- Welcome to a cultural expedition of Iceland and Greenland on the World's Greatest Cruises.

I'm Lynn Elmhirst, a travel journalist with a deep passion for sailing the high seas.

Navigating timeless routes on a world that's 70% water.

Cruising may be the most authentic way to travel, not to mention its spectacular scenery, fascinating ships, maritime traditions, and local people and cultures.

Join me on the world's greatest cruises.

"World's Greatest Cruises" is made possible in part by the JERNE community of travel advisors: local business owners with experience cruising and planning cruises.

More information at JERNE.COM/CRUISE Today on World's Greatest Cruises, we're exploring the cultural treasures of Iceland and Greenland on a cultural expedition cruise.

Expedition cruising can be a lot more than sailing to remote regions of the world.

As we discover on a two week odyssey from Reykjavik to the west coast of Greenland and around its southern and eastern coastlines.

Before cruising back to Iceland's capitol, we're sailing aboard the Seabourn Venture, the first of the small ship cruise lines, two polar class expedition ships and distinguishable from their yacht.

White oceangoing sister ships in the fleet by their racing green hulls with a vermilion stripe that evoke the spirit of adventure, as do the nods to maritime history and traditions.

We fought throughout the ship on the Seabourn Venture.

We're among about 250 guests and 120 crew, including a couple dozen expedition team members with credentials in science, history, marine biology, and more.

We venture by kayak Zodiac, and a very special submarine dodge.

- What to do?

- I would love to, are you actually going to look at this?

This is very exciting.

And I even found myself convinced to join some other brave souls on a polar plunge.

Along with the spectacular sea and landscapes, This cultural expedition cruise allows us to discover thousands of years of fascinating human stories.

Meeting an artist, taking ancient indigenous traditions to new depths in Greenland, walking in the thousand year old footsteps of vikings and tasting unique combinations of European and Arctic Island flavors on a quirky food tour of Reykjavik One is enough.

I think that sums it up perfectly.

And this is a cruise line with a culture of its own.

Aboard the Seabourn Venture, the crew helps guests join together in a sense of shared discovery.

Even in the Arctic, it maintains a tradition of caviar parties or caviar service anywhere on the ship, even served in your suite to toast new friends and pop-up.

Celebrations appear out of nowhere throughout our adventures.

And the perfect year.

Iceland's 1200 year old capital has that split personality founded by Vikings.

Reykjavik still feels in ways like the small North Atlantic coastal fishing town It was till the 20th century when it evolved into a modern cultural hub surrounded by the harsh environment of North Atlantic Seas live volcanoes, geysers, and glaciers that have given Iceland, the nickname the land of fire and ice.

Iceland has cultivated a truly unique identity that melds all of those influences.

And nowhere is that more apparent than the food culture of Reykjavik where we tasted our way around the city during our pre cruise tour.

I think what surprises people when they come here is just how small Reykjavik for a major European capital is.

It's really a small town that has everything.

- It has something for everyone, whether it's nightlife, art, history, food.

- Iceland is famous for its own very unique cuisine.

And that's what we're going to be exploring today.

- The Iceland cuisine is all about lamb, seafood, and dairy.

'cause in the old days, it was all about preservation of ingredients.

Nothing was ever thrown away.

So these preservation methods- - Those are new themes that are really being embraced in terms of culinary terms around the world.

The idea of not wasting things, you know, nose to tail dining, and also using traditional methods and preservation methods.

So are we going to go try some of the most famous Icelandic dishes?

- Of course, yeah.

We're gonna head first to the oldest restaurant, Reykjavik and get a combo of farmer's breakfast.

- This is our... - Skir.

- Skir, which is yogurt.

- But it's technically fresh cheese, by the way.

It's produced and it's a unique Iceland recipe.

- So we've got skir and we've got grandma's pancakes.

- Yep.

And then finally we have - The hunky good is actually, you know, it's, it's a sheep dung smoked leg of lamb.

