spitsbergen cruise ship itinerary

Review: MS Spitsbergen

Reviewed by Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

What is the line? Hurtigruten Expeditions

Name of ship? MS Spitsbergen

Passenger occupancy? 220

Itinerary? West Africa Archipelago

Start out with the big picture—what is this cruise line known for?

Billing itself as the world’s oldest cruise line, the Oslo-based company was established in 1893, ferrying freight, mail, and passengers to communities along the rugged and remote Norwegian coast. Today, Hurtigruten remains best known for its original itinerary (the 34-port Norwegian Coastal Express) which has continued, with some modifications, for more than a century. In 2022 the line began sailing to the Galapagos, and in 2023 it launched its West Africa itineraries, a series of five consecutive 12-day cruises offered from October through December that sail roundtrip from Dakar, Senegal, to the islands of Cape Verde; Guinea-Bissau’s Bissagos Islands; and The Gambia. At time of writing, Hurtigruten is the only line with a ship based in Dakar, and the only international cruise line operating expedition cruises along the West African coast.

Tell us about the ship in general:

Hurtigruten bills itself as a premium rather than a luxury line, which means that its ships aren’t over-the-top plush–expedition cruising is, after all, about the destinations, not the ship’s bells and whistles. That said, MS Spitsbergen is modern and comfortable, and with a capacity of just 220 passengers, offers a relatively intimate cruise experience. It has eight decks (cabins are on three of them); one restaurant; a two-story bar and lounge; a small sauna and gym, as well as a gift shop and modest library. There’s no spa nor casino.

It should be noted that Spitsbergen was designed for cold, Northern climates; it spends most of the year sailing the British Isles and up the Norwegian coast to Svalbard. So it lacks some of the amenities you’d want on a warm-weather cruise. There’s no pool, only a pair of two-person hot tubs at the ship’s aft. Only deck 7 and 8 are outside, and while deck 8 has more space to bask on lounge chairs, there’s no shade and you’ll need to venture to the Explorer bar on deck 5 for refreshments. MS Spitsbergen will meet your needs, but North American cruisers should expect less variety and fewer choices across the board.

Who’s onboard?

Our sailing (of just 58 passengers) comprised a combination of 55+ European couples, with a few American and Canadian passengers of the same age. Most of the European passengers were repeat cruisers with the line. There was also a handful of solo cruisers (depending on capacity, some smaller cabins are sold to solos with no single supplement). Hurtigruten discourages children under 12 on their West Africa sailings.

Describe the cabins:

Spitsbergen’s 110 staterooms are sold in six categories, ranging from Polar Insides to six Expedition Suites, which are the only cabins with (standing room-only) balconies; all others have picture windows. Inside cabins are surprisingly spacious (some as big as outsides), except for those on deck 4, which have twin beds, one of which pulls down from the wall. Depending on occupancy, these may be sold as solo cabins, with no single supplement. Three mini-suites on deck 4 have a window alcove with a pull-out bed, each sleeping three adults or two adults and two children. There is one wheelchair-accessible cabin.

Decor is “Scandi style” with blonde woods, cream walls, and blue accents—a sea, sand, and sky palette. Furniture is minimal (just a chair and ottoman) and photography of the ship's destinations serves as the wall art. Bathrooms with walk-in showers are modern, and the heated floor is a nice post-shower treat, even on a warm-weather sailing. Beds, either queen-size or twins, are raised high enough to offer ample space for suitcase storage, and there’s plenty of closet and drawer space. Each stateroom has a kettle, plus coffee and tea service; suites and mini suites have coffee makers. Every guest is given a complimentary waterproof backpack, a water bottle, and a hygiene kit with face masks and hand sanitizer.

Tell us about the crew:

MS Spitsbergen’s expedition, science, and activity team members were knowledgeable and kind. On our ship, the team included an ornithologist, marine scientist, and cetacean researcher. Among the ship's 85 crew members, 17 nationalities are represented. A Togolese chef prepared delicious West African options at lunch and dinner.

What food and drink options are available on board?

Aune is MS Spitsbergen’s only restaurant, serving buffet-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It features live cooking stations—hot eggs at breakfast, pasta and carved meat at dinner—and is open for only 90 minutes each meal, so late-sleepers and those who like leisurely dining may feel rushed. On West African sailings, a local chef prepares regional dishes (my personal favorite was the jollof rice from Nigeria) for lunch and dinner. Wine, beer, and soft drinks are complimentary with meals, but charged at all other times.

There’s no room service, but guests may call Aune to order from a takeaway menu of breakfast sandwiches. At dinnertime, a selection of to-go burgers is available, but you have to order and pick up in person at Aune, and they may not be consumed in the dining room.

The Explorer Bar offers a lighter continental breakfast from 6:30 until breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m.; cookies, coffee, and tea are available all day; and the cake of the day appears at 3 p.m. There’s a water bottle refill station in the bar, the gym, and on select decks.

Is there a spa on board and is it worth visiting?

The ship does not have a spa or salon.

Activities and entertainment:

You won’t find a casino, spa, or nightly Broadway-style shows on this expedition ship. However, unique to Hurtigruten’s vessels are interactive onboard science centers, complete with microscopes and other scientific equipment. They’re staffed by a team which, on our voyage, included an ornithologist, marine scientist, and cetacean researcher, who offer various activities during the day. Passengers can also participate in Citizen Science programs , such as whale, wildlife, and cloud watching.

Other onboard diversions include stretching class; water bottle painting and art class; and photography tutorials. Sea days may include nautical knotting class and Q+A sessions with the ship’s officers. A Gambian dance and drumming troupe performs an onboard show during the ship’s extended port call in Banjul. All lectures, as well as the evening port briefing are offered with live interpretation in French and German via headset.

The cruise fare includes a complimentary shore excursion (usually an island or city tour) in each port. Other outings are priced from around $90, including hikes that range from easy walks to strenuous treks up volcanic craters (running from three to eight hours long).

How was the experience for families?

Hurtigruten does not recommend its West Africa sailings for children under 12. There’s no children’s programming on board, and the “wet landings” MS Spitsbergen makes in the Bissagos Islands (which require tendering from the ship in a Zodiac dinghy, disembarking into waist-deep water, and wading to shore) are unsuitable for little ones. However, teenagers—particularly those with an interest in science, birds or marine animals—may appreciate the adventure.

Where did it sail and how were the excursions? Did anything stand out?

The cruise begins after a day of sightseeing in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. The excursion to Gorée Island, off the coast, is sobering. Between the 15 th and 19 th centuries, more than 20 million Africans were shipped into European slavery from this island trading post, and to tour the warehouses that housed enslaved men, women, and children is essential to understanding the impact of slavery on West Africa and the world.

The cruise then continues to Cape Verde, where it calls at three islands—Santiago, Santo Antão, and Fogo. Excursion options here include island tours and, on Fogo, hiking the crater of its its volcano, Pico de Fogo.

The little-visited Bissagos Islands in Guinea-Bissau are next on the itinerary. However, the particular islands you visit depend on prevailing sea conditions, so the exact details of the excursion (there’s only one, and it’s included in your fare) aren’t known until the day before. Excursions in the Bissagos, via small boats and kayaks, take guests into forests, wetlands, and mangroves, where you may encounter hippos, monitor lizards, and native birds.

The cruise’s final port of call before returning to Dakar is in Gambia’s capital, Banjul. The excursion to the village where Kunta Kinteh (from Alex Haley’s novel, Roots ) was born and his ancestors now live is illuminating, as is a visit to the slavery museum, also included in the tour.

[Editor’s note: Because of political unrest in Guinea-Bissau, our sailing skipped the country and was cut short by three days.]

Are there any stand-out sustainability or green initiatives about this cruise?

Under the line’s Green Stay program, Hurtigruten donates 50 cents to the Hurtigruten Foundation per cabin for every day guests choose not to have housekeeping service. Funds from the foundation go toward wildlife preservation efforts, combatting marine waste, and supporting the communities to which the line sails. To participate, simply place the Green Stay hang tag on your door. MS Spitsbergen also produces its own drinking water from seawater, made potable by reverse osmosis, sterilization, and chlorination.

