We have been cruising and exploring polar waters since the nineteenth century, but very little has been written about them. Drawing on expert research, Of Penguins and Polar Bears seeks to rectify this, and looks at activity in both the Antarctic and Arctic waters - the homes of the penguins and the polar bears - to provide insight into how the passenger trades developed in these regions. With over a hundred stunning pictures, this is a must-have gazetteer for anyone thinking about cruising the Earth's 'last frontier'. From William Bradford's cruise to Greenland in a seal-hunting boat in 1869 to the newest builds of the twenty-first century, let Arctic expert Christopher Wright take you on a journey through lands less travelled.

CHRISTOPHER WRIGHT is the retired president of The Mariport Group Ltd. A marine specialist, he has been involved in Arctic Shipping studies since 1973, and led a number of teams to investigate Arctic shipping policy. He has worked with the Arctic Shipping Forum North America since its inception, spoken widely on Arctic matters and contributed to the Canadian Marine Advisory Council. He lives in Canada.

People have been cruising into polar waters since the late nineteenth century, yet this activity has not been documented, other than in a couple of academic texts. Of Penguins and Polar Bears draws on the experience and resources of experts in the field to describe where people went, the ships they cruised on, the places they visited and the itineraries they followed. Encompassing the Arctic Passages, the Canadian Artic, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard and the Antarctic regions, the book goes also reveals what the modern-day visitor to the polar regions can expect to experience, from the vessels to the wildlife and beyond.