So of course- - Sheep dung smoke.

- Yes.

- Leg of lamb.

- That's right.

They do it to preserve the meat.

Of course.

And if you guys start traveling around Iceland, you see there are not very many trees.

Trees on the island.

Right.

So what they had to burn plenty of back in the day was sheep dung.

Right.

And this is one of the things I mentioned, that preservation method that coincidentally taste Very good.

- I'm, I'm all in here.

Yeah.

And I've got strawberry, fresh strawberry and skier, which really also has the consistency of a fresh cheese.

Yeah.

Well that's delicious.

Definitely better than yogurt.

Mm.

That's wonderful.

And then you would go to?

- I would go for the flatbread next.

- Okay.

Wrap it all up.

Dung, smoked lamb.

- Mm.

That's very tasty.

No dung taste at all.

I've heard about Iceland's famous hot dog.

What makes an Iceland hot dog and Iceland hot dog?

- Well, I guess the fact that it's mostly made with lamb.

Okay.

And not with pork or beef, which is very common in most other places.

Right.

This restaurant right here was the first fast food restaurant in Iceland.

Go ahead.

- Okay.

- It's good, right?

- You're right.

You need it with everything and you need to like lamb.

- Oh yeah.

A hot dog is only four bites maximum.

So there's no way to share it.

- Four bites?

No one's ever accused me of not having a big mouth.

And now we have a fresh air off the harbor.

And what's our next Icelandic dish?

There was one thing I mentioned in the beginning that you gotta try while you're here, which is one of those not so good tasting meals.

This is the fermented shark.

It's been eaten here in Iceland since around the 14th century.

People used to eat it when it, when the shark would beach - The animal beached.

They're not gonna let it go to waste.

And then this was a method of preserving it.

'cause you couldn't eat a whole shark at once.

- We could do it both at the same time.

You wanna chew it really well about 10 seconds before you swallow it and wash it down.

- I'm going to have my beer in hand in case I need help getting it down.

Okay.

- Skál.

- Skál.

Hmm.

I'm gonna do this before the 10 seconds.

- So what do you think?

- So it was a strong flavor.

I wouldn't care for more.

(laughs) - One is typically enough.

- Cheers.

We've already had a taste of cultural adventure and now we're off to meet our ship.

Seaboards chartered a plane for all of the ship's guests assembled in Reykjavik to fly together from Iceland to one of only two airports in Greenland that can accept large aircraft.

And from there we're transported to the western shores of this island country of the kingdom of Denmark, where we board tenders to transfer to the Seabourn Venture where she's positioned in coastal waters north of the Arctic Circle, safely aboard and sailing towards our first port of call.

We have time to get acquainted with our home for the next two weeks with a completely different culinary experience from our adventure in Reykjavik.

With 264 guests, it's a small ship, but there are several dining and drinking options.

No fermented shark in sight, but there's still culinary adventure as well as comfort in the cuisine.

Sushi every evening in the club lounge accompanied by live music and cocktails, snacks, and even a changing daily gelato menu in the ship's.

Social hub, Seabourn square, classic continental cuisine in the restaurant ever-changing global foodie favorites as well as a pop-up specialty culinary concept in the colonnade.

And Alfresco dining that beckons even in the fresh air of summer in the Arctic.

Our first port of call is the world's northernmost capital and the largest, the only city we'll see outside of Reykjavik Just 20,000 people live in Nuuk.

But that makes it the biggest city in Greenland, where 80% of the country's covered year round by its thick ice cap.

Nuuk has about a third of the population of Greenland, 90% Inuit and just a few Danes giving it what's believed to be the highest percentage of indigenous people.

Any city contributing to that living heritage is the only building in Greenland dedicated to the visual arts.

Challenging visitors to a new understanding of Greenland and art led by the first Greenland to be trained as an art historian.