Anything we missed?

For Hurtigruten's large base of European passengers, this itinerary offers the security of cruising with a familiar brand to an unfamiliar region of the world.

Finally, give a sentence or two on why the cruise is worth booking.

Hurtigruten’s West African itineraries are currently one of the only ways international travelers can access these stunning archipelagos, which will fascinate both new and experienced expedition cruisers.

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This New, Once-in-a-lifetime Cruise Sails Along the Incredible Coast of West Africa — Here's What It's Like on Board

Hurtigruten Expeditions recently became the only international cruise line to sail the West African coast, and we were among the first on board.

The Staterooms

Bars and restaurants, where spitsbergen sails, shore excursions, amenities and entertainment, family-friendly offerings, accessibility.

Courtesy of Jan Hvizdal/Hurtigruten Expeditions

Editor’s note: Because of political unrest in Guinea-Bissau, the cruise our reporter sailed on was cut short by three days, bypassing the Bissagos.

Until a month ago, I’d never set foot on the African continent. I assumed that when I finally did, it’d be on safari or on a trip to a major African city — say, Johannesburg or Accra, Ghana. Instead, my first trip to Africa was on an adventure cruise with Hurtigruten Expeditions – sailing roundtrip from Dakar, Senegal to Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and The Gambia.

The trip was one of the first West African journeys for the Oslo, Norway-based cruise line. My sailing, aboard the 220-passenger MS Spitsbergen had only 58 travelers on board. Within a few days of leaving Dakar, I was on waving terms with many of the other (older, mostly European) guests, and after a few excursions together, our cruise buddy status was cemented. 

I’d start my day as I do at home: with a sunrise workout, either in the ship’s fitness room or running on the top deck, deck eight. (I use the term “running” loosely, because there’s no track and the deck is very small.) But between the sea air and the rising sun, it was a refreshing way to kick off a sea day, especially when I could join the gym's stretch classes, held each morning, for a welcome cool down. 

Breakfast in Spitsbergen ’s only restaurant, Aune, was a buffet affair, heavy on European favorites including yogurt, muesli, and varieties of smoked fish. It was fuel for a sea day that might be filled with art class (I particularly enjoyed painting my ship-supplied metal water bottle); photography tutorials; nautical knot–tying demonstrations; or Q&A sessions with the captain and his officers. Science-loving passengers could always find something to do in the ship’s Science Center, where staff gave lectures about the area’s marine life. You could also join them outside for daily wildlife watches, keeping an eye out for dolphins, flying fish, and native birds.

Beyond these activities (and a catalog of on-demand, in-cabin movies), sea days on Spitsbergen require making your own entertainment. Get lost in a book (there’s a small, multi-language library on board); sweat it out in the ocean-view sauna, or just find a window seat and watch the water go by. Because it is designed to cruise colder climates, Spitsbergen lacks some of the amenities you’d want on a warm-weather cruise (there’s no pool, for example; just a pair of tiny hot tubs at the ship’s aft). And because this is true expedition cruising, there are no onboard diversions such as a casino, nightly shows, a movie theater, or duty-free shops. As on all expedition cruises, it’s the destinations that are the real draw.

In that respect, this West African cruise delivered – and then some. In Dakar, visiting Gorée Island, a former trading post for enslaved Africans — was an impactful start to our journey. Port excursions that followed — clearly designed to immerse guests in the local culture and landscape — included village and museum visits; city walking tours; and hiking. The trek I chose on Cape Verde’s Fogo Island took me across miles of jet-black ash to the crater of the active volcano Pico de Fogo.

Inspired to see West Africa by sea? Here, my review of Hurtigruten's MS Spitsbergen and all the details on where it sails.

MS Spitsbergen, Hurtigruten Expeditions

• The Spitsbergen ’s 110 Scandinavian-style cabins are modern and minimal, and all of them have a heated bathroom floor.
• A West African chef prepares regional specialties for lunch and dinner every day at the ship's restaurant, Aune.
• The interactive onboard science center (staffed on our cruise by an ornithologist, marine scientist, and cetacean researcher) is a bonus for passengers interested in the wildlife you’ll encounter during the cruise.

Courtesy of Agurtxane Concellon/Hurtigruten Expeditions

On decks four, six, and seven, Spitsbergen ’s 110 staterooms are sold in six categories, ranging from the entry-level Polar Inside rooms to the six Expedition Suites, which are the only cabins with balconies. The smallest Polar Inside room is 95 square feet, while the largest cabin, the Owner's Suite, clocks in at 355 square feet. Interior cabins can be surprisingly spacious (some as large as the Arctic Superior cabins, along the ship's exterior), except for those on deck four, which have twin beds, one of which pulls down from the wall. The Scandinavian design uses an appropriately sea-themed palette of blond woods, cream walls, and blue accents. In most rooms, furniture is minimal (just a chair and ottoman) and photography of the destinations Spitsbergen sails on the walls. Bathrooms have walk-in showers and heated floors — a surprisingly welcome post-shower perk, even on an African sailing. 

Deck five’s Aune is the ship’s only restaurant, serving a buffet-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The spread is open for just 90 minutes, so late-sleepers and leisurely diners, beware. On West African sailings, a local chef prepares regional dishes (I loved the jollof rice from Nigeria) for lunch and dinner. Wine, beer, and soft drinks are complimentary with meals, but are charged at an additional fee outside meal times.

There’s no room service on Spitsbergen , but guests may call and order from a small to-go menu of breakfast sandwiches. At dinnertime, there’s selection of to-go burgers, which you must order and pick up in person at the restaurant, and then enjoy elsewhere because to-go meals aren’t permitted at Aune.

The Explorer Bar on deck five offers Continental breakfast from 6:30 a.m. until breakfast starts at Aune at 7:30 a.m. There are cookies, coffee, and tea available all day; and a cake of the day is served at 3 p.m.. The bar is busiest after dinner, as guests congregate here for the nightly presentation about the next day’s port and excursions.

Hurtigruten’s intends to sail five West Africa cruises each year, from October through December. The 12-day trips travel roundtrip from Dakar, Senegal, to the islands of Cape Verde; Guinea-Bissau’s Bissagos Islands; and the Gambia (from $6,578). This route debuted in 2023, and, at the time of publish, Hurtigruten was the only line with a ship based in Dakar and the only international cruise line operating expedition cruises along the West African coast. In the summer months, Spitsbergen cruises up and down the Norwegian coast to and from Svalbard; its spring itineraries are in the British Isles.

Courtesy of Dr. Verena Meraldi/Hurtigruten Expeditions

Your cruise fare includes a complimentary shore excursion (usually an island or city tour) in each port. Other outings (from three to eight hours in length; priced from €85) include hikes and visits to museums and local villages.

On day one, in Dakar, the excursion to nearby Gorée Island – a former island trading post from which more than 20 million Africans were shipped into European slavery – is a sobering but necessary start to the cruise, driving home the enduring impact of slavery on West Africa and the world. 

The cruise then continues to three islands in the archipelago of Cape Verde: Santiago, Santo Antão, and Fogo. If you’re an active traveler who is comfortable hiking without shade, I would definitively recommend the hike to the crater of Fogo’s still-active volcano, Pico de Fogo. It’s roughly a two-hour ascent over jet-black lava from the most recent eruption in 2014, and the views of the vast and austere lava fields below are worth every bead of sweat.

The little-visited Bissagos Islands in Guinea-Bissau are next on the itinerary. However, the particular islands you visit depend on prevailing sea conditions, so the exact details of the excursion (there’s only one, and it’s included) aren’t known until the day before. Excursions in the Bissagos, via small boats and kayaks, take guests into forests, wetlands, and mangroves, where you may encounter hippos, monitor lizards, and native birds. 

At the final port, Gambia’s capital, Banjul, most passengers I traveled with chose the excursion to the village where Kunta Kinteh (from American author Alex Haley’s novel "Roots") was born.

