HIGHLIGHTS
- Visit
the the excellent Svalbard Museum in Longyearbyen on day one.
- Admire
the gorgeous scenery in 24-hour daylight as we pass through the
wildlife-rich waters of Isfjorden
- Go
around Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago
- Visit
the northeastern most part of the archipelago - Kvitøya
- Explore
the Northwest Spitsbergen National Park - the crown jewel of
Svalbard’s scenic wonders
- Encounter
marine mammals, including beluga whales and various Arctic seals
- Explore
Kvitøya (White Island), the most rarely visited and closest
island to Franz Josef Land
- Visit
the Southeast Svalbard Nature Reserve - truly a pristine and rarely
visited wilderness containing hundreds of uninhabited islands
- Explore
South Spitsbergen National Park - a vast region of varied landscapes
including polar deserts and impassible mountain ranges
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
|
| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
|---|
| Jul 05, 2025 | Jul 18, 2025 | 10,101 |
10,495 |
| Jul 17, 2025 | Jul 30, 2025 | 10,101 |
10,495 |
| Jul 29, 2025 | Aug 11, 2025 | 10,197 |
10,595 |
| Jul 14, 2026 | Jul 27, 2026 | 11,545 |
11,995 |
Rates are listed per person
|
| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
|---|
| Jul 05, 2025 | Jul 18, 2025 | 10,101 |
10,495 |
| Jul 17, 2025 | Jul 30, 2025 | 10,101 |
10,495 |
| Jul 29, 2025 | Aug 11, 2025 | 10,197 |
10,595 |
| Jul 14, 2026 | Jul 27, 2026 | 11,545 |
11,995 |
ITINERARY
Day
1: Arrival to Oslo (hotel night)
Welcome
to Oslo, which in 2019 was awarded the prestigious title
“Green Capital of Europe”. We’ve arranged
a comfortable stay for you at an Oslo Airport hotel so that
you’re conveniently close for your flight to Longyearbyen on
Day 2.
If
you’re adventurous and have the time, take the handy airport
train into central Oslo – it’s a 20-minute ride and
trains depart and arrive frequently during the day. Near Oslo Central
Station are shops, cafes, the Botanical Garden, cultural attractions
and the attractive waterfront area.
Day
2: Welcome Aboard!
Today
you have a flight to Longyearbyen, the administrative center of
Svalbard and starting point of our Arctic expedition! At the
Longyearbyen airport, you will be greeted by our staff and transferred
to the pier where we will warmly welcome you aboard the deluxe
expedition vessel M/V Sea Spirit. Get settled in your spacious suite
and explore the ship that will be your comfortable home during the
extraordinary adventure to come. Once underway, a full schedule of
events kicks off with informative briefings and introductions from your
expedition staff. After the first of many delicious dinners on board,
step out onto the open decks to admire the gorgeous scenery in endless
evening light as we pass through the wildlife-rich waters of Isfjorden,
one of the largest fjords in Svalbard.
Day 3-13: Arctic
wilderness Polar Bear search
During
our expedition, we hope to experience the many facets of this
incredible High Arctic territory. Our exact schedule and route will be
shaped by the weather, sea ice and experience of our expedition leader
and captain. At the peak of the summer season, we will almost certainly
find the ice conditions to be favorable for a full circumnavigation, so
we will make an attempt to go around Spitsbergen, the largest island of
the Svalbard archipelago and even to the northeastern most part of the
archipelago – Kvitøya. Much of the pristine nature
of Spitsbergen is protected by a system of national parks, and we will
try to visit some of them during the voyage. Below, please find a brief
summary of what we might expect.
Human
habitation – rare along our route – can be found at
Ny Ålesund, a former mining town and airship base that is now
home to an international community of Arctic researchers. This is one
of the world’s most northerly settlements where we find a
museum, gift shop and post office.
Northwest
Spitsbergen National Park is the crown jewel of Svalbard’s
scenic wonders. Here we find deep fjords flanked by serrated mountain
ranges and immense tidewater glaciers calving icebergs into turquoise
waters. The skies are filled with millions of murres, guillemots and
little auks, whose eggs are just now hatching at countless breeding
colonies located on small islands, mountainsides and sea cliffs within
the park. This is also a great time to encounter marine mammals,
including beluga whales and various Arctic seals. Set among this
incredible scenery and wildlife activity, we also find evidence of
Svalbard’s earliest sealers and whalers.
On
this departure, we will go to the eastern and northern regions of the
Svalbard Archipelago – infrequently visited aboard expedition
ships – experiencing the isolation and beautiful remoteness
of Svalbard’s Arctic wilderness areas.
We
will explore Kvitøya (White Island), the most rarely visited
and closest island to Franz Josef Land. This island, almost completely
covered by ice, became the final resting place of the balloon
expedition of the Swedish polar explorer Salomon August
Andrée. Kvitøya is not always accessible to
expedition ships, but it may provide another opportunity to observe
polar bears in their natural habitat. Another site we hope to explore
will be Karl XII Öya, which is the northernmost part of
Svalbard. Polar explorers Alfred Gabriel Nathorst and Adolf Erik
Nordenskiöld visited this remote island in the 19th century,
and now we hope to explore it on a Zodiac cruise.
