Sarfaq Ittuk review: my ferry voyage along Greenland’s coast

Cruises in Greenland are becoming popular, but they don’t come cheap. My trip on the Sarfaq Ittuk cost me €400 for a return journey from Sisimiut to Aasiaat. It’s not a bargain, but for two nights on board and views of icebergs, I think it’s fair. Just don’t expect a cruise ship. It’s closer to a Greenlandic bus at sea, used mostly by locals. In Greenland, travelling by boat is a big part of how people get around.

What is a voyage on the Sarfaq Ittuk like? From the outside, perfectly ordinary: the ship wears the colours of the Greenlandic flag, red and white. Inside, though, there are rules you won’t find on any cruise ship. You pay extra for a blanket, you hand any weapons to an officer when you board, and every time the ship leaves port, families say goodbye with tears in their eyes.

Sailing in Greenland on the Sarfaq Ittuk without a tour operator

In June 2026 I sailed from Sisimiut to Aasiaat and back and slept two nights on board. I spent all of 21 June in Aasiaat at the celebrations for Greenland’s National Day, but that’s a story for another article.

What is the Sarfaq Ittuk and where does it sail in Greenland?

The Sarfaq Ittuk is Greenland’s only coastal ferry, run by Arctic Umiaq Line. Once a week it covers the west coast, from Qaqortoq in the south all the way to Ilulissat in Disko Bay. On the way it calls at 12 towns and settlements, including Nuuk, Maniitsoq, Sisimiut and Aasiaat.

I made a documentary vlog (in Slovak) about my trip around Greenland, which included a voyage on this ship. You can watch it here:

Built in 1992, the ship was rebuilt and lengthened in the winter of 1999/2000. It’s 73 metres long and carries up to 203 passengers. It has ice class 1A, so it’s allowed to sail in icy waters. Why does a ship like this exist at all? No roads connect Greenland’s towns, so the only way to travel between them is by plane or by boat. For many settlements, the Sarfaq Ittuk is the main link with the rest of the country.

There’s no money in it. Arctic Umiaq Line has been loss-making since 2007, and a contract with the Greenlandic government keeps the service alive. In November 2025 the contract was extended by two years, so the sailings are guaranteed until the end of 2027.

How to buy Sarfaq Ittuk tickets and what they cost

Arctic Umiaq Line sells tickets on its website. I paid €400 for a return ticket in a couchette. I travelled in June, which is high season: in 2026 it runs from 1 June to 30 September. High-season fares also apply at Easter and Christmas; at other times tickets are cheaper.

I was lucky to get a ticket. Couchette berths are limited, and in season they sell out well in advance. The ship runs almost all year round, with a break from roughly mid-January to the end of February. It usually doesn’t reach Disko Bay, home to both Aasiaat and Ilulissat, until May.

• Tip from Milan In both Sisimiut and Aasiaat, check-in opens 30 minutes before departure. You can take 30 kg of luggage free of charge.

Couchettes on the Sarfaq Ittuk: sleeping in a cabin for eight

I slept in a couchette, the cheapest option: a section of bunk beds for up to eight people. Apart from me, seven other passengers slept there.

It sounds off-putting, but it wasn’t that bad. The beds are very comfortable and each one has a curtain, so you get a decent amount of privacy. The other passengers were polite and quiet, too. I was a bit surprised that €400 doesn’t even get you a blanket. That’s because locals bring their own sleeping bags. You can buy a blanket with your ticket or at the information desk. I didn’t buy one and didn’t need it. I had a pillow with clean bedding, and the ship was so overheated that I slept in just a vest. Sailing in Greenland is surprisingly comfortable.

The shared bathrooms are out in the corridor. Each has a shower, a toilet and a washbasin. If one’s occupied, you knock and wait, but otherwise everything worked smoothly. Some couchettes have no window, though.

If you want more privacy, the ship has other options:

• Couchette Premium: an enclosed section with its own bathroom and a kitchenette with coffee, tea and water.
• Cabins: for one to four people, all with a window, a bathroom, duvets and towels.
• Junior Suite and Igloo Suite: the largest and most comfortable accommodation, with a big TV.

