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Day 1 Longyearbyen
Having made your way to Longyearbyen, you will be met by a representative and transferred to our group hotel. Upon arrival, kindly remind hotel check-in staff to provide you with cabin tags for your luggage. Please clearly label the tags with your name and ship cabin number.
This evening, enjoy a light refreshment as you meet your fellow expeditioners at a Welcome Reception and pre-embarkation briefing. Afterwards, dine at your leisure (dinner not included).
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Polar Hotel
Day 2 Longyearbyen, embarkation
This morning, your luggage will be collected from your hotel and transferred directly to the port for sanitisation, clearance and delivered to your cabin ahead of your arrival on board. Please ensure that your luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Any valuables or personal items should be kept on you throughout the day. Enjoy breakfast in the hotel.
After completing our final, mandatory pre-embarkation health screening and COVID (rapid antigen) testing, enjoy a sightseeing excursion of Longyearbyen before transferring to the pier for embarkation in the late afternoon. Settle into your cabin before attending important safety briefings and enjoy the thrill of departure as we ‘throw the lines’ and set sail.
This evening, get to know your fellow expeditioners and our friendly Expedition Team and crew at the Captain’s Welcome Dinner to celebrate the start of a thrilling adventure.
Sail out of the beautiful Isfjorden, escorted by gliding fulmars and perhaps the occasional puffin. Find a spot in one of the observation areas to watch seabirds, including graceful ivory gulls, kittiwakes and guillemots. They rise and fall skilfully, using the air currents created by the ship to gain momentum.
NOTE: Sometimes our ship is unable to dock in Longyearbyen port due to space and capacity. In these instances, we reach the ship by Zodiac. Please ensure that you keep your wet-weather gear in your hand luggage to use in the Zodiacs, if the situation arises. Please ensure your cabin luggage tag is completed clearly showing your cabin number and name. Our crew will deliver your luggage directly to your cabin.
Days 3–14 Svalbard Archipelago
Svalbard offers Arctic wilderness at its best. Our experienced expedition team will use their expertise to tailor our day-to-day itinerary, choosing the best options, based on the prevailing weather, sea-ice conditions and the possibility of encounters with wildlife. Above the Arctic Circle during the boreal summer, the sun does not drop below the horizon until late August, so we enjoy 24 hours of daylight, and more time to explore this breathtaking part of the planet.
Svalbard's phenomenal fjords, magnificent mountain ranges and polar desert are rich in fossils, perfectly setting the stage for heroic tales of early exploration. We may encounter walrus hauled-out on sea ice or wallowing on beaches. We may seek out towering cliffs noisy with nesting guillemots and listen to the busy chanting of little auk colonies protected amongst the scree slopes.
With more time than on our classic Svalbard voyages we plan to reach further afield, we will attempt to explore the two largest islands in the archipelago; Spitsbergen and Nordauslandet. We may enjoy the delights around Barentsoya and Edgeoya that are located in the Hinlopen Strait, a known polar bear migration route. We plan to visit the remains of old whaling settlements, old pomor sites, and enjoy early morning Zodiac cruises. We will encounter glittering glaciers, keep watch for beluga whales and watch for ivory gulls.
Weather and ice permitting we may sail along the most northerly point of the Svalbard archipelago, a favoured spot to a large colony of walruses. We may encounter the mighty polar bear in its element, in the pack ice. Your expedition team is just as keen as you are to find them – we will be on constant watch to spot these magnificent creatures.
If you are participating in an optional activity such as kayaking, you will have opportunity to experience the Arctic whenever conditions allow. For those who are enthusiastic to participate in a polar plunge, when conditions are perfect, you will hear the announcement to prepare for an exhilarating dip – a memory to savour for years to come.
Day 12 Disembark in Longyearbyen
During the early morning we cruise back into Longyearbyen. Farewell your expedition team upon disembarkation and enjoy some free time before transferring to the airport to continue your journey.
NOTE: At the conclusion of the voyage, we do not recommend booking flights departing prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there are delays.
Important note: In the spirit of expedition travel, we encourage exploration and adventure offering flexibility in challenging environments. This itinerary is only a guide and is subject to change due to weather, sea, pack-ice and other conditions beyond our control.
