Norwegian Coastal Voyage - known in Europe as Hurtigruten - offers regular summer cruises (May-September) in Greenland aboard the MS Fram. They include the seven-night Disko Bay trip, a 15-day trip to Disko Bay and Thule, and a 15-day cruise from Iceland to Greenland. There is also a 67-day pole-to-pole cruise from the Arctic to the Antarctic, where the Fram will sail this winter.

Prices: The 7-day Disko Bay trip includes airfare from Baltimore. Prices start at $3,673 per person, double occupancy, in an inside cabin, and include hikes and town walks led by the Fram's expedition staff. Excursions by outside companies - such as an ice cap visit in Kangerlussuaq and the ice fjord sailing trip and helicopter trip in Ilullissat - cost extra. If you're traveling alone, ask about single cabins - but beware, they book quickly. The ship also offers "share cabins" for singles; these aren't advertised but may be available at a favorable price.

The ship: The MS Fram was built specially for cruising Arctic and Antarctic waters and launched in spring 2007. It features a panoramic lounge, outdoor deck, comfy indoor lounge, sauna, fitness room, Internet cafe, dining room and a bistro serving complimentary coffee and sweets. At capacity, it carries 318 passengers.

Language: All announcements are in English; most also are in Danish and German. All staff speak excellent English.

Cabins: Comfortable, with fluffy duvets and better-than-adequate closet space and bathroom. In standard double cabins, one bed can be converted to a couch during the day. Standard cabins feature individual beds that cannot be joined.

Entertainment: The expedition staff and guest lecturer offer daily hour-long talks in English that were a trip highlight; staffers were always available for questions and conversation. The service crew put on a delightful show one evening. Otherwise, expect to spend your time reading, viewing historical films about the region on your in-cabin screen, or watching the icebergs sail by.

Passengers: Most of the passengers on our July sailing were Danish, German or Swedish; most spoke English. There were a handful of Americans. Most guests were older than 65 but there were several families with children and some Baby Boomer-age individuals. Europeans tend to keep to themselves more than Americans, and we were several days into our trip before we became friendly with them.

Service: Superb. Service staff are Filipino; they and the officer staff were extremely friendly and helpful.

Dining: Don't count on a gourmet experience. Breakfast and lunch buffets offer open times and seating; dinners are at assigned times and tables. Breakfast was best. Lunch buffets were repetitive and geared toward northern European passengers, with cold fish dishes, cold smoked meats and cheese, well-cooked meats in sauce and a wide array of breads. Served dinners were more appealing but featured only two entree choices. Americans on board rated the cuisine from "OK" to "disappointing."

Children's facilities: A single Sony PlayStation is set up on a wide screen next to the Internet station. The panoramic deck has a few board games. This experience is best for children old enough for hiking who enjoy spending time with parents - and parents who expect to spend time with their kids.

Safety: We were especially impressed with safety standards on land, the ship and when transitting by Polar Cirkel boat.

Weather: Unpredictable. We had beautiful open skies and smooth seas most days, but the week before had been plagued by several instances of fog. We needed our rain parkas some days, but with temps in the 50s, only once - on the ice cap at Kangerlussuaq - did we need heavy jackets. Seas were uncharacteristically rough during a patch in open seas, and for about three hours, many people were seasick.

Bugs: Bring repellent and one of those goofy head-nets for mosquitoes and gnats. We wished for the headgear on hikes.

Embarkation/debarkation: You'll have one long day in the Kangerlussuaq airport. Sign up for a tour - the ice cap excursion is best - and take a deck of cards and a book. The pizza parlor across the road has truly excellent eats. Don't miss the local museum.

Information: www.hurtigruten.us or 800-323-7436.

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FRAM FACTS

-Named for the Fram, a Danish exploration ship that sailed these waters in 1898

-Passengers: 318 maximum

-Crew: 75-plus

-Length: 114 meters (about 372 feet)

-Beam: 20.2 meters (about 65 feet)

-12,700 tons

-8 decks