Almost Live from the World Voyager - Jul 16, 2024 - circumnavigation of Svalbard

[81Zoomie]

Greetings from the Arctic on the World Voyager!  I will try to post when able based on internet connectivity based on ship position.  It’s a bit spotty and intermittent.  Pics will be entered at the end of the text due to limited bandwidth/speed.

 

We took an Uber to the airport in Oslo to avoid having to drag our bags through the train station again.  It took approximately 30 minutes.  We were surprised to find the airport not very bust.  We easily found our SAS charter flight number.  The signs above the checkin kiosks said Atlas Ocean Voyages! The only odd thing is seats appear to have been random generated and couples were split up. Our checked bags were weighed, but there was no weighing of carryons.  We were surprised to see people with large size carryon suitcases as well as backpacks.  Security was a bit cumbersome.  There were no instructions.  I asked and was told all electronics came out.  I pulled my phone and iPad out.  Both our bags got detoured for secondary screening along with many others.  Cameras appear to have been the issue.  We were finally on our way.  Once again, no line at immigration and a quite nice chatty agent.  We arrived at our gate and it was closed, but there were many Atlas travelers at the gate across the way.  At boarding time, our gate opened and you walked right onto the plane.  SAS service was great.  We received one free wine/beer and a light lunch.  Flight time to LYR was less than 3 hours.  Upon landing we retrieved our bags and brought them to a truck.  Then we boarded busses for a short tour.  We saw the famous polar bear sign, the seed vault, and an overlook. The tour was more of a time killer to allow for ship prep.  The Ocean Voyager was moored in the bay along with several other ships.  The 2 docks were occupied.  We tendered to the ship.  Onboarding was not the highlight of the day.  We had to wait for tenders to shuttle the passengers and luggage to the ship.  Fortunately the sun was shining and we were sheltered from the wind.  We board and went to the lounge where our documents were collected and we were given our keys along with champagne or non alcoholic option.

 

Our verandah cabin is cozy yet lovely.  The bathroom has adequate storage and a very nice shower with multiple heads, a built in bench, and glass door.  I was surprised to find no grab bars.  Bonus, however, for the bathroom night light!  The curtains due let a little ambient light in even though they are blackout.  The bed is firm for our taste, even with a requested mattress pad.  Drawers and shelf space is on the minimal side for a cold weather cruise.  The hanging storage was adequate.  We also received water bottles, but no backpacks.

 

We had to attend several mandatory briefings between boot and parka fittings.  They were scheduled for 30 minutes.  While required, it was a bit like death by PowerPoint.  The briefings lasted 90 minutes.  Since it was now just after 7pm we went to dinner.  To our surprise, dining room was not crowded.  We were also presently surprised there are 12 included wines.  Both the red wines we tasted were better quality than those included on Celebrity, HAL, Ponant, and Azamara (YMMV).  And, it was served in lovely glasses. Dinner was very nice, we had the prime rib. Dessert was plated on very interesting dishes.

 

Following dinner we went to the mud room for our parks and boot fitting.  It was super easy.  It is nice to have a place to leave our outdoor wear other than the hallway and in our room.  We decided to go to sleep after dinner.  On the way back to our cabin we swung by the reception desk.  We were curious another passenger load and asked.  There are 137 passengers on board and 127 crew.  Wow, are we lucky with those numbers!!!

[FFMilesJunkie]

Thank you for posting.  I know someone up there on the Swan Diana and she said the weather has been fantastic and there are more whales that she ever imagined in the area.  Have a wonderful time.  Bon Voyage! 

[81Zoomie]

Svalbard - Day 2

 

We were awakened just past midnight by the intercom.  The expedition leader was telling us that blue whales had been spotted.  DH parted the curtains to peak.  I decided to simply roll over.

 

We were both up early.  What an absolutely stunning day!  The first small pieces of ice were floating by.  I went to grab a coffee at 6:00, but Paula’s Pantry was not open yet.  Great crew, however, brought out some cups and milk and set out a coffee urn.  I was a happy lady 😀.  We went to breakfast at 7 am and were quite impressed with the buffet spread as well as the made to order items.  There was an abundance of selections as well as prosciutto to carve.  

 

We had a mandatory polar bear safety briefing at 8 am. It was very interesting and informative.  We are not at the top of the food chain here 🐻‍❄️.  All our off ship adventures, to include zodiac rides, will be with an armed guide carrying a Browning 30.06 rifle and flare guns.  We are not permitted to wander off alone or walk on the water’s edge.

 

Our first opportunity to get off the ship was at NY-Alesund.  It is a research and satellite communications site.  The ship had to turn off all internet, Bluetooth, and wifi early this morning and it must stay off until well after we depart the area.  We tendered ashore.  NY-Alesund is a very small settlement with one small shop.  This was the only retail opportunity of the cruise.  The outing was a good opportunity to try out our Atlas green parkas and gauge the temperatures.  We enjoyed the walk and the commentary provided by our guide.  We were ashore with passengers from the Hap Lloyd Hanseatic.

