Arctic Cruises - West Spitsbergen & Polar Ice Edge

Arrive in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago, and transfer to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Perhaps visit the Svalbard Museum or take advantage of quality shopping and dining opportunities in the town centre.

In the afternoon, embark on the M/V Sea Spirit and start your Arctic cruise. Explore the ship and get comfortable as you sail through Isfjorden where there is already the possibility of marine mammal encounters. (D)

Start your expedition exploring the North-western part of Svalbard and marvel at the astounding scenery from the deck as you slip past the pristine landscapes. Walk in the footsteps of the historic polar expeditions exploring spectacular fjords, coasts, and islands.
 

Sail through deep fjords and narrow channels flanked by jagged snowy mountain peaks. Witness immense tidewater glaciers calve, impressively cracking and crashing into the icy turquoise waters. Spot fascinating Arctic wildlife, from polar bears hunting on the pack ice or reindeer grazing on flowering tundra to Arctic foxes playing together and walrus lounging by the shores.
 

Discover remnants of whaling camps, coal mining operations, old trappers' cabins, staging areas of historic attempts to discover the North Pole and abandoned polar research stations. This trip will also take you to visit Ny Alesund, one of the world's most northerly settlements; this former mining town is now home to an international community of Arctic researchers. (B,L,D)