HIGHLIGHTS
- During
the short summer, wildlife such as reindeer is busy amassing energy for
the icy polar winter
- The
cliffs shimmer with life as every surface is populated with countless
birds - in a few months, the new generation of arctic sea birds is
ready to leave their nests
- The
prolific bird life can be further witnessed in the form of arctic
guillemots, black guillemots and razorbills fishing in the wake of our
ship
- On
several shores, the huge walruses enjoy the short Arctic summer as well
as many whales and seals foraging along the edge of the pack ice and
the coasts
- In
the fleet of Zodiac dinghy boats, we are able to view wildlife at close
proximity
- The
Zodiacs allow us to have frequent shore landings and embark on
exploratory mini cruises in the fjords and glacial landscapes
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | Category G | Category F | Category E | Category D | Category C | Category B | Category A | Premium Suite |
|---|
| Jun 22, 2021 | Jun 29, 2021 | 5,990 | 4,290 | 4,590 | 5,290 | 5,490 | 6,990 | 7,990 | 8,990 |
| Jun 29, 2021 | Jul 06, 2021 | 5,990 | 4,290 | 4,590 | 5,290 | 5,490 | 6,990 | 7,990 | 8,990 |
| Jun 08, 2022 | Jun 15, 2022 | 6,590 | 3,690 | 4,190 | 4,790 | 5,290 | 7,990 | 9,190 | 9,590 |
| Jun 15, 2022 | Jun 22, 2022 | 6,690 | 3,790 | 4,290 | 4,890 | 5,390 | 8,190 | 9,390 | 9,790 |
| Jun 22, 2022 | Jun 29, 2022 | 7,190 | 3,990 | 4,490 | 5,190 | 5,790 | 8,790 | 9,990 | 10,590 |
| Jun 29, 2022 | Jul 06, 2022 | 7,390 | 4,190 | 4,690 | 5,390 | 5,990 | 8,990 | 10,190 | 10,790 |
| Jul 06, 2022 | Jul 13, 2022 | 7,690 | 4,290 | 4,890 | 5,690 | 6,290 | 9,390 | 10,890 | 11,390 |
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Category G | (Mid-range)
Category C | (High-end)
Premium Suite |
|---|
| Jun 22, 2021 | Jun 29, 2021 | 5,990 | 5,490 | 8,990 |
| Jun 29, 2021 | Jul 06, 2021 | 5,990 | 5,490 | 8,990 |
| Jun 08, 2022 | Jun 15, 2022 | 6,590 | 5,290 | 9,590 |
| Jun 15, 2022 | Jun 22, 2022 | 6,690 | 5,390 | 9,790 |
| Jun 22, 2022 | Jun 29, 2022 | 7,190 | 5,790 | 10,590 |
| Jun 29, 2022 | Jul 06, 2022 | 7,390 | 5,990 | 10,790 |
| Jul 06, 2022 | Jul 13, 2022 | 7,690 | 6,290 | 11,390 |
ITINERARY
DAY
1: LONGYEARBYEN, BOARDING OCEAN ATLANTIC
Arrival
to Longyearbyen, Capital of Svalbard – possibly the
northernmost ‘real’ town in the world.
Our
vessel, Ocean Atlantic, is docked close to the town center. After
boarding and a welcome drink, the Expedition Leader will provide
information about the voyage, the ship's daily routines and the various
security and safety procedures. Before sailing, there will be a
mandatory safety drill. The Captain then takes the ship out of Advent
Fjord and our Arctic adventure commences.
DAY
2: KONGSFJORDEN, NY ÅLESUND AND NY LONDON.
During
the ‘night’ (what is night, when the sun never
sets?), we have passed Prins Karls Forland and have arrived in the
magnificent Kongsfjord. Our visit to Svalbard is in the early summer
and this is both the challenge and gift of this special voyage. Winter
ice will possibly block the inner waters of many fjords, but this will
give us the best opportunities to observe the omnipresent –
but still elusive – polar bear, hunting for seals in its
prime habitat. At this time of year the migrating birds have just
arrived. They are all eager to settle and feed to get the best start
for the coming hectic summer months.
Our
first landing will be at Ny Ålesund. This settlement is in
fact further north than Longyearbyen, making it THE northernmost town.
But… is a group of scientific stations, a post office and a
single shop open for a few hours a real town? You will have to judge
for yourself. The setting is nice, the scientific projects are very
interesting, and so is the town history. The Captain will try to get
alongside, so we can enjoy an easy walk through the area.
DAY
3: SMEERINGBURG, FUGLESONGEN.
We
have now entered North West Svalbard, which was declared a national
park in 1973. The day could begin with a Zodiac cruise in
Danskergattet, looking for seals in Virgohamna, before crossing from
Danskøya to Amsterdamøya to make a landing at
Smeerenburg, the legendary whaling town of 17th century. 200-plus men
were living – and quite often dying – here in the
heyday of blubber production.
There
are several interesting places to visit in this northwestern corner of
Spitsbergen. If conditions allow we’ll make a landing on
Fuglesongen, the largest colony of little auks in Svalbard. The arctic
fox has noticed this as well and can often be seen roaming the base of
the bird cliffs.
DAY
4: INTO THE PACK ICE, NORTH OF 80 DEG.