 

A buffet lunch was waiting when we returned to the ship.  Once again, it was a quite good selection of salads, pasta, soup, chicken, vegetables, anti pasta, delicious ice cream, and baked goods.  All quite impressive for the size of the ship. Our servers from last night informed us that tonight is gala night, so a special menu from the chef.  Dinner is scheduled to begin after tomorrow’s activity briefing and the captain’s welcome.

 

The ship moved a wee bit for this afternoons zodiac excursions.  We are currently anchored in front of a glacier which reaches the water.  This area is a popular location.  Silver Wind just sailed by and there are three 🛳️🛳️🛳️ additional ships off of our bow. I’m currently sitting in the Dome lounge with a 270 degree view of the surroundings through floor to ceiling windows.  The lounge provides an ideal venue to relax and take in the stark contrasts between the water, barren rock, and glaciers!  There are even different color mountains; copper, taupe, and darker brown all with a backdrop of clear blue sky.  Nature has provided quite the color palate for us.

 

It’s time for our first zodiac ride.  This was more of a training session with about an hour trip along the coastline.  It is also our first experience with the Atlas plastic covered neck collar life preservers. They are bulkier and heavier than the slim low profile nylon ones we used on Ponant.  With the sunny weather, it was a bit warm at first.  After time went on, it cooled off.  We were lucky to see some seals 🦭🦭🦭 sunbathing on two rocks.  They were enjoying the sunshine as well!  Our guide told us there are over 2100 glaciers in the Svalbard archipelago!The crew greeted back on board with hot ginger tea and hot towels.  It was a very nice welcoming!

 

Tomorrow’s planned activities include 2 zodiac landings and walks/hikes.  The planned areas are where they saw polar bears last cruise.  Of course, everything is subject to change with the weather.  The Captain’s welcome was short and sweet.  He was very welcoming and gave us the voyage “plan”.  The goal is to head to the pack ice way up north and then to the “dark” East side of the island.  It is a path this ship has only done once before.  And of course, hopefully find some polar bears!

 

Dinner was wonderful, again 😍.  I had the beet appetizer, lobster, and then orange shuffle with vanilla ice cream.  We had a Portuguese red wine 🍷 which was quite drinkable.  The wait staff is very engaging and has the time to hat with you.  It is very refreshing following our experience on the larger premium cruise lines!

 

Internet, well, it was off until I pm tonight.  I tried to sign on and couldn’t.  Down to reception I went.  The receptionist took my iPad changed a few settings and I was on.  This was magical!!!  Another example of a staff member trained and empowered to help you 😁.  Time for bed as we have the first shore visit in the morning.

 

Well, not so fast. It’s 10:30 pm and we get another whale announcement 🐳.  This time it’s a gray whale, the 2nd largest mammal on earth the whale expert claimed.  I will rise and shine for a polar bear 🐻‍❄️, but not for whales.  

[WannaSea]

Thanks for taking the time to share, much appreciated! I'm enjoying your adventure. Mine doesn't start until September. Great photos.

[BigNance]

Thank you for taking the time to share.  We take our first Atlas cruise in Jan 2025.  Antarctica.

It will be on the Voyager, so I am looking forward to your thoughts on the ship and crew and food, and drinks. 😉

N

[81Zoomie]

Svalbard - Day 3

 

I am not certain why, but we were awake at 4:30 am.  Maybe we can blame it on the 24 hours of daylight.  I parted the curtains at 5 am and WOW, another stunning day.  DH went and did some Tai Chi in the Dome.  I posted the Day 2 recap and sent some pics to family.  Paula’s Pantry opened at 6 am and I grabbed a coffee.  We went to breakfast at 7 am since we are in the first excursion group this morning.  I ordered French toast 🇫🇷🍞with sugar free syrup.  This was my first food disappointment.  After a long wait I got one piece of toast with 4 blueberries and a dollop of butter.  I waited and waited, but syrup never arrived.  I found a jar of jelly.  The staff apologized, but there is no sugar free syrup on the ship.

 

We were in the first zodiacs which left for shore at 8:30.  It was so warm, 61 deg,that we left our jackets at the landing site.  The “strenuous” hike was not very strenuous and only an hour in duration.  The terrain, however was very rocky and uneven.  It was very interesting to see the tiny pink and yellow flowering plants 🌸🌺🌸, lichens, and even a few mushrooms.  The soil was cracking in places from the permafrost.  We saw the famous “Lloyd’s Hotel”, some reindeer, and three bearded seals.  The armed lookouts were posted above our path and our guide was armed as well.  This is considered a dangerous area with regard to polar bears, but no sightings.  Before long our group of 10 was back on the ship.

