Small-ship expedition specialist Adventure Canada has unveiled a bigger 2028 programme, with new routes in the Canadian Arctic, Northern Europe and Antarctica — and a couple of fresh twists for travellers eyeing remote corners of the map.

The headline addition is a shorter Northwest Passage option. "Northwest Passage: Eastern Gateway" runs 13 days aboard the Ocean Victory, with a July and an August departure. It starts along Greenland's west coast — including the UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord — then spends five days in Tallurutiup Imanga, a wildlife-rich waterway in Nunavut, with stops at Ikpiarjuk (Arctic Bay) and Beechey Island before finishing at Qausuittuq (Resolute). The August sailing runs the route in reverse. For anyone daunted by the classic full-passage length, this is a more compact way in.

There's an anniversary angle too: the returning "Out of the Northwest Passage" expedition will mark 100 years of the St. Roch, the RCMP schooner that became the first vessel to complete the Passage west to east. Expect on-board storytelling around the history, not just the scenery.

Northern Europe gets its own newcomer. "Iceland & the Faroe Islands: Islands Born of Fire and Sea" is an 11-day round trip from Reykjavík that circumnavigates Iceland aboard the Ocean Victory, calling at the Westfjords, Grímsey, whale-watching town Húsavík, the east coast and Heimaey — a volcanically shaped itinerary matched to its name. It slots alongside the returning "Scotland, The Faroe Islands & Iceland — North Atlantic Saga".

Antarctica fans also gain a deeper option. "Antarctic Peninsula: An Explorer's Expedition" is an 11-day sailing from Ushuaia across the Drake Passage to the South Shetland Islands and the Peninsula, where each day's landings and zodiac runs are decided on the spot by ice, weather and wildlife — the essence of expedition cruising.

Beyond the new routes, the 2028 collection brings back a strong returning roster: the Torngat Mountains adventure pairing Greenland with wild Labrador, a Newfoundland circumnavigation, Sable Island's wild horses, the High Arctic art-focused voyage, and the ultimate northerly trip — Ellesmere Island and North Greenland, right at the top of the world.

Why it matters: Adventure Canada's trips sell out far in advance, and 2028 sailings are already bookable, so announcing now gives flexible travellers a genuine head start — especially on the newer, shorter Northwest Passage itinerary, which lowers the barrier for first-time polar travellers. It's a programme for people who want naturalists and cultural guides on board rather than casinos and buffets, and who are happy for the schedule to bend to the ice. If the Arctic is on your list for 2028, the July departure suits birders and wildflower season; August often brings better ice-free navigation through the Passage itself.