Mammal and Birding Cruise Norway: Svalbard (Spitsbergen) — Polar Bears and Seabirds

Mammal and Birding Cruise Norway: Svalbard (Spitsbergen) — Polar Bears and Seabirds
June 2023, July 2024

You arrive in the world’s northernmost town, historic Longyearbyen (previously known as “Long Year City”), deep within the Arctic Circle, and we have time to explore this small city of about 2,000 human inhabitants. We then depart on our cruise for the northern parts of the beautiful, remote Svalbard Archipelago (previously known as Spitsbergen). While one of our main targets will be Polar Bear (and other High Arctic mammals), our guide is first and foremost a birding guide, so he’ll certainly be constantly watching for all the special birds. We plan to visit a breeding colony of Ivory Gulls, we should see Rock Ptarmigan, and we’ll also of course try for all the sea ducks and all other desirables. The scenery in the ‘land of the midnight sun’ is truly spectacular, with all the glaciers, fjords, jagged peaks, and myriads of small islands.

The cruise in 2023 is an 8-day cruise while 2024’s cruise has been slightly modified to become a 10-day tour which follows a similar but slightly longer itinerary.

Polar Bear is one of our targets on this trip.

Itinerary (8 days/7 nights)

Day 1. Birding Longyearbyen/Svalbard island, then cruise ship departs

Arrival in Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard, Norway, the world’s northernmost city.  Before the early evening departure we will explore this old mining town in search of Barnacle Goose, Common Ringed Plover, Rock Ptarmigan, Purple Sandpiper, and Snow Bunting. Upon setting sail out of Isfjorden, the second-longest fjord in the Svalbard Archipelago, we may see our first Red-throated Loon and Common Minke Whale. Our voyage will be on board 300–350-foot polar vessels which accommodate up to 170 passengers.

Rock Ptarmigan can be quite common and confiding.

Day 2. The northern coast of West Svalbard

Along the northern coast of west Svalbard we will cruise alongside beautiful glaciers. Polar Bear is commonly seen here in addition to Bearded and Ringed Seals. The shoreline cliffs in Raudfjorden are home to colonies of seabirds, including Thick-billed Murre and Black Guillemot. Lush vegetation flourishes in areas protected from the weather.

Day 3. Liefdefjorden

Weather dependent, we will sail along the three-mile long face of Monaco Glacier, heading into Liefdefjorden. These waters harbor a favorite food source for Black-legged Kittiwake, offering spectacular views of thousands of birds. Polar Bear also frequents the glacier, providing photo opportunities.

Day 4. Hinlopen Strait

Navigation into the Hinlopen Strait will prove to be rich in Arctic wildlife. Today we will have opportunities to see thousands of Thick-billed Murres, Polar Bear, Ringed and Bearded Seals, and if we’re lucky Blue Whale – the largest animal known to have ever existed. In our zodiacs we will cruise through the sea ice floes of Lomfjordshalvøya and will visit a huge colony of Thick-billed Murres (Brünnich’s Guillemots) at the cliffs of Alkefjellet. We will also attempt to land at Palanderbukta on the island of Nordaustlandet, where Ivory Gull nests in addition to Pink-footed Goose, and Svalbard Reindeer (the smallest subspecies of Reindeer) and Walrus might be seen.

King Eider can be seen alongside Common Eider.

Day 5. Phippsøya

Today we will attempt to reach the island of Phippsøya, which is the northernmost point of our journey. Located in the Seven Islands, we will be less than 550 miles (885 kilometers) from the geographic North Pole! Polar Bear and Ivory Gull are inhabitants of this region. Our ship may remain in the ice pack for several hours before navigating west.

Day 6. At sea

We will return westward and continue our voyage alongside the pack ice. While watching for Polar Bear we will hope for a glimpse of the elusive Bowhead Whale. As we cruise alongside the continental shelf west of Svalbard we will pass through the foraging waters of Fin Whale and have decent chances of spotting Common Minke Whale.

