North Spitsbergen Explorer
8 Days/7 Nights
From $4,300 per person
(Dbl. Occupancy, Not Incl. Airfare)
Select June Departures
Overview
This adventure cruise focuses on the northwestern part of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago and takes you into pack ice, fjords, remote shorelines and other awe-inspring scenery. Places that you may visit include Raudfjord, Monaco Glacier, the Hinlopen Strait, and the Seven Islands. There will be many opportunities to spot polar bears, arctic foxes, whales, walruses, and seabirds in the Zodiacs. And, activities include shoreline hikes, showshoeing, and kayaking.
Lodging and Meals: This tour includes accommodations for 7 nights aboard either the Plancius or Hondius and 20 meals (7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 7 dinners).
Best Time to Go: May-September.
Destinations: The Arctic, Europe, and Norway.
Interests: Adventure, Culture & History, Expedition Cruising, Sea Kayaking, Whale Watching, and Wildlife Viewing.
Places Visited: Svalbard.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Please Note: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per AECO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with AECO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. The average cruising speed of our vessel is 10.5 knots.
Day 1: Largest town, biggest island.
You touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Enjoy strolling around this former mining town, whose parish church and Svalbard Museum make for fascinating attractions. Though the countryside appears stark, more than a hundred species of plant have been recorded in it. In the early evening the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where you might spot the first minke whale of your voyage. Overnight aboard the ship. (D)
Day 2-7: North Spitsbergen’s natural beauty, wildlife, and pack-ice.
This voyage will take you into the pack ice and along the remote shorelines of rugged north Spitsbergen. Places we might visit include the following:
Raudfjord
On the north coast of Spitsbergen, you can enjoy this expansive fjord spilling with glaciers – and maybe even visited by ringed and bearded seals. The cliffs and shoreline also support thriving seabird colonies, rich vegetation, and the possibility of polar bears. We will try to land at Alicehamna or Buchananhalvøya.
Monaco Glacier
Depending on the weather and sea ice, we could sail into Liefdefjorden, land at Texas Bar and cruise within sight of the 5-kilometer-long (3.1 miles) face of Monaco Glacier. The waters in front of this precipitous glacier are a favorite feeding spot for thousands of kittiwakes, and the base of the ice is a popular polar bear hunting ground. If ice conditions prevent us from sailing here early in the season, we may sail along the west coast of Spitsbergen.
Highlights of Hinlopen
We aim to sail into Hinlopen Strait, home to bearded seals, ringed seals, and polar bears. At the entrance, there is even the possibility to spot blue whales. After cruising among the ice floes of Lomfjord in the Zodiacs, you can view the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet, with their thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots. On the east side of Hinlopen Strait, we may attempt a landing on Nordaustlandet. Here we may see reindeer, pink-footed geese, and walruses. We can take an alternate route if ice prevents entry into Hinlopen.
The Seven Islands
The northernmost point of the voyage may be north of Nordaustlandet at Chermsideøya or Phippsøya, in the Seven Islands. Here we may reach 80° north, just 870 km (540 miles) from the geographic North Pole. Polar bears inhabit this region, so the ship may park for several hours among the pack ice before wheeling around west again.
Sailing the continental shelf
While retracing our route west, keep watch for polar bears and elusive Greenland (bowhead) whales. About 40 nautical miles west of Spitsbergen, we sail the edge of the continental shelf. Here fin whales forage during the summer in the upwelling zones (where cold, nutrient-rich water wells up from below the sea’s surface) that run along the Spitsbergen banks. At the mouth of Kongsfjorden, you have a good chance of sighting minke whales.
Forlandsundet, St. Johns Fjord, or Alkhornet
Walruses sometimes haul out in Forlandsundet at Sarstangen or Poolepynten. Alternatively, we might sail into St. Johns Fjord or south to the mouth of Isfjorden, landing at Alkhornet. Seabirds nest on these cliffs, Arctic foxes search below for fallen eggs and chicks, and reindeer graze the sparse vegetation. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)
Day 8: There and back again.
Even great adventures must eventually come to an end. The vessel arrives back in Longyearbyen in the early morning, and bus transportation to the airport will be provided. (B)
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Itinerary Map
Prices & Dates
Price per Person
| Departure Dates | Quad Porthole |
Triple Porthole |
Twin Porthole |
Twin Window |
Twin Deluxe |
Superior | Junior Suite | Grand Suite (Pvt. Balcony) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plancius Jun 3 and 24, 2025 |
$4,300 | $5,350 | $5,950 | $6,450 | $6,800 | $7,750 | n/a | n/a |
| Hondius Jun 9, 16, and 23, 2025 |
$4,300 | $5,350 | $5,950 | $6,450 | $6,800 | $7,750 | $8,850 | $9,550 |
** The prices shown above are in U.S. Dollars. See the cost of this tour in your currency at xe.com.
Notes:
- The above prices are valid until June 24, 2025.
- The single supplement is 1.7 times the Twin/Superior price.
- Singles willing to share a cabin pay the Twin/Triple, or Quadruple price.
- Upon request, children under 16 with parents may receive a 40% discount in Grand Suite, Superior, Triple (sharing with 2 parents/adults) and Quadruple Cabins (sharing with 3 parents/adults).
What's Included
Price Includes
- South American Vacations’ expert pre-departure planning services and documentation.
- Pre-scheduled group transfers and baggage handling between the airport and ship only for those passengers on the group flights to and from Longyearbyen.
- Accommodation on board the M/V Plancius or M/V Hondius.
- All meals scheduled on board, including snacks, coffee, and tea.
- All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
- Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
- All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.
- AECO fees and governmental taxes.
- Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
Price Does Not Include
- International airfare.
- Domestic airfare.
- Hotel nights before/after the cruise.
- Meals not indicated on the itinerary.
- Passport/visa expenses.
- Government arrival and departure taxes.
- Gratuities to ship crew and guides (Suggested $15/per/person/day for the naturalist guides and crew).
- Bar, telecommunication charges, gifts, and personal items.
- Travel insurance.
We will be happy to quote the cost of airfare, land services, and travel insurance and to make these arrangements for you.
Additional Details
Group/Private: All services included in this tour are operated on a group basis.
Elevations: N/a.
Passport/Visa: U.S., Australian, and Canadian citizens require a valid passport (with at least six months of validity from your departure date) and return ticket for stays of up to 90 days. EU nationals do not need to show a national ID card or passport, but it is still highly recommended to take them.
Travel Insurance: In order to protect your travel investment from unforeseen circumstances that may arise before or during your trip, we strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. We offer Allianz Global Assistance’s Classic Comprehensive and other plans. The Benefits and Coverage Limits are summarized on our Travel Insurance page. Call your travel counselor if you have any questions or to purchase a plan.
To Book This Trip: Call or email us to confirm the availability of this ship for your desired dates of travel. For reservations made more than 60 days prior to departure, the required deposit is between $1,400 and $2,400 per person and may be higher for single passengers. The balance is due 60 days prior to departure.