Nivi, when people come to the new art museum, what do you hope they take away from the museum in terms of their experience in Greenland and take home with them to, to many, many other countries?

- It's been important to me that people leave with more questions than when they came.

If we can help people broaden their perspective just a little bit, then that is the huge goal for us.

- But also I think the bigger picture of what is Greenland art.

I've had a small look around and I see art that looks quite historic and European.

And then I also see art that looks very Greenlandic and with materials that are obviously very local.

- We inherited a lot of art from European artists, specifically Nordic artists that have portrayed Greenland throughout time.

So it has a, a tendency to become this romanticized landscape.

- Right.

I was just gonna say, it feels very romantic.

Yeah.

- It definitely is.

And then we are trying to challenge that with a local perspective.

A female artist, a photographer, were here at the same time in 1930 and she did put portraits of the city, portraits of women, portraits of humans.

So that's a complete different portrait.

And we've been trying to open people's eyes to the fact that if you come to Greenland and you tend, you only have the big landscape images on your phones or on your cameras when you leave, you've missed something.

'cause you have to look deeper than that.

- And look at the small details - In that specific piece.

She's used Greenlandic herbs and that kind of interpretation of nature in a completely different way than the huge landscape painting is a different way of looking.

- And then of course that magnificent piece of walrus, which is you could stare at it for hours and see new details.

- That's a piece by Kim.

And it's completely decorated all around once he's implemented local stone in it.

So there is both diamond and rubies in it.

Mm.

Which is very local to Nuuk.

- The extraordinary carved walrus skull is a unique, modern and incredibly complex iteration of the local indigenous people's ancient tradition of carving soapstone, teeth, antlers, bones, or tusks, often into small figures or mythological creatures originally used to cast spells, but now are artistic expressions.

And even considered good luck tokens, as the artist explained when we caught up with him in his studio.

Kim, we saw your carved walrus skull in the museum.

And it is spell binding.

You have to tell us about that piece.

- Thank you so much.

Always been fascinated about faces.

I don't really see really great looking faces in the art history in Greenland.

- So where did you learn, how did you learn?

We don't really have art schools in this artwork.

So trial in error really.

- What about tools?

Is it sort of standard drill and drill bits?

Just really small for the detail?

- I'm so grateful that you asked that.

'cause one of my good friends is a dentist.

- Oh.

Are these dental drill bits?

- These are the, the ones and- - These are bones.

It's like your drilling cavities.

- Indeed.

- Do you think you can teach me something a little bit?

- I can try.

- What should I try to do?

- We're gonna make a face.

- Okay.

- Yeah.

Yeah.

- Okay.

And so I start the engines.

Okay.

Hold it like a pen.

Is that deep enough yet?

- So just go little bit further down, like same movement.

Just yeah.

- Like so?

- Yeah.

Just the beauty of it is that you can always even it out right on the other side.

- Right.

- Like.

- Okay, so let's pause.

- Have you got eyes there?

- Yeah.

- Okay.

I think we have eyes.

I mean there's a lot more detail.

You're laughing.

- Somewhere like that.

- There's kind... You can see there's eyes on their way.

I mean, I have a lot to learn.

It looks like the bone is speaking to me a little now because the eyes are really the windows to the soul.

Right?

Our good luck token here is on his way.

- We can say that - Exactly.

Yeah.

There we are.

Around the year 1000, new visitors arrived on the shores of Greenland.

If you think it's confusing that the country, which is 80% ice, is today called Greenland, blame it on the Vikings and some early marketing by Eric the Red for immigrants to come to his new settlement.

Seabourn Venture positioned itself off the world heritage site on Greenland's coast, memorializing the first north settlement in Greenland.

That was part of changing the course of North American history.

This is an amazing place.

This is sort of where they put the green in Greenland isn't it?

- Yeah, exactly.

So that's, this area is where Eric the Red settled down here where he named the country Greenland - Because of course today it's beautiful and green right here.

The rest of Greenland is really not Greenland at all.

