walk on the sea and float in the channel
  • Back at your Kemi hotel between about 6 and 6:30 pm

What the ticket covers

More is included than on the other two ships. What it leaves out is mostly what the ice and your camera need.

Included
  • Shuttle from Kemi to the harbor and back
  • Welcome drink and a guided tour of the ship
  • Lunch buffet and the float
  • Entry to the SnowCastle area exhibitions
Not included
  • Photos of you in the water (a paid extra)
  • Breakfast before the morning cruise
  • Your own warm layers under the suit
  • A promise that you can walk on the ice

Between us, before you go

A word from one cold-weather amateur to another. The morning cruise on the same listing is shorter and has no meal, so check which one you are booking. Nobody under 140 cm floats, and the ship is not suitable for wheelchair users or anyone with reduced mobility. Your phone stays inside when you go into the water.

Wool under the suit and a dry change of clothes for afterwards make the float far more pleasant. Our guide to dressing for the ice covers the rest.

Why it beats the other two

Sampo gives you up to an hour more at sea than Arktis, and the lunch and the exhibitions that Arktis sells as extras come with the ticket. Polar Explorer has more decks and far more reviews, but it sails from Sweden with a 45-day cancellation rule. For a first icebreaker day booked from Kemi, Sampo is the least fuss. The three ships compared goes deeper.

Who we would not send on it

Families whose children are under 140 cm and want to float, who will do better on Polar Explorer, where the limit is 125 cm. Travelers watching every euro, who get the same float on Arktis for less. And anyone with reduced mobility, which the listing rules out.

Book it if

You want one complete icebreaker day from Kemi with nothing extra to arrange. Lunch on board and the ship tour come with the ticket. It suits couples and friends, and families whose children are tall enough to float.

Skip it if

Ready for the frozen bay?

The Sampo cruise is on GetYourGuide and on Viator. GetYourGuide shows more reviews and lets you cancel for free up to 24 hours before, so you can watch the wind forecast before you commit.

GetYourGuide Viator

The day itself

How an icebreaker cruise in Lapland works

Every cruise on this page answers two questions differently. Do you board in Finland at Kemi or cross into Sweden for Axelsvik? And how much of the day goes on the ship rather than on the bus?

Style · from Kemi, Finland

Sampo or Arktis from Ajos harbor

Sampo, Arktis

6–7 hhotel pickup, SnowCastle check-in, 3–4 hours at sea, back

Both ships belong to the same Kemi company and run the same way. You check in at the SnowCastle area, ride a shuttle to the harbor and come back the same way. Sampo sails longer and feeds you; Arktis is shorter and cheaper.

Style · over the border, Sweden

Polar Explorer from Axelsvik

Polar Explorer Icebreaker

3–8.5 hdrive yourself, or a shuttle from Kemi or Rovaniemi

A bigger ship with seven decks and an audio guide, about 40 km (25 miles) past the Finnish border. Bring a passport or ID, set your watch an hour back, and expect a longer ride if you take the shuttle.

Kemi weather and ice, month by month

  • How likely a full cruise with a walk on the ice is
  1. Jan−7°C high19 °F

    Cruises running, ice still thickening, short days

  2. Feb−7°C high19 °F

    Thick ice, longer light, the busiest weeks

  3. Mar−2°C high28 °F

    Bright sun on the ice, sunsets on the afternoon cruise

  4. Apr3°C high37 °F

    Snow glare, the season winds down as the ice softens

  5. May10°C high50 °F

    The bay opens, no ice cruises

  6. Jun16°C high61 °F

    Near-endless daylight, open sea

  7. Jul19°C high66 °F

    The warmest weeks on the coast

  8. Aug16°C high61 °F

    Late summer, first dark nights

  9. Sep10°C high50 °F

    Autumn colors, first northern lights

  10. Oct4°C high39 °F

    Cold nights, the sea still open

  11. Nov−2°C high28 °F

    Snow arrives, the bay starts to freeze at the edges

  12. Dec−5°C high23 °F

    First cruises in some winters, thin ice, little daylight

Temperatures are rough daytime highs in Kemi; out on the open ice the wind makes it feel several degrees colder. The bars show roughly how likely a cruise is to sail with a walk on the ice, which depends on how hard each winter freezes. Highlighted months are the ones we would pick. The season in detail.

How each day is spent

  • Getting there and back
  • At sea on the ice
  • May run longer

Hours count from the first pickup and come from the listings' timetables; the Arktis and Polar Explorer splits are approximate, because those listings give the length of the day and the cruise but not every stop. Polar Explorer runs on Swedish time, one hour behind Finland.

