Heart of the Norwegian Arctic

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Discover remote islands within the Arctic Circle on our 12-night Svalbard and Norway Arctic Experience cruise on board a boutique expedition ship. Your journey around Norway’s outlying Svalbard archipelago will take you into a realm of incredible scenery visited only by a few. These remote regions reveal their secrets as you come ashore to rugged landscapes bordered by tundra where wildflowers blossom. This unique arctic environment attracts guillemots and little auks with large haul-out sites of walrus watched closely by stealthy polar bears. As we cruise to the world’s northernmost settlements, take in the unforgettable views of vast glaciers where beluga swim under the midnight sun, and listen out for cracking sounds as they calve huge icebergs into the deep and beautiful fjords.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
  • Take a stroll through the high street of Longyearbyen, the world’s most northerly town, and follow in the footsteps of polar explorers
  • Sail past Spitsbergen’s most beautiful glacier, Monacobreen, as it calves icebergs
  • Spy on hundreds of polar bears, seals, walruses, whales and arctic foxes in their natural habitat
  • Inspect tundra-loving wildflowers such as tufted saxifrage and arctic white campion in Wijdefjorden
  • Learn more about this isolated polar region from our on board team of experts

Map/Itinerary

(*) Depending on the departure date, this voyage my vary from 10 to 11 days

Day 1TROMSØ

Known as the Arctic gateway, Tromso is a remote Norwegian city at 69° north, 250 miles above the Arctic Circle, where you can take in the soft glow of the midnight sun. Learn more about early polar explorations at the Polar Museum. Famed for the Northern Lights on winter nights, you can find out more about this natural spectacle at the Science Centre.

Day 2ALTA & HAMMERFEST

Alta, or the city of Arctic light, sits above the Arctic Circle at 70° N. From mid-May to the end of July, as with many places north of here, the midnight sun glows and it never gets dark. Even with long summer days, the temperature rarely reaches above 10° C. Stop by the distinctive Alta Church – or Northern Lights Cathedral – that represents the waving aurora borealis. Nearby, at the head of the Alta Fjord, learn about the thousands of UNESCO-listed prehistoric rock carvings and paintings found here. The coastal town of Hammerfest in Finnmark is the most populated town in the north, known locally for its cuisine. Here, the World Heritage attraction, Struve Geodetic Arc measures the triangulation of the 26° E meridian. North of the Arctic treeline, Hammerfest is also a jumping-off point for adventure activities, climbing and hiking – scale Mount Tyven via the Tyventrappa Sherpa stairway for far-reaching views. Learn about how the town was rebuilt after being burnt to the ground in WWII at the Museum of Reconstruction Museum.

 

Day 3SKARSVAG & NORTH CAPE

Tucked away amongst the hills of Trondheim fjord, this is a Viking city founded in the 11th century that is filled with colourful timber buildings. Mighty Kristiansten Fortress is the country’s best preserved fortification, the architectural pot-pourri of Nidaros Cathedral is the burial site of Viking king St Olav while Stiftsgården, the royal residence, is believed to be the largest wooden building in northern Europe. Boat trips head to unhurried beauty spots.

Day 4BEAR ISLAND

The greatest bird cliff in the Barents Sea is on Bear Island, or Bjørnøya, Svalbard’s southernmost island. Thousands of breeding seabirds – Atlantic puffin, northern gannet, glaucous gull, great skua, black-legged kittiwake, little auk, common guillemot and Brünnich’s guillemot colonies nest on the steep cliffs south of Sørhamna around Kapp Kolthoff. Only Zodiacs can come alongside, where distinctive sea stack rock columns, impressive sea caves and tunnels, such as Perleporten, have been created by the battering seas.

Day 5-7SVALBARD

Located deep inside the Arctic Circle, approaching the Svalbard archipelago feels a lot like sailing towards the edge of the world. Known as the kingdom of the polar bears, we’ll be hoping to spot some of its subjects as we explore some of the most varied polar landscapes in the Arctic. Down in our Zodiac boats, we’ll get close to the gargantuan glaciers, rapidly retreating from the oceans that they feed. In the north of the archipelago, past the magnificent fjords, the remaining sea ice offers the perfect hunting ground for polar bears. Closer to Longyearbyen, the landscape is punctuated with large areas devoid of snow and ice alongside vast tundra and exposed beaches. Alongside Svalbard’s 3,000 polar bears, this Arctic wildlife hotspot is also home to walrus, Svalbard reindeer, ringed seal, the arctic fox and many species of marine mammals and seabirds.

