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Icebreaker Sampo cruise from Kemi

A working icebreaker from 1960, now a museum ship that still breaks the sea ice off Kemi every winter.

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Sampo cruise from Rovaniemi
Icebreaking Company Sampo cruise from Rovaniemi
★ 4.6 (245) from €506
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Sampo cruise from Kemi
Icebreaking Company Sampo cruise from Kemi
★ 4.7 (83) from €402
Book now
Sampo cruise from Haparanda/Tornio
Icebreaking Company Sampo cruise from Haparanda/Tornio
★ 5.0 (6) from €435
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Compare all 4 options

The Sampo is run by The Icebreaking Company, a tourism company owned by the city of Kemi. It has carried passengers since 1988, and its operator describes it as the only passenger icebreaker of the A1 Super ice class. You can book it from four pickup towns; the cruise itself is the same.

1960Year the Sampo was built
3.5 / 4 hMorning cruise, or afternoon cruise with lunch
140 cmMinimum height for ice floating, no age limit
18 DecFirst cruise of the 2026–27 season; last on 3 April 2027
PhotoCruisePickup fromTime on boardWhole dayFree cancellationPriceReviewsBook
Sampo cruise from Rovaniemi
Icebreaking Company		Rovaniemi (4 hotel stops)3.5 h (morning) or 4 h (afternoon)10–11 hUp to 24 hours before€506per person★ 4.6 (245)Book now
Sampo cruise from Kemi
Icebreaking Company		Kemi (hotels, station, SnowCastle)3.5 h (morning) or 4 h (afternoon)6.5–7 hUp to 24 hours before€402per person★ 4.7 (83)Book now
Sampo cruise from Haparanda/Tornio
Icebreaking Company		Haparanda / Tornio3.5 h (morning) or 4 h (afternoon)8–8.5 hUp to 24 hours before€435per person★ 5.0 (6)Book now
Sampo cruise from Oulu
Icebreaking Company		Oulu (3 stops, afternoon only)4 h (afternoon, with lunch)10 hUp to 24 hours before€536per person★ 5.0 (1)Book now

Cruise prices here are per adult and come live from GetYourGuide, taxes and fees included. Compare them with the whole-day column: the cruises with a bus from Rovaniemi or Oulu include the transfer in the price.

Sampo cruises by pickup town

Each card shows the pickup town and time on board first. Open a card for pickup stops, inclusions and the ice conditions note.

Sampo cruise from Rovaniemi
Icebreaking Company

Sampo cruise from Rovaniemi

Bus from Rovaniemi to Kemi and back, the 1960 icebreaker Sampo, ice floating and SnowCastle exhibitions. Lunch buffet only on the afternoon cruise.

  • Duration: 10–11 hours in total; 3.5 hours on board in the morning, 4 hours in the afternoon
  • Language: English
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start
from €506 ★ 4.6 (245 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide
Full cruise details

Highlights

  • A guided tour of the Sampo, an icebreaker built in 1960
  • Ice floating in a survival suit and, when the ice allows, a walk on the frozen sea
  • Diploma and entry to the SnowExperience and gemstone exhibitions in Kemi

About this cruise

The bus collects you at one of four stops in Rovaniemi, starting at 05:45 for the morning cruise or 09:25 for the afternoon cruise, and drives about an hour and three quarters to the SnowCastle area in Kemi. After check-in, a short bus ride takes you to the harbour.

The morning cruise runs 09:00–12:30 and has no meal included. The afternoon cruise runs 13:30–17:30 and includes the lunch buffet on board. The listing puts the whole day at 9 hours 40 minutes to 10 hours 45 minutes, depending on your stop.

What’s included

  • Return shuttle bus from Rovaniemi
  • 3.5- or 4-hour icebreaker cruise
  • Welcome drink on board
  • Ice floating in the Gulf of Bothnia
  • Cruise diploma
  • Tickets for the SnowExperience and gemstone exhibitions
  • Buffet lunch on board (afternoon cruise only)

Not included

  • Breakfast or lunch on the morning cruise

Pickup and check-in

Santa’s Igloos (Joulumaankuja 8), Santa Claus Village (Joulumaantie 20, look for the Sampo sign in the car park opposite the cottages), Arctic TreeHouse Hotel (Tarvantie 3) or Scandic Pohjanhovi (Pohjanpuistikko 2). Wait outside at the stop.