Day 7. Varying destinations depending on weather conditions

Weather dependent, we will either sail into Forlandsundet, where we might encounter Walrus, or alternatively into St. Johns Fjord or to Isfjorden and possibly landing on Alkhornet, where along the cliffs we will look for nesting seabirds and along the base of the cliffs Arctic Fox may be seen foraging for fallen chicks or eggs. We may see Svalbard Reindeer grazing before making a nighttime arrival back in Longyearbyen.

Walrus are usually encountered on this cruise.

Day 8. Departure

We will come ashore in Longyearbyen on this last day of our journey for flights south to Oslo and from there to our home destinations.

Arctic Fox is another charismatic mammal we should see on this Arctic cruise.

PLEASE NOTE: A typical itinerary to the northern Svalbard Archipelago is illustrated above. This itinerary is for guidance only. Depending on local ice and weather conditions, the availability of landing sites, and opportunities to see wildlife, the program may vary. The Expedition Leader on board will determine the final itinerary. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. Average cruising speed for the vessel is 10.5 knots. 

Svalbard (Spitsbergen) Arctic Cruise Set Departure Trip Report

21^st – 28^th JUNE 2019

By Chris Lotz

The vast landscape of the Arctic, with a Polar Bear for scale.

Overview

Svalbard (previously known as Spitsbergen), is a pristine Arctic wilderness about midway between continental Norway (of which it is politically a part) and the North Pole. This stunningly scenic archipelago, with its jagged peaks, breathtaking fjords, and abundant glaciers is one of the most popular places to go and find Polar Bears. But there are many other attractions, such as Walrus, whales including Blue and Beluga Whales, Arctic Fox, Ivory Gull, Little Auk (Dovekie), Atlantic Puffin, Thick-billed Murre (Brunnich’s Guillemot), Black Guillemot, King Eider, breeding-plumaged Red (Grey) Phalarope, breeding-plumaged Red-throated Loon (Diver) and more. We started and ended our week-long cruise in Longyearbyen, a truly fascinating town of just over 2,000 human inhabitants and the northernmost town in the world. The pack ice map dictated our route more than any prior planning could have done, and in fact we were forced to take a completely different route than the one that had been planned. What an amazing adventure it turned out to be, and we were pleased to find all our targets. What follows below is a brief trip diary mentioning the main wildlife we managed to locate. If you want the detailed ship log, which gives sea temperatures, GPS co-ordinates, and a lot of other information for each day of the trip, please e-mail [email protected]. This current report serves mainly to show you what to expect mammal- and birdwise on our annual Svalbard cruise – details of next year’s cruise can be found here.

The route we wanted to sail (above) didn’t happen because of pack ice, but we still saw all our targets.

Detailed Report

Day 1, 21^st June 2019. Embarkation and sailing Isfjorden and then southward

Tim and Kay had arrived a couple of days early and had already joined a whale-watching and a birding tour around Longyearbyen. They’d found King Eider, Pink-footed Goose, the hrota subspecies of Brant (Pale-bellied Brent) Goose, breeding-plumaged Red (Grey) Phalarope, Rock Ptarmigan (aka “Roof Ptarmigan”, as it was actually sitting on someone’s roof), Arctic Fox, Svalbard Reindeer (an endemic subspecies), and last but not least Blue Whale among other goodies.

The ship cast off around 6.30 p.m. and sailed through the beautiful Isfjorden (one of Svalbard’s longest fjords, within which Longyearbyen lies). Because of the current pack ice map we knew that we’d be unable to take our expected route along the western side of Spitsbergen (the biggest island of the Svalbard Archipelago, and also the previous name of the entire archipelago when it was controlled by the Dutch rather than the Norwegians). So we decided to head south then east, to avoid the impenetrable pack ice. While traversing the fjord and also when we reached the open sea we found Common Eider, stacks of graceful Northern Fulmars, Black-legged Kittiwake, Atlantic Puffin, Thick-billed Murre (Brunnich’s Guillemot), Black Guillemot, Little Auk (Dovekie), and Parasitic Jaeger.

By morning we had made it as far as Hornsund, Spitsbergen’s southernmost fjord.

