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MV Polar Star Departure Dates: June 9, 16, 23, 30; July 7, 14, 21, 28; August
4, 11, & 18, 2009
MS Expedition Departure Dates: June 6, 13, 20, 27; July 4, 11, 18, 25; August
1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2009
Your Arctic Travel Adventure Itinerary Includes:
Day 1: Depart the U.S.
Depart the U.S. on your transatlantic flight to Oslo.
Day 2: Oslo
Transfer from the airport to downtown. Explore Oslo, the capital of Norway. See
the city's many sites including Vigeland Park. Discover its rich history and take-in
the breathtaking majesty of the blue Oslo fjord and green forests and hills.
Day 3: Oslo-Longyearbyen
You will have breakfast at your hotel in the morning. The rest of the day is
yours to explore independently until your flight to Longyearbyen. Upon arrival,
you'll be met by a guide and transfer to the Spitsbergen Hotel. [B]
Day 4: Longyearbyen Embarkation
Enjoy time on your own in the morning. You will have the afternoon with a sightseeing
tour of Longyearbyen before embarking on your Arctic expedition cruise on the
MS Polar Star. Now your adventure really begins: Seals, whales, abundant birdlife,
unique Arctic flora and-with luck-polar bears, will fill your days. Your journey
is enhanced by daily lectures covering each day's Arctic travel itinerary. On
your way out of the Isfjord, call at Barentsburg, a Russian mining community,
and enjoy a guided tour. [B/L/D]
Day 5: Ny-Alesund-Magdalenefjord-Smeerenburgfjord
Today, you'll have reached the northern parts of Prins Karls Forland island.
Its sharply peaked mountains, surrounded on all sides by massive glaciers, will
take your breath away. Continue past the majestic Kongsfjord to the international
research center at Ny-Alesund, the starting point for many 1920s expeditions trying
to reach the North Pole, and join the guided tour. Proceed north to the Magdalenefjord,
one of the most beautiful fjords in Spitsbergen. Thousands of rare auks can be
found here, and whales can be spotted. Then enter the Smeerenburgfjord, another
stunning fjord. You'll cross the narrow sound, by Zodiac, to Virgohamna. This
was the starting point of the ill-fated 1897 Swedish expedition to reach the North
Pole by balloon. [B/L/D]
Day 6: Woodfjord-80° Latitude
The ship continues around the northeastern corner of Spitsbergen, entering the
spectacular Woodfjord. Today's goal is to reach the 80° parallel, sailing by Moffen
Island before heading farther east toward the Hinlopen Strait and the most remote
parts of Spitsbergen. You'll make a Zodiac landing to personally experience the
startling beauty of this high Arctic landscape. [B/L/D]
Days 7-10: Hinlopen Strait-Austfonna Glacier
Winter never truly relaxes its grip on Spitsbergen's majestic and silent east
coast. Here lie some of Svalbard's most desolate regions, including Nordaustland,
the chain's second-largest island, almost completely enveloped by two enormous
glaciers. The leading edge of the larger glacier, Austfonna, is 124 miles wide.
Weather permitting; you'll make a Zodiac landing to encounter the glacier ice
up close. (Early season route, for those eager to see lots of ice and birds: Travel
north along Nordaustland, via Wahlenbergfjord, then on in the direction of Sjuoyane.
Later season route: Sail via Edgeoya, Storfjord, and around the Southern Cape.
These cruises go farther east and might sail around all of Spitsbergen.) [B/L/D]
Day 11: Longyearbyen-Disembarkation, Oslo
After disembarking, transfer with your guide to the airport for your return flight
to Oslo. [B]
Day 12: Return to the U.S.
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the U.S. [B]
Please Note: Itineraries are subject to change due to weather and ice conditions,
and may differ from one departure to another.
Meal codes: [B] Breakfast [L] Lunch [D] Dinner |
