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An arctic fox searches the rocks of the Arctic

North Spitsbergen: Arctic Summer

Example 12 Day Cruise aboard Rembrandt van Rijn
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The sailing expedition in North Spitsbergen is carried out by the three-mast sailing vessel Rembrandt van Rijn. This beautiful vessel brings you to the most remote places around Spitsbergen on this 12-day Arctic expedition. This cruise is a wildlife enthusiast's dream with chances to spot whales, seals, walrus, polar bears, reindeer, arctic fox, and a myriad of sea birds. The stunning cliffs, glaciers, fjords, and tundra provide a stunning backdrop for this unique cruise. 
A polar bear embraces the sunshineA walrus sunbathes on the iceA lone reindeer searches for its herdLittle AuksAn arctic fox searches the rocks of the Arctic
Highlights
  • Enjoy shore-based excursions to former whaling settlements
  • Watch polar bears hunt and feed on the edges of pack ice and glaciers
  • Cruise through beautiful fjords with cliffs full of seabird activities
  • Walk through the Arctic tundra and observe grazing reindeer and many birds
Places Visited
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Embark in Longyearbyen | Whaling Station at Tryghamna

After arriving in Longyearbyen, the ‘capital’ (actually the administrative center) of Spitsbergen, you may wish to visit the Svalbard Museum which has an interesting collection on the history of Spitsbergen, the mining industry, and polar exploration. In the afternoon sail to Trygghamna to visit the remains of a 17th-century English whaling station and an 18th-century Russian Pomor station.

Day 2: Alkhornet

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Leave Trygghamna early in the morning, setting course for Alkhornet, a seabird cliff with a large colony of kittiwakes. Below the cliffs is a den with arctic foxes which scavenge off fallen eggs and chicks. Continue and sail through Forlandsundet, the sea passage that divides the island of Prins Karls Forland from the mainland, and hope to see walruses and harbor seals. 

Day 3: Ytre Norskøya

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Today sail into Fuglefjorden with views on Svitjodbreen and Birgerbukta, and where there are breeding places for great skuas and good chances to see bears. In Birgerbukta find the blubber ovens of the Basques. Try to visit Ytre Norskøya, a small island which was used for many years as a lookout point for Dutch whalers. Follow their tracks to the summit of the island, passing excellent bird cliffs on the way. On shore the remains of 17th-century blubber ovens can be found, while arctic skua and common eider breed among the graves of 200 Dutch whalers.

Day 4: Raudfjord

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Raudfjord on the north coast of Spitsbergen is a beautiful fjord with spectacular glaciers. It is also a favorite fjord of ringed and bearded seal, has good seabird colonies, and offers good chances for spotting polar bear and beluga whales. Jermaktangen, at the fjord’s eastern entrance, is a geography lesson in the erosion of the land by the sea.

Day 5: Reindyrsflya

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
If sea-ice conditions allow, land on the northern-side of Reindyrsflya, the largest tundra area of Spitsbergen. The vast undulating plain is a good grazing area for reindeer and several species of waders also breed here. The area’s lakes offer good chances of spotting red-throated diver and king eider.

Day 6: Liefdefjorden

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Sail into Liefdefjorden and see Worsleyneset where king eiders and grey phalaropes nest. There are chances that fjord-ice is blocking the way to the front of Monacobreen and to the warm springs in Bockfjord, but the life along the edge of the fjord ice is spectacular. There are chances to see bearded seals, polar bears, and foraging seabirds.

Day 7: Fuglesangen | Magdalenafjorden

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
In the morning, land at Fuglesangen, where you can sit near the little auks. Sailing southwards, visit Magdalenafjorden, one of the most beautiful places on Spitsbergen, with many impressive glacier faces. During a shore visit view the remains of 17th-century English whaling activities. Also visit some big seabird colonies - particularly noteworthy are the colony of little auks.

Day 8: Ny Ålesund

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Today visit Ny Ålesund, the northernmost permanently inhabited village in the world, a center for polar research and a former starting point for many North Pole expeditions (Amundsen and Nobile for example). Barnacle goose, pink-footed goose, common eider, arctic tern and several species of wader can be seen at close quarters. The reindeer here are smaller than their mainland relatives and do not form large herds.

Day 9: 14th of July Glacier

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
In the morning sail from Ny Ålesund to the 14th of July Glacier where you cruise in zodiacs. Not far from the glacier, see a breeding site for Brünnich’s guillemot, auk and puffin. The guano of these bird colonies, combined with the southward exposure and the sheltered situation, give rise to relatively rich vegetation with many species of flowering plants.

Day 10: Forlandsundet

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Heading south, your ship attempts a landing on the coast of the Forlandsundet at Engelsbukta or Sarstangen, where walruses are often hauled out. The tundra offers some great walking in a beautiful setting.

Day 11: Isfjorden

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Sail to Gipsvika deep inside Isfjorden and go ashore near the majestic cliff of Templet. It is a stunning area with spectacular mountains eroded into shape from sedimentary rock dating to the Upper Carboniferous period, created around 290 million years ago. In the afternoon, visit Skansbukta, with the wreck of an old sealing vessel on the beach. Here the remains of an old gypsum mine are testament to the diversity of the early 20th-century mining attempts in Svalbard.

Day 12: Longyearbyen | Disembark

  • 1 Breakfast
Disembark the Rembrant van Rijn and depart by scheduled flight from Longyearbyen to Oslo.

Ship/Hotel

Rembrandt van Rijn

Exterior image of the Rembrandt van Rijn.
Relax at the bar aboard the Rembrandt van Rijn.
Lounge area aboard the Rembrandt van Rijn.

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$4,690
Rembrandt van Rijn's Triple Private Porthole Cabin.
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Triple Private Porthole
Main deck, upper and lower berths, private bath facilities and porthole.
Rembrandt van Rijn's Twin Private.
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Twin Private Inside
Lower deck, upper and lower berths, inside cabins with private bath facilities.
Rembrandt van Rijn's Twin Private Porthole.
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Twin Private Porthole
Lower deck, upper and lower berths or two lower berths, private bath facilities and porthole.

Notes

- Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double occupancy.
- Cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.7 times the double occupancy rate.
- Children between the ages of 3-15 receive a 40% discount in triple cabins, one child per cabin.
- Due to the extreme nature of itinerary destinations, travel insurance is mandatory for all cruises aboard the Rembrandt Van Rijn - including medical, accident and repatriation/evacuation insurance.
Included
  • 11 Breakfasts, 10 Lunches, 11 Dinners

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Everything was amazing! The planning with Adventure Life went smoothly. The actual trip was fantastic! One of the best trips I have experienced. The cruise staff members were knowledgeable and attentive. I will be writing more about this on the blog!
Justin Chappelle
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