 

DH checked on our internet usage.  He has used 8% and I have used 30% 😳 of our individual 1GB allocation.  My 30% consisted of the 2 posts on this thread composed offline, and a handful of IMs to family with about 10 pics total.  I am in low power mode, background refresh is off on my apps, and I am signing in and out of wifi like the old days.  I have gone through 30% in 2 days.  While I am loving most everything about Atlas so far, the device setting gyrations 🤸‍♀️ required to stretch the mysterious 1 GB doesn’t match the quality and level of service of the rest of our shipboard experience.  Atlas should do better with its internet inclusion.  There is a “sale” on GBs today.  Buy 1 GB for $80 and get 1 GB free.  We each took advantage of this deal 😆.

 

The ship was finished retrieving zodiacs just after we finished lunch.  It sailed around to another arm of the fjord.  There is a very large glacier the fills the entire end of the arm.  The expedition leader has planned a hike up to a lake after s shore landing.  The recon team is currently deploying to evaluate the landing site, terrain, and any signs of polar bears 🐻‍❄️.  It is much cooler just around the corner from this morning, currently 47 deg with some wind 💨.  The forecast was for fog, however, the sun is shining brightly with a bright blue cloudless sky ☀️🕶️☀️.

Meet your neighbors for drinks and canapés in the corridors was scheduled before dinner.  Unfortunately, because of the delay in the second landing, many people were still off the ship.  As promised, the Captain maneuvered the ship close to the massive glacier prior to departing the area.  It was breathtaking!  To make this Kodak moment even more special, a portion of the glacier calved right in front of us!  It was sensational 😁🛳️😍🧊!

 

We went to dinner as we sailed out of the fjord.  I enjoyed the Walnut Fried Frog’s Legs!  Not something you eat every day 🐸.  The rack of lamb was excellent and cooked to perfection.  I topped it off with Crepe Suzette which was also quite tasty 😋.

 

We attended the talk on the Northern Lights and then drifted off to sleep.  Sea day tomorrow, so our plan is to sleep in 😴💤😴💤.

 

PS - In an attempt not to rapidly eat through the precious GBs of data, DH helped me shrink the quality of the images.  Just another workaround required by Atlas’ internet throttling.

 

[81Zoomie]

Svalbard - Day 4

 

We were awakened to an announcement.  We looked at each other and said, “Whales”?  Rosalie, the expedition leader announced that we had reached the ice pack.  DH parted the curtains and there was ice as far as you could see.  It was cloudy, but no wind.  We were shocked to learn it was 8 am and scurried off the breakfast.

 

On an expedition, the “plans” are always tentative. Our sea day was switched up for short zodiac rides along the pack ice.  The spring like temperatures and sun of yesterday have given way to a cloudy 35 deg.  Yesterday we shed our parkers, but today was a day to layer up.  Fleece, gloves, and hats 👚🧤🧤🧢 in addition to the jacket were in order.  It was a perfect day for ice running; calm wind and overcast sky.  The colors and patterns in the ice were so picturesque!    The scenery was very calming.

 

Off to lunch for a quick bite!  Hamburgers and hot dogs were being served in addition to the soups, salads, and pasta dishes.  The hot dog 🌭 really hit the spot!  So yummy 😋!  I realize they shave about 10 days off of your life, but YOLO!  The rest of the afternoon is filled with optional lectures as we sail east.  We are still passing through some of the pack ice and everyone is searching for yellow.  That is the color of the polar bears 🐻‍❄️.  This is their natural habitat, so we are hoping to find the elusive needle in the haystack!

 

Some of you are asking about the food and wine.  I would call us wine lovers, maybe a tiny bit wine snobbish.  We favor red wine. 🍷 🍷 This is the first time we have cruised where we have found the included wine palatable.  We were told there are 12 included wines.  So far we have tried three, a Pinot Noir, and 2 Portuguese red blends.  All three were very drinkable YMMV.  The stemware is attractive and suitable.  The champagne 🍾 we had at boarding was fine, but we are really not sparkling people. Included spirits are a bit limited, but I didn’t see any low end mystery brands you see on the mass market cruise lines. DH enjoyed his specialty daiquiri yesterday and my Manhattan was good too.  Even better, it came with 3 cherries 🍒🍒🍒.

