HIGHLIGHTS
- Enjoy
the immense beauty of Svalbard on this high Arctic voyage
- Watch
whales, walruses, polar bears and millions of sea birds pass by
- Explore
northwest Spitsbergen, one of the largest protected areas in the
Arctic, before we approach the polar bear's favorite summer residence
- Cruise
to 80 degrees north, and get as close as possible to the pack ice north
of Svalbard - a constantly shifting wilderness of ice and sea which
stretches to the North Pole and beyond
- Experience
areas of Svalbard not easily accessible by any other means of
exploration as we carefully navigate around this breathtaking
archipelago
- Visit
extraordinary locations in the eastern part of Svalbard such as
Edgeøya and regions such as Bellsund and Hornsund in
southern Svalbard.
- Experience
high summer in the Arctic with the brand new Ocean Albatros - one of
the few ice-class expedition ships built to withstand the North
Pole’s pack ice
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | Cat. F | Cat. G | Cat. E | Cat. D | Cat. C | Cat. C SP | Cat. C XL | Cat. B | Cat. A | Premium Suite | Family Suite |
|---|
| Jun 18, 2025 | Jun 27, 2025 | 6,695 | 11,295 | 9,495 | 8,695 | 9,695 | 10,195 | 10,795 | 12,795 | 15,895 | 17,895 | 19,895 |
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Cat. F | (Mid-range)
Cat. C SP | (High-end)
Family Suite |
|---|
| Jun 18, 2025 | Jun 27, 2025 | 6,695 | 10,195 | 19,895 |
Day
1: Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen. Embarkation
Board
your flight in Norway and arrive in Longyearbyen, Svalbard - the
world's northernmost... everything! This remarkable little city is not
only the northernmost town in the world (if one excludes the tiny
research community of Ny-Ålesund, slightly further north on
Svalbard), but also hosts the world's northernmost civilian airport,
schools, bank and supermarket. The town's rugged frontier edge belies a
core of warm Nordic hospitality and coziness - hyggligt, as we say in
Denmark!
Immediately
after landing in Longyearbyen, you find yourself in a different world.
The chilly Arctic breeze can be felt as soon as you step onto the
tarmac, and the famous signpost outside the terminal reminds visitors
how far north they really are; as well as to keep watch for bears! The
snow-capped mountain Hjorthfjellet looms over the airport on the far
side of Adventfjorden, and off in the distance can be seen the
saw-toothed peaks and languid glaciers of northern Spitzbergen.
After
arrival, you will board the awaiting Ocean Albatros. After our
mandatory safety briefing and lifeboat drill, head onto the outer decks
to enjoy a glass of champagne while watching your expedition vessel
leave civilisation behind... And set a course for adventure!
Day
2: Kongsfjorden region, northwest Spitzbergen
During
the ‘night’ (what is night, when the sun never
sets?), Ocean Albatros will have repositioned past the saw-toothed
mountains of Prins Karls Forland and arrived in magnificent
Kongsfjord. Surrounded by craggy mountains, bounded by the magnificent
Kongsbreen and Kongvegen Glaciers, and crowned by the Three Crowns (a
set of pyramidal mountains said to represent the monarchies of Norway,
Sweden and Denmark), this is surely one of the most beautiful and
tranquil corners anywhere in the world.
Our
first landing will be at the small settlement of Ny Ålesund.
Situated further north than Longyearbyen, Ny-Ålesund is
Earth's northernmost settlement, if a group of scientific stations, a
post office and a single shop open for a few hours can be described as
such... You will have to judge for yourself!
These
islands' geographical location has made them the staging post for
exploratory and scientific expeditions for centuries - a proud legacy
which continues to this day. The setting is spectacular, and the
scientific projects are as fascinating as the history of the town,
which has hosted the Nobile, the Norge and the Fram, Amundsen, Nansen
and Nordenskiöld, all legends of polar exploration who passed
this lonely outpost seeking to push the boundaries of humanity. The
remnants of these expeditions (such as the mooring mast of the Norge)
can still be seen today.
Day
3: Northwest Spitzbergen
One
of the largest protected wilderness areas in Europe, North West
Svalbard was declared a national park in 1973. The area is famed for
its history, which documents some of the earliest human arrivals on
Svalbard. While Norse explorers may have sighted these icy shores
during the Viking Age, the first definite arrival was the expedition of
William Barents, the legendary Dutch explorer for whom the Barents Sea
is named. While now protected from human distruption, when Barents
arrived in 1596, he noted the vast numbers of whales and seals which
were soon prey to English and Dutch whalers, who arrived within a
decade of Barents to pillage the area's wildlife. The area occupies the
triple point between land, sea and ice, and as such was the perfect
location from which to harvest the gentle giants of the oceans. Sites
used to dismember whale carcasses and render them for their precious
oil include the Dutch settlement of Smeerenburg, where the remains of
16th Century blubber ovens and building foundations can still be seen.
