Spitsbergen highlights: 5-night cruise

Transfer to the airport for the charter flight north to Longyearbyen, the largest settlement in Svalbard. On arrival, you’ll board your expedition ship and begin your journey into the Arctic wilderness. As you sail out of Adventfjorden, the first views of Spitsbergen’s mountains and glaciers set the tone for the days ahead.

Today, you sail along Spitsbergen’s western coast, watching for polar bears while taking in its glaciers, fjords, mountains, and Arctic wildlife. In Krossfjorden, you may witness dramatic calving at Lilliehook Glacier before exploring the abandoned mining site of Ny London by Zodiac, with chances to spot Svalbard reindeer along the way.

Wake to the vast ice front of the Monaco Glacier, where you may help the expedition team scan the shoreline and pack ice for wildlife before visiting possible landing sites such as Texas Bar, Worsleyneset, or Alicehamna. Later, explore the historic whaling settlement of Smeerenburg, once a major Dutch outpost, before continuing to Magdalenefjorden for sweeping views of its mountains and broad, reflective glaciers.

Your voyage continues through one of the most wildlife-rich and visually striking regions of the Arctic. Each day’s route is shaped by weather, ice, and wildlife sightings, allowing your expedition team to choose the most rewarding locations. You may spend time cruising beneath towering glacier fronts, scanning the ice edge for seals, whales, or polar bears, or stepping ashore for guided walks across quiet tundra valleys.

Your Expedition Team will aim to round out the day in Alkhornet, taking in the towering cliffs teeming with nesting seabirds, such as fulmars and Brunnich’s guillemots (thick-billed murres). Encounters with reindeer are possible here too. Later, in the evening, you can swap stories with your shipmates and crew one last time, at the captain’s farewell dinner.

Your journey concludes in Longyearbyen. From here, you'll fly to Helsinki for a final overnight stay.

Your return flight will arrive the same day.