Have questions? We're here.
Polar bear relaxing on an iceberg.

17 Days Extensive Arctic Ocean - North Spitsbergen Explorer

Aberdeen - Longyearbyen - Example 17 Day Cruise aboard MV Hondius
Talk with an expert
Build your ideal Arctic trip. Call 1.406.541.2677
Start Planning My Trip
Your 17-day Arctic voyage begins in Aberdeen, Scotland, where you board MV Hondius and set sail toward Fair Isle. This remote Shetland island is known for its seabirds, grey seals, and famous knitwear. You continue north to Jan Mayen, a remote volcanic island with Mt. Beerenberg, a historic whaling station, and a Norwegian weather outpost. Sail along the Arctic ice pack under the midnight sun, searching for whales, seals, and polar bears. Explore Spitsbergen’s fjords, spotting walruses at Forlandsundet or Arctic foxes in St. Johns Fjord. Explore the High Arctic through Hinlopen Strait and the Seven Islands, witnessing glaciers and wildlife. Finally, you return to Longyearbyen, bringing home memories of a truly wild Arctic expedition.
Whales greet the shipA polar bear embraces the sunshineA walrus relaxes on the snow.Travelers find a walrus on a zodiac trip through the arctic.Visit the colorful town of Longyearbyen in the far northPolar bear relaxing on an iceberg.
Highlights
  • Discover Fair Isle’s seabird colonies and traditional Shetland knitwear
  • Explore Jan Mayen, home to towering Mt. Beerenberg and glaciers
  • Navigate the Arctic ice edge, searching for bowhead whales and seals
  • Witness the massive Monaco Glacier and seabird-filled cliffs of Alkefjellet
Places Visited
Activity Level: Variable
Activity options vary depending on destination and operator. Activity level is determined by the range and intensity of activities you choose to participate in. Discuss with your Trip Planner which options are best for you.
0

Full Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1: Aberdeen, the Granite City | Embark

Arrive in Aberdeen, known as the Granite City, and embark on your journey. As you set sail, watch for orcas and other marine life in the surrounding waters. To the south, spot the Girdle Ness lighthouse, designed by the grandfather of author Robert Louis Stevenson. More passengers join you in Aberdeen as your adventure begins.

Day 2: Fair Isle, Shetlands

At Fair Isle, in the Shetlands, the roughly seventy inhabitants (renowned for their knitwear) welcome you for a walk to the local bird observatory. This location is a haven for sea birds, though you may also spot grey seals.

Day 3-4: Jan Mayen Marine Life

You sail north to the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen, 300 nautical miles northeast of Iceland. Your two days at sea do not pass idly, however. Keep a close lookout for any spouts of water from the surrounding seas, heralding the arrival of a minke, fin, orca, or blue whale.

Day 5: Jan Mayen | Mt. Beerenberg.

Jan Mayen is a stark volcanic island crowned by the snow-capped summit of Mt. Beerenberg. From the slopes of this imposing 2,300-meter-high (7,545 feet) volcano, broken glaciers grasp out into the frigid sea. With permission from the Norwegian authorities, you can now visit the weather station. You can also walk to the remains of a 17th-century Dutch whaling station amid the thick moss beds of this stark volcanic landscape.

Day 6-8: At Sea

Basking in the midnight sun, you sail north along the edge of the sea ice in search of bowhead whales, harp seals, polar bears, and a variety of seabirds. You then change direction after about 79° north, cutting west to the rocky edges of the continental shelf of west Spitsbergen. Here you have a good chance of seeing fin whales and – near the glacial mouths of the gaping Spitsbergen fjords – surfacing minke whales.

Day 9: Forlandsundet | Alkhornet

Forlandsundet, between the main island of Spitsbergen and the narrow Prins Karls Forland, is a place of great beauty and fascinating wildlife. Walruses sometimes haul out here. Alternatively, you might sail into St. Johns Fjord or head south to the mouth of Isfjorden, landing at Alkhornet. Seabirds nest on these cliffs, Arctic foxes search below for fallen eggs and chicks, and reindeer graze the sparse vegetation.

