What To Expect

What‘s Included

Reviews

• Excellent experience

  shantig2026,,Jan 22, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Had a really wonderful experience 🙏🇫🇮🙏 highly recommend for everyone to have once in a lifetime experience ✌️👍.I recommend to go for at least once.

  

• Excellent

  samirt935,,Jan 22, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Everything good experience especially the ice floating and the crew were down to earth. Had good experience to learn more about the legendary ice breaker.

• Very good experience

  Voyager44684502529,,Jan 22, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Very good experience. The staffs are very helpful and friendly. Everyone should experience this once in life.

  

  

  

• Scam cruise! - Terrible experience!

  Apostologlou,,Jan 16, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  1.00

  This cruise is a scam! On the 1st of January 2026, I took the SAMPO cruise with my family. Recently, contrary to what is advertised by the agency that organizes the daily cruises, because the thickness of the ice in the Baltic Sea does not allow it, the floating takes place after the ship returns to the port of Kemi. As a result, instead of floating in the clear waters of the sea in daylight, it takes place at night, in the dark and possibly dirty waters of the harbor and under the industrial smokestacks that emit exhaust gases (see photos). The worst thing of all is that there is no information about this at check-in and therefore the customer does not have the opportunity to decide whether to take the cruise with conditions much worse than those advertised. When I complained afterwards in writing, claiming my money back (price at check-in: € 481/person) the Agency's response was: “The cruise has been realized and the floatation has been realized”. This is the reason why I strongly recommend that potential customers interested in the cruise make sure that it will be done in the manner and under the conditions advertised before paying this high amount and becoming dissatisfied, like me and my family. Last but not least, the food on the ship was so bad that none of us, despite our hunger, managed to eat it. George Apostologlou

  

  

  

• This is a must do tour!!

  JOhn f,,Dec 29, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  A must do! The icebreaker is so cool! This is a bucket list item that you have to do! The staff are so friendly and helpful. The ice floating was so amazing, even with some weather issues they made it perfect!!!

  

  

  

  

• Once in a lifetime experience

  Kellymicaela,,Mar 31, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Took a 4-hour cruise on the Sampo into the frozen Gulf of Bothnia. Got a tour of the ship and had some snacks and hot drinks while we cruised through the ice. My favorite part of the excursion was when the ship anchored and we got out to walk around on the ice and take turns floating in the icy waters wearing dry suits. It was truly an unforgettable experience!

  

  

  

• Icebreaker experience

  625cz,,Mar 18, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  4.00

  My husband and I had a great time on the Sampo Icebreaker! The check-in had a small queue, and we also wait abit for the bus to the ship, but it was okay. This was really a special experience because in Switzerland, our lakes dont freeze like this. The restaurant staff was very friendly and helpful. The food was good, but it can be abit better. Our guide Jesper was really great, she speak perfect English and know a lot about everything. We like her a lot. The ice floating was exciting! In the beginning, the suit was little bit tight, but our guide explain everything very well, so we know exactly what to do. It was easy to follow, but still some people dont understand. Some was splashing and shouting, which was abit too much, but otherwise it was fun. Mario the Italian and the other crew was also very nice, what they do is really hard work! Unfortunatly, there was no photographer, but we take some nice pictures with the friends we made in our group. Very nice experience and we recommend!

• Unique experience of its kind

  Somobla,,Jan 16, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  4.00

  Let's be clear: if you are willing to spend 360€ on an icebreaker excursion you are aware that you are having a unique experience, however it goes. In our case, 13.1.2025 we took a day of “crazy” weather but the ship left, cracked ice up to 50 cm and came out about ten km from the coast. Interesting ship tour, hearty lunch and decent quality. The group organization of the ship is well done. EXCITING water immersion, ice walking experience km from the shore, SPECTACULAR!! TIPS: the trip does not include photos in the water so if you want to be photographed find friends or someone from previous groups (you can take an “insta 360 or gopro” if firmly on your arm). To put on the neoprene suit you will have to remove waterproof suits, shoes and jackets, so ideal that you put thermals for legs and bust. The most disappointing thing was the ice castel (and ice Experience) of Kemi: given those of Kiruna (Sweden) and Killia (Finland) this is really scarce! Strong point: the experience as a whole in my opinion once in a lifetime is to be done To be improved: for the required amount they could organize a photographer who will immortalize you when you go down and dive (putting downloadable online photos)! I also advise against the “toast with a glass of ice” - 15€ each spent badly.

  

  

  

  

• A unique experience.

  Mpierc,,Jan 6, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Although this is very expensive, I think it is such a unique experience, we really enjoyed it. It was fascinating learning how the ice breaker works, and its history. Obviously the external activities are weather dependent, and whilst we could do the ice floating, we were not able to walk on the ice this time as it was not thick enough in a large enough area. We were fine with this, as that is only one element of the whole experience (if bring on the ice/floating are the only reasons you want to go on the boat, then you would have to consider if it would be worth it, but for us, the whole experience of being on a boat on a frozen sea is incredible, and that in itself was well worth it!). It was interesting watching them checking the depth of the ice and finding out how that worked. When it came to the ice floating, the suit is a bit awkward to walk around in, and quite tight around your face (naturally), however it is an incredible experience to float around amongst the ice. Be prepared for the less than graceful exit from the water!

• Sampo Ice breaker experience from Kemi

  Cheryl C,,Dec 26, 2024

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  4.00

  It was a fun way to spend a day and do a tour, ride on the ice breaker Sampo, have lunch and then go in survival suits and float in subzero conditions in the freezing Baltic Sea . We enjoyed this a lot. What let it down was it was exponential expensive. I saw many people go in for only a minute or so and then become very panicked and wanted to come out. I observed there was a lot of people from nations where they are not taught to swim and although there is NO swimming involved, if you are not used to floating in water it could be very scary. My husband and I are from Australia where we are all taught to swim, float and are confident in the water etc so it was a great experience but I would not recommend it to everyone. Most of these people, I felt just wanted the picture perfect moment to put up on FB. It needs to be stressed to them that they won’t get any photos of the moment. unless there is a non participant willing to do this and then what is the point paying an obscene amount of money just for the lunch, your and cruise. I wish I would have had more information emails from Trip Advisor regarding the trip eg do we wear clothes under the survival suits. Yes we do wear basic thermals. What is the maximum stay - only 10 minutes as there are do ment people. Ect I felt they just took my money and kept giving me endless emails on other Trip Advisor stuff to do. Very poor Trip Advisor. The buffet lunch was ok but I felt for the price it really should have been better. It was also served lukewarm. We are adrenal junkies and enjoy this sort of thing but this experience is not for everyone and many may be better spending their money on other things in Finnish Lapland Another thing that let the trip down was the chaotic way the buses were organised. Both at Kemi Railway and at the Snow Caste. Many people were confused .

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