Svalbard: North to the Midnight Sun (Ocean Albatros)

Hei! Welcome to Oslo. Your adventure begins with an included flight from Oslo Airport to Longyearbyen, Svalbard – the northernmost city on Earth. In this remote Arctic city, you’ll be met with warm Nordic hospitality, crisp polar air, dramatic mountain views and the occasional polar bear warning sign to remind you how far from home you really are. When you arrive at Svalbard Airport, you’ll be transferred to your ship – the Ocean Albatros. Board the ship and settle into your cabin, then you’ll have a safety and orientation meeting. Toast as you set sail on your Arctic adventure!

Spend two days exploring the wildlife-rich Northwest Spitsbergen National Park. Established in 1973, this region was once a hub for Dutch and English whalers. The park flourishes with Arctic flora like the Svalbard poppy, purple saxifrage and white mountain avens. In terms of wildlife, you might spot walruses, seabirds and polar bears. See the ruins of blubber ovens and the graves of sailors at Smeerenburg – a 17th-century whaling station also known as ‘Blubber Town’ – and explore the Arctic wilderness under the light of the midnight sun. This Arctic phenomenon means there are even more opportunities for expeditions throughout your journey!

Northwest Svalbard

This morning, venture into the icy wilderness of northeast Svalbard, where the absence of warming ocean currents forms a stark polar desert. Witness Arctic foxes prowling the shores and seabirds nesting on the cliffs against a backdrop of huge glaciers. These cold coastal waters are rich in shellfish, which attracts walruses – a common sight in the area. Your expedition plans for today will depend on the rapidly changing sea, wind and ice conditions. Trust that your expert Expedition Team will maximise the exploration opportunities for today based on these conditions and embrace the spontaneity of a true polar adventure!

Today, you’ll travel to some of the northernmost land on Earth. These stark landscapes are almost entirely covered by large ice caps. You might visit Nordaustlandet, the second largest island in Svalbard, or the smaller islands of Sjuoyane. These rocky islands are largely barren of vegetation – you’ll mostly see moss and lichen – but the birdlife here is abundant. Watch geese grazing, terns nesting and skuas soaring. Be sure to have your binoculars and camera handy for plenty of birdwatching. Later today, you’ll start cruising towards the Arctic ice pack, travelling deeper into the icy wilderness.

Cruise towards the Arctic ice pack – this icy realm stretches from Svalbard to the North Pole. In this rich ecosystem, you’ll see rare seabirds, seals, beluga and bowhead whales and maybe even the elusive polar bear – the region’s apex predator. As your ship navigates narrow ice channels, gaze up at towering glaciers that appear even more brilliant under the midnight sun.

Sail into Kongsfjord – a fjord framed by glaciers and the Three Crowns mountain. Here, you’ll explore Ny-Alesund, the world’s northernmost settlement. Historically, this area was a base for polar explorers like Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen. Today, it’s a scientific research base conducting important research into climate change.