Our Guide to the Best Polar Cruises with Kids

By Tracey Davies

Whales breaching, penguins skidding across icebergs, polar bears lumbering across an Arctic tundra… A cruise to the North Pole or the South Pole can feel like you’ve landed on an entirely different planet.

Family-friendly cruises to the polar regions have become more popular in recent years, and there are dozens of cruise lines to choose from. We work with our hand-picked partners HX Hurtigruten, Hapag-Lloyd and Lindblad Expeditions to offer you the best polar expeditions with kids – all have itineraries combining adventure with comfort, making these icy frontiers more easily accessible to families.

‘Children can learn to plot whale migrations, collect plankton and make glaciers out of ice cream.’

Beyond the breathtaking scenery, fascinating wildlife and exciting expeditions, these family-friendly cruises are a comfortable way to reach the ends of the earth. While most ships don't come with all the bells and whistles other, more mainstream family-focused cruises have, they do offer hands-on learning and otherworldly experiences that will leave young explorers – and you! – with memories to last a lifetime.

Where do Polar Cruises Sail From?

For travellers from the UK, Antarctica cruises depart from Ushuaia on the southern tip of Argentina, or from Punta Arenas in Chile. Arctic cruises with kids start from Tromsø or Longyearbyen, Svalbard in the very north of Norway.

What Ages are Polar Cruises Best For?

Polar cruises are most suitable for children aged six and up. With younger kids, you can expand on the Santa story on a North Pole cruise, while the tales of Shackleton and Scott of the Antarctic particularly fascinate older children and teenagers.

Arctic cruises with Hurtigruten often have a Young Explorers Programme onboard that includes interactive workshops on nature and climate change, art sessions and kid-friendly excursions such as learning about Sami culture or a 'Meet the Vikings' experience.

Most expedition ships have rooms and suites that can accommodation a third or fourth person, and many have interconnecting cabins. Many ships have heated pools and spa areas, as well as an educational area and activities to keep nippers interested on long crossings.

Polar Cruises with HX Hurtigruten

Children are welcome on most HX Hurtigruten ships, including both their classic Norway cruises and their polar expeditions to Antartica, and usually offer discounted rates for children – sometimes up to 50% off the adult fare. Arctic cruises with kids can be a great family adventure, especially for older children and teenagers. While HX Hurtigruten doesn't offer childcare services or dedicated kids' clubs, there's still plenty to do onboard to keep the whole family happy.

If you're looking for interesting family cruises in 2026, the HX Young Explorers Programme is offered on most HX expedition ships. Aimed at children aged 7-13, it embraces art workshops, behind-the-scenes ship tours and talks about nature, wildlife and the impact humans have on the polar regions. Older kids might like to get involved in the Citizen Science projects, which go a little deeper and include NASA cloud research, seaweed biodiversity and studies into phytoplankton.

Family-friendly cruises with HX and Hurtigruten are available on many ships including the MS Fridtjof Nansen, which pays homage to the Norwegian Explorer of the same name. Like its twin ship the MS Roald Amundsen, this modern, hybrid-electric powered vessel catering for around 500 passengers is designed for comfort and sustainability on Arctic and Antarctica cruises. Both are super modern with stylish decor, a trio of restaurants, a spa, a pool and a gym. HX Hurtigruten ships also have onboard Science Centres, libraries, and areas for lectures and workshops.

MS Fram is another HX Hurtigruten ship purpose-built for polar exploration. It has a capacity of around 250 passengers and sails on both Arctic and Antarctic routes. You'll find the MS Fram in the Arctic regions in spring and summer months, where you can visit Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland and spot polar bears and iceberg. In the winter, it ventures south to Antarctic waters.

The MS Spitsbergen is largely used for Arctic cruises in the winter months, exploring Svalbard and the Lofoten Islands around the Arctic Circle. A smaller vessel than the rest of the fleet, it caters for just 150 passengers, but like the other ships it's equipped with a Science Centre, a library, restaurants and the Explorer Lounge and Bar.

Polar Cruises with Hapag-Lloyd

As an alternative to polar cruises with HX Hurtigruten, Hapag-Lloyd has an array of Arctic and Antarctic cruises 2026 that are suitable for families. These expeditions include 16-day Antarctic journeys aboard HANSEATIC Inspiration, which stops at the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, and Arctic cruises from Iceland and Spitsbergen.

Onboard there's a Teen Explorer Programme designed for older kids aged 10-17, where activities include bridge visits, navigation lessons, oceanography, geology and scientific workshops. It also offers cinema evenings, pizza nights and family-friendly shore excursions.

Polar Cruises with Lindblad Expeditions

These Norway, Iceland and Greenland cruises sail around the Arctic archipelago, which is one of the best places to see polar bears in the wild. Lindblad’s family-friendly Arctic cruises are suitable for kids aged seven and over, who can also see reindeer, Arctic foxes, walrus and fur seals.

On its family cruise itineraries Voyage to Antarctica and Quest for the Antarctic Circle routes, Lindblad offers an onboard National Geographic Explorers-in-Training programme for kids and teenagers, where children can learn to plot whale migrations, collect plankton and make glaciers out of ice cream.