Itinerary

Located at the mouth of the river Rauma on the shores of the Romsdalfjord, Åndalsnes is a picturesque coastal town, home to about 2,000 people.   The literal highlights of Åndalsnes are the mountains that tower over the town and which line the Romsdalen valley. Trollveggen, the Troll Wall, is one prominent cliff with a vertical drop of more than 1,000 metres, making it popular for BASE jumpers.   Experience the Norwegian concept of friluftsliv – a love of the outdoors – through a variety of activities, such as hiking to a local viewpoint.  For an easier way to take in the sights, sit back for a relaxing ride on the Romsdal Gondola or travel the winding Trollstigen Pass by bus.   There is also the Golden Train experience along the Rauma Railway, voted Europe’s most scenic train journey by Lonely Planet.

Træna is an archipelago that sits along the Helgeland coast at the edge of the Arctic Circle, 33 nautical miles northwest of the mainland. Made up of around 500 islands, islets, and skerries, only four are inhabited year-round.   Today’s selection of activities and optional excursions takes you to the heart of the archipelago’s sights and traditions. The village will be open just for us, including the church, Petter Dass chapel and the local museum. Alternatively, you can join a hike, take a cultural walk, or immerse yourself in a sauna and refreshing dip in the Arctic Ocean on one of our optional excursions.   Back on board, we’ll cross the Arctic Circle as we continue heading north, commemorating the moment with a traditional and fun ceremony.  

Today, we explore the famed Lofoten Islands. Watch for the steep mountains rising from the sea as we approach from the south in the morning. We dock in Reine, an important – and picture-perfect – fishing village since 1743. This is one of the most-photographed landscapes in all of Norway, where red-painted rorbuer cling to a string of islands beneath sharp mountain ranges reflected in the waters below. Not far to the south of Reine, at the western tip of the Lofoten archipelago, you’ll find Å, one of the best-preserved traditional fishing villages in Norway. You can visit it on an optional excursion. At the heart of this tiny village is the Norwegian Fishing Village Museum, which covers the importance and development of fishing in Lofoten over the last 250 years.

Tromsø is northern Norway’s urban Arctic hotspot, boasting impressive architecture, hip restaurants, and the world’s northernmost university.   Calling into Tromsø on the way to or from Svalbard follows in the footsteps of history. Most explorers and sailors on Arctic expeditions would embark from or return to the city. We aim to dock here in the morning, giving you a whole day to explore this historic Arctic city and its surroundings. We aim to dock here in the morning, giving you a whole day to explore this historic Arctic city and its surroundings. Take your pick from a number of optional excursions. Learn more about the culture and polar history of Tromsø on a city walk, or take a scenic bus tour.   You can also visit the striking Arctic Cathedral, which has an impressively large multi-coloured stained-glass window. Or ride the Fjellheisen Cable Car up Storsteinen Mountain for exceptionally beautiful views of the city, mountains, and fjords. 

Around mid-morning, we arrive at Honningsvåg, the northernmost city in mainland Norway. You have several optional excursions to pick from here. These could include taking a bus, riding a quad bike to the North Cape, or a refreshing hike with your Expedition Team. Honningsvåg is also the gateway to the North Cape, the northernmost point of Europe. The plateau stands 307 metres above the sea, and is just over 1,000 miles south of the geographical North Pole. Take a moment to gaze out across the sea from a top the soaring cliffs, watching the waves crash against the rocks below.  Sailing away from Honningsvåg, we’ll enjoy dramatic views of the plateau from the sea. The ship will head further into the Barents Sea, leaving mainland Norway’s coast far behind us. 

Today is a day spent far from land as we cross the Barents Sea heading towards the remote wilderness of Svalbard. It really does feel like we're leaving civilisation far behind as we sail towards the top of the world. There will be a lecture about Svalbard, and the theme of the day is Arctic desert. Out on deck, our talented chefs will prepare another special tasting for you to enjoy - and listen out for any points of interest from the Expedition Team. It's a day for you to relax and enjoy the ship's facilities, and also to look ahead and learn about our next destination. At some point today we will sail past the lonely and rugged island of Bjornøya - 'Bear Island' - although no bears live there today. Why not get a cup of tea or coffee and seat yourself somewhere comfortable and read up about the nature and history of the Arctic frontier. In the afternoon there will be a briefing about the special rules that we all must follow to protect the delicate local ecology when we reach Ny-Ålesund. Remember, there's plenty to do on board, so maybe now's the ideal time to take that sauna, work up a sweat in the fitness room, or browse the library. You might want to sort through all the photos you've taken so far, and if there are any you're particularly proud of, don't forget to share with your fellow guests using the Cameralla app so we can all see them!

Today, we arrive at the Svalbard archipelago and make our way up to Spitsbergen, the largest of the three main islands. Magnificent brown and green mountains rise and ripple up from the High Arctic tundra while rivers of snow-melt trickle through the valley plains, glistening under the summer sun.    Take a moment to just be here, now, in Svalbard. You’re at a latitude more than 78°N and under 820 miles from the North Pole itself. The air of this Arctic desert is fresh and pure, and temperatures in summer average between zero and eight degrees Celsius thanks to a warm northern branch of the Gulf Stream.   In early afternoon, we find Longyearbyen nestled on the banks of Isfjord. A former coal mining colony, it is the biggest settlement in Svalbard and a hub for adventure travellers, as well as scientists and engineers attached to local research projects, like the famous Global Seed Vault.   Spend some time strolling around the town, admiring its collection of galleries, pubs, restaurants, brewery, and the notable North Pole Expedition Museum. You’ll also have optional excursions to pick from that bring you into the awe-inspiring landscapes surrounding Longyearbyen. Explore by e-bike, open boat, or on a wagon pulled by dogs. You could go on a fossil hike, or have a wilderness experience at Camp Barentz. And if you’ve ever wanted to try dog sledding without snow, this is your chance.