Welcome to Oslo, which in 2019 was awarded the prestigious title “Green Capital of Europe.” A comfortable stay is arranged at an Oslo Airport hotel, so you’re conveniently close to your flight to Longyearbyen on Day 2.

If you’re adventurous and have the time, take the handy airport train into central Oslo – it’s a 20-minute ride, and trains depart and arrive frequently during the day. Near Oslo Central Station are shops, cafes, the Botanical Garden, cultural attractions, and the attractive waterfront area.

Today, you have a flight to Longyearbyen (a regular airline flight), the administrative center of Svalbard, and the starting point of your Arctic expedition! At the Longyearbyen airport, be greeted by the staff and transferred to the pier, where you are warmly welcomed aboard your expedition vessel, the M/V Sea Spirit. Get settled in your spacious suite and explore the ship that will be your comfortable home during this extraordinary adventure. Once underway, a full schedule of events kicks off with informative briefings and introductions from your expedition staff. After the first of many delicious dinners on board, step out onto the open decks to admire the gorgeous scenery in the endless evening light as you pass through the wildlife-rich waters of Isfjorden, one of the largest fjords in Svalbard.

From Svalbard, you head southwest across the Greenland Sea and toward East Greenland. In these far northern latitudes, it is possible to encounter sea ice any time of the year. All along the way, you remain vigilant for sightings of marine mammals. In previous eras, many different species of whales, especially bowhead whales, lived in the Greenland Sea. However, the whales were on the verge of extinction due to hunting, which lasted into the 20th century. Fortunately, the populations are recovering; sometimes, you can see these majestic animals passing by.

This expedition is cruising at its most authentic, bringing you new exploration opportunities. Go on a true Arctic adventure and feel the real breath of the Arctic. Your itinerary and exploration opportunities in East Greenland depend on weather and sea ice conditions. Again, you can be sure that your experienced captain and expedition leader will take advantage of every opportunity so that you can experience excellent wildlife viewing, discover incredible scenery, and go ashore wherever possible. The Franz Josef Fjord and Kong Oscar Fjord systems are part of Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest and perhaps most remote. This whole area contains some of the Arctic’s most magnificent scenery. Deep fjords and narrow channels, flanked by ice-clad peaks up to 2000 meters high, reach far into the mountainous heart of Greenland. Tidewater glaciers create colossal icebergs that float with wind and tide throughout the fjord system. On shore, fields of multicolored tundra are home to musk oxen and Arctic hare. The vast, open, and seemingly untouched landscape since the beginning of time is a hiker’s paradise. You can also find ancient Thule archeological sites, historical trappers’ huts, and modern Inuit hunters’ cabins throughout this area. To provide you with the best experience possible.

Following exploring the Northeast Greenland coastline and fjords, you head back across the Greenland Sea toward Svalbard. Presentations and workshops by the expert staff ensure that these days at sea are not idly spent, but that’s up to you! Seabird viewing and whale sightings can be enjoyed from panoramic open decks and exterior stateroom windows and balconies.

Your itinerary in Svalbard's High Arctic wilderness is flexible to maximize your experience. Weather and sea ice conditions determine your route and exploration opportunities. Your experienced captain and expedition leader adapt plans accordingly. Majestic mountains, deep fjords, and turquoise waters create a stunning backdrop: spot grazing reindeer, playful Arctic foxes, and diverse marine mammals. Keep an eye out for polar bears throughout Svalbard. Visit Ny Ålesund, a former mining town now occupied by Arctic researchers. Discover its museum, gift shop, and post office. This area also played a role in historic North Pole expeditions.

After filling up with one last buffet breakfast on board, bid farewell in Longyearbyen and receive a transfer to the airport and a regular flight to Oslo. By this time, plans for the next amazing trip into the polar worlds nat already be forming!