Mostly ice.

- This area is one of the few areas that are sub arctic climate whereas the rest of Greenland are either Arctic or high arctic climate.

- What are these ruins?

- Those are actually replicas.

And the first one here, that's a replica of the first Christian Church that was built here in Greenland.

The original church is stated to be from the year around 1000.

- I See.

I also see a sod building there.

Is that a replica sod building?

- Yeah, that's a replica of a longhouse they have found in sand in the new queue.

That's where the room was completely covered in sand.

So it was very well preserved.

So they knew the exact size, the exact layout of the interior.

So they have been able to replicate it.

- And coming here today, it allows us to get a glimpse into how those first Vikings 1200 years ago lived here and settled here and really changed the history of Greenland.

It was from here.

Vikings continued their push towards new horizons with Eric the Red's son Leaf becoming the first European to reach North America.

Today, adventurers and expedition cruise guests use kayaks to explore waters around the world.

But the word kayak is from Greenland's indigenous people, meaning hunter's boat.

Right off my veranda local kayakers have come by to demonstrate their skills and actually obviously some very traditional kayaks in very cold water.

I'm hoping to stay on top of this very cold water.

When we go kayaking in a 45 mile fjord surrounded by big walls that some call the Patagonia or the Yellowstone of the North seas.

- Yeah.

The water is some of the clearest I've seen.

- It's crazy.

Beautiful.

What do you know about this fjord and this, these spectacular cliffs is this glacial movement that created these shapes?

- So if you look, you see on the peaks, you'll see at some points they're very jagged.

And then other points, you have these smoothing effect, these valleys and these are glacial valleys.

And so we know at one point this whole area was covered in ice.

And that the parts that are jagged that you're seeing are the parts that we're exposed to the surface that never had that ice.

- Here we are all on our own in this incredible wilderness landscape.

On a glorious day, I mean, I think people assume that arctic travel is going to be just cold and wet.

And of course it can be, but it certainly hasn't been for us - People who haven't had a experience in the polar regions, they don't realize these areas can be teeming with life.

But I think people come here and they think it's barren and harsh and desolate and yes it is those things, but it's also a place of - Great life.

- Yeah, A lot of life.

Yeah.

- And a silence that's so uncommon in modern life.

It gives us a sense of timelessness and appreciation.

The history of this environment and the people who kayaked here for survival, not out for a fun ride.

They'd be out hunting, but still.

We're out hunting for good views.

- That's a good motto.

We're hunting for good views.

One of my favorite views is always from the bridge.

And although the Seabourn Venture is a new kind of vessel plying these northern waters, as we discussed with the captain, we still have something in common with earlier people who ventured into the maze of fjords of Greenland.

I think something that makes cruising in Greenland so important is that there are no roads really.

You know, traveling by sea is really the only way.

It's the most authentic way.

- And for many years it's always been the way the exploration and expedition to come to Greenland, whether it's for exploring or for science.

You're exactly right.

There is no infrastructure here.

And the way to get from A to B, and we've seen it on the east and west coast of Greenland, is by boat and local boats.

And that's how the locals will commute as well.

So for us in our world where we are so used to a busy lifestyle and going in our cars or trucks and driving from A to B slows everybody down and gives you a chance to really capture and en enjoy the moments that we have outside.

- Well, we talk about the Vikings and and the Inuit.

I mean those are great seafaring cultures.

Would you say that expedition cruising and polar cruising is your favorite way to cruise?

- It is, absolutely.

Yeah.

I see a, a desire to explore.

People are more en energetic and for me included, we have that passion to go further and further.

- Further than probably many people on the ship ever dreamed might be possible in their lifetime.

Sailing through an ice field under blazing blue arctic skies had us marveling at scenery.

You couldn't even imagine until it was right there before your eyes being able to board zodiacs from the ship and tour the bay.

Among the icebergs revealed hidden sight and new perspectives for some of nature's most beautiful and yet short-lived wonders.

