Deal

After a flight from Oslo, your adventure begins with an overnight stay in the world’s northernmost town, Longyearbyen. A colourful frontier settlement where people are outnumbered by snowmobiles, Longyearbyen is a unique place on the edge of the Arctic wilderness. If you have time, head out to explore this special town, before enjoying a relaxing evening at your leisure.

After breakfast it’s time to experience Longyearbyen. The former coal mining settlement is small enough to explore on foot. Stroll down the main street lined with boutique shops, an art gallery, and restaurants. You might even see a Svalbard reindeer saunter by. Before boarding your ship in the afternoon and continuing your Arctic discovery, join an included excursion and get a deeper look at this isolated and remote region at the top of the world.

Your expedition cruise continues south towards Hornsund, one of Svalbard’s most beautiful fjords. Colourful vegetation makes way for towering mountains along this picturesque waterway. The cliffs here are home to large colonies of auks, guillemots and Northern Fulmars along with Arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer below.

Head out on deck to spot seals and whales, Mount Hornsundtind, and glaciers reaching into the sea, and learn about Wanny Woldstad, the first female trapper to hunt in Svalbard. Then you head to admire the classic beauty of the snowcapped mountains of Bellsund – a historic area where you can see the evidence of former whaling and mining activity on the shoreline. The activities will be determined by the ever-changing weather conditions of Hornsund and Bellsund. Your Expedition Team will decide on the optimal possibilities for exploring on the day.

Over the next two days, you’ll explore the natural beauty and rugged tundra of this breathtaking national park where steep mountains, glaciers, and beautiful offshore islands form a unique Arctic landscape. You’ll scout for some of the animals of the Arctic – seals, walruses and reindeer.

Early in the season, there’s a good chance you may spot polar bears too, so you’ll always be on the lookout for these iconic but elusive predators. And as you progress further into June, you may see whales returning to the region for summer and birdlife such as Little Auks, Arctic Terns, skuas, Eider Ducks and Barnacle Geese. From landings to kayaking, be ready for anything as your Captain and Expedition Leader decide on the optimal landing sites and activities based on the day’s conditions.

If conditions allow, you’ll sail north and cross the 80th parallel to explore the ever-changing ice edge. The transition zone between the ice cap and the sea is a magical yet ephemeral place where the waters are filled with ice floes and drifting pack ice. From the ship, there are great opportunities for spotting wildlife, such as seals and walruses who lounge on the sparkling ice. And if the conditions are right, you’ll lower the expedition boats into the water and enjoy an unforgettable experience amid the floating ice. The ice edge isn’t a fixed boundary, and it moves depending on the season and conditions, so visiting it will be an attempt rather than a certainty. From May to August, as summer progresses, it retreats further towards the pole, meaning it may be out of reach for us. If so, you’ll explore the no-less-impressive fjords, glaciers and incredible scenery of the Svalbard coast.

Today you’ll discover the serenity of Ny-Ålesund and neighbouring fjords such as Krossfjord and Kongsfjord. Disconnect and enjoy a day without distractions as the Norwegian Mapping Authority’s nearby geodetic station means you must switch off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. One of the northernmost settlements and a former mining town, Ny-Ålesund was the starting point for Roald Amundsen’s expeditions north with the airship ‘Norge’. Now a hub for global science and climate research, you can still see remnants of the town’s history. You’ll be engrossed in rugged, glacial scenery as you explore the fjords around Ny-Ålesund. Be ready for adventure; you’ll seize any opportunity to launch the small expedition boats, go ashore to hike or cruise by majestic glaciers.