Others

7-day/6-night cruise 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 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

Accommodation

Ocean Albatros has a total of 93 comfortable staterooms and suites, all with unobstructed sea view, most with their own balcony. All stateroom types contain a safety box, television, refrigerator, several 230 W power and USB outlets—additionally, bathrobes, slippers, toiletries (body wash, lotion, shampoo) and a hairdryer are also included. Learn more about different cabin types under STATEROOMS on the following websites: https://albatros-expeditions.com/ships/ocean-albatros and https://albatros-expeditions.com/ships/ocean-victory As a solo traveller, you might consider the Category G cabin, which is a single room. Albatros Expeditions also offers solo travellers the option of occupying a cabin by themselves (in exchange for paying a single supplement, 75%) or, to share a cabin with other, same-gendered solo travellers - either in a Category C (Balcony Stateroom) or a Category F (Triple Porthole Stateroom). In the event that a guest sharing a cabin decides they prefer the privacy of their own cabin while onboard, a single supplement will be applied to cover the extra cost of occupying a cabin alone.

Transport

Our small expedition ships Ocean Albatros and Ocean Victory have a distinct advantage over larger, traditional cruise ships. They can access narrow inlets and sail close to shore, in-between icebergs and in remote areas of the ocean. This allows us to disembark quickly via our fleet of Zodiac watercraft and access amazing sites with greater speed and efficiency. Both vessels are ideal for small-ship cruising due to their sturdy construction and X-Bow®-Infinity class, which provides high stability in rough weather and allows for the smoothest movements on high waves, and a Solas 2012 classification which facilitates a safe return to port. The vessels are part of a brand new generation of low-energy vessels, with 4 diesel engines and 2 electro engines, all controlled electronically to optimize speed and fuel consumption.

Not included:

Others

Optional Transfer Package: 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’

Flights

Flights are not included in this expedition package and all guests should secure their flights to and from Longyearbyen.

Insurance

To participate in this voyage a medical evacuation insurance coverage is mandatory for all Passengers. Albatros Expeditions (AE) has a minimum requirement of an Emergency Evacuation insurance of USD 200,000 per Passenger, as well as printed proof of insurance available for our Expedition staff if requested while onboard the Vessel. The medical insurance must be able to cover all existing health issues the Passenger might have. It must also cover medical treatment and medical evacuation in any of the areas travelled. AE is not responsible for any medical or health issues arising during the voyage. In case of an emergency medical situation, AE will seek to find the closest location on the voyage from where medical treatment and evacuation can be performed. The Master, medical staff, and AE’s Expedition Leader, shall decide the course of action related to any emergency medical situation together and the Passenger accepts this condition prior to embarkation.

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Day 1 Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen - Embarkation
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

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 Northwest Spitsbergen
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Northwest Spitsbergen

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 occupied 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 3 Northeast Svalbard
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Northeast Svalbard

In the morning we cruise into the vast icy wilderness of northeastern Svalbard. This region does not recieve the ocean currents which keep western Svalbard warm and wet, and thus the environment is radicaly different, with rocky polar desert landscapes. Vast glaciers flow from the mountains into the sea, which is often choked with ice, even in summer.

While it may appear barren, the truth is it is anything but. Hardy animals such as Arctic foxes eke out a living on these chilly shores, constantly on the lookout for prey. In the cliffs above the sea, hundreds of thousands of seabirds crowd on rocky ledges, carefully tending their precious eggs. While the coastal waters of the area are cold, they are incredibly productive; shellfish grown in abundance, and these in turn are preyed upon by walrus, which are common in the area.

The exact locations we visit will depend on the sea, wind and ice conditions in the area, which vary year on year, and can change rapidly even in summer - this is the essence of polar exploration, moving with the rhythms of Mother Nature, and taking the opportunities to explore which she provides!
Day 4 North Svalbard
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

North Svalbard

Now we reach some of the northernmost pieces of land on Earth - the northerly coasts of Svalbard, barren landscapes almost permanently beset by ice. With luck we may reach the island of Nordaustlandet and hopefully the seven (or nine, depending on how you count) smaller islands of Sjuøyane in the far north of Svalbard. The almost vegetation-free, rocky islands are located around 1000 km farther north than mainland Norway’s famous Nordkapp.

Weather permitting, we will land and walk upon these most northern landmasses. The high Arctic islands are quite barren, and only moss and lichens cover the stones. The birdlife is rich in this area, with flocks of grazing geese and some of the rarer gull species frequently seen on these islands. Definitely bring your binoculars!

At the end of the day, we will start cruising towards the Arctic ice pack, which stretches from Svalbard to the North Pole.
Day 5 Into The Ice
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

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 frigid 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 distrubs 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.
Day 6 Kongsfjorden Area, Northwest Spitzbergen
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Kongsfjorden Area, 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 7 Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen - Disembarkation
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen - Disembarkation

On the final morning of our expedition, we arrive in Longyearbyen, Svalbard - the world’s northernmost... everything! Even this small town will feel like a metropolis after days of splendid 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.

7 days tour

Highlights Of Svalbard

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Highlights Of Svalbard

Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen - Embarkation

Northwest Spitsbergen

Northeast Svalbard

North Svalbard

Into The Ice

Kongsfjorden Area, Northwest Spitzbergen

Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen - Disembarkation

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