Day 8HINLOPEN STRAIT

Hinlopen Strait is a waterway that divides Svalbard’s largest island, Spitsbergen, from its second-largest island, Nordaustlandet. Whilst often congested with ice, this is a scenic place with interesting history and rich wildlife, including polar bears and several species of ducks and geese. The name is probably derived from the director of a Dutch whaling company in the 17th century. Sailing in the Hinlopen Strait, in the heart of the Arctic Ocean promises an unforgettable experience and offers offers breathtaking panoramas.

Day 9ICE EDGE

Today, we aim to take the ship further north of Svalbard along the sea ice, as close to the edge of the polar ice pack as possible, at about 79° north. Here, among the shifting ice, keep a sharp eye out for polar bears in their natural habitat, while harp seals haul out on the edge. Huge bowhead whales ply these frigid waters and can sometimes be seen breaching, fluking or breaking through the ice. The sight is one that leaves you feeling truly respectful of any life that makes this frozen landscape home.

Day 10-12SVALBARD

Located deep inside the Arctic Circle, approaching the Svalbard archipelago feels a lot like sailing towards the edge of the world. Known as the kingdom of the polar bears, we’ll be hoping to spot some of its subjects as we explore some of the most varied polar landscapes in the Arctic. Down in our Zodiac boats, we’ll get close to the gargantuan glaciers, rapidly retreating from the oceans that they feed. In the north of the archipelago, past the magnificent fjords, the remaining sea ice offers the perfect hunting ground for polar bears. Closer to Longyearbyen, the landscape is punctuated with large areas devoid of snow and ice alongside vast tundra and exposed beaches. Alongside Svalbard’s 3,000 polar bears, this Arctic wildlife hotspot is also home to walrus, Svalbard reindeer, ringed seal, the arctic fox and many species of marine mammals and seabirds.

Day 13LONGYEARBYEN

Longyearbyen is the world’s most northerly town and with it comes the world’s most northerly high street and pub. On Spitsbergen, Svalbard’s largest island, Longyearbyen is home to The North Pole Expeditions Museum which chronicles early efforts to reach the pole by air. The nearby Svalbard Global Seed Vault preserves duplicates of seeds held in gene banks worldwide. The surrounding Arctic waters are populated by whales including bowheads and narwhals, while walruses are regularly seen hauling.

Inclusions/Exclusions

This expedition includes:

  • Return regional flights to the port of embarkation and/or disembarkation (where specified)
  • Group return transfers from the airport to the cruise port (via our included accommodation where applicable)
  • One night pre-cruise accommodation with breakfast in a 4/5-star hotel or onboard
  • All meals onboard
  • Onboard accommodation in a stateroom selected category
  • 24-hour room service
  • Coffee, tea, soft drinks and selected alcoholic beverages available 24-hours per day
  • Lecture programmes by our experienced expedition team and guest speakers
  • One selected shore excursion/expedition activities per port of call
  • Branded Swan Hellenic expedition parka and use of rubber boots in Polar Regions
  • Standard WiFi
  • Onboard gratuities & port taxes

This expedition excludes:

  • Tips & bottled beverages,
  • Additional internet
  • Laundry service  
  • Travel Insurance with Emergency Evacuation coverage,
  • COVID tests

Prices

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Heart of the Norwegian Arctic

Start : 22 Jun, 2025  End : 1 Jul, 2025
Departure : Longyerbyen   Arrival : Tromso
10 Days
Oceanview D4
$7,180  
Oceanview M4
$7,580  
Balcony D5
$9,380  
Balcony M5
$9,880  
Balcony D6
$10,280  
Junior Suite
$11,680  
Suite
$13,080  
Premium Suite
$14,480  

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