Affordable Arctic: Cruise North

AFFORDABLE ARCTIC ADVENTURES:

CRUISE NORTH

Inuit-owned Cruise North Expeditions, the pioneer in affordable, accessible Arctic adventures, is raising the bar for authentic Arctic travel during the final summer of International Polar Year with five custom itineraries bringing together the best in Arctic wildlife, scenery and culture.

Cruise North is offering eight departures from July 3 through September 9, 2008 including Arctic Explorer, Arctic Odyssey, Baffin Adventure, High Arctic, and new for this summer, the Northwest Passage which travels deep into the polar desert reaching Ellesmere Island, the most northerly island in the Canadian Arctic archipelago.

While each of Cruise North's itineraries has a slightly different emphasis, all of them deliver an unparalleled authentic Arctic experience with abundant wildlife including polar bears, caribou, walrus, bearded seals, Bowhead and Beluga whales and muskox.

In the spirit of International Polar Year, Cruise North's experienced expedition and lecture team of naturalists, historians, geologists, ornithologists and lnuit guides brings to life the realities of life in the Arctic with direct learning about the impact of climate change.

Priced from $4,395 CDN, double occupancy including round-trip air from Montreal to the North on First Air, Cruise North's sister company, Cruise North's value is unbeatable.

Passengers travel in relaxed comfort on the 122-passsenger ice class-rated Lyubov Orlova, ideal for navigating polar regions.

Cruise North has revolutionized Arctic travel in several ways including being the first and only cruise line to make the Arctic accessible with a home port in the Arctic. By positioning the ship in Kuujjuaq, a surprisingly short two-hour 15 minute flight from Montreal, Cruise North has added ease and time savings to Arctic travel.

An even greater distinction is that Cruise North is the only Arctic cruise line where the lnuit are ambassadors in their own home. Cruise North's entire program has been carefully reviewed with the lnuit elders and community leaders to ensure that there are no unwelcome consequences for either the people or the animals who share the land.

Launched in 2005, award-winning Cruise North Expeditions has rapidly established itself as the leader in Arctic expeditions by capturing the true spirit of the North with its lnuit ownership and lnuit guiding. Conde Nast Traveler honored Cruise North with recognition on its prestigious "Green List for environmental efforts and commitment to helping preserve lnuit culture through tourism. Cruise North will undertake its fourth annual Arctic clean-up at the end of the 2008 season, open to volunteers who want to contribute in a direct way to environmental preservation.

Web: www.cruisenorthexpeditions.com