Polar bears?

[Mocamps]

We are considering an Arctic cruise from Iceland to Tromso in June next year. It spends 6 days in Svaalbard and I'm wondering whether anyone who has done similar cruises with Silverseas can tell me if you saw polar bears? 

 

Also, any other views on this cruise or similar ones would be welcome. We have just done the Antarctic and I've developed a passion for polar cruising. The Arctic is a bit nearer so thought it might be worth trying that while we have all the gear handy!

 

[kschreib]

Yes, seven---ca. 3 years ago on the Silver Explorer.

[Mocamps]

Wow!...that's encouraging. Thanks

[jpalbny]

Yes we had several nice sightings on our August 2011 Longyearbyen to Tromso, starting in Oslo.

 

The Arctic is different in that the density of wildlife is somewhat less than in the Antarctic. Other than birds, that is, which are very plentiful...

 

I did a detailed trip report (without pictures; that was before I learned how to do it) but the search index is still processing so it's a pain to find. This old link may still work.

I have a bunch of Svalbard pictures in my smugmug galleries, if you want to see what our bear sightings were like.

 

https://jpalbny.smugmug.com/Svalbard-and-Tromso-August-2011/

 

[Carol From California]

On ‎12‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 10:09 AM, Mocamps said:

We are considering an Arctic cruise from Iceland to Tromso in June next year. It spends 6 days in Svaalbard and I'm wondering whether anyone who has done similar cruises with Silverseas can tell me if you saw polar bears? 

 

Also, any other views on this cruise or similar ones would be welcome. We have just done the Antarctic and I've developed a passion for polar cruising. The Arctic is a bit nearer so thought it might be worth trying that while we have all the gear handy!

 

We went to Antarctica with Silversea in February of this year and like you now want to go on an Arctic cruise.  We booked the new Scenic Eclipse for July, 2020. 

[Mocamps]

On 12/17/2018 at 12:09 PM, jpalbny said:

Yes we had several nice sightings on our August 2011 Longyearbyen to Tromso, starting in Oslo.

 

The Arctic is different in that the density of wildlife is somewhat less than in the Antarctic. Other than birds, that is, which are very plentiful...

 

I did a detailed trip report (without pictures; that was before I learned how to do it) but the search index is still processing so it's a pain to find. This old link may still work.

I have a bunch of Svalbard pictures in my smugmug galleries, if you want to see what our bear sightings were like.

 

https://jpalbny.smugmug.com/Svalbard-and-Tromso-August-2011/

 

Thank you so much....looks great. We've booked!!

[cyrreb]

We saw 2, from a very great distance.  Fortunately, our cruise (Explorer July 2015) ended in Longyearbyen, where there were many fine taxidemied specimenes available for life-like closeup photos.  

 

But there are so many other wildlife and natural attractions to see that missing the polar bears wasnt a big deal.  It’s a wonderful trip and a wonderful ship and crew.

[threeforthree]

Also saw 2.  One on the first morning.  He was eating, so quite interesting.  The second was sleeping; in fact one of the advanced team thought he was a rock...alas, he didn't do too much other than an occasional roll over.

[mrlevin]

We spent six days in Svalbard in 2017; after Silver Explorer's mishaps in the ice in 2014.  We spent only one day ice cruising and saw a total of two bears.  No effort was made to find additional bears.  After another Silver Explorer cruise to the Arctic in 2018 where the Captain was afraid to go into the ice; I believe that Silversea's insurance company has put their foot down about taking any long runs into the ice.  Without ice much harder to see polar bears.  After a beautiful Antarctica cruise on Silver Explorer followed by three not so good Arctic cruises; we have decided to never cruise on Silversea again (except to use up the small credit they gave us for so royally screwing up last year's trip).  I would run, not walk, away from a Silversea Arctic cruise if your goal is to see polar bears.  If you like long hikes and pleasant scenery and a wonderful crew; go for it; but do not expect to see polar bears.

 

Marc

[FauxNom]

We did the Greenland to Nova Scotia cruise last September and had several bear-filled days. It was simply amazing, as we were able to get pretty close in the Zodiacs, and spend a long time watching.

[PaulMCO]

We did it on Explorer.   Sometimes you get lucky...

Edited February 22, 2019 by PaulMCO

[drron29]

We also saw several polar bears cruising on the Explorer when it was the PA 2.Saw 8 in one spot feeding on a dead whale.Included one delightful cub.Yes sometimes you are lucky but the polar bears have no knowledge of ship's itineraries so sometimes none to be seen.On that cruise we saw no walrus.

I wasn't a member of CC back then but did do a report.

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/threads/drron-takes-to-cruising-the-arctic-here-we-come.24607/page-2

Edited February 23, 2019 by drron29