Every ship in the Hurtigruten fleet has an interactive science center on board, and Spitsbergen is no exception. The centers are staffed by a team that, on our voyage, included an ornithologist, marine scientist, and cetacean researcher, who lead various Citizen Science programs, such as whale-, wildlife-, and cloud-watching.

Courtesy of Madis Sarglepp/Hurtigruten Expeditions

Beyond the science center, activities range from stretching class to nautical knot tutorials (French and German interpreters are on hand to translate during all activities). During the extended port call in Banjul, a Gambian dance and drumming troupe performs on board, but don’t expect the Broadway-style shows typical of U.S.-based cruise lines. There’s no evening entertainment beyond the nightly port briefing, offered in the Explorer Bar with live interpretation in French and German via headset.

Hurtigruten discourages bringing children under 12 on its West Africa sailings. There’s no dedicated kids' programming on board, and the “wet landings” the ship makes in the Bissagos Islands (which require tendering from the ship in a Zodiac boat, disembarking into waist-deep water, and wading to shore) aren't ideal for young travelers. These cruises are more suitable for older kids – particularly those interested in science, birds, or marine life.

Spitsbergen , Hurtigruten’s smallest ship, has one wheelchair accessible cabin, an Arctic Superior cabin on deck six.

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Ocean Adventurer - 132 Guests

Spitsbergen highlights: expedition in brief, 7 day helsinki/longyearbyen to longyearbyen/helsinki.

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• Leadership throughout your voyage by our experienced Expedition Leaders, including shore landings and other activities
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• Select beer and wine during dinner; and coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock
• Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled
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MS Spitsbergen

Our Arctic Explorer ship, MS Spitsbergen will take you on an itinerary beyond the ordinary.

MS Spitsbergen is named after the crown jewel of Arctic Norway – the Spitsbergen archipelago. Hurtigruten has a long history of travelling to Spitsbergen, beginning in 1896 with the `Sports Route´. MS Spitsbergen cruises along the Norwegian coast from September to May, and becomes part of our global Explorer sailings during the rest of the year.

After complete reconstruction, MS Spitsbergen re-joined the Hurtigruten fleet in 2016. The ship features high technical standards as well as comfortable, modern public areas and cabins. The vessel´s fresh Scandinavian design reflects a colour palette derived from the sea. She is modern and environmentally progressive, and we plan further improvements that will reduce emissions and fuel consumption even more. The new ship’s maneuverability and optimal size make her quite suitable for exploring polar waters.

Accommodation

There is a wide range of comfortable cabins onboard, all with private bathrooms. You will be informed at check in when your cabin is ready for you. Please note that cabins on deck 5 with passenger access to outside areas may sometimes have an obstructed view due to other passengers walking past. Please ask the reservation team for advice on the best cabin location for you.

Food & Drink

Visiting 34 ports, Hurtigruten have an exceptional opportunity to get fresh produce from local suppliers everyday. This means delicious new and fresh ingredients, both from coastal and inland areas.

Based on the season's best ingredients, the chefs create either three-course dinners or lavish buffets. Being a coastal voyage, seafood dominates the menu, accompanied with fresh vegetables and delicately flavoured sauces. Each dinner ends with traditional desserts, like home-made cakes, puddings, berries or sorbet. Breakfast and lunch is served buffet style, while dinner is a set dinner.

Life on Board

The emphasis onboard is on relaxation and discovery, and not the commercial entertainment that is so often a part of conventional cruises. Hertigruten’s aim is to get you closer to unique environments and to allow you to share the experience with your fellow travellers. Occasionally there may be some musical entertainment onboard in the evenings.

Get a feel for life onboard the MS Spitsbergen by browsing through the image gallery. Click on any of the images above to get started.

MS Spitsbergen Cruises

May we present you with a small selection of the wide range of cruises available on Hurtigruten' MS Spitsbergen. For more details click on one of the links below.

Deck Plans MS Spitsbergen

Browse MS Spitsbergen's deck plans to get a feel of her layout. Explore cabins, restaurants, entertainment and shared spaces at your leisure.

The Hurtigruten Fleet

Since 1893, the Hurtigruten ships have been a hallmark of the Norwegian coast. Our 11 ships in Norway and 4 exploration ships feature modern facilities carefully blended with true character.

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The 5 best Arctic cruise itineraries, from someone who has tried them all

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There is an emptiness to the Arctic that is mesmerizing.

Traveling across it by ship, you’ll encounter patches of snow-covered ice that stretch for miles, an endlessly white landscape punctured only by the occassional seabird and, if you’re lucky, the sight of a far-off polar bear.

In some parts of the Arctic, there are rocky islands so windswept and desolate that you’d think you’re on the moon; in other areas, there are islands covered with the most spectacularly beautiful mountains and glaciers. The common theme between them all is that they are rarely visited by humans.

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Not that there aren’t any humans in the Arctic. There are some, including Inuit who have lived in the region for centuries. But huge swaths of the Arctic lack a human presence, and the wildlife is equally sparse. Spotting the most famous denizens of the Arctic — the polar bear and the Arctic fox — is a rare moment to treasure.

As someone lucky enough to have traveled by ship to almost every corner of the Arctic over nearly 30 years as a cruise writer, I can say that the region is one of my favorite places to visit — maybe my very favorite. But it’s not for everyone. It offers a subtle sort of beauty that reveals itself slowly.

Depending on the itinerary, an Arctic cruise might include days of bumping through icy waters covered by a fog so soupy that all you see out the window is a light greyish bubble all around. For all you know, you could be in a simulation.

But give the Arctic a chance, and it can be life-changing.

If you’re unsure how to begin thinking of which Arctic itinerary might be the right choice, take a look at my picks for the five best Arctic cruise itineraries, chosen after a lifetime of trying just about every possible route in the region. As is typical for Arctic sailings, they are all itineraries that can only be done on polar-class expedition cruise ships — a specialized type of small, hardy cruise vessel built for polar travel and carrying its own landing craft for exploring.

A circumnavigation of Spitsbergen

If you only have time for one Arctic cruise, this is the one I recommend. Consider it a sort of “greatest hits of the Arctic” itinerary. You’ll get a little taste of everything the Arctic has to offer on a single, relatively easy-to-do sailing as short as a week or 10 nights.

On a voyage around Spitsbergen, the biggest of a cluster of rugged islands that make up the Svalbard archipelago, you’ll likely see many of the Arctic’s best-known wildlife — polar bears, whales (if you’re lucky), walruses, and giant colonies of Brunnich’s guillemots and other Arctic birds — over the course of a few days. Compared to some places in the Arctic, this region is relatively rich with wildlife.

Related: TPG’s ultimate guide to expedition cruising

Spitsbergen is also about as scenic a place as you’ll find in the Arctic, covered in mountains and glaciers. It’s easily accessible by air through Longyearbyen, a settlement of about 2,500 people on the island’s west side.

Located 600 miles north of the northernmost tip of Norway, which administers the Svalbard archipelago, Spitsbergen is also home to a few cultural oddities. Barentsburg is a semi-abandoned mining town operated by Russia under the terms of a century-old treaty, and Ny Alesund is a small mining camp that has been turned into a scientific research station. Spitsbergen itineraries sometimes include visits to both.

Ny Alesand, notably, was the spot where legendary explorer Roald Amundsen set off on a record-setting expedition flight to the North Pole by airship in 1926. Visitors to the outpost can see the still-standing remnants of the expedition, which include a tower that held the airship before it departed and a telegraph hut that broadcast news of the flight to the world.

Who goes there: Norway-based Hurtigruten is the best-known brand for Spitsbergen circumnavigations. It offers voyages out of Longyearbyen every summer. Most other expedition cruise operators, including Lindblad Expeditions and Seabourn, offer sailings to just a portion of Spitsbergen (usually the north and west coasts) combined with stops in Iceland and/or Greenland.

The west coast of Greenland

If you want to see icebergs and glaciers on a truly epic scale, a voyage along Greenland’s west coast should be your pick.

