Already an intimately sized ship with a 260-guest capacity, Silver Cloud will carry only 200 passengers to Arctic and Antarctic destinations — ensuring everyone can touch upon land at the same time. Navigate effortlessly between ice floes and pack ice dotting polar waters, and zip toward land aboard one of 18 purpose-built Zodiacs.

Summer in Antarctica is a reawakening of nature, the echoing sounds of seabirds luring you toward a coastline teeming with tuxedoed penguins. Follow your captain to the ship’s expansive deck to watch a whale breaching or dolphins leaping playfully in the air. The island of South Georgia is home to half the world’s population of comical elephant seals, a sight that will take your breath away.

Cross the Arctic Circle on an adventurer’s dream voyage that encompasses the cool beauty of Iceland and the remote villages, fjords and hot springs of Greenland. See where polar bears roam along the tundra and follow the cries of bird colonies tucked into jagged cliffs. Back on board, a two-story, state-of-the-art theater plays host to insightful lectures and a Polar Exploration Exhibition by the Royal Geographical Society that deepens your appreciation for this wild and wonderful land.

Each evening is a chance to relax and exchange tales of your day’s adventures, accompanied by free-flowing wine in the Dining Room or over gourmet cuisine in the Relais & Châteaux-designated Le Champagne — impeccable service underscoring each and every meal. Or, perhaps you’re inclined toward dinner in the private seclusion of your suite, attended by a personal butler and accompanied by views of the ocean’s expansive beauty from your veranda.

Your expeditioner’s heart need not look only to the poles for inspiration. Traverse hidden pockets of the Canadian coast or gaze over windswept fields and craggy cliffs as Silver Cloud sails through northern waters — from Ireland’s Skellig Islands to the emerald-green shores of the Shetland Islands. Tight-knit communities open their doors as you meet local artisans and bask in the friendly warmth of neighborhood pubs.