  1. Pick your shipSampo with lunch, or a shorter or bigger day on the other two. The ships compared.
  2. Choose your weekFebruary and March give the thickest ice and the most daylight. Month by month.
  3. Go early in your tripIf wind or thin ice cuts the walk short, there is time to try again later in your stay. Plan B.
  4. Dress for wind on open iceWool next to the skin and something windproof on top. Spare gloves go in a pocket. What to wear.

Floating in the Bothnian Bay ice explains what happens in the water, from the suit to the ladder. It also covers who may float and who has to watch from the ice.

How to choose

How to pick the right icebreaker cruise

The frozen sea is the same for all three. What differs is the ship and how far you travel to reach the harbor.

The ship

A working 1960 icebreaker, a smaller sister with a café, or a seven-deck ship with its own cinema. The ships compared.

Floating height

Sampo and Arktis need you to be 140 cm tall; Polar Explorer takes children from 125 cm with a parent. Icebreaker cruises with kids.

Where you stay

Kemi is the short hop; Rovaniemi adds about 1 h 45 min on the bus each way. The Rovaniemi day trip.

Over the border

Polar Explorer means crossing into Sweden with a passport or ID. Axelsvik explained.

Cancelling

The Kemi ships let you cancel free up to 24 hours before; Polar Explorer on GetYourGuide needs 45 days. If plans change.

Price

From ~$344 a person on Arktis to ~$451 for Sampo with lunch. Every price in one table.

Everything else to do in Kemi

The 3 cruises

Three ways onto the frozen sea, side by side

We read every icebreaker listing for Kemi and the Swedish side on both booking sites and kept only the three worth your money. Each card gives the price and the length along with the operator. It also names the catch, with a button for each site that sells it.

The icebreaker Sampo with its black hull and cream superstructure in the sea ice under an orange evening sky Our pick

Icebreaker Sampo Cruise with Ice Floating, Icebreaking Company

The one we would book for a first icebreaker day.

Close to four hours at sea on the 1960 Sampo, with a guided tour below decks and lunch in the ship's restaurant on the afternoon cruise. The shuttle from your Kemi hotel and the SnowCastle exhibitions are part of the ticket.

  • Rating4.7 from 80+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • Duration6.5–7 hours, 3.5–4 at sea
  • Tour companyIcebreaking Company
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsLongest cruise from Kemi, lunch included
  • Ideal forCouples, and families with children over 140 cm

Good to know: The dearest ticket in Kemi, and the morning cruise on the same listing comes without a meal. Not suitable for wheelchair users. Viator rates it lower, 4.0 from 20 reviews. The ships compared.

~$451per person
GetYourGuide Viator
The red-hulled Polar Explorer pushing through white sea ice with passengers lining its decks Most reviewed

Polar Explorer Icebreaker Cruise with Ice Floating, Polar Explorer Icebreaker

The big ship over the border, best for curious minds.

Seven decks to explore with an audio guide in 16 languages, a short documentary in the ship's theatre and a Cruise & Swim Certificate from the captain. It sails from Axelsvik in Swedish Lapland, with a shuttle from Kemi or Rovaniemi if you want one.

  • Rating4.7 from 490+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • Duration3–8.5 hours, depending on transport
  • Tour companyPolar Explorer Icebreaker
  • Free cancellationUp to 45 days before
  • StrengthsFloating from 125 cm with a parent; guides in many languages
  • Ideal forFamilies with younger children and travelers who like to explore a ship

Good to know: Free cancellation ends 45 days before, not 24 hours. Food is sold in the cafeteria, departures run on Swedish time, and you need a passport or ID. Crossing to Axelsvik.

~$365per person
GetYourGuide Viator
The icebreaker Arktis with its black bow resting in snow-covered sea ice under a deep blue sky Best value

Icebreaker Arktis Cruise with Ice Floating, Icebreaking Company

The same float from Kemi for less money.

Three hours on Sampo's smaller sister, with two warm indoor decks and a modern café. Morning and afternoon departures, the same shuttle from Kemi hotels and the same check-in at the SnowCastle area.

  • Rating4.4 from 220+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 6 hours, 3 at sea
  • Tour companyIcebreaking Company
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsLowest price from Kemi; fits around a flight
  • Ideal forBudget travelers and anyone short of time

Good to know: The buffet and the SnowCastle exhibitions cost extra, and up to 100 guests share the café. The Viator listing has only two reviews so far. What it all adds up to.

~$344per person
GetYourGuide Viator

A small heads-up. These are GetYourGuide and Viator affiliate links, so when you book through one we earn a little commission and you pay exactly the same. It keeps this guide going and never touches our ranking or the catches we point out.

