When planning my moves in Greenland, I was convinced that for long hauls, the only option was very expensive air travel.

While I love planes and flying, I always like to mix and match and try different forms of transportation. So it was a pleasant surprise to me that the Arctic Umiaq Line also runs a regular ferry once a week along the entire west coast of Greenland.

I spent 16 hours on the ship sailing between Ilulissat and Sisimiut, opting for the cheapest Couchette accommodation. Was it bearable?

Buying a ticket online - which class to choose?

Tickets are purchased exclusively through the company's official website - book.aul.gl.

As you will usually spend at least 5 hours on the ship (this is usually the shortest distance between stops), but much more likely more than 10 hours, seating-only tickets are not available.

You always have to choose from some type of lounger or cabin.

Available classes and cabins

You have a wide range of options on the Sarfaq Ittuk, which runs from Ilulissat through Sisimiut, Nuuk and other towns to the south.

• Couchette - bunk beds in a common area for about 40-50 passengers / 3 shared toilets and bathrooms
• Couchette Premium - loungers in cabins always sleeping 4 each with their own small kitchenette and shared toilet and bathroom for 4 loungers only
• Junior Suite - double room with private bathroom
• Igloo Cabin - a large double room with a bathroom twice the size of the Junior Suite

How much does it cost and when to book

Cruise tickets in the lowest Couchette class cost roughly 2-3x the price of flights, but you have to expect to save even 1 night in a hotel, which is quite a lot of money in Greenland (see our handy Greenland guide).

I paid for a 16-hour overnight cruise from Ilulissat to Sisimiut 1 290 dkk in Couchette class.

For comparison:

• Couchette Premium: 1 540 dkk
• Junior Suite (for up to 3 people): 4 190 dkk
• Igloo Suite (for up to 2 people): 5 190 dkk

Prices remain the same no matter how far in advance you book your ticket.

The price is always about 15% higher in June, July and August.

Save on meals

If you add meals to your ticket during the booking process, you will always save 10 dkk on every meal compared to paying on the spot.

Boarding the ship

I set sail from Ilulissat, where the Sarfaq Ittuk ferry has its terminus and therefore is docked for several hours.

In these cases, boarding is possible as early as 60 minutes before departure. The earliest boarding time is 30 minutes before departure.

Greenland ports have no facilities - no waiting rooms, ticket offices or shops. Just a concrete pier and a ship.

Our tip: Stay in a hotel close to the port so that if you arrive in the early hours of the morning, you can quickly store your luggage at reception and start exploring your destination straight away. We have personal experience with accommodation in three cities:

• Ilulissat - Hotel Hvide Falk *** (about 350 meters from the port)
• Sisimiut - Hotel SØMA Sisimiut (approx. 500 metres from the port)
• Nuuk - Hotel SØMA Nuuk (right in the harbour)

The boarding of the ferry itself is very fast and without any checks. You always take your luggage with you on the boat and store it yourself in your cabin.

Immediately after boarding you just check your ticket, which you just need to have on your mobile phone. It is not necessary to print the ticket.

I'm settling in on my Couchette

The porter will show me to the section where my couchette number 370 is. Although I had booked a lower berth, there was an error in the system and I was assigned an upper berth.

The crew was very helpful, but in the end I didn't bother and accepted the top bunk.

At first glance I was surprised at how light and airy the deck is with about forty bunks.

I have a mattress and pillowcase on my bed, which is included. You can purchase a duvet during the ticket booking process or on board. You can always pick it up at the ticket counter in the bistro for the price of 180 dkk.

Toilets and showers

I was pleasantly surprised by the shared bathrooms - cleanliness exemplary, cleaned at least three times during the cruise. No mould in the showers, which is really pleasing on a ship.

Only the Junior Suites and Igloo Cabins have private bathrooms.

How did I spend my time on the ship?

Before setting sail, I take a thorough tour of the ship.

There are several decks and rooms to spend time in if you don't want to lie on your Couchette the whole time.

All decks and rooms are accessible to all passengers 24/7.

Dining room - the centre of all the action

Café Sarfaq is the place where everything important happens. The restaurant is open daily from 7:00-22:00 for food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served here and blankets are issued at the cash desk, you can pay for wi-fi or buy souvenirs from the small shop.

Tables and chairs are available 24/7 and it's the perfect place to work on your laptop, play games or eat your own food.

Inner deck with seats

At the rear of the boat is a small inner deck with a few comfortable seats and a nice view of the furrow the boat creates with its engines.