 

The food has been excellent 🧑‍🍳.  Breakfast and lunch are buffets.  Definitely not the noisy chaotic atmosphere you experience on the big ships!  While many of the items repeat day to day, there are always new desserts, soups, and entree items.  There is a prosciutto leg for carving, a honey comb, and even a machine to grind your own hazelnut spread.  There is a staff member at a juicing station with baskets of fruits and vegetables for custom made juices!  Dinner has has had an amazing variety for the first 3 days; Beef Wellington, lobster, prime rib, Arctic Char, rack of lamb, and vegetarian and plant based options.  Our food has been nice quality, cooked as ordered, and very tasty!  Portions are reasonably sized and we have seen people order 2 different mains.  Paula’s Pantry has a variety of snacks (including vegan nut/seed bars), smoothies, coffees, and teas.  The staff works with many different dietary requirements and food allergies.
 

Dress - relaxed casual.  No requirement to bring a jacket, tie, or sequins 🎩👔👗.  This is an expedition cruise and we are luggage weight limited, so the atmosphere and realistic expectations are welcome.  Everyone looks comfortable.  But, if you want to wear a tux or gown, you would certainly be welcome.

 

The crew is amazing without smothering you.  They are happy, engaging, and eager to please.  Just ask and they will do their best to meet your needs.

[81Zoomie]

Day 4 Evening - Svalbard- A Whale and a Bear 🐻‍❄️

 

We went to the Dome for cocktails.  There were more folks up there than usual.  Chase was playing the piano and taking requests.  Servers were walking around  with trays of canapés.  It was lovely 🥰.

 

We attended the daily briefing with a recap of the days events as well as the plan for tomorrow.  The plan for tomorrow is to sail way east and visit 2 islands, Storoya and Kvitoyjokulen that are not normally on the agenda.  In fact, the new regulations coming into effect in Jan 2025 will prohibit landings on these islands.  As usual, weather and condition dependent.

 

Off to dinner.  As usual, never crowded, no waiting, no beepers 👏.  We had a lovely dinner.  I tried a sample the dry German Spatburgandier wine 🍷.  It was very light and we quickly reverted to the Ribeiro Santo 2022 Portuguese red.  As we left our dinner table by the windows, there was a call from the bridge about a whale  🐳 sighting.  As we exited the restaurant we heard a loud cheer and thought it was one of the groups aboard.  We were quite a distance from shore and sailing by some islands in the distance.

 

We went up to the Dome after dinner.  It’s a great venue.  We had a drink and participated in the Salsa lesson.  When we arrives we learned that while looking 👀 for the whale 🐳, several people spotted a polar bear 🐻‍❄️ swimming by!!!  Yes, in the middle of open water.  One lady was kind enough to share the iPhone photo below.  She said she thought it was a plastic bag floating by.  Another photographer with the huge lens also captured some shots.  There was video as well.  Sadly, we and many others missed it.  Lesson learned, look for whales because you never know what else may be nearby!

[81Zoomie]

Internet Workarounds

 

As others have commented, wifi is one area where Atlas falls behind the mass market cruise lines.  In fact, it’s a real PITA, unless you want to spend $80 for each new GB of data.  To use your devices like you do on nearly every other cruise line… to stay connected (not stream), maybe FaceTime the grandkids for a few minutes, check your home cameras, reach out to your kids, etc you could easily go through 1 GB in a day.

 

You hear “free” internet.  Then you learn it’s 1 GB.  That is a changing aim point you can’t target.  Then you get the instructions from Atlas on how to save the precious bytes of usage.  Low data mode, turn off refresh, turn off maps, log in and out, the list goes on.

 

The reality, this is 2024, not 1994.  We live in a connected world.  The ship has Starlink and the speed appears good.   I haven’t checked email since we boarded.  My email accounts are off.  Signing in the the Atlas wifi downloaded my stack of email and ate my bytes.  I now have to check on webmail and only read what looks important. iPhone and camera photos (especially live) are big data hogs.  Want to send a photo, you have to shrink its data footprint.  This is another exercise in key strokes and new folders.  I hope when I get home that I can remember everything that was changed and reinstate my normal apps, services, and settings.

 

Bottom line, beyond the recommended Atlas procedures, turning off your mail and shrinking the quality of your pics to 640x will save some of your bytes.  Turning off all notifications on apps is important too. You may wish to experiment with this at home prior to departure. Rant over!

 

Yes, I could turn off my iPad as someone suggested, but then you would not be reading this 🤣😂🤣.  Between the small passenger loads and number of ships there isn’t a lot of info about the AOV.  So few people have the opportunity to sail the Arctic 🥶, especially a Svalbard circumnavigation, that sharing the experience is worth while ❤️.

[81Zoomie]

Day 5 - Svalbard 

 

Good morning from way out in northeast Svalbard off the island of Storoya!  We are still above 80N latitude 🌐.  The ice conditions permitted the planned route 😀👍🥶.  It is 32 deg with cloud cover, 25 kt winds, and a light swell.  The best description of the island scenery would be cold and desolate.  There are snow covered hills/mountains shrouded in clouds in the distance with patches of snow reaching the rocky waterline.  Once again, we are so fortunate the weather conditions are excellent and we will be afforded a rare opportunity to set foot on this island.