What to bring

  • Warm clothing
  • Sunglasses in spring, when the snow reflects the light

Know before you go

  • Ice floating needs a minimum height of 140 cm.
  • Walking on the ice may not be possible on cruises early in the winter season and depends on the ice.
  • All programmes depend on the weather and can be changed to suit the conditions.
  • The cruise is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Not allowed

  • Pets
  • Unaccompanied minors
  • Smoking indoors

Not suitable for

  • Wheelchair users
  • People with reduced mobility

Pickup times, inclusions and conditions as the operator lists them on the booking platform. Timetables can change from season to season.

Sampo cruise from Kemi
Icebreaking Company

Sampo cruise from Kemi

The shortest day on the Sampo: pickup at hotels in Kemi or the station, check-in at the SnowCastle area, 15 minutes by bus to the harbour.

  • Duration: 6.5–7 hours in total; 3.5 hours on board in the morning, 4 hours in the afternoon
  • Language: English
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start
from €402 ★ 4.7 (83 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide
Full cruise details

Highlights

  • The Sampo, which its operator describes as the only A1 Super class passenger icebreaker
  • Ice floating in a survival suit and a walk on the ice when conditions allow
  • Pickup at hotels in Kemi, the railway station or the SnowCastle area

About this cruise

The shuttle stops at Hotel Toivola, Scandic Kemi, Hotel Merihovi and Kemi railway station from 07:00 (morning) or 10:45 (afternoon). If you come by car, you can start at the SnowCastle area, which has free parking; driving to the harbour yourself is not allowed.

The lunch buffet is included on the afternoon cruise (13:30). On the morning cruise, lunch at the SnowCastle restaurant is an optional extra.

What’s included

  • Icebreaker cruise on the frozen sea
  • Welcome drink on board
  • Transfer between Kemi and the ship
  • Guided tour of the ship
  • Ice floating in a survival suit
  • Cruise diploma
  • Tickets for the SnowExperience365 and gemstone exhibitions

Pickup and check-in

Hotel Toivola (Kiveliönkatu 1), Scandic Kemi (Hahtisaarenkatu 3), Hotel Merihovi (Keskuspuistokatu 6), Kemi railway station (Rautatiekatu 3) or the SnowCastle area. The bus has “Icebreaker Shuttle Bus” on the windscreen.

What to bring

  • Warm outdoor clothing

Know before you go

  • Ice floating needs a minimum height of 140 cm.
  • Walking on the ice may not be possible on cruises early in the winter season and depends on the ice.
  • All programmes depend on the weather and can be changed to suit the conditions.
  • The cruise is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Not suitable for

  • Wheelchair users
  • People with reduced mobility

Pickup times, inclusions and conditions as the operator lists them on the booking platform. Timetables can change from season to season.

Sampo cruise from Haparanda/Tornio
Icebreaking Company

Sampo cruise from Haparanda/Tornio

Pickup in Haparanda and Tornio, about an hour by bus to Kemi. All times on the listing are Finnish time.

  • Duration: 8–8.5 hours in total; 3.5–4 hours on board
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start
from €435 ★ 5.0 (6 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide
Full cruise details

Highlights

  • Pickup on both sides of the Finnish–Swedish border
  • About an hour by bus to the SnowCastle area in Kemi
  • Ice floating, ship tour, diploma and the SnowExperience exhibition

About this cruise

Morning pickups are at Cape East (Sundholmen 1, Haparanda) at 06:35, Haparanda Stadshotell (Torget 7) at 06:45 and Hotel Olof in Tornio (Hallituskatu 16) at 06:55. The listing gives every time in Finnish time (UTC+2), which is one hour ahead of Haparanda.

Lunch on the restaurant deck is included on the afternoon cruise (13:30).

What’s included

  • Return shuttle bus from Haparanda or Tornio
  • 3.5–4-hour Sampo cruise
  • Welcome drink on board
  • Guided tour of the ship
  • Ice floating in a survival suit
  • Diploma
  • Visit to SnowExperience365 in the SnowCastle area

Pickup and check-in

Cape East (Haparanda), Haparanda Stadshotell, or Hotel Olof (Tornio).

Know before you go

  • All times on the listing are Finnish time (UTC+2).
  • Ice floating needs a minimum height of 140 cm.
  • Walking on the ice may not be possible on cruises early in the winter season and depends on the ice.
  • All programmes depend on the weather and can be changed to suit the conditions.
  • The cruise is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Not suitable for

  • Wheelchair users
  • People with reduced mobility

Pickup times, inclusions and conditions as the operator lists them on the booking platform. Timetables can change from season to season.

