The variety of options when it comes to taking a cruise continues to expand all the time. Of course, you have the traditional Caribbean variety, and the ever popular Alaskan cruise. There are river cruises on the Nile, Yangtze, and even the Amazon, and of course, adventure travelers can go to Antarctica, and now through the Northwest Passage to Baffin Island.

The largest island in Canada, Baffin is home to herds of caribou, arctic wolves, and polar bears. It is remote, desolate, and covered in ice and snow for much of the year, but during the summer months, it thaws out enough to allow visitors to make the journey.

The Times Online travel section has a story on just such a cruise to Baffin Island, warning readers early on that this isn't a cruise for someone looking to relax in the sun and sip fruit drinks with little umbrellas. This is an active adventure vacation, and travelers will be exploring the island, viewing wildlife, and interacting with the Inuit people who have lived on the island for over a millennia.

The best time to go on a cruise to this arctic region is late August into late September, when the summer has had a chance to melt off the ice and open the Northwest passage more fully. Expect active days, unpredictable weather, and breathtaking scenery on an adventure cruise unlike any other.

Filed under: Arts and Culture, North America, Canada, Cruises