Day 10: Longyearbyen

You touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Enjoy strolling around this former mining town, whose parish church and Svalbard Museum make for fascinating attractions. Though the countryside appears stark, more than a hundred species of plant have been recorded in it. In the early evening the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where you might spot the first minke whale of your voyage.

Day 11-16: North Spitsbergen

This voyage takes you into the pack ice and along the remote shorelines of rugged north Spitsbergen. Places you might visit include the following:

Raudfjord
On the north coast of Spitsbergen, you can enjoy this expansive fjord spilling with glaciers – and maybe even visited by ringed and bearded seals. The cliffs and shoreline also support thriving seabird colonies, rich vegetation, and the possibility of polar bears. Try to land at Alicehamna or Buchananhalvoya.

Monaco Glacier
Depending on the weather and sea ice, you could sail into Liefdefjorden, land at Texas Bar, and cruise within sight of the 5-kilometer-long (3.1 miles) face of Monaco Glacier. The waters in front of this precipitous glacier are a favorite feeding spot for thousands of kittiwakes, and the base of the ice is a popular polar bear hunting ground. If ice conditions prevent you from sailing here early in the season, you may sail along the west coast of Spitsbergen.

Highlights of Hinlopen
You aim to sail into Hinlopen Strait, home to bearded seals, ringed seals, and polar bears. At the entrance, there is even the possibility to spot blue whales. After cruising among the ice floes of Lomfjord in the Zodiacs, you can view the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet, with their thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots. On the east side of Hinlopen Strait, you may attempt a landing on Nordaustlandet. Here you may see reindeer, pink-footed geese, and walruses. You can take an alternate route if ice prevents entry into Hinlopen.

The Seven Islands
The northernmost point of the voyage may be north of Nordaustlandet at Chermsideoya or Phippsøya, in the Seven Islands. Here you may reach 80° north, just 870 km (540 miles) from the geographic North Pole. Polar bears inhabit this region, so the ship may park for several hours among the pack ice before wheeling around west again.

Sailing the continental shelf
While retracing your route west, keep watch for polar bears and elusive Greenland (bowhead) whales. About 40 nautical miles west of Spitsbergen, you sail the edge of the continental shelf. Here fin whales forage during the summer in the upwelling zones (where cold, nutrient-rich water wells up from below the sea’s surface) that run along the Spitsbergen banks. At the mouth of Kongsfjorden, you have a good chance of sighting minke whales.

Forlandsundet, St. Johns Fjord, or Alkhornet
Walruses sometimes haul out in Forlandsundet at Sarstangen or Poolepynten. Alternatively, we might sail into St. Johns Fjord or south to the mouth of Isfjorden, landing at Alkhornet. Seabirds nest on these cliffs, Arctic foxes search below for fallen eggs and chicks, and reindeer graze the sparse vegetation.

Day 17: Longyearbyen | Disembark

  • 1 Breakfast
Even great adventures must eventually come to an end. The vessel arrives back in Longyearbyen in the early morning, and bus transportation to the airport is provided.