I just had to point out this iceberg with the arch.

It looks like Mother Nature is a master architect.

The crew of the Seabourn Venture carried on the cruise lines tradition of surprising guests with unexpected celebrations turning an up close zodiac turban iceberg field into an even more unforgettable memory with a pop-up zodiac champagne bar.

Thank you very much.

Cheers.

I think we have to toast that iceberg.

Another moment to celebrate.

In the same waters of Umavik Bay, later that sunny afternoon the crew of the Seabourn Venture arranged for any brave soul on board to take the plunge literally into one of the most highly anticipated activities of voyage.

So I have mixed feelings about this.

On one hand, this is a time honored tradition, a polar plunge when you're on an expedition cruise in a polar space.

On the other hand, the water is two celsius, it looks sunny and beautiful.

But those are icebergs.

It's gonna be very cold, but we're gonna do it right.

I think the key is you need a polar plunge pal.

Sarah's going to jump with me.

Yeah.

Because first of all, you have moral support and secondly, you can't back out.

- Three, Two, one.

- I wish I had words, but I just have screams.

Good job.

There we go.

Take it from me.

The best thing to do after a polar plunge is head straight for the sauna onboard to warm up again.

It's funny how the icebergs and that water look so much less cold from inside this toasty sauna.

And after all the excitement and adrenaline and icy sea water in my hair, it also feels like a good night just to stay at home and order dinner from the restaurant menu into my suite where no one minds if I just stay tucked up in my bathrobe.

- Even if you don't take the polar plunge aboard the Seabourn Venture, there's still a very adventurous way to completely immerse yourself in these arctic waters.

Of all the expedition toys onboard the Seabourn Venture.

I think the one that excites people the most are the submarines.

The opportunity to go beneath the surface of these beautiful waters and see what's going on down there.

So here we go.

Look at the color of the water.

We can't make this up.

Wow.

This is so beautiful.

You'd think we were in the Caribbean.

This six passenger submersible with spheres providing extra wide views is capable of taking guests nearly a thousand feet into the marine environment below, all controlled by compact and high tech equipment.

- You like to drive?

- I would love to.

Are you actually going to, look at this.

This is very exciting.

This actually get to drive - This controls the depth.

- And so if you rotate it so your left, it goes down and to the right it goes up.

So you just want us see you kind of at this level straight.

And actually you wanna spin it just a slight bit to your right.

- So with my left controller I can spin.

Okay.

And we are spinning.

Look at that.

This is so exciting.

It totally makes up for not seeing a narwhal down here.

- Yeah.

- And then you're gonna push and hold that, but going up to the top.

- Going up.

Oh, here we are.

Yeah, that was very exciting.

Well, that was pretty incredible.

They let me drive.

Hello.

Thank you.

Returning this time by sea to Reykjavik.

After our two week expedition cruise aboard the Seaboard Venture, the ship's crew organizes one last opportunity to relive and share our favorite cultural expedition moments An outdoor local epicurean.

Farewell party is a Seabourn tradition, and today we're saying goodbye to our new expedition cruise friends and the whole Seabourn team from Reykjavik.

Until next time, on "World's Greatest Cruises" wishing you fair winds and following seas.

More information about World's Greatest Cruises and the ship and ports of call featured in today's program on our website at www.worldsgreatestcruises.com.

"World's Greatest Cruises" is made possible in part by the JERNE community of travel advisors: local business owners with experience cruising and planning cruises.

More information at JERNE.COM/CRUISE Next time on "World's Greatest Cruises".

We're sailing through the south of France on the legendary Rome river home to iconic wine regions.

While the wine is also very famous because it's good wine, beloved cuisine, fabled history and cultured dating back to the Romans.

But it's no at all delicacies and indulgence.

On this river cruise, we get active hiking, steep vineyards and biking along the river banks.

- That's actually beautiful.

My goodness.