Vega in Skjoldungen Fjord, Greenland
Passage From Iceland to Greenland
A Voyage Exploring Iceland,
Greenland’s Eastern Fjords,
Cape Farewell, Disko Bay
& Inuit Communities
August 18 – 31, 2025
With Dr. Nigella Hillgarth, aboard the new expedition cruise ship VEGA
HOST AND LECTURER
Dr. Nigella Hillgarth is a research scientist and Affiliate Professor at the Center for Ecosystem Sentinels in the Biology Department of the University of Washington. Dr. Hillgarth served as the Executive Director of the Birch Aquarium, the outreach arm of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, from 2002 to 2014. Among other achievements, during her tenure, Nigella developed one of the first major exhibits on climate change in the US.
Prior to her work at Birch Aquarium, she served as Executive Director of the Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City, the largest bird sanctuary in the country, where she collaborated on conservation efforts for marine birds in the Galapagos Islands, Peru, and Argentina. From 2014 to 2017, Dr. Hillgarth served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the New England Aquarium, where she raised the profile of the Aquarium’s global conservation and research work by founding the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life and developing a vision for the future of the Aquarium and the surrounding Boston waterfront.
In 2019, Dr. Hillgarth was the Climate Art Fellow for the Climate Science Alliance and worked on visualizations of ocean-atmosphere interactions and climate with the National Science Foundation Center for Aerosol Impacts on Chemistry of the Environment at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
An avid photographer of the natural world, Nigella received a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology from Oxford University in the UK, as well as a PhD in Evolutionary Biology. She has conducted research on behavioral ecology and the evolution of birds, including penguins, in many parts of the world, including Britain, India, Thailand, the Arctic, South America, and the United States.
Nuuk, Greenland
Seltún Geothermal Area, Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland
Eqi Glacier, Greenland
The colorful houses perched on rocks in Sisimiut, Greenland
ITINERARY
Monday, August 18, 2025
DEPART THE UNITED STATES
Tuesday, August 19, 2025
REYKJAVÍK, Iceland
Arrive at Keflavík International Airport, Reykjavík’s airport. Upon arrival, transfer to the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in the town of Keflavík, which is located just 30 miles from Reykjavík. In the evening, meet fellow travelers, Dr. Nigella Hillgarth, and the Trip Director at a welcome dinner. (D)
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
REYKJAVÍK/EMBARKATION
After breakfast at the hotel, begin your exploration of Iceland with a visit to the geothermal fields on the Reykjanes Peninsula where powerful jets of steam escaping from deep below the Earth’s crust share the landscape with multicolored pools of boiling mud. Then explore Reykjavík with a panoramic tour of the city’s major attractions, including Parliament and the Höfði house (site of the 1986 Reagan-Gorbachev Summit). Enjoy a light lunch before arriving at the pier in the late afternoon to embark Vega. (B,L,D)
Thursday, August 21, 2025
AT SEA
During this day at sea, attend informative lectures and briefings from Dr. Nigella Hillgarth and the ship’s expert expedition staff, relax and enjoy cruising the open sea, and treat yourself to some of the many amenities aboard Vega. (B,L,D)
Friday, August 22, 2025
SKJOLDUNGEN, GREENLAND
On the rugged east coast of Greenland, Skjoldungen Fjord is surrounded by lofty snow-capped mountains growing thick with dwarf birch, arctic wildflowers, and willow forests. Serpentine rivers and large crevasses of ice pillars, known as seracs, share the sea with icebergs calved from the Thrym Glacier and gleam in a white to blue spectrum. In addition to the natural beauty of the fjord, whales are often seen here, cavorting among the floating bits of ice. (B,L,D)
Saturday, August 23, 2025
PRINS CHRISTIAN SUND/AAPPILATTOQ
The small, colorful and charming Nordic homes of Aappilattoq, the only settlement in Prins Christian Sund, are a stark contrast to the snow-tipped mountain ridges in this icy wilderness. A beautifully dramatic fjord in the south of Greenland, Prins Christian Sund is a favorite habitat of fin, blue and minke whales, and also hosts muskoxen, bearded seals, and an occasional polar bear. Explore these unspoiled, picturesque waterways, where magnificent glaciers tower and sheer granite cliffs are the site of crystal-clear waterfalls. (B,L,D)
Monday, August 25, 2025
NUUK
Situated just 150 miles south of the Arctic Circle, Nuuk (also known by its Danish name, Godthåb) is the northernmost capital in the world. It is also the oldest town in Greenland, founded by missionaries in 1728. It is a town of colorful wooden houses, avant-garde architecture and fjords of clear ice water. (B,L,D)