During
this voyage, we expect to encounter significant sea ice concentrations
in the enormous Northwest Svalbard Nature Reserve. In this remote and
isolated region, ice can persist very late into the summer. This
reserve covers the rugged northwestern parts of Spitsbergen and the
entirety of Nordaustlandet, the second largest island in Svalbard. Here
we find the massive Austfonna ice cap, part of which meets the sea
along the 45-kilometer ice cliff known as
Bråsvellbreen—one of the great wonders of the
Arctic world. The polar desert environment supports little in the way
of vegetation but hosts prodigious numbers of seabirds at breeding
sites such as the spectacular sea cliffs of Alkefjellet. The
probability of encountering polar bears and walrus in this icy
wilderness is very high.
Southeast
Svalbard Nature Reserve is truly a pristine and rarely visited
wilderness containing hundreds of uninhabited islands. On the large
islands of Edgeøya and Barentsøya, broad tundra
valleys support the territory’s densest population of endemic
Svalbard reindeer. The valleys are also important breeding areas for
ground-nesting birds such as geese, eiders and sandpipers. Arctic foxes
prowl the vast landscape, seeking to provide food for their young cubs,
who are just now emerging from their dens. Shallow, murky seas are
ideal feeding grounds for walrus, which can be seen resting in large
numbers on gently sloping beaches. Historical sites throughout the
islands provide glimpses into the region’s bygone era of
trapping and hunting.
South
Spitsbergen National Park is a vast region of varied landscapes
including polar deserts and impassible mountain ranges. The centerpiece
of this park is Hornsund, a picture-perfect fjord where countless
mighty glaciers cascade from soaring mountaintops into icy inlets. The
park also includes the southern shores of Bellsund, a picturesque bay
where we find the remains of historical whaling operations, including
wooden boats, cabins, and thousands of whale bones — a scene
from the distant past, literally frozen in time.
Throughout
the park, there is always a high probability of wildlife sightings.
There are also plenty of opportunities for exhilarating hiking through
wild polar landscapes offering fascinating geological stories.
Wildflowers will be at their peak during this time.
Because
of its extended length, this ambitious and in-depth Svalbard
circumnavigation expedition cruise offers a comprehensive view of the
Arctic’s many faces. Every day offers something new and
exciting. We will not miss a single opportunity to encounter amazing
Arctic wildlife, to witness incredible polar scenery, and to walk in
the footsteps of historic expeditions that came before.
Day
14: Disembarkation in Longyearbyen, Svalbard
After
filling up with one last buffet breakfast on board, we bid you farewell
in Longyearbyen. We provide transfers to the airport and flight to
Oslo. By this time, you may already be making plans for your next
amazing trip with us into the polar worlds!
Sea Spirit (Luxury Expedition, 114-guests)
The ice-strengthened small all-suite expedition ship Sea Spirit (originally Renaissance V) was built in 1991 in Italy. From that time she has changed several operators and regions of navigation, cruising in Singapore, Alaska, Pacific Basin, Arctic and Antarctica. The vessel was modified in late 2010. Providing spacious suites for accommodation of maximum of 114 passengers (the smallest suite is 20 sq. meters) the Sea Spirit at the same time features maneuverability and friendly atmosphere of small ships. All suites have private facilities and exterior views. Some of the suites feature private balconies for enjoying fantastic landscapes of the Arctic and Antarctica.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Round
trip Oslo - Longyearbyen - Oslo air transportation;
- 1
pre-voyage night on Day 1 in the Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo
Gardermoen;
- Group
transfer to the ship for embarkation on Day 2;
- Shipboard
accommodation;
- All
meals on board throughout the voyage;
- Tea
and coffee station 24 hours daily;
- All
scheduled landings/excursions (subject to weather and ice conditions);
- Leadership
throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader &
Expedition Team;
- Branded
Poseidon Expeditions parka;
- Rubber
boots for shore landings for the time of the cruise;
- Welcome
and Farewell cocktails;
- All
port fees;
- Group
transfer to airport or central location upon disembarkation;
- Pre-departure
materials;
- Wi-Fi
on board.
Rates
Do Not Include:
- Airfare;
- Transfers
from the airport to the hotel if arriving prior to Day 1 of the program;
- Visa
and passport fees;
- Luggage
and trip cancellation insurance;
- Soft
drinks and alcoholic beverages other than those for special events and
celebrations;
- Personal
expenses such as laundry and telecommunication charges;
- Mandatory
Emergency Evacuation Insurance to a minimum benefit of US$ 200,000 per
person;
- Kayaking;
- The
cost of any applicable medical tests (such as COVID-19) or vaccinations
required either by a national government or Poseidon Expeditions
before, during or after the cruise;
- Staff
gratuities.
ADVENTURE OPTIONS - Sea Kayaking: USD 655
- Photography: FREE