Fabulous Arctic scenery: Svalbard is awesome!

More fabulous Svalbard scenery.

Day 2, 22^nd June 2019. Polar Bear number one

During breakfast the call was made that our first Polar Bear had been sighted from the ship’s bridge and had just entered the water and was swimming. Everyone rushed out of the dining room to enjoy this amazing mammal as it slowly swam, unfortunately always at some distance from the ship. The bear briefly alighted on a small iceberg and then continued swimming before getting out onto a beach at Burgerbukta (a side fjord off the northern part of Hornsund).

After lunch we took zodiac cruises to try to get closer to the Polar Bear, but it had walked quite far up a hill by then. After spending a bit of time with the (fairly distant) Polar Bear we went in zodiacs to the base of one of the amazing glaciers in the area. While cruising around we were pleased to get some closer encounters with some of the birds we’d already seen the previous day, along with the humongous Glaucous Gull, a very close-up Ivory Gull which we were immensely pleased with, Arctic Tern, and other goodies.

Once we were back on the ship and had started sailing toward the open ocean we encountered a pod of perhaps 50 white Beluga Whales – incredible! We enjoyed spending time out on deck enjoying these bizarre mammals. A Bearded Seal also put in a welcome appearance.

This is the land of the midnight sun, where the sun literally does not set in the summer months, and we had to use a lot of discipline to force ourselves to go to bed at a “reasonable” hour (e.g. 11 p.m.!) rather than staying up the whole night watching wildlife. During the night, however, it did get misty, so wildlife viewing was a bit trickier anyway.

 Day 3, 23^rd June 2019. Walruses and more

We awoke to find misty conditions resulting in bad visibility, but after breakfast we did manage to do a successful zodiac cruise to view and photograph Walrus. This was at Kapp Lee (also known as Dolerittneset), which is a well-known “haul-out” site for Walruses, which come and lie on the beach here. We were enjoying a close-knit group of about 20 of these amazing creatures, when we suddenly saw another one swimming toward us, giving fantastic views and photographic opportunities. This is an interesting site, as there is some tundra here (Svalbard doesn’t have much plant cover – only 10 percent of the land is vegetated), and it is also a cultural site for the Russian Pomor people. Whale bones are scattered on the beach. We briefly saw a Purple Sandpiper, and a few other birds and even a brief Arctic Fox put in appearances for some.

In the afternoon we sailed around a humungous glacier, Negribreen, but sadly the visibility was almost non-existent. We did enjoy the floating ice, though. And, believe you me, we saw a lot of other glaciers during the trip, so not all was lost. On poor-visibility days like this we enjoyed brilliant lectures offered by experts in various fields (today they were about glaciers and Polar Bears, respectively).

We had a really exciting night as we negotiated an area with 70 percent sea ice through a narrow straight (Freemansundet), which separates the islands of Edgeøya and Barentsøya. Throughout the night we listened to the sound of cracking ice. We were very lucky to get through this straight, as the ice charts showed a “plug” (of 100 percent sea ice) that had been there for a couple of days, but which had moved away just in time for us to (barely) make it through. We were heading toward the second-largest island (after Spitsbergen) of the Svalbard Archipelago, Nordaustlandet, which we couldn’t have done if the “plug” of ice had still been present. Wildlife-wise we saw a couple of Bearded Seals on floating ice as we navigated the straight.

Day 4, 24^th June 2019. Incredible views of Polar Bear – hooray!

The weather improved greatly today, and we once again enjoyed grand vistas. After breakfast the guides at the bridge spotted a distant Polar Bear that we then slowly approached and eventually got very close to! The captain (Alex Nazarov) did a fine job of slowly approaching the bear without disturbing it. What an incredible time we spent with this young male!

