Svalbard

Day 1: Arrive Longyearbyen, board ship and sail

Our expedition begin in Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Spitsbergen (which is the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago) and depending on arrival times of our flight, there should be an opportunity to explore around this former mining town.

Board M/V Plancius in the late afternoon and in the early evening the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where there are chances to spot the first Northern Minke Whales of the voyage.

Day 2: Smeerenburg and Fuglesangen

After sailing through straits and a fjord, we arrive at Smeerenburg in the late morning where there was an important whaling station in the 17th century. There is often a large Walrus haul-out and there may also be an opportunity to see Harbour Seals on rocky islets.

Later in the day, we hope to land at Fuglesangen, where it is possible to sit quietly next to a colony of hundreds of Little Auks.

In the evening, we plan to make a short landing in Birgerbukta, where Basque whalers had a station and then continue onwards towards Raudfjord.

Day 3: Raudfjorden

Raudfjord has some impressive glacier fronts and this is often a good place to look for Polar Bears and Bearded Seals on the sea ice in the fjord which may still not have fully broken up.

In Hamiltonbukta, we hope to visit a colony of Brünnichs’s Guiillemots before continuing on to Ytre Norskøya, a small island which was used for many years as a lookout point for Dutch whalers. There we can follow their path to the summit of the island. On the shore, there are the remains of 17th century blubber ovens and about 200 graves of whalers and others who perished here.

On the north side of the island, we may be able to look for Atlantic Puffin which can be relatively tricky to find in Svalbard, although we stand a decent chance here as they breed on this island along with a small colony of Kittiwakes.

In the late afternoon, we plan sail northwest for the edge of the pack-ice.

Days 4 – 6: Along the ice edge in search of Bowhead Whales, Seals & Polar Bears

We plan to explore along the outer fringes of the ice edge between approximately 76 N to 80 N where we hope to find Bowhead Whales, Harp Seals, Hooded Seals and Polar Bears (all seen on our 2024 trip).  We may also find seabirds including Little Auks, Brünnich’s Guillemots and Kittiwakes.

On day six, we may go into more open sea where there are chances for Northern Bottlenose Whales and the first Fin Whales of the season.

Day 7: Bellsund

Bellsund is a fjord system with two major branches (Van Mijenfjord, Van Keulenfjord) and a side bay (Recherchefjord). The geology is fascinating and has created amazing landscapes, such as the long, narrow island of Akseløya that blocks Van Mijenfjord almost completely.

The rich wildlife of the area has attracted hunters throughout the centuries, including English whalers, who also wintered here. We plan to walk in their footsteps and see the remains of their huts. We see often Polar Bears here and there are chances for Beluga. Like on most days of our expedition, however, what we will be able to do will be largely determined by the amount of ice, especially inside the fjords.

Day 8: Disembark in Longyearbyen

You disembark in Longyearbyen after breakfast and there may be time for some further exploring before we head to the airport for our flights home.

PLEASE NOTE: All itineraries are for guidance only. The programme may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions.  Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per AECO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with AECO prior to the start of the season, but the Expedition Leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.

WHAT TO EXPECT

A seven night cruise on the comfortable expedition ship, M/V Plancius (2025), exploring the western side of Spitsbergen and visiting the ice-edge to the NW of the archipelago.  The vessel is a comfortable expedition ship and has excellent cabins and passenger facilities.

At many places, we will use the ship’s zodiacs (rubber inflatables) to go ashore and getting in and out of these should not be a problem for anyone with reasonable mobility and there will be staff both on the ship and ashore to assist you.

You will receive a detailed briefing about the use of the zodiacs.  If you have any concerns about this aspect of the holiday, please call the office as Chris Collins has spent many years working with zodiacs and can provide more information.

You will also be able to join the full programme of activities/excursions offered by the Expedition Team working on the ship which are all included in the price of the trip.

THE SHIP

M/V Plancius was built in 1976 as an oceanographic research vessel for the Royal Dutch Navy. The ship sailed for the Dutch Navy until June 2004 when it was purchased by Oceanwide Expeditions.

It is Dutch flagged and was completely rebuilt and converted into a passenger vessel in 2009 and fully complies with the latest SOLAS (‘Safety of Life at Sea’) Regulations.

Plancius offers high-quality accommodation for 108 passengers in 50 cabins all with private toilets and showers. There are four quadruple porthole cabins, nine twin porthole cabins, 25 twin cabins with a window and 2 twin deluxe cabins. All cabins offer lower berths (one queen-size bed in the superior cabins and two single beds in the twin cabins), except for the four quadruple cabins (for 4 persons in 2x upper and lower beds).

Please be aware that a small number of cabins on these ships may have a partially obstructed view due to the size of the windows and the design of the ship and some windows, for example, may be partly obstructed in the lower half by a gangway.

The zodiac drivers will take you safely ashore, and also on more leisurely cruises as well, so you will gain an even more intimate and unique perspective of the seabirds and marine mammals in this stunning wilderness. In keeping with the spirit of expedition, dress on board is informal, so bring casual and comfortable clothing for all activities. Keep in mind that much of the scenery is best appreciated from the open decks, which can be slippery, so bring sturdy shoes with non-slip soles, and make sure your parka is never far away in case there is an announcement of “whales” over the PA system and you want to dash outside in a moment’s notice. We recommend opting for layers, as it is comfortably warm aboard the ship though often cold out on deck.

Your physical condition

You must be in good overall health and be able to walk several hours each day. The expedition is ship-based and physically not very demanding, but we spend as much time as possible on shore. You are, however, welcome to remain aboard the ship if you prefer.

To join most excursions you must be able to get up and down the steep gangway, from the ship to the water level, to board the zodiacs. The ship’s staff will assist you in and out of the boats, and boarding will become progressively easier with practice, but conditions on shore can be slippery and rocky.

Remember, you will be travelling in remote areas without access to sophisticated medical facilities, so you must not join this expedition if you have a life-threatening condition or need daily medical treatment.