Arctic Svalbard Cruise

Enjoy a tour of colorful Longyearbyen before being warmly welcomed on board the expedition ship, Polar Pioneer, in the late afternoon. Pulse rates quicken on the departure along a wonderland of bird cliffs, sweeping glaciers, and majestic mountains.

Ice cliffs of the 14th July Glacier or perhaps the Waggonway Glacier greet you when you awake this morning, well north along Spitsbergen’s rugged west coast. As you soon learn, each day is action-packed, the itinerary dependent on weather, snow and ice conditions, and the presence of wildlife. Gulf Stream currents sweep up the coast, keeping temperatures relatively warm. Zodiacs carry you close to fantastic bird cliffs alive with guillemots, Atlantic puffins and thick-billed murres. Look for bearded seals with their quaint, curling whiskers, and visit Ny Ålesund in Kongsfjorden, once a mining town, now a polar research center. At Amsterdamoya, stretch your legs with tundra walks, ever alert for reindeer, Arctic fox and musk ox; poke about the remains of a 350-year-old Dutch whaling settlement and hear the tale of Swedish explorer Andrée’s ill-fated attempt to fly a balloon over the North Pole.

Enter the Arctic Ocean, searching for beluga whales, pack ice and polar bears as you round the northwest corner of Spitsbergen and make the way down Woodfjorden. Ringed, bearded and even small numbers of harp seals can be seen, both from the ship and Zodiacs. Stretch your legs on shore, searching for trappers’ huts and keeping a watchful eye for reindeer and Arctic fox. Polar bears with cubs often hunt for eggs on Leifdefjorden’s islands, the breeding grounds of eider ducks, Arctic terns, Arctic skuas, great skuas, glaucous gulls and black-legged kittiwakes. Just offshore huffing walrus feed on clams, or haul out on the beach in wallows, especially at Moffen Island, a sanctuary for these fantastic creatures. Along the pack ice edge stay alert for sightings of minke and other whales. The long days are perfect for relaxed wildflower walks, allowing time to photograph some of the tundra’s 164 species of flowering plants, including purple saxifrage, exquisite yellow spider plants and Svalbard poppies. If ice conditions allow, attempt to cross latitude 80° North – cause for celebration!

Welcome to the wild side! Frigid Arctic currents sweep around Spitsbergen’s northeast corner, lowering air and sea temperatures, and creating a landscape eroded by severe frost. Even in summer, pack ice could bar your way. Attempt to pass through narrow Hinlopen Strait, between Spitsbergen and austere, ice-capped Nordaustlandet, your Russian crew and expedition staff use their considerable expertise to reach the region’s highlights. Zodiac cruise beneath Alkefjellt, sheer basalt cliffs rising more than 250 metres, literally buzzing with some 200,000 nests of Brunnich’s guillemots, possibly with Arctic fox scavenging below. On Torrellneset, you could well approach dozens of sleeping walrus. A true polar desert, the east coast offers walks among stunted glaciers, exposed fossil fields, and tundra, where you watch for Arctic fox, eider ducks and the elusive Svalbard ptarmigan. Sailing between Barentsøya and Edgeøya, cross polar bear migration routes and you may visit Sundeneset, a fertile plain covered in green mosses and delicate flowers, including the yellow marsh saxifrage.

This is true expedition cruising, where plans are dictated by ice conditions and a desire to explore. If pack ice allows, round South Cape, returning to the world of open water and rugged coastal mountains, and sail north toward Hornsund and Bellsund, deep fjords with remarkable glaciers and wildlife. If ice stops the route on the east side, itinerary will be adjusted, and you'll delve deeper into the wonders of Spitsbergen’s north and west coasts, including a visit to colonies where hundreds of thousands of little auks nest, darkening the sky as they commute to their fishing grounds.

A midnight cruise of Isfjorden returns you to Longyearbyen, the end of a spectacular voyage and a transfer to the airport for a flight to Oslo.