Walruses on blocks of floating ice entertained us later after we’d spent a lot of time with the Polar Bear. At one point, an adult Walrus with a baby waddled off the ice and went for a swim. Apart from these amazing animals, today was similar to most days of the cruise, with certain bird species abounding. Thick-billed Murre (Brunnich’s Guillemot) and Black-legged Kittiwake were the most prolific species daily, with Black Guillemot, showing off its lovely white wings and pink legs in flight, and Little Auk (Dovekie) also being rather common. Parasitic Jaeger was less numerous, and downright rare around here were Long-tailed Jaeger, Pomarine Jaeger, and Great Skua, but we did see one or two of each during the cruise as a whole. Common Eider and the beautiful Ivory Gull (arguably the most important avian special of the trip) would occasionally put in appearances. We also saw some other good birds when we landed by zodiac on the land – more about those later.

One of the main aims of today was to see pack ice. It was fantastic observing the imposing wall of ice where the ice cap meets the sea and from which icebergs form. Putting binoculars onto the blue vertical stripes on this wall of ice revealed beautiful waterfalls. The large island of Nordaustlandet is mainly covered by a massive ice cap, and that’s where we were heading to.

Today’s friendly Polar Bear.

A bizarre Walrus.

Day 5, 25^th June 2019. The Arctic Desert

In the morning we did a zodiac trip to a desert area that was largely sterile but interesting from a geological point of view. We did see a few blooming flowers and even some insects.

In the afternoon we again went in zodiacs and alighted on some sea ice for 25 minutes, followed by a zodiac cruise through some beautifully shaped pieces of ice, many of them a spectacular blue color. We saw many of the same birds as we’d seen previously, but in the afternoon we did enjoy a really productive half hour with some new birds. These were Common Eider, a breeding-plumaged female Red (Grey) Phalarope (the females are much more dazzling than the males, which is the reverse of the norm in birds) that flew straight past the ship, a Long-tailed Jaeger, and two Parasitic Jaegers. An Ivory Gull spent some time foraging above the sea ice just in front of the ship.

We needed to start getting back towards Longyearbyen, as we only had two full days of cruising left, so we navigated the narrow Freemansundet again on our journey south-westward.

The calm sea allowed us to photograph Thick-billed Murres (Brunnich’s Guillemots) and other birds reflecting in the water.

Day 6, 26^th June 2019. Sundneset

This morning we found ourselves in Sundneset (Barents Island), an amazing place for a zodiac landing, as there is some extensive tundra here, which provides food for all manner of wildlife, not to mention a couple of nice lakes. The walk here this morning was arguably the best birding session of the entire trip, and some folks also saw Arctic Fox. There were a good number of the attractive Svalbard Reindeer in the area. Beautiful Red (Grey) Phalaropes swirled around in one of the lakes. A good number of Purple Sandpipers foraged. A couple of Common Ringed Plovers displayed above us. A lone European Golden Plover stood a head higher than the other shorebirds. A male Rock Ptarmigan (the Svalbard and Franz Josef Land endemic hyperborea subspecies) put on quite a show, as did numerous Snow Buntings that were displaying and singing like crazy. We also were close to several King Eiders and Long-tailed Ducks.

After lunch we continued sailing southward toward the southern tip of Spitsbergen. One or two people saw a Pomarine Jaeger, the only new bird for the trip.

A beautiful male King Eider.

Day 7, 27^th June 2019. Blue Whale

Good views of Blue Whale were enjoyed by those who opted to get out of bed when the call came through in the middle of the night (but of course the sun was up, as this is indeed the land of the midnight sun!).

After breakfast we landed at the historic Camp Millar, an old gold mining venue. Here there were colonies of various seabirds, the most accessible being Little Auk (Dovekie), flocks of which sometimes flew low over us on their way from their foraging trips at sea to their breeding/roosting sites. Thick-billed Murres (Brunnich’s Guillemots) and Black-legged Kittiwakes were also much in evidence. Ghostly white Glaucous Gulls and a summer-coat Arctic Fox surveyed the base of the Little Auk breeding site in the hopes of finding a meal (for example a fallen chick or an egg). A nesting Parasitic Jaeger (Arctic Skua) did a fascinating distraction display as we walked past. We also got quite close to a pair of Glaucous Gulls with two cute chicks. Next to these was a pair of striking Barnacle Geese. Some camouflaged Purple Sandpipers foraged on the beach. Several Svalbard Reindeer, one with antlers (most lack them at this time of the year), gave closer views than previously.

