Spitsbergen and Polar Bears – an Arctic Adventure (Sunday to Friday)

Discover Longyearbyen

Start your adventure in the world's northernmost town

Your journey begins in the frontier town of Longyearbyen, where people are outnumbered by snowmobiles. You'll enjoy an overnight stay at a modern hotel in historical surroundings. The town is perfect for exploring on foot. As you take in the galleries, pubs and restaurants you might see Svalbard reindeer saunter by. Although wild, they're curious and tame. Reminders of mining heritage are everywhere in this frontier town. Taste a selection of beers brewed in the Arctic at Svalbard Brewery and immerse yourself in Svalbard's fascinating polar exploration history in the aptly named North Pole Expedition Museum. For a culinary experience, you can try king crab in the Funktionærmessen Restaurant - it's delicious!

Stunning Isfjorden

All aboard the classic MS Nordstjernen

Explore at your leisure before a guided tour after lunch that includes a visit to Svalbard Museum and Camp Barentz. MS Nordstjernen awaits at the harbour. A lovingly modernised ship that retains its 1950s charm, you'll be immersed in nautical nostalgia while on board.

Look out for Arctic wildlife as we cruise into Isfjorden's lush fjord system, surrounded by immense, glacier-carved valleys and rugged rock formations. The cultural remains of Svalbard’s whaling and hunting heritage can be found along Isjorden’s beaches and bays. Further south, we’ll pass the former Isfjord Radio Station, now a stylish hotel.

The wilds of Spitsbergen

Arctic nature in all its rugged, untouched glory

Today we enter the wilderness of Spitsbergen’s North West Corner, a summer breeding ground for thousands of birds. Look out for Little Auks, Arctic terns, Skuas and Eider Ducks. You might even spot a polar bear searching for eggs. Magdalenefjorden offers spectacular jagged mountain peaks and glaciers combined with history, as you’ll see from what’s left of a 17th century whaling station. Sailing north under the Midnight Sun, we reach the famed walrus colony of Moffen Island. You’ll see large numbers of these vulnerable animals at the southern tip, but we’ll maintain a safe distance to protect them.

Birdlife in Kongsfjorden

The birder's paradise of 'King's Bay'

You might hear the creaks and groans of glaciers calving into the sea at Kongsfjorden. It’s one of Svalbard's most scenic spots, and a paradise for birders.

Keep your eyes open for Northern Fulmars, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Atlantic Puffins and guillemots. A bird sanctuary of about ten islands is home to protected species like the Pink-footed Goose and Common Eider. Later we dock at Ny-Ålesund. This former mining settlement is now an international science and research hub. Discover explorer history at the museum, and maybe send a postcard from the world’s northernmost post box!

Cruising into Isfjorden

Isfjorden's flora, fauna and geology

On the penultimate day of your Svalbard cruise, we sail back into Isfjorden. As we pass Alkehornet, with its horn-shaped mount, look out for guillemots and kittiwakes, Svalbard reindeer and maybe even Arctic foxes. Your expedition comes to a close back where it started in Longyearbyen. Pick up some souvenirs from local shops, or admire artworks inspired by the High Arctic at Galleri Svalbard. Enjoy a farewell dinner at your hotel, where you’ll swap memories and say goodbye to your new friends.

Return to Longyearbyen

Arctic memories from the top of the world

Your Arctic expedition cruise around Svalbard ends in Longyearbyen. From here, a transfer will take you to the airport for your flight back home.

You'll return home knowing more about Arctic animals, history, polar ice and climate change than you arrived with. The incredible contrasts of this unique environment are sure to remain with you for a long time.