Early Bird Specials -
- $1,000 off pp + 10% Off + Add'l 5% Off if paid in full at booking
- Exclusive onboard credit of $200 per person from Polar Dream Travel
Please click "Prices and Departures" above for departure dates, cabin types and prices.
Day 1 - Arrive in Helsinki, Finland
Your arctic voyage begins in Helsinki, Finland’s vibrant capital city. If you arrive early, there are many museums, restaurants and green spaces to keep you busy before retiring at your included airport hotel.
Day 2 - Fly to Longyearbyen, Svalbard and embark
This morning, the group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement, where you’ll have some time to explore before embarkation. As your ship sets sail, enjoy great vistas of the mountainous landscape that serves as a backdrop for this historic town.
Days 3 to 6 - Exploring Spitsbergen
You’ll sail around the shores of this magical archipelago, constantly searching for natural wonders. Covering western Spitsbergen, your expedition will afford ample opportunities to view immense glaciers, deep fjords, soaring mountains and unique flora and fauna. Sailing north into Krossfjorden, have your camera handy, ready to capture some of the best glacier calving in Spitsbergen. Deep in the fjord, the highly active Lilliehöök Glacier awaits. Listen in awe to the growling as big chunks break off into the icy waters below. A Zodiac excursion to nearby Ny-London, an abandoned mining settlement, provides an ideal place for a guided walk. Sightings of wildlife, such as the endemic Svalbard reindeer, might be possible here. After cruising overnight, wake up to the stunning sight of the magnificent Monaco Glacier, another prolific iceberg producing glacier. To make this even more thrilling, help your Expedition Team to scan the shorelines and ice edge for marine mammals. Possible landing sites include Texas Bar, Worsleyneset and Alicehamna. At Smeerenburg you can see the remains of an abandoned settlement that was established by Dutch whalers nearly 400 years ago. Here, at what was once one of Europe’s most northerly outposts, you’ll have time to explore ashore and learn about Spitsbergen’s whaling history. Afterwards, cruising to Magdalenefjorden rewards you with panoramic vistas of snow-capped mountains and massive glaciers reflected in the crystal-clear waters. We hope to round out the day in Alkhornet, taking in the towering cliffs teeming with nesting seabirds, such as fulmars and Brünnich’s guillemots (thick-billed murres). Sightings of reindeer are possible here too. Later, in the evening, swap stories with your shipmates and crew one last time, at the captain’s farewell dinner.
Day 7 - Disembark in Longyearbyen & Fly to Helsinki
Your ship is scheduled to arrive back in Longyearbyen between 7am and 8am local time. After breakfast, you will have time to bid farewell to your Expedition Team and shipmates before completing your disembarkation and flight to Helsinki. Scheduled charter flight times will appear in your final documents, and any additional updates will be communicated on board prior to disembarkation.
Day 8: Onward flight home
After breakfast, you can make your way to the airport for your onward flight home, or stay to explore Finland’s culturally-rich capital on your own if you’ve made prior arrangements.
Important reminder: Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.