In the afternoon we traversed the short distance to Fagerbukta, where some crazy folks did a “polar plunge”, swimming in the icy water where a beach met a picturesque glacier.

Camp Millar on an atmospheric day.

The Svalbard subspecies of Reindeer.

(Svalbard) Reindeer with our vessel in the background.

Day 8, 28^th June 2019. Birding Longyearbyen

We disembarked the ship just after 9 a.m. and went birding in Longyearbyen until 2 p.m. We enjoyed good views of an Arctic Fox molting out of its white winter coat and looking scruffy but cute. Svalbard Reindeer were much in evidence on the outskirts of the town. Snow Buntings were everywhere, singing and displaying. Common and King Eiders, a beautiful Long-tailed Duck, many Barnacle Geese, and a handful of Pink-footed Geese all showed very well. Stunning breeding-plumaged Red (Grey) Phalaropes whirled around foraging. Other shorebirds included ridiculously close-up Purple Sandpipers and a lone Dunlin. Breeding-plumaged Red-throated Loons (Divers) sat on their nests extremely close up.  We also got amazingly close to a beautiful pair of Rock Ptarmigans, the male white and the female brown. All in all it was a great end to the trip.

We celebrated with a combined late lunch/early dinner and then had a few hours of sleep before our early flights home. What a fantastic trip, and it was superb company traveling with Tim and Kay.

Our scruffy-looking but cute Arctic Fox.

A nice pair of Rock Ptarmigans on the outskirts of Longyearbyen.

Please see the downloadable PDF with the full species lists included. This is a sample trip report. Please email us ([email protected]) for more trip reports from this destination.

Svalbard (Spitsbergen) Cruise: Polar Bears and Seabirds

Tour-specific Information

TOUR OUTLINE

This Arctic wildlife and birding cruise around the Svalbard Archipelago (part of Norway) offers perhaps the best chance of seeing some of the Arctic’s most iconic wildlife and birds. The cruise leaves from Longyearbyen (Svalbard’s largest town and one of the most northerly settlements in the world) and returns eight days later. We often suggest a full extra day’s birding (before or after the cruise) around Longyearbyen where a few particular species can be seen at closer range, such as Rock Ptarmigan and Arctic Fox. Most cruises head along the coastline of the largest island of the archipelago, Spitsbergen and when possible, a day will be spent in the pack ice.

The highlight and biggest target of any Arctic cruise is Polar Bear and on this trip we stand an excellent chance of seeing ‘the King of the Arctic’ alongside other charismatic wildlife such as Beluga, Walrus, Bearded Seal, Arctic Fox, Reindeer and an assortment of other seal and cetacean species, including the possibility of Blue Whale. Of course, it is not only the amazing mammals which attract tourists to the Arctic. On this cruise we also stand a good chance of seeing a true high-Arctic species, Ivory Gull (often hanging about Polar Bear kills). Other fantastic bird species including King Eider, Long-tailed Duck, Rock Ptarmigan, Red Phalarope, Purple Sandpiper, Long-tailed Jaeger, an assortment of alcid species and many others are likely. Wildlife aside, this cruise offers fantastic scenery as we head through beautiful fjords and view impressive glaciers. We invite you to join us as we take in the best that the Arctic has to offer!

DAILY ACTIVITIES, PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS, AND TOUR PACE

On most days during the cruise, we will undertake two landings and have two zodiac cruises (zodiac boats are small inflatable boats which take around 10-12 passengers). During our day (or two) in the pack ice we will be entirely ship-based, when we spend our time looking for Polar Bear and Ivory Gull. The landings can occasionally be a bit rough (depending on sea and ice conditions) and may sometimes involve walking over slippery rocks or ice to and from the zodiac boat. If the landing looks too rough, there is always the option to stay onboard the ship, or to just join for the zodiac cruise (often through beautiful fjords) and return to the ship after the zodiac cruise.