Ship/Hotel

MV Hondius

Hondius
Hondius Grand Suite Balcony
Hondius Reception

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

  • May 31, 2025from $4,350
 May 2025>
SMTWTFS
27282930123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
Per person starting at
$4,350
MV Hondius
Select a Date
Quadruple Porthole
Located on deck 3. Approximately 129 to 194 sq. ft. 2 portholes, 2 upper & lower berths, Small sofa, Private shower & toilet, Flatscreen TV, Desk & chair, Telephone and WiFi, Coffee & tea maker, Hairdryer, Cabinet, Wardrobe.
MV Hondius
Select a Date
Triple Porthole
Located on deck 3. Approximately 129 to 194 sq. ft. 2 portholes, 1 upper berth & 2 lower berths, Small sofa, Private shower & toilet, Flatscreen TV, Desk & chair, Telephone and WiFi, Coffee & tea maker, Hairdryer, Cabinet, Wardrobe.
MV Hondius
Select a Date
Twin Porthole
Located on deck 3. Approximately 129 to 194 sq. ft. 2 portholes, 2 single beds, Small sofa, Private shower & toilet, Flatscreen TV, Desk & chair, Telephone and WiFi, Coffee & tea maker, Hairdryer, Cabinet, Wardrobe.
MV Hondius
Select a Date
Twin Window
Located on deck 4. Approximately 129 to 151 sq. ft. 1 window, 2 single beds, Small sofa, Private shower & toilet, Flatscreen TV, Desk & chair, Telephone and WiFi, Coffee & tea maker, Hairdryer, Cabinet, Wardrobe.
MV Hondius
Select a Date
Twin deluxe
Located on deck 6. Approximately 205 to 226 sq. ft. 2 windows, 2 single beds, Sofa, Private shower & toilet, Flatscreen TV, Desk & chair, Telephone and WiFi, Refrigerator, Coffee & tea maker, Hairdryer, Cabinet, Wardrobe.
MV Hondius
Select a Date
Superior
Located on deck 6. Approximately 215 to 226 sq. ft. 2 windows, 1 double bed, Sofa, Private shower & toilet, Flatscreen TV, Desk & chair, Telephone and WiFi, Refrigerator, Coffee & tea maker, Hairdryer, Cabinet, Wardrobe.
MV Hondius
Select a Date
Junior Suite
Located on deck 7. Approximately 205 to 215 sq. ft. 1 double window, 1 double bed, Sofa, Private shower & toilet, Flatscreen TV, Desk & chair, Telephone and WiFi, Refrigerator, Coffee & tea maker, Hairdryer, Cabinet, Wardrobe.
Grand Suite with Private BalconyMV Hondius
Select a Date
Grand Suite with balcony
Located on deck 7. Approximately 291 sq. ft. 1 double window, 1 double bed, Sofa, Private balcony, Private shower & toilet, Flatscreen TV, Desk & chair, Telephone and WiFi, Refrigerator, Coffee & tea maker, Hairdryer, Cabinet, Wardrobe.

Notes

Single supplement - Single occupancy of a twin cabin is available at 1.7 times the twin occupancy rate.
Child discount: Children aged 3-15 will be discounted 40% in triple or quad cabins, one child per cabin.
Included
  • 16 Breakfasts, 15 Lunches, 16 Dinners
  • 16 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
  • All Miscellaneous Service Taxes and Port Charges Throughout the Program
  • All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
  • Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
  • All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea.
  • Comprehensive pre-departure material.
  • Upon boarding, passengers receive an internet voucher, providing 1.5 GB of free internet per day. This daily allowance resets every 24 hours. Supplementary internet vouchers are available to purchase on board for those requiring additional internet availability.
  • Transfers and baggage handling between the airport, hotels and ship only for those passengers on a selection of flights (advised by Oceanwide) to and from Longyearbyen.
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Passport and Applicable Visa Expenses
  • Government arrival and departure taxes
  • Pre- and Post Land Arrangements
  • Fuel Surcharge - to be invoiced separately
  • Meals ashore
  • Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended).
  • Excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges.
  • Medical travel insurance, including emergency medical attention and evacuation coverage with a minimum of $100,000 of evacuation coverage is required.

Map

Inquire

* By providing your phone number, you consent to receive direct phone calls or SMS messages from our Trip Planners to get the process started. We do not share your information with third-parties.
Change & customize to make it yours.
Travel Agents

We Love to Talk Travel

Call 1.800.344.6118
or
Chat Now
The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor

Arctic Travel Guide

Top Arctic Travel Destinations

Arctic Trips by Departure Date

Top Experiences in Arctic

Arctic Trips by Duration

Arctic Trips by Activity

More Reasons

Why Travel With Adventure Life

All News

Recognized By