Other sites such as nearby Ytre Norskøya record the darker
side of this industrialised slaughter, where hundreds of young men who
hoped to make their fortunes are buried thousands of miles from home.
Today,
all that remains from this period of history are bones and the scant
remnants of human habitation. Slowly reclaimed by creeping Arctic
nature, the region is now a nature lovers paradise. Tiny Arctic poppies
and purple saxifrage defy the brutal conditions to flower in the brief
summer, while geese, eider ducks and other seabirds return to the
island to raise their young. Walrus can be found hauled out on beaches,
and we must always be on careful lookout for wandering polar bears in
this now again wild region.
Day
4: Into the ice
An
icy breeze touches your exposed cheeks. The scent of snow and sea fills
your nostrils. Sunlight reflects off the floating ice, illuminating the
clouds overhead. Enter an environment like no other, the vast
shape-shifting realm of floating ice which crowns our planet. The vast
ever-changing ice pack to the north of Svalbard stretches from this
already isolated archipelago to the North Pole, and onwards across the
Arctic Ocean towards the northern shores of Chukotka and Alaska.
The
Arctic ice pack is one of Earth's largest habitats, although unlike
most it varies hugely year on year, expanding in winter and retreating
in summer. The location of the sea ice around Svalbard can also vary
wildly - however, your Expedition Leader will work hard to maximise our
chances of finding and exploring this impossibly remote environment. At
first glance, this stark white wilderness seems barren, empty and
lifeless. This icy wilderness holds on to its mysteries, and of course
wildlife sightings are at the whims of Mother Nature. With a little
perseverance however, the ice reveals its secrets.
As
Ocean Albatros pushes through the narrow channels in the ice, tiny
cod-like fish can be seen silhouetted against the ice in the clear
water. Kittiwakes and Gloucous Gulls follow the vessel as it disturbs
the water. Further out on the ice, black dots appear; moving closer,
they resolve into seals, basking on the ice. A plume of water reflects
the sunshine - a pod of belugas perhaps, or maybe even the vast gentle
bowhead whale crushing the ice from below as its massive body surfaces.
There, beyond the banks of rucked ice - a yellowish dot pads along the
ice, the head swinging from side to side: the King of the Arctic
continues his never-ending quest for prey. This is the kingdom of the
polar bear, the vast icy wastes at the top of the world.
At
the end of the day, we will start cruising towards the Hinlopen Strait
that divides Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet.
Day
5: Northeast Svalbard
From
the icy wilderness of the pack ice, we will head back towards land,
cruising into the Hinlopen Strait. If the weather is on “our
side” we may have a good view of the steep cliffs of
Alkefjellet. The area is home to a dense congregation of
Brünnichs guillemots - one of the largest colonies in the
world. There are so many birds that hardly an inch is free! Nesting
Brünnich's guillemots and other auks crowd the cliffs, while
predatory skuas and gulls cruise the skies above, constantly on the
lookout for their next meal. During the raucous summer the breeding
pairs offer a wild view of frantic activity, both along the cliffs and
in the sea in front - one of nature's most spectacular
sights!
More
wildlife awaits us as we land on the polar desert landscapes of
Nordaustlandet. Although the polar desert landscapes of this region
appear stark and barren, they are wildly beautiful - unearthly
plantless landscapes illuminated by the weak Arctic sunlight. However,
it is in the marine environment where Svalbard's biodiversity is
richest. Walrus haul their vast bodies onto flat beaches to rest, where
they snuggle together for warmth and protection. Belugas frolic in
large pods in the waters off the coast, harvesting fish and crustaceans
from the seabed, and further offshore the vast gentle baleen whales can
sometimes be seen feasting upon copepods and small fish.
Day
6: East Svalbard
As
we continue to venture around these remarkable islands, we arrive in
Southeast Svalbard - a region where the cold easterly polar waters
collide with the last tepid gasp of the Gulf Stream. If the
ice is passable, we can make it through the southern edge of the
Hinlopen Strait and cruise through Freemansundet, which separates
Barentsøya and Edgeøya. We enjoy the views of the
massive Kapp Lee as we exit the Strait.