However, this area is quite small and tends to fill up early after dinner or lunch.

Outside deck and observation deck

Practically the entire upper deck is also accessible without restrictions, where - despite temperatures of around 0°C - I spent most of my time.

The views of the ubiquitous ice floes between which the ship deftly weaved, the islands, the bays and the midnight sun were too tempting to keep me cooped up in the warm interior of my cabin the whole time.

Also, the outside deck is accessible 24/7. Only in the event of inclement weather may access be restricted.

There are also three designated smoking areas on the outside deck.

On the outside deck, I waited until midnight to fully enjoy the midnight sun.

Cinema

In addition to the relaxation area on the inner deck, you'll also find a cinema room where films are shown every night in Danish or Greenlandic.

The theatre is open 24/7 outside of screenings and you can snuggle up in the comfortable seats.

Meals during the cruise

You won't go hungry on the Sarfaq Ittuk ferry.

You can buy delicious smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches), baguettes, vending machine coffee, sweets and more at Café Sarfaq anytime from 7:00 to 22:00.

Prices for baguettes and sandwiches range between 28 dkk and 45 dkk, coffee or tea can be purchased for 15 dkk and fruit (pears or apples) for 9 dkk.

The cafeteria also serves a full meal 3 times a day - breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Drinking water is available free of charge at all times.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served daily from 7am-9am and I would compare it to the poorer hotel meals.

You can choose from 3 pastries, 1 yogurt, cereal, as well as several types of cheese, ham or salami, coffee and juice. You can only scoop breakfast once.

• 80 dkk - Price when ordering online during ticket booking
• 90 dkk - price on the spot

Lunch and dinner

These meals are served buffet style, with the staff serving your main course (usually chicken, rice, potatoes and vegetables) on one plate at a time.

For dinner, you can also scoop up other vegetables for yourself, as well as extra prawns and dessert. For lunch, the starter and dessert are not available.

Lunch is available from 12:00-13:00 and dinner is served from 18:00-19:00.

• 80 dkk for lunch - price when ordering online during ticket booking
• 90 dkk for lunch - price on site
• 150 dkk for dinner - price if ordered online during ticket booking
• 160 dkk for dinner - price on site

Wi-fi and other services

Internet connection is available throughout the cruise, however wi-fi is chargeable.

You can get your internet password at the Café Sarfaq ticket office and choose from three packages:

• 1 hour - 50 dkk
• 3 hours - 100 dkk
• 12 hours - 200 dkk

Vending machines

You will also find vending machines with drinks and sweets in three locations in different parts of the ship, but you can only pay with coins.

Electronics storage

Lockable lockers for electronics are also available at the main entrance to the ship, with the option to charge them during storage. Again, these lockers can only be paid for with coins and cost 10 dkk to use.

Gift shop

You can also buy souvenirs with the "Arctic Umiaq Line" logo in the dining room. You can buy pens, caps or puzzles with a picture of the Sarfaq Ittuk.

Charging and outlets

Outlets for charging electronics are usually located at the windows of the ship across all decks, in the case of private cabins.

Couchette-type berths do not have their own outlets, however, I charged my phone at the outlet in the dining room during dinner.

How did I sleep?

Surprisingly well! I had originally expected the chaise lounge to simply serve as a place to rest, but I didn't expect any quality sleep at all.

However, the mattress is very comfortable and despite the fact that I was sailing in late May when the sun doesn't set below the horizon all night, the curtain by the chaise lounge created enough darkness for me to fall asleep.

The other passengers were also very considerate. No one woke me up all night by talking loudly or even watching videos without headphones.

Conclusion - is it possible to have fun on the ship?

To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive about 16 hours on the ship and downloaded several hours of movies and videos to my phone before the trip.

But the cruise went by surprisingly quickly.

Dinner and breakfast kept me occupied for 30-60 minutes, and since I was lucky enough to have beautiful weather throughout the cruise, I spent many hours on the upper deck watching the breathtaking ice bushes and photogenic coastline.

The Couchette beds were comfortable beyond expectation and I slept a full 6 hours, which was... about 6 hours more than I had originally anticipated.

And thanks to the fairly decent internet speed on board, the trip will fly by even if you can't fall asleep.

So I can definitely recommend the Arctic Umiaq Line ferry cruise not only as a cheaper form of transportation to the plane, but also as a great and very unusual experience!