Before you go

Eight things about icebreaker cruises that no listing puts in big letters

None of these sits at the top of a booking page, and each one decides whether you come home with a photo of yourself floating in the ice or a long day of looking at it through a window.

What you should know

  1. The ice walk is not a sure thing. Early in winter the ice can be too thin, and wind can keep everyone aboard. The listings say so in small type. When it goes wrong.
  2. Floating has a height limit. 140 cm on Sampo and Arktis, 125 cm with a parent on Polar Explorer. Shorter children ride along and watch. With kids.
  3. Your phone stays behind. Nobody takes a camera into the water, so the photos of you floating come from the ship's photographer, at extra cost.
  4. Lunch depends on the cruise. Only Sampo's afternoon cruise includes it. Everywhere else you buy your food. The full costs.
  5. Sweden runs an hour behind. Polar Explorer's times are Swedish, one hour earlier than the clock in Kemi. Bring a passport or ID too. Over the border.
  6. You cannot drive to the Kemi harbor. Drivers park at the SnowCastle area and take the cruise shuttle from there. The day in Kemi.
  7. The suit can be damp inside. It keeps the sea out, but the last person's breath and snow stay in. A dry base layer for afterwards is a small luxury.
  8. The open ice is colder than the forecast. Ten below in town feels far worse in wind on the bay. Late in the season the snow glare is fierce, so pack sunglasses. What to wear.

Everything in one table

Three icebreaker cruises, catch included

The three cruises side by side. Each row sets the strength of a cruise against its catch.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Cruise Ideal for Price Length Starts from Tour company and rating Strength and catch Book
Sampo, afternoon (our pick) A first icebreaker day ~$451per person 6.5–7 h Kemi hotels, from 10:45 am Icebreaking Company
4.7 on GetYourGuide		 Longest cruise, lunch included. Highest price; floating from 140 cm.
GetYourGuideViator
Polar Explorer, Sweden Families and ship lovers ~$365per person 3–8.5 h Axelsvik, or a shuttle Polar Explorer Icebreaker
4.7 on GetYourGuide		 Seven decks, floating from 125 cm. Cancel free only until 45 days before.
GetYourGuideViator
Arktis A lower price, a shorter day ~$344per person About 6 h Kemi hotels, morning or afternoon Icebreaking Company
4.4 on GetYourGuide		 Same float for less. Three hours at sea, all food extra.
GetYourGuideViator

About the numbers. Prices are regular "from" rates per person in US dollars; both sites sometimes show them lower on sale. Dates and options move them, so check the booking page, which has the final word.

Who went

Reviews from travelers who floated in the ice

Fourteen travelers, some who walked across the frozen bay in sunshine and some who were kept aboard by wind or thin ice, on what won them over and what they would do differently.

★★★★★Sampo, the 1960 classic

We took the afternoon cruise on Sampo and the low sun turned the whole ice field orange while we ate. The guide walked us down to the engine room, which is loud and full of polished brass, and then up to the bridge where one of the officers explained how the ship climbs onto the ice and breaks it with its own weight. The float came last. Lying on my back in that suit with chunks of ice knocking against my shoulders was the strangest ten minutes of our whole trip to Lapland.

MKMarieke K. · Groningen, NetherlandsWalked on the ice
★★★★★Sampo, the 1960 classic

The crack of the ice under the bow is loud enough to feel in your chest. Our kids still do the noise at dinner.

RTRahul T. · Pune, IndiaWalked on the ice
★★★★☆Sampo, the 1960 classic

Early January, so the ice was too thin to walk on and we went straight from the ship into the water. The floating was great fun and the crew were careful with everyone. I knocked off a star because the listing photos are all people strolling across the frozen sea, and nobody told us beforehand that it might not happen.

SBSophie B. · Bristol, UKStayed on board
★★★★★Sampo, the 1960 classic

Buy the photo package. Phones stay behind when you float, and the photographer caught my wife laughing in the ice.

JCJae-won C. · Seoul, South KoreaWalked on the ice
★★★★★Sampo, the 1960 classic

The lunch buffet on board was far better than I expected from a tourist ship, with plenty of hot dishes and proper bread. We had walked on the ice an hour before, so everyone came in hungry and red-faced.

LFLucía F. · Valencia, SpainWalked on the ice
★★★★★Sampo, the 1960 classic

I grew up with frozen lakes, so I thought nothing about this would surprise me. Then the ship stopped in the middle of the gulf, they lowered the gangway onto ice that stretched to the horizon, and I stood there in total silence with sixty other people who had all stopped talking. The morning cruise has no meal, so eat breakfast at the hotel; we were back at the SnowCastle by early afternoon.