During the landings we normally spend a couple hours wandering around the area, enjoying the wildlife and plants of the Arctic. These short walks, normally up to half a mile (one kilometer), are normally at a very gentle pace, allowing you to enjoy the wildlife and scenery at leisure. It is very important to remember that during these landings Polar Bears are a possibility and are a danger. However, there will always be armed guides around during these landings and the areas are always thoroughly scouted beforehand to ensure we have no encounters with Polar Bears. As such we must always adhere to the instructions of the guides and not wander beyond the demarcated area.

A rough breakdown of a typical cruise day is as follows: 07h30-08h30: breakfast, 09h00-11h30: landing/zodiac cruise, 12h30-13h30: lunch, 14h30-18h00: landing/zodiac cruise, 18h30: daily recap, 19h00: dinner. As mentioned above, you do not have to join the zodiac cruises or landings, should you prefer to stay on the ship.

Although the sea conditions are generally quite flat, it may, on occasion, get a little choppy out at sea and we recommend bringing sea sickness medication (consulting your doctor, beforehand), if you are prone to sea-sickness.

SAFETY

This cruise is considered very safe and safety should not be a concern when signing up. Polar Bear encounters are possible during our landings, however all precautions are taken to ensure this does not ever happen. If a Polar Bear is seen in the area (we’re hoping this happens for us) then we will not land at that site but may perhaps get closer on zodiac boats. Whenever we make a landing there will always be armed guides around who are trained in what to do should a Polar Bear show up!

Getting in and out of boats can, at times, be tricky. Sometimes we step off the zodiac boats onto slippery rocks or ice. There will always be a helping hand around to aid you as you climb into and out of the zodiac boats. Walking sticks may aid you on some of the tricker landings/walks. Should you prefer to skip any landings and rather stay on the ship, this is always possible.

WEATHER/CLIMATE   

Being an Arctic cruise, you should expect very cold weather conditions. However, our cruises take place in mid-summer and thus temperatures are generally not too extreme. Average temperatures in June and July (when our cruises depart) are around 36–48 ^oF (2–9 ^oC) but it will often drop below freezing. Precipitation, in the form of rain, sleet or snow is always possible and thus it is important to bring along an entirely waterproof ‘outer shell’ (trousers and a jacket). Any form of precipitation, or sea spray, together with a strong, biting wind can make it feel significantly colder and thus it is vital to dress adequately, especially on the zodiac cruises/landings. On some days the weather can be lovely and mild and, on these days, it is important to ensure you bring sunscreen along. The climate inside the ship is well maintained and always comfortable and so should things ever get too cold or wet out on deck, you can return to the warmth and comfort of indoors and watch wildlife from lounges etc.

ACCOMMODATION

The accommodation onboard the cruise ship is of a high standard and is very comfortable. Depending on your preference (and budget) it is possible to book a berth in a 4-sleeper cabin, 3-sleeper cabin, 2-sleeper cabin or to have a cabin to yourself. The entire range of accommodation options has plenty of cupboard and drawer space to unpack your bag for the week and there are multiple charging points in all the cabins.

We will be visiting the Arctic during the mid-summer which means 24 hours of daylight, despite this, sleeping is not normally an issue as all cabins have blackout curtains/blinds.

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS AND ACCOMMODATION IN LONGYEARBYEN

Once you have finalized your booking with us, we would recommend booking your domestic flight (from Oslo or Tromsø) as soon as possible, as flights get booked up very early during the busy summer season. This also applies to accommodation in Longyearbyen which also books up very early.

The cruise generally leaves late in the afternoon/evening and so it is possible to fly in on the same day as your cruise departure however we would strongly advise to arrive at least one day before your cruise departure. This is because there seem to be routine luggage issues from flights from Oslo, with luggage sometimes only arriving the day after your flight. An extra night or two in Longyearbyen is not a bad idea, with there being plenty of wildlife and birds to see and other activities which will easily keep you entertained. On one of these days, you could join us on a guided tour around the area, targeting a few species which are not always seen as close-by on the cruise (Rock Ptarmigan, Arctic Fox, etc)

Upon arrival at Longyearbyen airport, you can easily take the bus which stops at all the accommodation establishments and simply pay for this by credit card once you get onboard. Be sure to let the bus driver know which accommodation you are staying at though.