Food on the Sarfaq Ittuk: Café Sarfaq and Greenlandic beer

On board there’s a self-service restaurant, Café Sarfaq. You fill a tray and pay by card. The menu is typically Greenlandic: prawn and egg open sandwiches, beer, juice and coffee. There’s also a vending machine on board.

The café is open from 7am to 10pm. Breakfast is served from 7am to 9am, lunch from noon to 1pm and a three-course dinner from 6pm to 7pm. Keep an eye on the closing time. Before ten, I bought a can of Nittaalaq, a Greenlandic beer, for later that night. Godthaab Bryghus brews it in Nuuk, and the name means ‘a single, perfectly shaped snowflake’.

Breakfast was simple: yoghurt, pears, coffee and something to drink. Honestly, I’m not sure whether it was included in the fare or whether I paid extra for it.

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What to do on board the Sarfaq Ittuk along Greenland’s coast

There isn’t much to do on board. You’re either in your cabin looking at your phone or hanging around the restaurant. I also found a cinema room showing films, and you can walk around the open deck.

Internet is a problem. There’s no signal at sea, and the ship’s Wi-Fi is expensive and only available in the aft lounge and the restaurant. An hour costs 50 Danish kroner, about €7, and 12 hours cost 200 kroner, about €27. I didn’t even bother buying it. I’ve written about how the internet works on big ships in my article eSIM on a cruise ship.

• Tip from Milan Even an eSIM won’t help at sea: there’s simply no signal out there. In the towns, though, I had data through an eSIM from Airalo and it worked really well. With the code MILAN1877 you get a discount on your first Airalo eSIM.

Once the restaurant closes at ten, there’s still the aft lounge on deck 4. It has big panoramic windows and hot drink machines. I sat there with a hot coffee and a cocoa and watched the icebergs drift past the window. Those were the best views of my voyage along Greenland’s coast.

I was only half lucky with the weather. On the way there it was grim. On the way back, though, the sun was out and I saw some seriously impressive icebergs. In June the sun doesn’t set here at all, so I could have stayed up all night watching them. Needless to say, I went to bed.

Why the Sarfaq Ittuk isn’t a cruise ship

I’ve also sailed on the Queen Anne and crossed the Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2. You can’t compare them with the Sarfaq Ittuk, though. This isn’t a cruise ship: it’s much smaller and there isn’t much to do on board. What it does have is the feel of a community ship. Mostly locals use it, for instance to travel for work. Cool boxes stood in the corridor, holding the catches Inuit passengers were travelling with. One man was just pulling fish out of a bag.

Every time we left port, families said goodbye, hugged and cried. I imagine that’s because they won’t see their loved ones again for a long time. The rules add to the atmosphere too. Passengers have to hand over any weapons to an officer when they board. There’s no freezer on board, so a red insulated box for frozen goods stands on the open deck.

Is the Sarfaq Ittuk worth it? Who it’s for and who should skip it

It was a good experience. It wasn’t cheap, but it was very pleasant, and the best part for me was watching the icebergs. I’m not sure I’d last much longer on board, though. The ship hugs the coast, and apart from the views and the people, there isn’t much on offer.

The trip makes sense if you want to see how people really travel in Greenland and you don’t mind sharing a room with strangers. On a short trip like mine, you get icebergs, the midnight sun and a slice of local life. If you’re after entertainment on board, though, you’ll be bored. For comparison, the tour operator Greenland Travel sells an eight-day guided tour on this same ship for €4,235. Travelling independently, all you need is a ticket for the stretch you’re interested in.

Things to do in Greenland: Milan Bez Mapy’s picks

Sisimiut, where I set sail, is a small, quiet town. Of everywhere in Greenland, though, I liked Ilulissat and its Icefjord best. I’ve written up what to see there in What to see in Ilulissat. Nuuk, meanwhile, is the country’s busiest city, and you’ll find my tips in What to see in Nuuk.

If you’re travelling via Kangerlussuaq, have a look at what to do in Kangerlussuaq. And before you board, try some typical Greenlandic food, because there isn’t much choice on the ship. If you’re considering sailing in Greenland, give this ship a try.

Happy travels!