During
the night the ship will have steered far north towards the edge of the
polar pack ice. How far north only time and weather will tell, but the
main target for us is just the ‘edge’, possibly at
80 degrees north! This is the kingdom of the polar bear! As the pack
ice retreats during summer, polar bears ride the floes north, as this
is where their prey - the seals - resides. Bears who for unfortunate
reasons do not ‘catch’ the ice moving north, are
stranded on Svalbard all summer, and will have to sustain on berries,
eggs and whatever whale cadavers they can find. A hard life indeed!
During
the day, lectures on polar mammals, environment and/or culture can be
enjoyed on board in the Viking Theater. Should we get into the pack ice
where the sea usually is calm, a Zodiac cruise will be arranged.
DAY
5: ANDØYANE OG MONACO GLACIER
Most
likely the northeastern coast of Spitsbergen Island and Hinlopen Strait
are still locked in by coastal ice. We will try our luck and sail as
far east as possible. Should this fail, Wood Fjord and Liefde Fjord
could be excellent alternatives for the day. In this case, we will
circumvent the bird rich Andøya in Zodiacs, and make a
landing on Reindyrflya. Other interesting landings in this fantastic
fjord system could be Mushamna and the oddly named ‘Texas
Bar’. In the afternoon, a Zodiac cruise along the broad
glacier front of Monacobreen gives a unique insight of the glacial
forces and the unlimited forms of icebergs.
DAY
6: BLOMSTRAND PENINSULA, MORNING HIKE AND LILIEHÖÖK
GLACIER.
In
the morning we will have reached the west coast of Spitsbergen and
Kongsfjorden. Ocean Atlantic will anchor behind Blomstrand Peninsula.
As we will immediately see, the name is a bit misleading. Blomstrand is
now an island - the Blomstrand Glacier has receded, revealing a shallow
water strait. We will cruise through this on our Zodiacs and make a
landing on the island. Strong hikers might want to scale Irgensfjellet,
385 m for a nice view of ‘The Three Sisters’,
nunatak mountains far into the Kongs Glacier, as well as enjoy a view
down to Ny Ålesund.
After
lunch, we continue further north into the fjord system, and depending
on the ice situation, we may do a Zodiac cruise along the
Lilliehöök Glacier front… or enjoy a
lecture.
DAY
7: BELLSUND, VÅRSOLBUKTA AND CALYPSOBYEN
The
west coast enjoys the warmer water coming up through the Atlantic, so
winter ice should now have melted. This allows us to enter the southern
fjord of Bellsund on this last full day of exploration.
Bellsund
has some of the richest coal layers in Svalbard, and Svea Mine, far
into the fjord, was formerly one of the biggest communities on the
island. But prices went down, and the coal mine is currently being
dismantled. We will
stay in the fjord entrance and make landings at the Vårsol
Bay. The biggest attraction here is the little auk cliff. Tundra is
richly fertilized by hundreds of thousands of little auks, which the
Svalbard reindeer love to graze. We will go for a nice walk along the
beach – and spot remains from early industrial eras.
During
lunch, we’ll cross the fjord along the 4 km long (but quite
narrow) island of Akseloya. We will make a Zodiac landing at
Calypsobyen in Recherche Fjord. Coal was extracted here in the early
1900s, but the enterprise never attained full production. Today,
Calypsobyen offers an exciting landing that gives visitors a glimpse of
the era of Neo-Industrialism, when all opportunities for profit were
tried out. A pleasant walk can be made on the tundra behind the
buildings.
DAY
8: LONGYEARBYEN
Early
in the morning the ship has returned to our starting point in
Longyearbyen. After breakfast and farewell greetings to the expedition
team and crew, disembarkation will take place. Transfer is arranged to
the airport.
OCEAN ATLANTIC (Expedition, 198-guests)
Ocean Atlantic is the perfect vessel for expedition cruising in Antarctic waters! Newly renovated in 2016 and with an international ice class rating of 1B, she is one of the strongest ships operating in Antarctica. Her high maneuverability, shallow draft and strong engines allow for extended voyages into isolated fjords, creating exciting adventures for any Antarctica traveler. Ocean Atlantic is newly renovated (2016) with elegant common areas and accommodation for 198 passengers. The ship was built in 1985 and underwent an extensive rebuild in 2010.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
INCLUSIONS
- 18-day
cruise with accommodation in a shared double cabin featuring ensuite
facilities
- All
Zodiac landings and excursions as per itinerary
- Expedition
parka
- Rubberboots
provided for entire voyage
- Guiding
and lectures by our experienced expedition leader and team
- English-speaking
expedition team
- Free
photo workshop from experienced photographer onboard
- Full
board on the ship - breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks
- Free
tea and coffee 24 hours daily
- Welcome
and farewell drinks
- Online
visual journal access after your voyage with photos, species list, log
and more!
- Taxes
and port fees
EXCLUSIONS
- Extra
excursions and activities not mentioned in the itinerary
- Single
room supplement and cabin upgrades
- Meals
not on board the ship
- Beverages
(other than coffee and tea)
- Tips
for the crew (we recommend USD 13.5 per person per day)
- Personal
expenses
- Anything
not mentioned under 'Inclusions'
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
- Glacier
Trip
- Hiking
- Zodiac
Cruises