It is home to what are, without a doubt, some of the world’s most spectacular glaciers and snow-topped mountains.

On a trip down the west coast of Greenland, you will sail past huge icebergs that have shorn off the massive Greenland ice sheet on your way to visit at least a few of the coast’s colorful Arctic settlements.

These settlements, notably, include Ilulissat, site of an iceberg-jammed fjord that is a marvel of the northern hemisphere.

Related: 8 things you need to know about Arctic cruises

If you’re lucky during a visit to Ilulissat, you’ll get to do two amazing things. One is to hike to an overlook near the town that reveals a massive pile-up of giant ice blocks that are slowly flowing down the fjord from a glacier. The other is a Zodiac ride to get close to some of the biggest icebergs that are stuck in the bay just offshore.

It is a landscape of icebergs at a scale that you can’t imagine until you see it.

Who goes there: Seabourn, Lindblad, Silversea Cruises , Ponant , Viking and several other expedition cruise companies offer sailings down the west coast of Greenland. These voyages often include a visit to the eastern side of Canada’s Northwest Passage or Iceland.

The Northwest Passage

For cruisers who love the history of exploration, a trip across the Canadian Arctic’s Northwest Passage might be the ultimate Arctic adventure. That’s because it offers a chance to follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest polar explorers of the 18th and 19th centuries, for whom finding the long-hidden Arctic route between Europe and Asia was one of the biggest (and deadliest) challenges of the age.

Stretching more than 2,000 miles from the Davis Strait near Greenland to the Bering Strait off Alaska, the still-often-iced-in Northwest Passage famously swallowed up the two-ship, 128-man Franklin Expedition of 1845 (a massive and massively equipped British exploratory party that disappeared into the ice, never to be seen again), as well as other explorers. It was finally conquered in 1903 by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen — who also was the first human to reach the South Pole.

Until just the last couple of decades, traveling through the Northwest Passage remained almost as daunting as it was during Franklin and Amundsen’s time. But rapidly shrinking ice coverage across the Arctic, driven by global warming, has been making it more accessible. In recent years, half a dozen expedition ships or more have sailed into the passage annually during the warmest summer months.

Still, even now, only a handful of the hardiest expedition vessels make a full transit of the Northwest Passage in any given year, while other vessels only offer partial transits.

Related: I loved my 1st Arctic cruise — here’s why

Note that the Northwest Passage is a relatively desolate part of the Arctic. A typical landing by Zodiac during a trip across the passageway might bring a visit to a forlorn, windswept island covered in boggy fields of lichen-covered rocks and low-lying grasses. That is, if the island isn’t covered in drifting snow.

But such trips also include stops at iconic historic sites related to the region’s early explorers. These include the ruins of the last known camp of the Franklin Expedition at snowy Beechey Island and the remnants of a short-lived Hudson’s Bay Company outpost on Somerset Island.

Stops at Inuit settlements such as Arctic Bay and Gjoa Haven are also common.

Who goes there: Most major expedition cruise operators, including Ponant, Hurtigruten, Silversea, Seabourn and Adventure Canada (a specialist in Canadian Arctic trips), offer sailings that transit at least part of the Northwest Passage. Complete crossings are rare.

The North Pole

When it comes to bragging rights, it’s hard to argue that any trip to the Arctic tops an expedition cruise to the North Pole.

The first undisputed expedition to reach the North Pole wasn’t until 1926, when a team of explorers led by Roald Amundsen overflew the destination on the airship Norge. Even today, few humans have ever visited the northernmost point in the world — some put the number at just a few thousand.

Since the 1990s, working (and spartan) Russian icebreakers chartered by expedition travel companies have occasionally taken tourists in small groups to the world’s northernmost spot. But since 2022, adventure-seekers have a more upscale option for a trip to 90 degrees north: A voyage on Le Commandant Charcot — the first built-for-tourists icebreaker.

Operated by Ponant, a French company known for upscale expedition cruises to far-off places, the 245-passenger ship is the first and only built-for-tourists cruise vessel capable of traveling to the most remote, ice-filled parts of the polar regions, including the North Pole.

Related: I just snowshoed at the North Pole — here’s how you can, too

Named for a famed French explorer, Le Commandant Charcot is unlike any other vessel that has traveled across the polar ice cap. It has all the elements of the most elegant hotels on land: spacious suites, stylish lounges, fine dining (including a restaurant with a menu designed by Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse) and a spa.

In other words, you’ll not just be traveling to the North Pole, you’ll be traveling to the North Pole in high-end comfort.

Who goes there: The only way for an American to reach the North Pole by ship is aboard the new Le Commandant Charcot, which is operating three or four trips to the destination each summer. A Russian icebreaker that expedition travel companies have chartered in the past for such voyages, the 50 Years of Victory, still is occasionally making the trips, but it is not bookable for now by travelers from the United States and most other Western countries.

The Northeast Passage

A voyage across the Arctic’s Northeast Passage is surely the most off-the-beaten-path Arctic cruise you can do — even more off-the-beaten-path than a trip to the North Pole.

Rarely offered and typically about 30 days long, these are true explorers’ journeys across the almost unvisited Arctic territory that stretches across the top of Russia from Arctic Norway to Alaska.

These sailings cross five frigid seas — the Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian and Chukchi — that in some parts traditionally freeze over during much of the year and only partially thaw during the late summer. Along the way, sometimes spread apart by hundreds of miles, are glacier-topped, often mountainous archipelagos and island groups that passengers can explore during Zodiac landings.

Highlights of these trips include seeing the Arctic’s iconic wildlife — polar bears, Arctic fox, walrus, seals and musk ox — and historic sites related to the region’s early exploration. Among them is Cape Amundsen, where you can still see the ruins of a small stone hut built by the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen during a failed attempt to reach the North Pole. Amundsen’s ship became stuck in the ice at the Cape for more than a year.

Only true icebreakers or the toughest ice-strengthened expedition cruise ships can make a Northeast Passage journey. Historically, they have occurred only occasionally. (I was on what was only the fourth voyage by any expedition cruise ship across the Northeast Passage, and that was as recently as 2018.)

Alas, for now, such trips are on hold, due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The invasion has brought all cruising to Russia by Western companies to a halt. But, in theory, these expeditions could resume in the coming years.

Who goes there: While Northeast Passage voyages are on hold for now, the trips traditionally have been offered by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, an upscale German cruise brand that was a pioneer of expedition cruises in the Russian Arctic, and New Zealand-based Heritage Expeditions. The latter company traditionally chartered an ice-class Russian research vessel that can hold 50 people, the Akademik Shokalskiy, for the trips.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free. 

These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Around Spitsbergen

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The 10-day Around Spitsbergen Arctic cruise sails entirely around the island of West Spitsbergen, round-trip from Longyearbyen, Norway. While in the realm of the polar bear, focus on seeing these magnificent hunters, along with other Arctic wildlife. Cruise through icy waters to impressive glaciers and attempt to reach 80 degrees north. Spitsbergen’s abundant wildlife was once a huge draw for whalers and trappers and now discerning visitors are discovering the attractions of huge Arctic seabird colonies and the chance to enjoy and photograph Arctic wildlife like walrus, reindeer, arctic fox, beluga whales and, of course, polar bears. 

In addition to the main 10-day Around Spitsbergen itinerary, there is a 10-day alternative route that aims to reach the rarely visited Kvitøya Island as well as a 15-day Around Spitsbergen, Arctic Spring sailing itinerary that offers a relaxed pace aboard a three-masted schooner, with a flexible day-by-day to visit many fascinating stops along Spitsbergen’s east coast. 

