Sampo or one of the others? Three Lapland icebreakers
Three ships take paying guests into the frozen Bothnian Bay, and they differ more than their listing names suggest. Sampo is the old state icebreaker and Arktis the shorter, cheaper cruise from the same Kemi company. Polar Explorer sails from Sweden with the most decks to roam.
Three ships, two companies
Icebreaking Company in Kemi runs Sampo and Arktis, and both programs check in at the SnowCastle area before a 15-minute shuttle to Ajos harbor. Polar Explorer belongs to a separate company and leaves from Axelsvik in Swedish Lapland.
Each ship breaks a channel and stops in the ice. Guests then pull on survival suits for floating, and walking on the frozen sea depends on the ice and the weather that day, so none of the three can promise it.
Sampo, the 1960 original
Sampo was built in 1960 and spent its working life in the Finnish state icebreaker fleet before it turned to tourists. It is the ship most people picture when they think of Kemi, and it runs the longest cruise, 3.5–4 hours.
The Sampo cruise from ~$451 includes a guided tour of the ship. Reviewers mention the engine room and the crew quarters, plus a visit to the bridge and a meet-and-greet with the officers.
Between the ice stops you sit in warm lounges or the café-restaurant. On the afternoon cruise, which leaves at 13:30, lunch is served in the ship's restaurant as part of the fare.
The catch is price. Sampo is the dearest cruise from Kemi and the morning departure has no meal, so its value score of 4.2 on GetYourGuide trails its overall 4.7 from 80+ reviews.
Arktis, the shorter cruise for less
Arktis is Icebreaking Company's other ship, and the Arktis cruise from ~$344 undercuts Sampo by a clear margin. The cruise lasts 3 hours, and the whole program with transfers takes about 6.
On board you get two cozy indoor decks and a modern café rather than an old working ship to explore. The listing caps the group at 100 people, and departures run in the morning or the afternoon.
Meals are the trade-off. A breakfast or lunch buffet at the seaview restaurant costs extra, as do the SnowCastle exhibitions. Arktis scores 4.4 from 220+ reviews on GetYourGuide, a step below the other two.
Arktis for floating at the lower fare
A 3-hour cruise from Kemi with the floating and a certificate, from ~$344 on a morning or afternoon departure. Meals cost extra, and you can cancel free until 24 hours before.
Polar Explorer, the Swedish ship
The Polar Explorer cruise from ~$365 leaves from Axelsvik, west of Kalix in Swedish Lapland. On GetYourGuide that price includes a shuttle from Kemi or Rovaniemi.
The ship has seven decks open to explore, with an audio guide app in 16 languages and an 11-minute documentary in its onboard theatre. A cafeteria sells food, and the captain signs a Cruise & Swim Certificate for every floater.
No other icebreaker cruise here has collected as many reviews, with 4.7 from 490+ on GetYourGuide and the guiding scored 4.8. The catches are a 45-day free cancellation window and the extra travel across the border.
Which ship suits whom
- Sampo for history fans, and for anyone who wants lunch and a ship tour in the fare
- Arktis for travelers who mainly want the floating at a lower price
- Polar Explorer for groups who prefer a guide in their own language; the many on offer run from English and Spanish to Chinese and French
- Polar Explorer again for families with children between 125 and 140 cm tall
Families should look closely at the height limits. On the two Kemi ships nobody shorter than 140 cm goes into the water, whereas the Swedish ship accepts children from 125 cm if a parent floats beside them. Our guide to cruises with kids covers the rest.
Comfort on board and the ride itself
All three ships keep you warm indoors between spells on deck and on the ice. The noise and the shudder as the hull rides up onto the ice and cracks it under its weight are the same thrill on each.
Sampo feels like a working vessel with history in its corridors. Arktis is compact and modern, while Polar Explorer gives you the most room to wander, which helps on a full day with up to 100 guests.
Your clothing matters more than the ship. Out on the ice the wind cuts through, so read our guide to dressing for the frozen sea whichever ship you book.
Getting to each ship
Sampo's fare includes pickups at four places in Kemi (Scandic Kemi and the railway station among them), and Arktis includes the transfer from Kemi to the harbor. Ajos harbor is closed to private cars, so drivers leave theirs at the SnowCastle area (parking is free) and ride the shuttle.
Polar Explorer sits about 40 km (25 miles) beyond the Finnish border, west of Kalix. On GetYourGuide you take the shuttle from Kemi or Rovaniemi, and drivers can book the own-transport version and reach the Axelsvik terminal at least 30 minutes early.
Staying inland? Our Rovaniemi day-trip guide compares the long bus day with a night in Kemi, and the Kemi day guide fills the hours around the cruise.
Price and practicalities
Arktis at ~$344 is the cheapest and Sampo at ~$451 the dearest, with Polar Explorer at ~$365 including the shuttle in between. Our price breakdown lists the extras that narrow the gap, from buffets to photos.
Both Kemi ships cancel free up to 24 hours ahead. If you are torn, that flexibility tips the balance toward Kemi, above all early in winter, when thin ice can cut the program short.
If Sweden still appeals, our guide to the Axelsvik crossing explains the drive and the one-hour time difference. For the floating itself, see what happens in the water before you choose.