Anyone been on a HAL cruise to the Polar Ice Cap region?

[Ken the cruiser]

We are researching cruise lines that go to Longyearbyen to include cruising around the Polar Ice Cap region and discovered HAL goes there in the mid July time frame. If you have a few minutes and have been on one of the HAL voyages to the Polar region, we would very much enjoy hearing about your experiences.

[cruisingengineer]

Took the Prisendam a couple of years ago from Amsterdam along the coast of Norway including Longyerben which was nice and NyAlesund which I found even more interesting. We were supposed to get to the polar ice cap but due to fog did not get very close so cannot comment on that. Also did Iceland which was great and Faroe Island which I really enjoyed. I had a great time and encourage you to do it.

[J_M_F]

We took the Prinsendam in 2011 to Spitzbergen, stopping in Longyearbyen and Ny Alesund. We cruised north from there to about 82N where we ran into enough pack ice that we had to stop. Both stops in Spitzbergen were great. I loved the signs at the edge of town that said "Danger Polar Bears. Do Not Go Past This Point Unarmed." This was really brought home by the fact that a British teenager had been killed by a polar bear 2 days before we got there. There was a memorial and a lot of flowers for him in the town square. The cruise also stopped in Scotland, the Shetland Islands, the Faroe Islands, Norway, and cruised within a mile or two of Jan Mayen Island. We really loved the cruise and would highly recommend it to anybody.

[wander]

Around 15 years ago we went to the very edge of the Polar Ice Cap. Nice to say that you have been there but not much else. Now I love sea days so I did not regret being on the cruise, but the trip from Longyearbyen to the ice cap was just like any trip over open water. The ice cap interesting but after a few moments passengers wee ready to move on. That said - i found visiting Longyearbyn very interesting as was the rest of the cruise up the coast of Norway. Going north we went as far as the Captain thought safe.

[travel09]

We went as far as the Polar Ice,on Prinsendam,in 2014,after amazing sights along the way,in the Fjords of Spitsbergen, a tender was lowered and the crew gathered ice, for drinks later on...The weather was perfect, calm all the way and not a lot of fog, though I know this can be a problem .It is a fascinating part of the world ,and you will never regret the journey...!

[Ken the cruiser]

We do love to see animal life. On your respective cruises, did you see any whales and walruses from the ship as well as birds and maybe even a glimpse of a polar bear?

[cruisingengineer]

We do love to see animal life. On your respective cruises, did you see any whales and walruses from the ship as well as birds and maybe even a glimpse of a polar bear?

did not see as much wildlife while cruising as in Alaska but there were excursions to places where there was slot of wildlife. Did see a seal on the harbor at nyal send and when leaving we saw a Mother polar bear...they call them ice bear...and her cub, very far away but still, but the captain did say that is the first time they had ever spotted a polar bear there. The excursion that I did in faroe island did see many birds including puffins and sheep that they lower on ropes to isolated cliff pastures. Really enjoyed all of it

[J_M_F]

We saw some whales as we cruised past Jan Mayen Island, cruising between us and the island. At Ny Alesund we ran into some rather aggressive artic terns protecting their nests.

[rafinmd]

I think I like others loved the ports but was not that impressed with the ice cap itself. I believe most spectacular ice comes from calving glaciers and not from the polar ice cap. I got to about 80:30 north and these are a couple of views. The crew did go out on the bow for one photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roy

[Ken the cruiser]

Thank you all! You have helped us considerably in making our decision. We've been to Norway a couple of times and it's OK, but not enough to warrant multiple trips back. We really like it that HAL also goes to quite a few ports in Iceland as well as the Faroe Islands, whereas Azamara and Princess pretty much just go from Norway to Longyearbyen and maybe Ny Alesund (Azamara) and then back to Norway. So if we decide to go, then HAL will probably get the nod. Thanks again for your thoughts!

[ski ww]

It is on our bucket list which we hope to do next year.