The Norwegian name for the Svaldbard archipelago, including Bear Island and Jan Mayen, is Spitsbergen and it contains the largest of Norway’s Arctic islands. Covering an area almost as big as the Republic of Ireland, Spitsbergen has a population of 3,500 in five settlements and is a virtually unspoiled wilderness. Highlights of this Arctic cruise include a Zodiac ride near the towering blue-white face of the 11th of July Glacier; exploring the once mining village and now research center of Ny Ålesund, the world’s most northerly settlement; photographing thousands of kittiwakes near a popular polar bear hunting ground at Monaco Glacier; attempting to reach 80 degrees north and the Seven Islands at Phippsøya; sailing the Hinlopen Strait to search for blue whales, polar bears and ringed seals; watching walruses haul out on Kapp Lee; gazing at the spire-like mountain peaks of Horsundtind; and walking amongst beluga whale skeletons and witnessing the consequences of 19th century whale hunters.

Passage is aboard the 170-guest Hondius , one of the 108-guest ships Ortelius or Plancius , or the 33-guest schooner Rembrandt van Rijn . The Rembrandt van Rijn is an AdventureSmith favorite for private charter cruises due to her adventurous nature and intimate size, however all of these small ships are equipped for intimate exploration of the incredible sights visited on all Around Spitsbergen itineraries.

While the intention is to circumnavigate Spitsbergen, it is important to note that the chances of each ship completing a full Spitsbergen circumnavigation (based on the expeditions’ experiences from 1992 to present) are about 30% in the first half of July, 70% in the second half of July, 90% in the first half of August and 95% in the second half of August. In case your expedition cannot complete a full circumnavigation of Spitsbergen, your captain and expedition team will devise a program in Northeast or Southeast Spitsbergen.

Regardless of itinerary choice, the wildlife, history and frigid magnificence of the Arctic makes sailing Around Spitsbergen a trip to remember. Contact the polar experts at AdventureSmith Explorations to discuss which itinerary and ship best suits your interests, ability and budget.

Read on for details about this trip, or learn more about AdventureSmith’s Arctic cruises , Svalbard Cruises and Arctic trips .

Around Spitsbergen - In the Realm of Polar Bear & Ice Itinerary

The 10-day Around Spitsbergen – In the Realm of Polar Bear & Ice voyage operates round-trip from Longyearbyen and circumnavigates Spitsbergen.

Arrive in Longyearbyen, Norway, the administrative center of the 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 will sail out of Isfjorden, where you might spot the first minke whale of the voyage.

Hondius, Ortelius, Plancius

Heading north along the west coast, arrive by morning in Krossfjorden, with the possible opportunity to board the Zodiacs for a cruise near the towering blue-white face of the 14th of July Glacier. On the green slopes near the glacier, colorful flowers bloom while flocks of kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots nest on the cliffs. There is also a good chance of spotting opportunistic arctic foxes scouting for fallen chicks, or a bearded seal paddling through the fjord. In the afternoon sail to Ny Ålesund, the world’s most northerly settlement. Once a mining village served by the world’s most northerly railway that can still be seen, Ny Ålesund is now a research center. Close to the community is a breeding ground for barnacle geese, pink-footed geese and arctic terns. Visitors interested in the history of Arctic exploration will want to walk to the anchoring mast used by polar explorers Amundsen and Nobile in their airships Norge in 1926 and Italia in 1928 before their flights to the North Pole.

breakfast, lunch, dinner

Depending on the weather, the ship could sail into Liefdefjorden and cruise within sight of the 3.1-mile-long face of the precipitous Monaco Glacier. The waters in front of the 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 sailing here early in the season, an alternate route along the west coast of Spitsbergen can be implemented.

The northernmost point of your voyage may be north of Nordaustlandet, in the Seven Islands. Here you will be at 80 degrees north, just 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. When the edge of the sea ice is tens of miles north of the Seven Islands (mostly in August), spend a second day to get to and in the sea ice. Alternatively (mostly in July), turn to Sorgfjord where a herd of walrus is often found not far from the graves of 17th century whalers. A nature walk here can bring you close to families of ptarmigans. The opposite side of the fjord is also a beautiful area for an excursion.

Sail into Hinlopen Strait, home to bearded and ringed seals as well as polar bears; at the entrance there is even the possibility to spot blue whales. As with Liefdefjorden, you can take an alternate west Spitsbergen route if ice prevents entry into Hinlopen. After cruising among the ice floes of Lomfjordshalvøya in Zodiacs, explore the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet with thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots. On the east side of Hinlopen Strait, the Zodiacs may attempt a landing at Palanderbukta on Nordaustlandet, home to reindeer, pink-footed geese and walruses. Near Torrelneset, explore the polar desert of Nordaustlandet, next to the world’s third largest ice cap. Here you may encounter walruses during a coastline hike over the area’s raised beaches.

The plan is to make a landings in Freemansundet, though polar bears sometimes make this impossible. Potential stops on Barentsøya include Sundneset (for an old trapper´s hut), Kapp Waldburg (for its kittiwake colony), and Rindedalen (for a walk across the tundra). You may also cruise south to Diskobukta, though Kapp Lee is more likely your destination. On Kapp Lee is a walrus haul-out, Pomor ruins and the chance for hikes along Edgeøya.

Start the day quietly cruising the side fjords of the spectacular Hornsund area of southern Spitsbergen, taking in the spire-like mountain peaks. Hornsundtind rises to 4,695 feet, while Bautaen shows why early Dutch explorers gave the name “Spitsbergen” – pointed mountains – to the island. There are also 14 magnificent glaciers in the area and opportunities for spotting seals, beluga whales and polar bears.

Today find yourself in Bell Sund, one of the largest fjord systems in Svalbard. The ocean currents make this area slightly warmer than other areas in the archipelago, which shows in the relatively lush vegetation. Here there are excellent opportunities to enjoy both history and wildlife. A possibility is to land on Ahlstrandhalvøya at the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden, where piles of beluga skeletons can be found. These remains of 19th century whale slaughter are a haunting reminder of the consequences of thoughtless exploitation. Fortunately, belugas were not hunted into extinction and there’s a good chace of coming across a pod. Alternately, while cruising the side fjords of Bellsund, you can explore the tundra where reindeer like to feed as well as rock slopes where little auks are breeding.

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must come to an end. Disembark in Longyearbyen and be transferred to the airport for your flights onward home.

Voyage aboard the indicated vessel in the itinerary; all meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship 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; free use of rubber boots and snow shoes; transfers and baggage handling between the airport, hotel and ship only for those passengers on the group flights to and from Longyearbyen; all miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program; AECO fees and governmental taxes; comprehensive pre-departure material.

Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights; pre- and post-cruise land arrangements; transfers to/from the vessel outside Spitsbergen; passport and visa expenses; government arrival and departure taxes; meals ashore; baggage and cancellation insurance; personal insurance (mandatory); excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges; the customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).

Payment & Cancellation

In order to confirm this trip, a deposit of 20% of the total trip cost is required per person at time of booking. The balance of the trip price is due 90 days before the departure date. Special holiday payment and cancellation terms may apply. Guests who must cancel their trip for any reason must do so in writing. Standard cancellations are subject to the following per-person penalties, based on number of days prior to departure: Up to 90 days – 100% of deposit 89 to 60 days – 50% of total trip cost 59 to 0 days – 100% of total trip cost

Terms & Conditions

This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations  Terms and Conditions . Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A Traveler Information Form, which includes a release of liability, must be completed and signed by all travelers. Your Adventure Specialist will send you a unique link to complete this form along with a packing list and extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information upon booking confirmation.

Arrival & Departure

The Around Spitsbergen – In the Realm of Polar Bear & Ice voyage begins and ends in Longyearbyen, Norway (LYR). Longyearbyen is only accessed via flights from Oslo, Norway (OSL). Some flights arrive very early in the morning, before standard hotel check-in; in these cases, we recommend booking an extra hotel night or arranging a day room option. We highly recommend arriving one day prior to your trip start date in case of any flight delay, cancellation or lost luggage issues. 

Plan flights to arrive to Longyearbyen by 3:00pm on Day 1 of the itinerary. Embarkation time is between 4:00 and 5:00pm on day of departure, with a 6:00pm departure. Transfers in Longyearbyen are provided on specified group flights. Travelers arriving on independently arranged flights should make their own way to the port on day of embarkation and to the airport upon disembarkation. Disembarkation is after breakfast on Day 10 of the itinerary. Plan flights to depart Longyearbyen no earlier than 2:30am  on Day 10. If you would like assistance with international flights, please visit our  Booking Flights  resource page.