We
will aim to land on Edgeøya, Svalbard's third largest
island. Vast piles of snow-bleached bones on the island's beaches bear
witness to the systematic and industrial-scale slaughter of walrus and
beluga in their thousands. The earliest humans on the islands (mainly
English and Dutch whalers and Russian Pomor trappers) had little regard
for conservation, seeking only profit, a situation which continued well
into the 19th century. Thankfully all wildlife on Svalbard is now
protected by law, and vast tracts of the archipelago are designated as
nature reserves and National Parks - some of the largest and richest in
the world!
Further
east on Edgeøya, sites include the walrus colonies of
Andréetangen and Kapp Lee, and the spectacular raised
shorelines and bird colonies of Sundneset. From these remote shores, we
will cruise around Sørkapp and back towards Spitzbergen, the
largest island of Svalbard.
Days
7-8: South Svalbard
Having
passed the southern tip of Spitsbergen we arrive back into the greener
warmer regions of this Arctic wilderness. The southwest coast of
Svalbard is washed by warmer water coming up through the Atlantic, so
winter ice generally retreats first from this reagion. This allows us
to enter the southern fjords of Bellsund and Hornsund - easily some of
the most spectacular regions of this stunning archipelago. Throughout
this maze of fjords and islands, birds cluster together on high cliffs
and reindeer graze on the fertile slopes below, while icebergs drift by
from the various large glaciers in the area. Tiny calico snow buntings
flit between crags, while perfectly camouflaged purple sandpipers
scamper along the shore. Look higher up on the vegetated slopes, and
there - greyish white 'boulders' move and resolve themselves into
sheep-sized reindeer: the unique subspecies native to Svalbard. A flash
of bluish-black, and the screeches of nearby birds herald the arrival
of the Arctic fox, the only native land predator on Svalbard (the polar
bear being classified as a marine mammal).
The
mountaintops are most often covered by dense clouds and the
East-Spitsbergen current often leads pack ice into the mouths of the
fjords. With a huge variety of landing sites to explore, this region is
without doubt one of the most exciting and diverse regions of
Svallbard! Options to explore in the area include the huge bird cliffs
of Alkhjornet and Vårsolbukta, and the historical sites of
Calypsobyen and Bambsebu, where prospectors, trappers and a range of
other adventurers attempted to make their fortunes.
Day
9: West/Central Spitzbergen
During
the night we will enter Forlandssundet, the strait which separates
Prince Karls Forland from Spitsbergen. Our destinations may include
Poolepynten (Poole Point), a small headland named after the British
whaler Jonas Poole. Today the area is inhabited by herds of walruses
who can be seen (and smelled!) from a distance. The large mammals
flaunt their tusks and whiskers, as well as their considerable bulk.
The remote beaches, rugged mountains and tundra plains of the region
positively beg to be explored!
From
Forlandsundet, we will return southwards during the afternoon towards
the town of Longyearbyen, all the while on the lookout for wildlife and
spectacular views as we return to civilisation.
Day
10: Longyearbyen, Spitzbergen. Disembarkation
During
the evening, the Ocean Albatros will reposition to return to the port
of Longyearbyen. Even this small town will feel like a metropolis after
days of isolation in the wilderness of the Arctic!
After
enjoying exploring Longyearbyen and a fond farewell to the crew and
fellow guests of Ocean Albatros, return to Svalbard Airport and join
your flight back to the Norwegian mainland- with memories to last a
lifetime.
Ocean Albatros (Luxury Expedition, 184-guests)
With a total of 95 comfortable staterooms and suites, all with unobstructed sea view, most with their own balcony, the Ocean Albatros will definitely become one of the most popular expedition cruise vessels in the world. Like it's sistership the Ocean Victory it offers two restaurants, a wellness area, an Albatros Nordic Bar, an open deck dining facility, a modern lecture lounge, and other state-of-the-art amenities.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- 10-day/9-night
cruise on Ocean Albatros in a shared outside double room with a private
bathroom in the category chosen
- English-speaking
expedition staff
- Guided
walks with the expedition team
- Nature
hikes and Zodiac cruises per itinerary
- Information
briefings and lectures by the expedition team
- Special
photo workshop
- Full
board on the ship
- Dinner
drink package
- Free
coffee, tea, and afternoon snacks on the ship
- Welcome
and farewell cocktails
- Taxes,
tariffs, and landing fees
- Digital
visual journal link after the voyage, including voyage log, gallery,
species list, and more
Exclusions
- Flights
between Oslo - Longyearbyen - Oslo and Group Transfer between
Longyearbyen Airport and the vessel. To be booked 11 months prior to
departure at additional cost.
- 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 and dinner-drink package)
- Tips
for the crew (we recommend USD 16 per person per day)
- Personal
expenses
- Travel,
cancellation, and senior insurance
- Anything
not mentioned under ’Inclusions’
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
- Pre-program
Svalbard
- Kayaking