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
SISIMIUT
Today we sail some 50 miles north of the Arctic Circle to call in Sisimiut, the second largest town in Greenland, boasting a population of just about 6,000. Primarily a fishing village, Sisimiut offers a small museum and an arts and crafts center. We may have the opportunity to see artisans at work and perhaps to purchase some Greenlandic arts and crafts. (B,L,D)
Wednesday, August 27 and Thursday, August 28
ILULISSAT / DISKO BAY
Heading further north, we come to Ilulissat and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Disko Bay. Here we will spend two days exploring this fascinating region. Eqi Glacier is one of the world’s most active glaciers and offers our best chance to witness calving. This is also the point in our expedition where we are most likely to see beluga whales as they feed on the rich krill in front of the glaciers. Weather and ice permitting, we will call in the town of Ilulissat (the word means “iceberg”), where Knud Rasmussen grew up, and where we will gain a first-hand sense of why he was drawn to devote his life to the exploration of the Arctic. (B,L,D)
Friday, August 29, 2025
EXPLORING FJORDS / KANGERLUSSUAQ
As we sail south to make our way to Kangerlussuaq and our expedition’s end, the Captain and Expedition Leader will take Vega in and out of the fjords that define the coast, choosing our exact route on the basis of ice and weather conditions, and following sightings of the whales and seals that thrive in these ice-choked waters. During the course of the day, you might enjoy kayaking in the fjords or exploring glacial areas that attract muskoxen, reindeer, arctic foxes, and gyrfalcons. (B,L,D)
Saturday, August 30, 2025
KANGERLUSSUAQ / DISEMBARKATION / REYKJAVÍK
After breakfast aboard, disembark and transfer to the airport for a flight to Reykjavík. On arrival in Iceland’s capital, check in to our hotel for overnight. (B)
Sunday, August 31, 2025
REYKJAVÍK / HOMEWARD
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for flights homeward. (B)
The NEW 152-Guest Expedition
Cruise Ship VEGA
All accommodations aboard VEGA are spacious staterooms and balcony suites, elegantly decorated and designed for comfort. They feature:
● Outside-facing rooms with stunning sea views.
● Queen-size bed (convertible to two twin beds).
● Spacious bathroom for added convenience.
● Mini-refrigerator for personal refreshments.
● Secure in-room safe for valuables.
● Ample closet space for storage needs.
● Climate control for personalized comfort.
● Telephone for onboard communication.
● TV with entertainment options.
● Wi-Fi access for staying connected.
● USB connections for easy device charging.
● Additional thoughtful amenities for an enhanced stay.
All prices are per person, double occupancy
Category E – Oceanview Stateroom | 206 sq. ft. | $13,490
Category D – Oceanview Stateroom | 206 sq. ft. | $14,190
Category C – Suite with Balcony & Living Room Area | 300 sq. ft. | $17,190
Category B – Suite with Balcony & Living Room Area | 300 sq. ft. | $17,990
Category A – Suite with Balcony & Living Room Area | 300 sq. ft. | $18,790
Category AA – Suite with Large Balcony, Separate Bedroom & Living Room | 440 sq. ft. | $22,990
FOR SOLO TRAVELERS | A limited number of cabins are available for single occupants in Category D at 120% of the per-person, double occupancy rate, and in Categories C, B, and A at 150% of the per-person, double occupancy rate.
PROGRAM INCLUSIONS
The rates are all-inclusive. There are no hidden costs and no additional charges such as shore excursions or embarkation and port charges. Other than the international airfare and expenses of a personal nature, all else is included. Specifically, the rates include:
● One night at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Keflavík.
● Welcome dinner in Keflavík.
● Cruise aboard the Swan Hellenic Vega, as described in the itinerary.
● Group airport/hotel/pier transfers overseas at designated times on the indicated arrival and return dates, and handling of luggage.
● Lectures and discussions with Dr. Nigella Hillgarth.
● Program of lectures and presentations from experts and naturalists.
● Complete program of shore excursions, led by professional local guides.
● All meals aboard the ship, with a selection of wines, beer, and soft drinks during lunch and dinner.
● Welcome and farewell cocktail receptions aboard the ship hosted by the captain.
● Open bar with select alcoholic beverages.
● Coffee, including espresso and cappuccino, tea, and soft drinks throughout the day and night.
● 24-hour room service.
● Gratuities to the ship’s crew, guides, porters, and drivers.
● Basic Wi-Fi aboard the ship.
● The services of an experienced Thalassa Journeys Trip Director.
● All local taxes and service charges, including port and embarkation taxes.
● Complete pre-departure material.
NOT INCLUDED
International airfare; travel insurance; expenses of a personal nature; any items not mentioned in the itinerary or the above inclusions.
Nature and landscapes of Greenland.