Sampo cruise from Oulu
Icebreaking Company

Sampo cruise from Oulu

Afternoon cruise from Oulu with the buffet lunch on board. Pickup from 09:40, back in Oulu in the evening.

  • Duration: 10 hours in total; 4 hours on board
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start
from €536 ★ 5.0 (1 review)
Book on GetYourGuide
Full cruise details

Highlights

  • Afternoon cruise 13:30–17:30 with the buffet lunch on board
  • Pickup in Oulu from 09:40, back in Oulu around 19:30–19:45
  • Ice floating, diploma and the SnowExperience365 and gemstone exhibitions

About this cruise

Oulu transfers run to the afternoon cruise only. The bus stops at Oulu City Hall (Kirkkokatu 2a) at 09:40, Scandic City (Saaristonkatu 4) at 09:45 and the Nallikari bus stop at Aalto Hotel at 10:00, and reaches the SnowCastle area in Kemi at 11:30.

What’s included

  • Return shuttle bus from Oulu
  • 4-hour cruise
  • Welcome drink on board
  • Ice floating in the Gulf of Bothnia
  • Cruise diploma
  • Tickets for the SnowExperience365 and gemstone exhibitions
  • Buffet lunch on board

Pickup and check-in

Oulu City Hall (wait on the pedestrian street at Kirkkokatu), Scandic City (inner courtyard) or the Nallikari turning point at Aalto Hotel.

What to bring

  • Warm clothing
  • A change of clothes
  • Outdoor clothing

Know before you go

  • Ice floating needs a minimum height of 140 cm.
  • Walking on the ice may not be possible on cruises early in the winter season and depends on the ice.
  • All programmes depend on the weather and can be changed to suit the conditions.
  • The cruise is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Not suitable for

  • Wheelchair users
  • People with reduced mobility

Pickup times, inclusions and conditions as the operator lists them on the booking platform. Timetables can change from season to season.

Morning or afternoon

The morning cruise runs from 09:00 to 12:30. It includes ice floating, a walk on the ice when it is thick enough, a guided tour of the ship, a welcome drink, the diploma and entry to the exhibitions in the SnowCastle area, but no meal. The afternoon cruise runs from 13:30 to 17:30 and adds the lunch buffet on board. From Oulu only the afternoon cruise is offered.

Check-in at the SnowCastle area, not the harbour

The ship lies in Veitsiluoto harbour, a closed industrial area you cannot drive into. Every passenger checks in at the SnowCastle area in Kemi (Lumilinnankatu 15), and a bus takes about 15 minutes from there to the ship. If you arrive by car, park at the SnowCastle area. The ticket includes the SnowExperience, an indoor room of snow and ice kept at around minus five degrees, and a gemstone gallery.

What the day does not include

On the morning cruise there is no breakfast or lunch; the SnowCastle restaurant sells both as an extra. Professional photos taken on the ice are a separate service. The ship is not wheelchair accessible.

Early-season dates

The Sampo starts later than the other ships, on 18 December, so its first cruises already fall after mid-December. The listings still say that walking on the ice may not be possible on early-season cruises and that the programme can be adapted to the conditions. The ice calendar on our best time page shows what that has meant in recent winters.

Sampo or Arktis

The Arktis sails from the same harbour with the same check-in. It is the newer ship, the cruise is half an hour to an hour shorter, and lunch and exhibitions are extras. Its season starts on 1 December. The Arktis page has its pickups and times.

FAQ

How old is the icebreaker Sampo?

The Sampo was built in 1960. It has been used for passenger cruises in Kemi since 1988 and is also a museum ship about Arctic shipping.

When does the Sampo sail in 2026–27?

From 18 December 2026 to 3 April 2027, according to The Icebreaking Company.

Is lunch included on the Sampo?

Only on the afternoon cruise, which includes the lunch buffet on board. The morning cruise has no meal included; breakfast or lunch at the SnowCastle restaurant can be added.

Can I drive to the Sampo myself?

You can drive to the SnowCastle area in Kemi and park there, but not to the harbour. All passengers check in at the SnowCastle area and take the bus to the ship.

Related on this site

Arktis

The newer ship from the same harbour in Kemi.

From Rovaniemi

Pickup stops, times and the length of the day.

Ice floating

The survival suit, the 140 cm rule and thin ice.

Sampo, Arktis or a ship from Sweden

The home page table puts every cruise next to each other.

Open the ship comparison