TWTom W. · Minneapolis, USAWalked on the ice
★★★★★Polar Explorer, Sweden

Seven decks to roam with the audio guide. The short film in the little theatre made the whole trip make sense.

ANAnja N. · Hamburg, GermanyWalked on the ice
★★★★★Polar Explorer, Sweden

Remember that Sweden is an hour behind Finland. We nearly panicked at the terminal before working it out.

PLPierre L. · Montréal, CanadaWalked on the ice
★★★★☆Polar Explorer, Sweden

We came on the shuttle from Rovaniemi, two and a half hours each way past forests and the Tornio river, and the cruise itself was excellent. The 45-day cancellation rule caught us out, though. We wanted to move our date after a change of flights and could not without paying. Book it only once your plans are fixed.

GRGiulia R. · Turin, ItalyWalked on the ice
★★★★★Polar Explorer, Sweden

My son is nine and just over 125 cm, so he was allowed to float with me on Polar Explorer when the Finnish ships would have said no. He talked about nothing else for the rest of the holiday. The cafeteria lunch was simple but hot, and the crew kept checking the little ones were warm before they went down the ladder into the channel. Afterwards the captain signed his certificate, which is now framed above his bed.

EHEmily H. · Brisbane, AustraliaWalked on the ice
★★★★★Arktis, the shorter cruise

Arktis is the cheaper ship and the cruise is shorter, but you still float in the ice. For students on a budget it did the job.

OSOskar S. · Kraków, PolandWalked on the ice
★★★★★Arktis, the shorter cruise

Three hours went by very quickly. The ship pushed through ice that looked solid all the way to Sweden, then we climbed down and walked on it in the sun. Inside there are two warm decks with big windows and a small café for coffee.

MHMei H. · Taipei, TaiwanWalked on the ice
★★★★☆Arktis, the shorter cruise

Strong wind that day, so the crew kept us aboard for the walk and only let people float in turns. Fair enough, safety first. The café is small and gets crowded when a hundred people come inside at once, so bring a snack and a thermos. Everything else, from the hotel pickup to the certificate at the end, ran like a train timetable.

DKDavid K. · Tel Aviv, IsraelStayed on board
★★★★★Arktis, the shorter cruise

We picked Arktis because it fitted our morning before an evening flight from Kemi. Pickup at the station, three hours on the ice, back in town with time to spare. The float is short but my teenagers declared it the best thing of the week, which in our family counts as a rave review. Book lunch at the SnowCastle ahead if you want it, it is not part of the ticket, and the restaurant fills up fast once the buses come back.

INIngrid N. · Bergen, NorwayWalked on the ice

Been already?

Tell the next traveler how it went

Share your day on the ice, on Sampo, Arktis or over in Sweden. We read every review before it goes up, and we publish the critical ones too.

Your rating
The ice on the day

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Suit up

Book Sampo for your icebreaker day

If you are in Lapland between January and April and want one afternoon on the frozen sea you will still be describing at home, we would book Sampo's afternoon cruise from Kemi. An old working ship, a crew that shows you the engine room, a float among the floes and a hot lunch on the way back, with nothing else to arrange.

You can hold a place now and pay nearer the day. Cancelling is free until 24 hours before. Bring wool and dry socks.

~$451

per person · 6.5–7 hours · pickup in Kemi

GetYourGuide Viator
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • ✓ Reserve now, pay later
  • ✓ Lunch on board on the afternoon cruise
  • ✓ Shuttle from Kemi hotels included

Good to know

Why the sea freezes at Kemi, and what the ship is doing

Five minutes of reading makes the shudder of the hull and the crack of the ice far easier to follow.

Kemi sits at the very top of the Gulf of Bothnia, in the corner Finns and Swedes call the Bothnian Bay. Rivers pour fresh water into it, so the sea here is only slightly salty. In a cold winter it freezes from shore to shore, and the port needs icebreakers to keep the cargo ships moving.

01A sea that turns to ice

Brackish water freezes at a higher temperature than the open ocean, and the shallow bay loses its heat fast once the polar winter sets in. By February the sea ice off Kemi is usually thick enough to stand on, often well over half a meter in a hard winter. The best weeks to go.

02How an icebreaker breaks ice

An icebreaker does not cut. Its rounded bow slides up onto the ice, and the weight of the ship cracks it from above. On board you feel it as a slow shudder and hear it as a long grinding roar, then slabs of ice turn over along the hull. The three ships compared.