Various optional activities may be available on your Around Spitsbergen voyage. Kayaking is available (limited capacity) for $450(2024) per person. Contact AdventureSmith for further details and to pre-book.

Guided shore excursions, walks, wildlife spotting and Zodiac cruises are included in the fare and will be offered to all passengers during each voyage. Every day there will be excursions on land, weather and ice permitting. The landings will take 3 to 6 hours per day over untracked area. According to circumstances (the weather, the ice-situation or the passengers’ wishes) the program can sometimes be adjusted. Ample time will be devoted to wildlife, vegetation, geography and history.

Room Configuration

Single travelers wishing to book a double-occupancy cabin may do so at 1.7x the per-person Twin or Superior listed rates. Single travelers wishing to book on a “sharing basis” may do so at no additional cost in Twin, Triple or Quadruple categories upon availability.

Families & Children

Upon request (some voyages may be excluded), children under 16 years old with parents may receive a 40% discount in the following cabins: Grand Suite, Superior, Triple (1 child sharing with 2 parents/adults) and Quadruple (1 child sharing with 3 parents/adults, or 2 children sharing with 2 parents/adults). Parents are entirely responsible for their children at all times, on land and on board; there is no onboard day care or nursery facility.

Travel Insurance

Emergency medical evacuation insurance is mandatory for this trip, with a minimum recommended coverage of $100,000 per person. Trip cancellation insurance is optional but highly recommended. Our partners at Travelex Insurance offer a variety of plans and policies to fit every trip and budget. Coverage for a pre-existing medical condition is also available if you purchase the Travel Select plan within 15 days of the initial trip payment; refer to plan details.  Learn more about travel insurance  or  get a free quote .

Itinerary Notes

Read this itinerary as a guide only; the exact route and program varies according to ice, weather conditions ,  wildlife  encountered  and the captain’s discretion .  Flexibility is the key to the success of any  Arctic  expedition.

Around Spitsbergen – Kvitoya, In the Realm of Polar Bear & Ice

The 10-day Around Spitsbergen – Kvitoya, In the Realm of Polar Bear & Ice voyage operates round-trip from Longyearbyen, circumnavigates Spitsbergen and aims to sail around the rarely visited Kvitøya Island.

The northernmost point of your voyage may be north of Nordaustlandet, in the Seven Islands. Here you will be at 80 degrees north, just 540 miles from the geographic North Pole. Polar bears inhabit this region, so the ship may roam for several hours among the pack ice in search of wildlife.

Pushing east to Nordaustlandet, the ship reaches the area where the Italian captain Sora tried to rescue the Nobile Expedition in 1928. The focus here is the great glacier front of Schweigaardbreen, though there may also be a landing at Firkantbukta with the chance to gain some altitude and take a few higher-elevation photos. Alternately, there may be a Zodiac cruise near Storøya, where there may be walrus encounters.

Today the ship tries to reach the rarely visited Kvitøya, far to the east and close to Russian territory. The enormous ice cap covering this island leaves only a small area bare. Land at the western tip of Andréeneset, where the Swedish explorer S. A. Andrée and his companions perished in 1897. Another objective for the day is Kræmerpynten, where a sizable group of walruses reside.

South of Nordaustlandet, possibly land on Isisøya, formerly a Nunatak area surrounded by glaciers but now an island surrounded by the sea. Next possibly pass by Bråswellbreen, part of the largest ice cap in Europe and famed for its meltwater waterfalls.

The plan is to make a landing in Freemansundet, though polar bears sometimes make this impossible. Potential stops on Barentsøya include Sundneset (for an old trapper´s hut), Kapp Waldburg (for its kittiwake colony), and Rindedalen (for a walk across the tundra). You may also cruise south to Diskobukta, though Kapp Lee is more likely your destination. On Kapp Lee is a walrus haul-out, Pomor ruins and the chance for hikes along Edgeøya.

The Around Spitsbergen – Kvitoya, In the realm of Polar Bear & Ice voyage begins and ends in Longyearbyen, Norway (LYR). Longyearbyen is only accessed via flights from Oslo, Norway (OSL). Some flights arrive very early in the morning, before standard hotel check-in; in these cases, we recommend booking an extra hotel night or arranging a day room option. We highly recommend arriving one day prior to your trip start date in case of any flight delay, cancellation or lost luggage issues. 

Various optional activities may be available on your Around Spitsbergen – Kvitoya voyage. Kayaking is available (limited capacity) for $450(2024) per person. Contact AdventureSmith for further details and to pre-book.

Around Spitsbergen, Arctic Summer Itinerary

The 15-day Around Spitsbergen, Arctic Summer sailing voyage operates round-trip from Longyearbyen, circumnavigates Spitsbergen and visits slightly different sites on a flexible schedule.

Arrive 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. In the evening, sail for Trygghamna to see the remains of a 17th-century English whaling station and 18th-century Pomor hunting station, both of which you can be visited the next morning.

Rembrandt van Rijn

From Trygghamna,walk to Alkhornet, a large seabird cliff where the birds are scouting out breeding places. Below the cliffs is a common place to spot arctic foxes and possibly also reindeer grazing on the lush vegetation if there’s not too much snow.

Sail into Fuglefjorden amid views of Svitjodbreen and Birgerbukta, both breeding areas for great skuas as well as likely spots to see a polar bear. On Birgerbukta see 17th-century Basque ovens once used for cooking whale blubber. The aim next is to visit Ytre Norskøya, a small island that served for many years as a Dutch whaling lookout. Here, follow the whalers’ tracks to the summit of the island, passing popular bird cliffs on the way. On shore are the remains of more 17th-century blubber ovens, while arctic skuas and common eiders breed among the graves of some two hundred Dutch whalers.

Start by sailing either to Sorgfjord or Murchison Bay, on the north side of which lies an extensive polar desert that is home to numerous reindeer as well as a Swedish research station. Then continue through Hinlopen Strait, surrounded by lofty ice caps.

Over the following days, possibly visit the following sites:

Lomfjord This is a beautiful fjord fringed by towering mountains offering great opportunities for a hike.

Wilhelmøya A tundra landscape in which polar bears can possibly be seen, Wilhelmøya is also a good area for shoreline, inland and altitude-gaining hikes.

Svartknausflya Possibly take an excursion to this stark polar desert, which is almost devoid of vegetation but rich with invertebrate fossils and whale skeletons along its raised beaches.

Heleysundet A narrow but picturesque waterway between Spitsbergen and Barents witht his route can only be made against the current.

F reemansundet Depending on conditions, sail through this waterway. A walk at Kapp Lee may introduce a few new reindeer and walruses. And possibly visit a large colony of kittiwakes nesting in a canyon in Diskobukta. Arctic foxes and polar bears with their young often roam this canyon, scavenging for birds that fall from the ledges. Sub-fossilized whale bones are scattered across the raised beaches.

Hornsund Sail into the labyrinth of side fjords around Hornsund. At Brepollen rests a large glacial deposit at the head of the fjord. Sailing along the glacier front affords good chances of spotting bearded seals and polar bears. The geological formations in this area are vibrant and mesmerizing.

Bellsund En route to Longyearbyen, possibly reach Ahlstrandhalvøya. More fascinating geological formations can be seen here, as well as the remains of 20th-century beluga hunting. (This is still a good area to see beluga.)

Voyage aboard the indicated vessel in the itinerary; all meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship 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; free use of snowshoes; transfers and baggage handling between the airport, hotel and ship only for those passengers on the group flights to and from Longyearbyen; all miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program; AECO fees and governmental taxes; comprehensive pre-departure material.