CURRENCY AND MONEY

For your time around Longyearbyen (before or after the cruises) it is possible to use Norwegian Krone (NOK), however everybody accepts and prefers to use credit cards. If you will only be on Svalbard (and not on the Norwegian mainland) it is actually suggested to not bother organizing cash, as all establishments (from taxi drivers, to vendors to restaurants) accept credit card, with some establishments not accepting cash at all! Longyearbyen is essentially a cashless society, with no ATMs existing on the archipelago.

While onboard the cruise ship, any extra expenses will be added to your bill which is to be settled at the end of the cruise, either by credit card, or cash (US dollars or euros). Credit card is again the preferred method of payment here. In fact, the only thing you would exclusively need cash for would be for gratuities.

ELECTRICITY

In Norway (including Svalbard) the power plugs and sockets are of Type F. The standard voltage is 230 volts (V), and the standard frequency is 50 hertz (Hz). Further details and photos of this plug can be found here.

Adaptors and voltage converters are likely to be needed for some visitors from overseas (e.g. if you are from the United States) — please be cautious with certain appliances that utilize different frequencies. You can use your electric appliances in Norway, if the standard voltage in your country is in between 220–240 V (such as the UK, Europe, Australia, and most of Asia and Africa). If the standard voltage in your country is in the range of 100–127 V (as is in the USA, Canada, and most South American countries), you will need a voltage converter in Norway, but please visit this website for specific details.

COMMUNICATION

In Longyearbyen, it is possible to buy a local SIM card which can be used around town, while on the ship cellphone/mobile connection is very limited and should not be relied upon. It is possible to buy data for Wi-Fi onboard the ship however the data packages are generally very expensive and we would suggest simply going offline for the week. For those who need to stay connected you can buy these data packages once onboard. Some ships offer small complimentary data packages.

MEALS

The food onboard is of an excellent quality, with a wide array of options to suite everyone’s requirements or taste. Breakfasts and lunches are generally a buffet with many options available, with dinners generally being a la carte, with meat, seafood and vegetarian options all available. Water and juice are provided free of charge with meals however any soft drinks or alcoholic beverages will be for your own account. The tap water onboard the ship is safe to drink and so we would recommend bringing along a water bottle which can be refilled, to take with you on landings and zodiac cruises.

WHAT TO BRING: CLOTHING AND OTHER ITEMS

If you plan to join any of the landings or zodiac cruises (highly recommended) it is mandatory to bring along a waterproof ‘outer shell’ which essentially means you must bring along waterproof trousers and a waterproof top (a jacket/poncho). With temperatures potentially getting below freezing (with the added effect of wind chill), it is important to bring along adequate clothing, with many clothing layers being the name of the game in the Arctic.

For those people who are a little unsteady on their feet, a walking/hiking pole will be a good idea.

Before our first landing, we will all be provided with strong, warm and waterproof Muck boots which are to be worn for all zodiac cruises and landings. The boots are supplied in a variety of sizes onboard and you are sure to be able to find a size that fits you well. For normal life onboard the ship, a comfortable pair of sneakers/trainers will be just fine. Sandals or slops are not recommended.

Although most wildlife and birds are very approachable and are often unphased by the presence of humans, which means you can get close to most wildlife, a telescope is recommended. Some animals, such as Polar Bears, are not allowed to be approached by large ships (beyond a certain buffer zone) and so a telescope will help here. Similarly, some of the seals in the pack ice are often only seen at distance and so a telescope will help aid identification. Our guide will ensure a telescope is taken along, for those who do not have a telescope or do not want to bring one along.

Download Svalbard (Spitsbergen) Cruise: Polar Bears and Seabirds Information

‘When we were out away from the day to day living, this expedition brought the peace and quiet that was much appreciated. I enjoyed this being an informational expedition on a small ship and not a cruise of 1000’s of cruisers. The knowledgeable and friendly staff shared unknown information to me about the environment and the mammals and birds.’

Janis