Ice floating on an icebreaker cruise
You lie back in the open water of the Gulf of Bothnia, in a survival suit that keeps the sea out.
Every cruise on this site includes ice floating. The ship stops in the ice, the crew helps you into an insulated survival suit, and you float in the water between the floes. The suit goes on over your normal clothes. Floating is voluntary; you can stay on the ice or on deck instead.
The minimum height by ship
| Ship | Floating from | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Sampo | 140 cm | Height rule of The Icebreaking Company |
| Arktis | 140 cm | Height rule; crew may also check health |
| Polar Explorer | 125 cm | Crew decides for children close to 125 cm |
| Arctic Explorer | 125 cm (operator) | Crew decides for children close to 125 cm |
The Polar Explorer operator explains why: its smallest survival suits are made for 125 cm, and if a child is close to that height the crew decides whether it is safe. Children float together with their parents.
Is it cold?
Not inside the suit. Polar Explorer describes a double-layer suit that insulates you from the cold water, and the Kemi operator says the suit keeps you warm in freezing water. Dress for the cold anyway: you walk on the ice and wait on deck before and after. One listing recommends bringing a change of clothes.
How long you are in the water
No operator gives a time. On a busy cruise, guests go into the water in groups while others walk on the ice, and in the reviews the floating often comes across as shorter than people expected. Treat it as one part of a three-hour cruise rather than the main event, and you will judge the day more fairly.
Health rules
The Arktis listing describes the floating as optional, asks for normal physical health, and says staff can check each guest’s condition and decide whether they may take part. It is not recommended during pregnancy. None of the ships is wheelchair accessible.
When the ice is too thin, or the wind too strong
Both operators intend the floating to happen on every cruise when conditions permit. The Icebreaking Company says the floating place may be changed, or the activity left out, because of weather, wind, ice or safety, without separate compensation. Polar Explorer Oy accepts no liability for a cancelled swim for safety reasons, and the Arctic Explorer listing says a cancelled float or ice walk is no reason for a refund. The walk on the ice has a stricter condition than the floating: on the Swedish ships the ice must be solid and at least 20 cm thick.
Photos while you float
Both operators sell professional photos taken on the ice; on the Arktis listings the photo service is not included. If photos of yourself in the water matter to you, add the service when you book.
FAQ
What is ice floating?
You float on your back in the open sea between the ice floes, wearing an insulated survival suit over your clothes. It takes place at a stop during the icebreaker cruise.
Can I float if I cannot swim?
The survival suit keeps you afloat, and the crew is there for your safety. Floating is voluntary on every ship.
What is the minimum height for ice floating?
140 cm on the Sampo and the Arktis, 125 cm on the Polar Explorer and the Arctic Explorer. There is no age limit on either operator’s ships.
Do I get a refund if the floating is cancelled?
No. Both operators say the floating can be dropped for weather, ice or safety reasons without compensation. If the whole cruise is cancelled, both offer another date or a refund.
Floating from 125 cm or 140 cm
The table shows the minimum height for every cruise.
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