03Sampo's second career

Sampo was built in 1960 and spent decades escorting ships through the Finnish ice before Kemi bought it to carry visitors. The engine room and the bridge are still those of a working vessel, which is what the guided tour shows you. Arktis, the smaller ship, sails for the same company.

The moment most passengers remember is the silence after the engines stop, with the ice running white to the horizon in every direction.

04What the float involves

The orange or yellow survival suit is the kind sailors wear in an emergency. It is waterproof and so buoyant that you lie on your back without effort, bobbing among the broken floes. Most people stay in for about ten minutes, and nobody gets wet underneath. The float, step by step.

05Light on the Arctic edge

Kemi lies just south of the Arctic Circle, so even in midwinter the sun rises for a few hours. By March the days are long and bright, and the low sun on the afternoon cruise turns the ice gold. On clear nights the northern lights may appear over the bay, though nothing promises them. The rest of the day in Kemi.

06Manners on the ice

Stay inside the area the crew marks out, and keep well back from the open channel unless you are in a suit. Hold on tight getting on and off the ship, and keep gloves on. Once you have your photos, let others have the front. Icebreaker cruises with kids has more on keeping small passengers safe and warm.

1960The year Sampo was built

3–4 hTypical time at sea

140 cmHeight to float on the Kemi ships

Jan to AprThe usual ice season

Staying in Rovaniemi rather than Kemi? Our guide The icebreaker as a day trip from Rovaniemi shows how the bus timings work.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about icebreaker cruises in Kemi

Fourteen questions we hear again and again, with the full answer.

How much does an icebreaker cruise from Kemi cost?

The three cruises on this page start at ~$344 per person for Arktis, ~$365 for Polar Explorer with a shuttle and ~$451 for Sampo with lunch. The day trip from Rovaniemi costs more. Every price and extra is in our cost guide.

Which icebreaker cruise in Kemi is the best?

For most visitors, Sampo's afternoon cruise, because it is the longest and includes lunch and the ship tour. Arktis costs less for a shorter cruise, and Polar Explorer in Sweden suits families with younger children.

When do the icebreaker cruises run?

In winter while the bay is frozen, roughly from January into April, with some winters starting in late December. February and March usually bring the thickest ice. Dates change with the ice each year. The season in detail.

How long is an icebreaker cruise?

Three hours at sea on Arktis and three and a half to four on Sampo. With the shuttle and check-in, the day from a Kemi hotel runs six to seven and a half hours. From Rovaniemi, plan on ten or more.

Is walking on the ice guaranteed?

No. Every listing says the walk depends on the ice and the weather. Early in the season the ice can be too thin, and strong wind can keep everyone on board. What happens then.

Do I get wet when I float?

No. The survival suit goes over your clothes and seals at the face, so only your cheeks feel the cold. It can be damp inside from earlier wearers, so a dry layer for afterwards helps. The float explained.

How tall do you have to be to float?

At least 140 cm on Sampo and Arktis. Polar Explorer lets children from 125 cm float with their parents. Shorter children can still come on the cruise and watch from the ice when walking is allowed.

Can children come on an icebreaker cruise?

Yes, with an adult; unaccompanied minors are not allowed. The height limit for floating is the main rule, though the long, cold day matters more than any age limit. Icebreaker cruises with kids.

Is the cruise suitable for wheelchair users?

No. The Kemi operator lists both its ships as unsuitable for wheelchair users and for anyone with reduced mobility. If someone in your group moves with difficulty, ask the operator before you book.

What should I wear on an icebreaker cruise?

Wool base layers under a warm windproof jacket, a hat over the ears, and boots with grip. Pack two pairs of gloves. Sunglasses help late in the season. What to wear.

Can I do the icebreaker as a day trip from Rovaniemi?

Yes. Sampo is sold with a bus from Rovaniemi hotels and the Santa Claus Village, about 1 h 45 min each way, and Polar Explorer has a shuttle too. Expect a day of ten hours or more. The Rovaniemi day trip.

Do I need a passport for Polar Explorer?

The listing asks you to bring a passport or ID card, because the ship sails from Axelsvik in Sweden. Remember that Swedish time is one hour behind Finland. Over the border.

Is food included on the cruise?

Only on Sampo's afternoon cruise, which includes a lunch buffet in the ship's restaurant. On the other cruises you buy food on board or at the SnowCastle restaurant.

Can I cancel an icebreaker cruise for free?

Sampo and Arktis can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before on GetYourGuide. Polar Explorer's listing allows free cancellation only until 45 days before. If the operator cancels, you get your money back.

Read before you travel

Guides to the frozen Bothnian Bay

Ten questions that keep coming up, each with the long answer instead of the short one.