Hanseatic Inspiration, INT Labrador, Hudson & Greenland ex Goose Bay to KKangerl – 06 Jul 2021

14 Night cruise departing from Goose Bay to Kangerlussuaq onboard Hanseatic Inspiration.

Some natural beauties can only be reached by sea: the stunning wilderness of North America, one of the world’s most famous straits and the icy coast of the Inuit.

Highlights of this cruise:

Goose Bay/Canada, departure 19.00 hrs
What a fantastic start: for the first time in the history of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, an expedition begins right in the heart of Labrador, in Goose Bay. After that, there’s only one way to go: north. Breathtaking landscapes shape Canada’s most easterly province.

Labrador (Torngat Mountains National Park, Button Islands)
In a region difficult to reach by land, the sea will take you to the heart of this remote wilderness. Watch as northern Labrador’s magnificent mountains rise up before you, and feel your pioneering spirit soar. Striking peaks, deep fjords, rugged coastlines: Torngat Mountains National Park paints a picture of the Ice Age, its traces found in moraines and scree fields. Enjoy flexible expedition days with Zodiac rides and hikes in the habitat of Arctic foxes and black bears. The Button Islands are also new terrain for the HANSEATIC inspiration. Depending on the conditions, explore the seldom-visited home of seabirds and whales from a Zodiac or from ashore.

Expedition days in the Hudson Strait  (weather and ice permitting)
The famous Hudson Strait boasts of a climate and landscape that encompasses all the elements: ice, fog, sunshine, vast mountain foothills and deep-blue water. First described by Englishman Sir Martin Frobisher in 1578, it was named after Henry Hudson, who travelled through the strait to the bay of the same name in 1610.

Monumental Island
A region where musk oxen and reindeer outnumber people. A region that the HANSEATIC inspiration will take time to explore. What will await you there? The feeling of isolation is emphasised on Monumental Island where – with a little luck – you will spot some walruses. These natural beauties on the edge of the Arctic will set the tone for a world even further north.

Western coast of Greenland  (fjords of Greenland, Qeqertarsuaq, Ilulissat, Disko Bay, Sisimiut)
Welcome to the land of extremes! Greenland, the world’s largest island, greets you with impressive scenic contrasts. As the HANSEATIC inspiration travels past white and azure-blue ice formations, rocky landscapes and tundra reveal themselves with small Inuit settlements, adding splashes of colour to the vast expanse. When whales cross your path or bizarre icebergs gleam in the sunlight, the captain and officers will spontaneously change course. Unforgettable encounters are certain – not just on hikes and in the Zodiacs, but also on the open deck spaces and the glass balconies. This intensity and flexibility also shapes your explorations of the fjords of Greenland. The calm waters reflect majestic mountains set against a vast sky. The fjords visited by the HANSEATIC inspiration will be decided on the day – emphasising the expeditionary nature of this cruise. Qeqertarsuaq welcomes you with its picturesque natural harbour and a whalebone gateway leading to a world of colourful houses, kayaks and huskies. Meanwhile, Ilulissat reveals its dazzling charm: a hike to the ice fjord takes you to the old settlement of Sermermiut before presenting fantastic views of bizarre icebergs. The Jakobshavn Glacier, which flows into the fjord, is the world’s fastest and most active glacier – and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When the HANSEATIC inspiration cruises through Disko Bay or you take a ride in a Zodiac, you will become witness to almost surreal scenes. Prepare yourself for breathtaking moments with glittering ice sculptures drifting slowly through the water. The colourful houses of Sisimiut, founded at the end of the 18th century as a missionary and trading post, provide a contrast to the blue of the ice. A walking tour with your experts will introduce you to the city’s colonial-era centre, perhaps the region’s most beautiful historic centre. The colourful ensemble of buildings includes a church, merchant houses and an Inuit house – enter through a typical gateway made from a whale jawbone. Your expedition may end here, but these vivid memories will stay with you for years to come.