The Around Spitsbergen, Arctic Summer voyage begins and ends in Longyearbyen, Norway (LYR). Longyearbyen is only accessed via flights from Oslo, Norway (OSL). Some flights arrive very early in the morning, before standard hotel check-in; in these cases, we recommend booking an extra hotel night or arranging a day room option. We highly recommend arriving one day prior to your trip start date in case of any flight delay, cancellation or lost luggage issues. 

Plan flights to arrive to Longyearbyen by 3:00pm on Day 1 of the itinerary. Embarkation time is between 4:00 and 5:00pm on day of departure, with a 6:00pm departure. Transfers in Longyearbyen are provided on specified group flights. Travelers arriving on independently arranged flights should make their own way to the port on day of embarkation and to the airport upon disembarkation. Disembarkation is after breakfast on Day 15 of the itinerary. Plan flights to depart Longyearbyen no earlier than 2:30am  on Day 15. If you would like assistance with international flights, please visit our  Booking Flights  resource page.

Single travelers wishing to book a double-occupancy cabin may do so at 1.7x the per-person Twin listed rates. Single travelers wishing to book on a “sharing basis” may do so at no additional cost in Twin, Triple or Quadruple categories upon availability.

Upon request (some voyages may be excluded), children under 16 years old with parents may receive a 40% discount in triple cabins (1 child sharing with 2 parents/adults). Parents are entirely responsible for their children at all times, on land and on board; there is no onboard day care or nursery facility.

Cruise Rates & Dates

Choose the small ship that fits your travel style.

The intimate 33-guest three-mast schooner S/V Rembrandt van Rijn is well suited for expedition cruising among the fjords of Greenland, and for a Northern Lights itinerary in the Arctic.

The 108-guest M/V Ortelius is an ice-strengthened small ship designed for polar expedition cruises in the Arctic and Antarctica. She offers passengers a quality exploratory wildlife program to spend as much time ashore as possible.

The Plancius is a 108-passenger small ship designed and built exclusively for polar cruises. A wide variety of cabins, ample space on five decks and a wide range of activities offered make the Plancius a great option for active expedition cruises.

The 170-guest M/V Hondius was built exclusively for cruises in Antarctica and the Arctic. She is one of the strongest ice-strengthened vessels currently cruising in the polar regions.

Reviews From Our Experts So You Know What To Expect

A travel expert lends her Arctic cruise insight on what you can expect aboard a small ship polar bear cruise in the Arctic Svalbard region.

Hear It from Travelers Who Have Explored with Us

The boat and staff were outstanding, great food and service, excellent wildlife with loads of whales, polar bears, walruses, arctic foxes, and arctic birds.

Outstanding trip on the Plancius exploring the Svalbard islands. All of the islands were equally exciting and no bad experiences or visits.

Accommodation Review

The boat and staff were outstanding,  great food and service, excellent wildlife with loads of whales, polar bears, walruses, arctic foxes, and arctic birds.

Crew & Guides Review

Very enthusiastic, professional, and fun.

Featured in this Traveler Review

100+ combined years of experience, 7 continents explored, decades of expedition cruising around the world & here to help you find & book your dream trip.

Additional Travel Options Before or After Your Cruise

In 2025, the main Around Spitsbergen – In the Realm of Polar Bear & Ice itinerary can be combined with the main Spitsbergen – Northeast Greenland , Aurora Borealis itinerary for the 23-day Extensive Spitsbergen – Northeast Greenland – Aurora Borealis operating from Longyearbyen, Svalbard to Reykjavik, Iceland with no repeated landing sites. Please inquire with an Adventure Specialist for further details.

Also in 2025, the Around Spitsbergen – Kvitoya, In the Realm of Polar Bear & Ice itinerary can be combined with the East & South Greenland Explorer, Aurora Borealis itinerary for the 30-day  Extensive Spitsbergen – East & South Greenland, Aurora Borealis  operating from Longyearbyen, Svalbard to Narsarsuaq, Greenland with no repeated landing sites. Please inquire with an Adventure Specialist for further details.

Sail from Spitsbergen to East Greenland aboard a selection of small expedition ships to experience the Arctic's dramatic coastline, highlighted by Scoresby Sund in East Greenland and the famed aurora borealis.

Iceland's world-class geology and unique cultural heritage come alive in this 8- or 10-day Circumnavigation of Iceland aboard 126-guest Nat Geo Endurance or 148-guest Nat Geo Explorer. Cruise round-trip from Reykjavik; see glaciers, geysers and immense cliffs with world-class guides leading the way!

Discover Greenland like never before! The safari-style Base Camp Greenland offers an eye-level vantage point of Arctic icebergs, whales and seals in frigid waters. Kayak, hike and meet local Inuit who live in harmony with nature.

Trips You Might Also Like

Explore North Spitsbergen and focus on spotting polar bears aboard the 170-guest Hondius, or 108-guest Ortelius or Plancius. Zodiac cruise and photograph rugged mountains, sweeping tundra, ice caps, glaciers, unspoiled wilderness and abundant wildlife.

The Arctic awakens on these 8- to 11-day Sailing Spitsbergen expeditions aboard the 33-guest Rembrandt van Rijn sailing schooner. Spot Arctic animals and absorb history while snowshoeing, hiking, Zodiac riding and sailing the Svalbard archipelago.

Spend 9-12 days experiencing the natural phenomenon of the aurora borealis, or northern lights, at a maximum intensity on this special voyage to the Scoresby Sund, East Greenland, the longest fjord in the world, aboard a selection of small expedition ships.

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Spitsbergen Island cruise port

Arctic - antarctica.

• Coordinates 79.061, 11.170
• Local Time 2024-06-17 19:55

Spitsbergen Island cruise ship schedule

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Hurtigruten Expeditions is now HX!

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Longyearbyen - Liefdefjord - Longyearbyen

The Spitsbergen Adventurer | Wednesdays to Mondays

Departure Dates

Voyage overview

This voyage aboard the classic MS Nordstjernen is the essential Arctic experience. Spend one night in Longyearbyen and the rest at sea sailing along the west coast of Spitsbergen. Explore the beautiful glaciers and fjords, and scan for wildlife. If we’re lucky, we might even get to see the King of the Arctic: the polar bear.

Head to the top of the world as we tour the island of Spitsbergen under the Midnight Sun – an Arctic adventure at its very best

Enjoy life aboard MS Nordstjernen, a timeless ship that offers a nostalgic window into a bygone era of Arctic exploration

Scan for polar bears, walruses, whales, and other Arctic birdlife as we sail past jagged mountain peaks, dramatic fjords, and immense glaciers

Unearth rich explorer history in Ny-Ålesund, a former mining town and one of the world’s most northerly settlements

The day-by-day programme will give you some ideas about what you can see during your voyage, but bear in mind that this itinerary is just an indication. After all, this is a sailing where the elements rule and weather conditions might vary.

Mining history and Arctic nature

Welcome to the roof of the world! From Longyearbyen airport, a transfer brings you to the town itself, nestled on the banks of a large, sweeping fjord. Longyearbyen is the largest settlement in Svalbard, though the 2,000 inhabitants here are outnumbered by snowmobiles. 

Originally a coal mining colony, today it is a hub for adventure travellers, as well as scientists and engineers attached to local research projects, like the famous Global Seed Vault.  

Depending on when you arrive in Longyearbyen and check in to your hotel, you might have time to head to the aptly named North Pole Expedition Museum. There, you can immerse yourself in Svalbard’s polar exploration history with old newspapers, photos, postcards, several hours of original expedition film footage, and quirky historical artefacts. You could also visit the Svalbard Brewery and enjoy a tasting session of beers brewed in the Arctic.

In the evening you’ll enjoy a light dinner at a local restaurant before spending the night at a Longyearbyen hotel, which offers modern comforts in historical surroundings.

Settlements of the Far North

After breakfast, you can take the morning to relax and explore this quaint town. Maybe you’ll encounter the Svalbard reindeer that are often seen walking around Longyearbyen, minding their own business. Although wild, you’ll find them quite curious and tame.  

