DAY 1 DEPART THE U.S.

Depart Tuesdays from the U.S. on your transatlantic flight to Oslo.

DAY 2 OSLO

Arrival in Oslo and transfer to downtown. You'll have the rest of the day to explore this interesting capital with its sights including the Vigeland Park, Viking Ship, the Norwegian Folk Museum, and the Holmenkollen Ski Jump. Overnight at Hotel.

DAY 3 OSLO - LONGYEARBYEN (B)

Breakfast at your hotel. Day at leisure. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Longyearbyen. Arrive in Longyearbyen shortly after midnight, where you'll be met by a guide and transfer to the Spitsbergen Hotel. Overnight Spitsbergen Hotel.

DAY 4 LONGYEARBYEN - EMBARKATION - BARENTSBURG (B, L, D)

After breakfast, an information meeting will be held. Time on you own before lunch. After lunch enjoy a sightseeing tour of Longyearbyen before embarking the ice breaker M/V Polar Star, where a welcome meeting will be held, familiarizing you with the ship and crew. Now your adventure begins-seals, whales, an abundant birdlife, unique Arctic flora, and hopefully, polar bears will fill your days. Your journey is enhanced by daily lectures covering each day's upcoming itinerary, and questions regarding places and sights already experienced. On your way out of the Isfjord, you'll call at Barentsburg, a Russian mining community, and the headquarters for Russian activities in Svalbard, where you'll enjoy a guided tour.

DAY 5 NY-ÅLESUND - MAGDALENE FJORD - SMEERENBURG FJORD (B, L, D)

Today you'll have reached the northern parts of the Prins Karls Forland Island, one of many natural parks, with its sharply-peaked mountains on all sides surrounded by massive glaciers that will take your breath away, and a remarkable wildlife, including walruses, seals, wild reindeer, and Arctic foxes.

Continue passed the majestic Kongsfjord to the international research center of Ny-Ålesund, also the starting point for many 1920s expeditions trying for the North Pole, where you'll enjoy a guided tour. Then proceed north to the famous Magdalenefjord, one of the most beautiful fjords in Spitsbergen, with its steep, towering rock faces edged by surrounding rugged mountains interrupted by several glaciers. Thousands of rare little auks can be found here, and whale spotting is possible.

You'll then enter into the Smeerenburgfjord, another spectacular fjord, and the first stop will be at Amsterdamøya and Danskøya. Visit the old whale hunting site where the Dutch whalers started up whaling in the seventh century. In Zodiacs, you'll cross the narrow sound over to Virgohamna at Danskoya, most famous as the starting point for the Swede Andrée in his 1897 attempt to reach the North Pole with the balloon Eagle.

Farther along the north coast, landing sites and the route of the ship are dependent on weather and ice conditions. Early in the season, there may be pack ice, making it difficult to go far north, but the chance of seeing large Arctic animals is greater at this time of year. The aim is to cross the 80-degree latitude line and try to reach the more easterly parts of Spitsbergen.

DAY 6 WOODFJORD - HINLOPEN (B, L, D)

Today you'll continue round the northeast corner of Spitsbergen, while Nordaustlandet appears in the distance. Enter into the spectacular Woodfjord, weather permitting. You'll have the opportunity to take a closer look at the impressive Monaco Glacier and make Zodiac landings for an up-close experience of the animals, birds, and wildflowers that give color and vitality to the harsh beauty of the High Arctic.

DAY 7-10 HINLOPEN STRAIT - AUSTFONNA GLACIER -

IN THE LAND OF THE POLAR BEAR (B, L, D)

Glaciers, fjords and ice will dominate these days. King Winter never really relaxes his grip on the east coast of Spitsbergen, which is majestic in its infinite silence. Here you'll find some of Svalbard's most desolate regions, including Nordaustlandet, the second largest island, which is for the most part completely covered by two enormous glaciers. The larger one, Austfonna, has a spectacular front 124 miles and is the origin of Svalbard's largest icebergs. While navigating through Hinlopen Strait you'll enjoy fjords on each side. Weather permitting, participate in a Zodiac landing for a close-up encounter with the glacier ice.

Alternative route early in the season: North along Nordaustlandet, via Wahlenbergfjord, and then on in the direction of Sjuoyane. Alternative route later in the season: via Edgeøya, Storfjord and around the Southern Cape. The program will depend on weather and ice conditions. Ships can sail through Hinlopen Strait early in the season, ice conditions permitting. Early summer is for those who want to experience large amounts of ice and an abundance of bird life. Consider later in the season to go further east, and perhaps sail around all of Spitsbergen.

Day 11 DISEMBARKATION/RETURN TO THE USA (B)
Early morning arrival in Longyearbyen. Transfer with your guide to the airport for your return flight to the U.S. (or optional night in Oslo).
 

Back to Top    MV Polar Star Cabin Plan

Cabin

Category

 Cabin Description

Standard

departures

departures

Double (twin), private facilities / windows*

5,080

 K4 - T

3 bed superior cabin, private facilities

 K5 - D

Double superior cabin, private facilities

 K6 - D

Double Junior Suite, windows

 K7 - D

Double Suite, Amundsen and Nansen

    Single supplement

* Partly obstructed view on deck 3

** Fares do not include an airline fuel surcharge of $180 per person and a fuel bunker fee of $75 per person. This surcharge will appear separately on your invoice

Prices quoted in USD per passenger in cabin categories as described. Subject to availability and change.

Due to continuous increase in the fuel costs, the shipping line had to increase the fuel surcharge on all cruise departures and expeditions including cruise transports.
The fuel charge is imposed on all reservations made in 2006
The fuel surcharge will be:

USD$ 76.00 for the Expedition Cruise (6 days) per passenger.

Included

• SAS flights, Newark - Oslo, round trip 

• SAS flight, Oslo - Longyearbyen - Oslo

• Transfers in Spitsbergen as indicated in itinerary

• Services of expedition guides

• 2 nights hotel accommodations, including breakfast

• Accommodations onboard the M/V Polar Star in select cabin category

• Three meals daily shipboard

• Port charges

Not Included

• Add-on airfares for gateways other than New York

• Airport Taxes

• An airline fuel surcharge of $180 per person and a fuel bunker fee of $75 per person 

• Pre- and post land arrangements

• Gratuities

• Personal insurance / personal items

• Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (strongly recommended)

• Fuel Surcharge   

• $ 25 Service fee

• Additional hotel stay in Oslo

All prices are subject to alteration.

Day-by-day itinerary is subject to change due to weather and ice conditions, and might differ from one departure to another.
 

Fuel Surcharge of $ 76 per passenger will apply 

Night 2

Hotel Bristol

Oslo / Norway

Night 3

Spitsbergen Hotel

Longyearbyen / Svalbard

Night 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

On board MV Polar Star