 

Voyager is anchored farther than normal off the coast due to shallow and uncharted waters.  The expedition teams took longer than normal to scout the area because of the “very dangerous” polar bear 🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️  potential.  The one long hike and short walk have been reduced to only the short walk.  The team found polar bear tracks and the rifles have to be dispersed to protect the landing zone and allow for a rapid extraction if necessary.  We were instructed  to layer up and plan for a 15-18 min zodiac ride to the island.  The first group of pax went ashore about an hour late ⏰.  The 3 later groups are waiting for our turn.  Patience and flexibility are key attributes for expedition cruising!

 

I loaded up on fruit, carrots, and oatmeal this morning along with regular coffee. A healthy start so I can accommodate a few indulgences later in the day.  How’s that for enabling logic 🤪?  Anyway, it is nearly 11 am and our groups are in a holding pattern.  I’m getting a bit hungry and the homemade Paula’s Pantry vegan bar was a perfect go to snack.

 

While we are waiting, I have a couple of corrections.  There is a vertical grab bar in the shower above the shampoo and conditioner.  I totally overlooked it for a couple of days.  The ham on the buffet is labeled as Cinco Jotas Iberico Bellota Ham, not technically “prosciutto”.  
 

Our turn on shore finally arrived!  We bundled up as instructed, but the wind had calmed and it really wasn’t very cold (says this Floridian 🌴). Martin was our guide.  Last night he was the Salsa 💃 instructor!  The shore looked like a lunar landscape. Pebbles, stones, rocks, and boulders.  It is a polar desert.  The sad part is the beach was also littered with plastic trash to include buoys, nylon rope, buckets, bottles, and even a Nike shoe.  What I thought were hills, was actually a very rare dome glacier.  Our guide pointed out polar bear foot prints 🐾, a bear jaw, whale 🐋 vertebrae, and a micro forest.  The tiny flowers/trees 🌼🌸🪷 could be as old as 100 years!

 

Voyager has now set sail for Kvitoya with a calm sea state!  Our arrival is estimated for 4 pm and the landings will extend into the evening.  We will be in the second group, so perhaps our zodiac ride could be considered a “dinner cruise” 🤷‍♀️.  Timing is less important when there is 24 hours of daylight ☀️🌤️🌞.  

 

 

[81Zoomie]

Day 5 (Continued) - Svalbard - Kvitoya 

 

Greetings from the island of Kvitoya located only 39 miles from Russian territory!  We have arrived, once again, in picture perfect weather conditions.  It is quite cold here 🥶.  Walruses are swimming in several places in the distance.  The first 3 groups launched for zodiac rides, no landings.  They reported polar bears on the beach 🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️!  We searched with binoculars from the ship but couldn’t find them.  The boats were out a LONG time all clustered a safe distance from shore.  The last 3 groups were finally called at nearly 6 pm.  It was now cloudy ☁️, and the visible horizon behind the ship was obscured.  I commented to DH, fog….,however, none of the crew made a mention of it.  The folks returning talked about the bears and many walruses..  We boarded our zodiac where our guide told us there were 3 bears 🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️ on the beach.  Two boats were ahead of us and they raced to shore.  Our boat, for whatever reason, hung back a couple hundred yards. From the rest.  You could just see two moving yellow blobs with a naked eye 👁️.  Taking pics from a bouncing zodiac is an interesting challenge.  DH had a 60X zoom and got some fuzzy pics.  Looking to the right was a fog bank.  Then the ship and several zodiacs disappeared behind us.  The shoreline became fuzzy as well. Unfortunately, our opportunity to see the bears and walruses for more than a few fleeting minutes passed as all the boats were called back to the ship 😢.  Timing is everything, and our evening adventure left many a bit disappointed.

 

With our schedule now opened up, we went to the lounge to relax a bit before dinner.  The restaurant was a little more crowded than normal since the late boats had returned early.  Chase was performing after dinner in the Dome.  The fog miraculously cleared, and we could see whale 🐳 spouts and then a fluke in the distance.  It was a nice way to conclude the evening.

 

 

[earth117]

Thanks for your posts, it's a lot of fun seeing the similarities and differences to the previous sailing. You're going a lot further to the east than we did. Tip for the zodiac excursions: try to ride with Sasha - he seems to go further afield than others, is supercompetent (spent 5 winters working in Antarctica), is funny, and has great stories. 

[81Zoomie]

Day 6 - Somewhere in Svalbard

The ship is back below 80 deg N. DH parted the curtains 😒😴😏 and woke me early since we are in the first group this morning at 9 am.  The restaurant was quite empty at 7:15.  After looking at the weather, I decided to skip the bird watching expedition.  I was really torn, but I just needed a break from suiting up. 

