Artic Circle Cruise

[MaryEllen1952]

Anyone have recommendations for High Artic cruises around Spitsbergen?

[wearytraveller]

I used them to visit Antarctica in January 2005. It is difficult to find fault with the trip and would anticipate that their trips to the Arctic are equally well organised.

:)

[Signor John]

Anyone have recommendations for High Artic cruises around Spitsbergen?

 

I can recommend Norwegian Coastal Voyage, which runs two ships out of Longyearbyen during the summer: The NORDSTJERNEN, a vintage coastal ship that offers 3- and 4-night cruises up the west coast of Spitsbergen and north of the 80th Parallel, and the POLAR STAR, which does 7-day cruises that go completely around Spitsbergen when ice conditions permit (as they normally do except possibly in very early summer). Search Google for "Spitsbergen adventure cruise," and you'll see my review of a June, 2006 NORDSTJERNEN cruise at the top of the search results.

 

Both ships use boats for shore landings in remote areas. On the NORDSTJERNEN, wemade landings once or twice a day. One of my favorite landings involved sneaking up on a colony of walruses (which we watched from a respectful distance).

 

NCV offers complete packages from the U.S. and UK. I'd suggest combining the cruise with a land vacation or coastal voyage in Norway. For example, you could fly to Oslo, take the scenic train ride to Bergen, then go by NCV/Hurtigruten ship from Bergen to Tromso and fly from there to Longyearbyen.