After lunch in one of the town’s restaurants, bring your bags to the bus and enjoy a guided tour that includes a visit to the Svalbard Museum. Here, you can find out all about the history, geology, and wildlife of the archipelago. Afterwards, we’ll pay a visit to Camp Barentz, where you’ll learn about polar bears. While you’re there, keep an eye out for reindeer, grouse, and foxes.  

The historic MS Nordstjernen awaits at the harbour. Built in 1956, it’s one of our most beloved and longest-serving vessels. Despite modernisation for exclusive Arctic sailing in 2000 and 2013, MS Nordstjernen has retained its traditional Atlantic ship aura and offers a timeless experience not found on many other vessels.   

After you settle in, we set sail in the Isfjord, the most prominent fjord system in the Svalbard archipelago. Branching out to many smaller fjords, it forms a lush and beautiful system rich in wildlife and vegetation. Prepare to see majestic glacier fronts and immense U-shaped valleys carved out of the mountains by giant glaciers some 10,000 years ago.    

To the north of the fjord, look out for Alkhornet, an imposing example of carbonate rock, with a horn-shaped mount at its peak. Naturally, the surrounding wildlife has conquered it. This region is home to Arctic fox, Svalbard reindeer, and colonies of guillemots and kittiwakes.

Into the Svalbard wilderness

Leaving behind what little civilisation there is, we now enter full exploration mode. In these beautiful yet remote areas, there is no internet, nor are there telephone masts to provide a mobile phone signal. Free from emails and text messages, you can enjoy a rare opportunity to disconnect and detox from the modern world. It’s time to really get back in sync with what truly matters.  

Spitsbergen means “pointy mountains”. If there’s one place that embodies that definition more than others, it’s Magdalenefjord. Framed by spectacular views of jagged mountain peaks and glaciers, this breathtaking fjord has an Alpine feel to it, despite its remote location in the far north-west. The reflection of snow-capped mountains perfectly mirrored in the waters’ glassy surface is undoubtedly one of Svalbard’s most iconic sights.  

We arrive in the morning and hope to make a landing to explore this wonderful Arctic wilderness. If we’re successful, you’ll be setting foot on land with a rich history of exploration – Magdalenefjord has lured explorers for centuries. Arctic explorer Willem Barents famously came here in 1596, naming it "Tusk Bay" because of the walrus tusks he found here.  

The beautiful beach is peppered with evidence of a whaling station from the 17th Century, with blubber ovens, a cemetery of 130 graves, and a memorial to the whalers.  

Long before explorers set foot on Magdalenefjord, the stunning views were the preserve of wildlife. Today, the scree slopes are breeding grounds for large numbers of Little Auks, and you might also see Arctic Terns, Skuas, Eider Ducks, and Barnacle Geese. In the summer months, the surrounding waters host minke and beluga whales. Scan for seals on the floating sea ice and, if it’s your lucky day, you might catch a glimpse of a polar bear.

Scanning for polar wildlife

Svalbard is a land of contrasts. Within Woodfjord’s vast fjord system is a varied and unique landscape featuring striking red mountains of Devonian sandstone, cone-shaped remnants of three volcanoes, and thermal springs.

Woodfjord’s beautiful tundra is rich in flora enhanced by the oxidised soil in the Old Red areas. Hiking here will reward you with gorgeous views of purple saxifrage and spider plants.  

The stunning views continue in Liefdefjord, which means "The Love Fjord" in English. It is possibly named after a Dutch ship, but it could also very well be because of its jaw-dropping views. Rolling red hills give way to snow-capped mountains inland. 

The area around Liefdefjord is also a great place to scan for wildlife. The sights and sounds of thousands of sea birds like kittiwakes, terns and eiders fill the sky. As ever, the weather and ice will determine where we land and what activities we’ll do. 

If the conditions are favourable, we plan to sail above 80° North, bringing you within 600 nautical miles of the North Pole. This far north, the sun is visible for 24 hours. Under the glorious Midnight Sun, you’ll have even more time to enjoy the stunning views from the deck.  

Directly above 80° North is Moffen, a stark, gravely island known for its walrus population. Large numbers of them are known to gather at the southern tip of the island. Seeing these huge marine mammals frolic on the shore is always a highlight. Our approach to the island will adhere to the 300m exclusion zone to avoid disturbing this vulnerable animal.

Fjords, glaciers and research

Also known as Kong’s Fjord or King’s Bay, Kongsfjord is the largest fjord on the north-west coast of Spitsbergen. Two imposing glaciers, Kongsvegen and the colossal Kongsbreen, watch over the entrance of the fjord. As we sail silently, you might hear the tell-tale creaks and groans of chunks of glacier ice about to plunge into the sea. Framed by picturesque mountain formations, it’s undoubtedly one of Svalbard’s most scenic spots.  

Hiking in the lush tundra will allow you to observe birds in a pristine environment. Northern Fulmars, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Atlantic Puffins and guillemots are just some of the species found here in the summer months. A bird sanctuary consisting of about ten islands lies at the inner end of the fjord, and supports breeding populations of protected species such as Pink-footed Geese and Common Eider.  

Later, we dock at the former mining settlement of Ny-Ålesund. At 78º 55’ N, this is one of the world’s northernmost year-round communities. Transformed into an international science centre, you’ll find a fair number of research stations from various countries dedicated to the study of glaciology, wildlife, and climate change.

You’ll unearth some fascinating history as you explore the settlement, which today hosts roughly 30-35 residents. Ny-Ålesund and its surrounding area are home to a large concentration of protected buildings and cultural artefacts left by Svalbard’s former settlers.  

This tiny settlement is synonymous with historical attempts to reach the North Pole. Discover rich explorer history in the museum and see the mooring mast of Roald Amundsen’s airship “Norge”, before sending a postcard from the northernmost post box in the world!

Flying home from Svalbard

Today marks the end of your Arctic adventure around Svalbard. As you wind down from your voyage, you’ll have some time to look back on all your new memories, still holding onto that elated feeling of having just been quite literally near the “top of the world”. 

After saying goodbye to the ship and its crew, you’ll take a transfer to the airport for your flight home. 

If you have time, grab some souvenirs from the local shops before leaving. A toasty Svalbard sweater or a box of local handmade chocolates would make a wonderful gift for family and friends. Svalbard is a duty-free zone and Longyearbyen has a selection of sports and outdoor clothing shops, so you could stock up on supplies for your next voyage.    

Whatever’s next for you, we wish you a safe onward journey and look forward to seeing you again!

We have several ships in the fleet that we travel with.

MS Nordstjernen

MS Nordstjernen is named after the North Star or Stella Polaris, famous for helping seafarers find their way back home and the Vikings to navigate the north.

About your trip

What's included, before your voyage.

Transfers in Longyearbyen (airport – hotel, ship – airport). Due to the arrival time of the ship and the departure time of the flight from Longyearbyen, you may have some free time on Spitsbergen. Our transfer will then take you first to the Radisson Hotel in town, from where you can then start your individual sightseeing, shopping, restaurant visit or similar. In the afternoon transfer from the hotel to the airport.

One night in a hotel in Longyearbyen (either the Radisson Hotel or the Coal Miner's Cabin) , including light dinner, breakfast and lunch

3-hour sightseeing tour in Longyearbyen including the Svalbard Museum and Camp Barentz, ending at the pier

During your voyage

Choice of cabin

Full board (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), plus complimentary tea and coffee

Onboard lectures by the Expedition Team on a variety of topics

Informal gatherings with the crew, such as daily recaps and preparation for the day ahead

Escorted landings with small tender boats

Loan of trekking poles and thermal suits for activities

What's Not Included

International and domestic flights  

Travel insurance

Luggage handling 

All planned activities are subject to change, depending on weather and ice conditions 

No gratuities expected 

Disconnect and detox sailing - there is no Wi-Fi, internet access or mobile signal during the voyage (except in Longyearbyen)

Not all cabins have a private ensuite - many use shared, communal bathrooms

Know before you go

• Meet the team: MS Nordstjernen
• FAQ: The Spitsbergen Adventurer