 

We awoke to low ceilings and a little fog.  It feels quite cold and very blustery 💨.  The starboard side of the ship has some sun  ⛅️ peeking through on the lower portions of the cliffs, while the port side is foggy 🌫️.  It’s quite interesting looking out as the ship marks the dividing line of weather conditions.  I am loving my warm and cozy solitary perch in the Dome.  And, I can see 100s of birds flying and floating about 🐦🐦🐦🐦. Win-win 🫶🏻.

 

This afternoon’s activity is yet to be announced.  We are all wishing it includes a location that affords the possibility of seeing bears!  I went to the bridge to get some insights into the plans.  The Captain said that if the weather holds we will sail up a fjord that is not far away.  The ceiling is hovering at ~100-200 ft, but the visibility is very good below.  Hoping for the best 👍.

 

Random - We get our $39.99 bag of laundry today!  The bag is over twice as big as the one you get on Celebrity or HAL! - The open bridge policy is a nice touch. - Paula’s pantry has lots of special juices and snacks besides teas and coffees.

 

DH came back from his bird 🐦🐦🐦🐦 watching adventure a little damp and he was in the back of the boat.  He said the people in the front got soaked.  They did see 1000s of the water birds and learned a lot about them.  After his cold wet ride he was ready to get his blood pumping and was off for a run 🏃🏽‍♂️ on the treadmill (AKA - the dreadmill).  Not wanting to be a total slacker this morning, I went too and used the free weights.  They are in kilos, so it’s a little math and a little feel to get the correct weight.    There are 2 tread mills, and upright, and recumbent bike.  I was hoping for an elliptical, but not on this ship.  We had a private gym 🏋️👟💪 no one else was there 😀.

 

We popped up to the Dome as we sailed into the fjord.  There were several passengers with BIG camera lens and binoculars all scouting the area for polar bears.  None were seen.  The afternoon excursions were boat rides around the small chunks of ice in front of the massive glacier.  Our guide estimated it was 40 meters tall and 30 km wide!  The sky was clear blue again with calm winds.  We had ideal weather conditions for scenic cruising!

 

Nice get together in the Dome followed by a lovely dinner.  I had the Fole Gras, Halibut, and Be Mine.  We were instructed to enjoy the fabulous weather after dinner as tomorrow maybe cloudy and foggy.  It’s 10 pm, the sun is shining and the sky is a clear blue ☀️, calm winds, and 48 deg!!!  It is simply gorgeous 😍.

 

 

[81Zoomie]

No bears sighted on Day 6 with the exception of this ice sculpture 😍🥶😍!

[81Zoomie]

Day 7 - More fjords in Svalbard

 

We awoke to blue skies, sun, and water like glass.  It is absolutely stunning!  This mornings adventure is a walk or hike up to a glacier.  It is warmer than expected and the staff has said to dress lightly.  I selected rain pants instead of ski pants, and a windbreaker for the zodiac ride.  

 

The rifle team is deployed, but so far today, no bear 🐻‍❄️ sightings.  The terrain was all rocks and/or ice.  We were encouraged to take walking poles due to the uneven and sometimes slippery surface.  It was much more of an uphill 🗻 adventure than I anticipated.  The view from the top, however, was awesome.  Everyone was back on the ship in time for lunch.  Calamari, shrimp or cold coconut soup, pork, chicken, beef, the usual spread of interesting salad and plant based options, and more was waiting for us 😋.

 

We tried to nap after lunch, but were awakened by an announcement.  Voyager was sailing through fog and there was a white “fog bow”.  I saw another as well.  Who knew there was such a thing?

 

The scenery is absolutely phenomenal in this area.  Calm water, snow/glacier capped hills, and a thin strip of fog.  The ship has arrived at a small strip of land that is covered with 30-40 walruses.  Because the weather is awesome and the animals appear to be napping in the sun the plan is for a shore landing.  We will be able to walk closer to the walruses and not disturb them.   It’s now 32 deg, and our parkas and ski pants will keep us warm on the zodiac.  It will be after 5 pm before our group is called to prepare.

[81Zoomie]

Day 7+

 

Our time on shore with the walruses was great!  Our guides escorted us fairly close to the animals.  They were huge males, 80-100 of them weighing up to 4000 lbs ⚖️😳.  There were a few swimming about, but most were lounging on shore.  A few were quite photogenic and appeared to pose for us in the water.  It was a wonderful experience!

 

When back on board we toasted our adventure in the Dome.  I simply love this venue 🥰.  Dinner wasn’t particularly appealing to me so I ordered several appetizers and dessert (of course 👍).  We attended the daily wrap up and heard about the plan for tomorrow.  That concluded another wonderful day in Svalbard.

