Your adventure starts with an overnight stay in Longyearbyen, a surprisingly cosmopolitan frontier town on the edge of the Arctic, with galleries, pubs, restaurants, and shops. The package includes an overnight at Radisson Blu Polar Hotel, the world’s northernmost full-service hotel when booking a cabin with private facilities on board MS Nordstjernen. If you have booked a cabin with shared facilities, an overnight at charming Coal Miners’ Cabins is included. Hotel upgrade is available on request.

After breakfast, and check out, take your bags to the bus at 9:00am to join a tour of Longyearbyen that includes the Svalbard Museum and Camp Barentz. Once aboard MS Nordstjernen, we sail to the Russian coal mining town of Barentsburg to explore the exotic collection of Russian artefacts and architecture, join a folklore show or soak up the real Russian atmosphere in the local pub.

This area is rich with islands, fjords and beaches. In Magdalenefjord, you’ll discover a whaling station from the 16th century. We arrive in the morning and hope to make a landing to explore this wonderful Arctic wilderness. Scan for polar bears, Minke whales and seals.

We will spend most of the day cruising into lovely Krossfjord. The landscape here varies from large tundra plains to alpine peaks with dramatic glaciers tumbling into the ocean. At the end of the fjord is the majestic Kongsbreen (King’s Glacier). Later, we dock at Ny-Ålesund, one of the world’s northernmost communities.

Next, we sail the Isfjorden, the most prominent fjord system on Svalbard, passing the nesting sites of thousands of guillemots. Marvel at the large U-shaped valleys, carved out of the mountains by the giant glaciers. After disembarkation in Longyearbyen, enjoy the day before a Farewell dinner at the hotel.

This Arctic adventure ends in Longyearbyen. An early morning transfer bus will take you to the airport for your flight home.

Hurtigruten offers unique expedition cruises to some of the most remote and pristine waters of the world. As with all expeditions; nature prevails. Weather, and ice and sea conditions, sets the final framework for all Hurtigruten’s operations. Safety and unparalleled guest experiences are at all times our top priorities. All our indicative itineraries are continuously evaluated for adaptions, whether this is due to constraints the elements unexpectedly presents – or exciting possibilities nature and wildlife offer. That is why we call it an expedition.