Realm of the Polar Bear

Day 1
Longyearbyen, the world’s most northerly town, is more than 10 degrees, or 800 miles, north of the Arctic Circle. Located on the island of Spitsbergen, with a population of about 2,060 people, it is the largest settlement in Norway’s Svalbard Archipelago.

We embark our ship in the afternoon. As the ship makes its way west along Longyearbyen’s fjord, we encounter numerous seabirds, including dovekies, thick-billed murres, northern fulmers, black-legged kittiwakes and, perhaps, a puffin or two. (D)

Days 2–7
These six days are dedicated to exploring the legendary Svalbard Archipelago and its icy environs. Our exact day-by-day itinerary is flexible, depending on local ice and weather conditions. With no ocean crossings, typically calm seas and 24 hours of Arctic summer daylight, you have a remarkable amount of time for wildlife viewing, exploring and taking photos.

Spitsbergen offers a wealth of scenery from ice-covered seas to deep fjords with breathtaking mountain scenery and glaciers flowing into the sea. Krossfjord, Konigsfjord, Monaco Glacier, Hinlopen Strait, Ny-Ålesund, and the islands of Nordaustlandet and Edgeoya are among our anticipated destinations.

As the ship steams through the pack ice, we keep a lookout for the great white polar bears, hoping to encounter them swimming, hunting seals and inquisitively inspecting our ship. We expect to encounter walruses hauled out on ice floes or sandy beaches, arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer, a unique subspecies. Birdlife is abundant and throngs of wheeling seabirds are commonly seen. We visit, ice permitting, spectacular bird cliffs with thousands of thick-billed murres and black-legged kittiwakes.

In Zodiacs, we may cruise along the ice floe edge, into fjords with glaciers spilling into the sea, or along the edges of cliffs full of seabirds. There will be opportunities to walk on shore to observe and photography arctic flora and fauna. At this time of year, low flowering plants paint the tundra in purple, red, pink, yellow and white.

This is also a land of cultural history and we visit some of the historical sites that tell whaling, mining and of the race to reach the North Pole.

On our final evening aboard we will anchor off Longyearbyen. (All meals are included while aboard ship.)

Day 8
This morning, we disembark in Longyearbyen and depart for home. (B)

The M/S Expedition is a newly retrofitted ship noted for its speed, safety, and comfort, while offering unique polar adventure and accessible views to the extraordinary.

Adventure abounds for both the outdoor enthusiast as well as the arm chair lounger, as all travelers can enjoy the breathtaking scenery of narrow waterways, glaciers, icebergs and rugged mountains. With a cruising speed of 16 knots, it’s one of the fastest ships in its class, so passengers spend less time in transit and more time exploring.

The M/S Expedition’s cabins are spacious, each featuring ocean-facing windows or portholes. All are equipped with private en-suite facilities, wardrobes, drawers, nightstands and a writing desk. The ship’s large mudroom provides a place for passengers to store their complimentary Wellington boots and wet gear for the duration of the cruise, freeing up cabins for relaxation and comfort.

Aboard the ship are amenities that make relaxation, wildlife viewing, and socializing pleasurable. The ship’s executive chef and professional kitchen staff serve a diverse selection of international gourmet dishes daily. Large common areas and observation decks provide superior views. 360 degree sightlines from the ship’s upper deck offer a sweeping panorama of distinctive landscapes, while the raised Canada Goose observation deck provides a superior vantage point from which to spot wildlife. On board, wildlife and polar experts provide fascinating accounts of wilderness and history that enhance travelers’ knowledge and appreciation of the region.

The ship's fleet of 14 Zodiacs facilitates safe and fast travel from ship to shore for personal encounters with awe-inspiring wilderness. Once-in-a-lifetime kayaking and camping trips offer popular excursions for the more adventurous. (Camping and kayaking must be pre-arranged, and camping is available in Antarctica only).

Breathtaking views are also seen from the ship’s interior; passengers can relax in the warmth and comfort of the dining room or lounge without being cut off from the environment. Guests can recount the day’s events in the comfort of the ship’s Polar Bear Pub, share a drink in the Discovery Lounge or relax between landing excursions while reading in the Lonely Planet Library.

The M/S Expedition balances adventure with safety. Safety provisions include new and regularly-serviced lifeboats and life rafts, as well as full immersion cold weather survival suits for all passengers and crew, in the unlikely event of water immersion. Complementing the ship’s forward-looking sonar—used to detect and avoid uncharted reefs and rocks—is its nimble length of 105 meters (345 feet), which enables access to remote areas where larger vessels cannot navigate. The ship also boasts green technology and state-of-the-art environmental practices, reducing its impact on the areas it visits.

Dining room	Library	Lounge
Mudroom	Gym	BBQ on deck of M/S Expedition