[81Zoomie]

Day 8 - Svalbard - Glacier & Shore

 

Hello from Brasvellbreen the largest glacier in the northern hemisphere!  It’s HUGE at 160-180 km wide and 20+ m tall.  Today is overcast and COLD 🥶☁️🧊.  Everyone is layered up.  I opted to use some toe warmers since we will be on the zodiacs for 1.5 hours.

 

This glacier is enormous and fills the entire horizon.  There are countless waterfalls flowing off the top and middle of the ice.  Portions of the edge look like marble due to the sediment lines.  It is definitely something to behold.  We thoroughly enjoyed our scenic cruising this morning.  The glacier even calved for us!  And, as we approached the ship, up came a zodiac complete with champagne on ice and crystal flutes 🍾🥰🥂.  It was a very nice treat and we all lifted our glasses in a toast to Atlas and an amazing adventure.  Now it’s time to get inside and warm up.  But just before we do… 3 Beluga whales swam along the glacier and waterfalls 💦.

 

The ship has moved slightly near dry land immediately adjacent to the glacier, a point called Vibebukta. This will accommodate a shore landing while still being able to view the mammoth stretch of ice surrounding us.  There will be 3 options for activities this afternoon.  Option1 - strenuous hike uphill about 750 m vertical to touch the glacier.  Option 2 - a more casual walk along the rocky beach.  Option 3 - A scenic zodiac ride for this who are mobility challenged.  DH is eager to clamber up the rocky slope and touch the glacier.  I had my fill of rocky climbs yesterday and will enjoy the leisurely stroll along the beach.  The guides are currently out scouting for bears 🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️ to insure the landing area is safe.  We  passengers are starting to wonder if the bears have gone away on a summer vacation of their own 🏖️🏝️🏖️.  They are certainly proving to be very elusive.

 

The ride to the landing site was a little farther away than it looked.  The shoreline as well as all the areas free of snow were rocks.  Small pebbles and rocks but no large boulders like in previous days.  The “slow” hike as it was called was very short and extremely slow.  We did have a nice zodiac ride back to the ship and spotted some walruses.  The adventurous hike was aborted well short of the glacier due to unstable rock conditions.  DH and I ended up back in the mud room at the same time.  Today’s excursions would best be described as low key and relaxing.  

 

There was one exciting moment for a group on one of the zodiacs during the morning glacier cruising.  Someone spotted some white movement in the water.  The first thought was perhaps more Beluga whales.  What happened next was quite surprising and startling.  A piece of the glacier below the water and not visible broke free and abruptly launched up the surface.  In a manner of seconds a small pyramidal iceberg appeared with great force.  Fortunately, the zodiac was not in the spot where the ice 🧊 emerged.

 

The Dome was hopping this evening before dinner.  We have never seen it so full.  Dinner was very good this evening.  We had the seafood appetizers and the braised short ribs.  They were very tender and flavorful.  DH had the strawberry dessert.  I ordered the baked pear with Brie.  I also ordered the strawberry 🍓 sorbet because the pear description was a bit confusing.  Good call on my part.  The pair Brie pastry looked a bit like a burrito and the pear 🍐 was hard and not cooked.  One interesting item is that we just noticed the olive oil and vinegar bottles on every table have AOV ship specific branding!

 

After dinner there was a question and answer session with the excursion staff in the Dome.  It was a good opportunity to get to know them all a little better.  It’s a luck of the draw who you are paired up with when you are in the zodiac or on shore.  
 

It is foggy 🌫️ and rainy 💦 outside this evening.  We shall see what the morning brings.

[81Zoomie]

WANTED!

 

Shaggy 4 legged creature last seen several days ago.  White/yellow fuzzy hair and large feet.  Unpredictable disposition.  Dangerous, do not approach!  Contact AOV World Voyager Expedition Staff if spotted!

 

 

[81Zoomie]

Day 9 - Somewhere in southern Svalbard

 

Our luck with the weather ran out this morning.  We awoke to FOG 🌫️.  Voyager sailed past the first planned stop at Sundanese, a lush island with abundant wildlife, birds, & bones.  Fog presents a safety issue because the crew is unable to spot polar bears 🐻‍❄️. Safety first, and we are grateful for their diligence!  The ship is sailing to the afternoon destination showcasing walruses and an old hut.  The only thing we have seen today are the calm seas and the faint outline of Ponant’s flagship Le Commandant Charcot as Voyager sailed past.

 

Two lectures have been added to the daily program.  The first talk was about the differences between the Arctic and Antarctica.  It was very interesting 🧐.  The next lecture is about the history of Svalbard.  DH liked it.  I opted to walk the stairs and decks to get some exercise.  There will be salsa 💃 dancing in the Dome as well.  Other options to pass the time include the hot tubs, spa, games in the Dome, walk on the top decks, a nosh at Pauls’s Pantry, and/or a nap!  The crew is using this time to do some maintenance on the zodiacs. It is getting lighter outside and there is now a faint horizon in the distance.  Hopefully, the weather will continue to improve.  

 

Lunch became somewhat of an activity today.  There were a lot of people eager to eat!   The “live cooking” option this afternoon was chicken fajitas.  My favorite, however, was dessert 🍨.  The lemon cheesecake ice cream is the best!  Another new option was raspberry quark.  No one leaves a meal hungry 😀👍🥰.  

 

DH and I played a game of cribbage.  We have a handy lightweight travel set we bring along for days like this.  Voyager just dropped anchor⚓️ at our afternoon location.  Unfortunately, the fog is anchored with us 🤦‍♀️.  The fog banks roll in and out.  One minute it is clear, the next we are socked in again.  The passengers up in the Dome joked it looks like San Francisco.  The scheduled time for the first group has already passed.  The expedition leader told us the weather has to stabilize before anyone can leave the ship 🛳️.  We are “clearly” not there yet!!!  

[81Zoomie]

Day 9 - continued…

I am including some additional ship pics of the Atlas Lounge, the smoking area near the pool, the handwashing location prior to the dining room, and the Dome liquor selection. Finally, hats off to Atlas for having lovely crystal and glassware! 

Edited July 24 by 81Zoomie

[kennetro]

Thank you so much, 81Zoomie!!!  I find myself visiting your ongoing commentary the very first thing when I "boot up" every morning, and am finding it fascinating to say the least!!!  Your trip looks spectacular, & I thank you for allowing us to travel "with you"!   We will be on the Navigator just 4 weeks from today, so I'm really appreciating all the additional information about the ship / dining / "Dome / etc.  Safe travels. 

[81Zoomie]

26 minutes ago, kennetro said:

Thank you so much, 81Zoomie!!!  I find myself visiting your ongoing commentary the very first thing when I "boot up" every morning, and am finding it fascinating to say the least!!!  Your trip looks spectacular, & I thank you for allowing us to travel "with you"!   We will be on the Navigator just 4 weeks from today, so I'm really appreciating all the additional information about the ship / dining / "Dome / etc.  Safe travels. 

You are so welcome.  Let me know if you have any questions!

[jimrpa]

Thanks so much for these updates. I will be on Voyager at the end of August on the Reykjavik to Longyearbyem sailing. I did an 11 day Antarctic trip on Voyager last November and loved it (my first cruise). I don’t understand the deal with AOV and Wi-Fi though. It feels like they’re nickel-and-diming us with it. They should just make it unlimit d and raise prices by a couple hundred dollars if they’re trying to cover some cost. 
A couple of questions:

1. How much Wi-Fi have you used so far?

2. Have you found any cell coverage anywhere? Obviously, there’s no cell service in Antarctica, but I wasn’t sure if the ship sailed close enough to inhabited areas of the arctic to get cell reception. 

[Queen of DaNile]

Thanks for your posts from a fellow Floridian. Trying to decide between Atlas and Seabourn for the Arctic in 2026 so this thread is very helpful.

[81Zoomie]

Day 9 - Afternoon

 

The fog came and the fog left.  Then there was a bit of rain.  The expedition team finally announced that there would be a short excursion to shore to se the walruses and reindeer.  Just before the first group left the ship there was another announcement 📣.  We anticipated cancellation because of the conditions.  Instead we heard there would be no shore landing, just a short zodiac ride, because there was a BEAR 🐻‍❄️ lounging on the hillside!  Finding another bear was unexpected.  Maybe they like lousy weather?!?

 

By this time it was cloudy and rainy, but the bear motivated a lot of people to suit up.  Our turn finally came and we zipped to the cove.  A white/yellow spec on a hill takes a bit of time to locate.  Finally, we located the bear with binoculars. You could just see its shape with your eyes.  However, unless you have a jumbo zoom lens, not a point and shoot, you will not get a quality photo.  (See pic 1).  The boats stayed quite a way off shore, and the bear was quite a distance up the hill.  We also saw some walruses and reindeer.  By this time the clouds, fog, and rain were all combining.  It was a good test of how good “waterproof” gear actually was.

 

We had just enough time for warm showers before the daily recap and dinner.  There were also short lectures by the staff about wind and reindeer.  Dinner was busy this evening.  I’d say the menu selections and flavor were average this evening.  I had the plant based mousakka, but I think there was maybe some crumbled meat in it.  The one thing that stood out was the baklava.  It was so good, DH had two 😊!  We went up to the Dome after dinner.  There were only a handful of people up there.  By this time, the weather cleared and the view of the glaciers and mountains was fantastic!

Edited July 25 by 81Zoomie