Polar Star's Spitsbergen programs feature naturalist guides, lectures and Zodiac landings.

To view a virtual tour of Spitsbergen, click here.

POLAR STAR'S CIRCUMNAVIGATING SPITSBERGEN PROGRAM

DAY 1 - DEPART THE U.S. (If you are based outside North America, contact us and we will subtract airfare from rates). Depart from the U.S. on your transatlantic flight to Oslo.

DAY 2 - OSLO
Morning arrival in Oslo. Transfer to downtown. You'll have the rest of the day to explore this interesting capital with its sights including the Vigeland Park, the Norwegian Folke Museum, and the Holmenkollen Ski Jump.

DAY 3 - OSLO/LONGYEARBYEN - B
Breakfast at your hotel. Day at leisure. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Longyearbyen. Arrive in Longyearbyen shortly after midnight, where you'll be met by a guide and transfer to the Spitsbergen Hotel. Overnight

DAY 4 - LONGYEARBYEN/EMBARKATION/BARENTSBURG - B,L,D
After breakfast, an information meeting will be held. Time on you own before lunch. After lunch you'll enjoy a sightseeing tour of Longyearbyen before embarking the ice breaker MS Polar Star where a welcome meeting will be held, familiarizing you with the ship and crew. Now your adventure begins-seals, whales, an abundant birdlife, unique Arctic flora, and hopefully, polar bears will fill your days. Your journey is enhanced by daily lectures covering each day's upcoming itinerary, and questions regarding places and sights already experienced. On you way out of the Isfjord, you'll call at Barentsburg, a Russian mining community and the headquarters for Russian activities in Svalbard, where you'll enjoy a guided tour.

DAY 5 - NY ALESUND/MAGDALENEFJORD/SMEERENBURGFJORD - B,L,D Today you'll have reached the northern parts of the Prins Karls Forland Island, one of many natural parks, with its sharply-peaked mountains on all sides surrounded by massive glaciers that will take your breath away, and a remarkable wildlife, including walruses, seals, wild reindeer, and Arctic foxes. Continue passed the majestic Kongsfjord to the international research center of Ny-Alesund, also the starting point for many 1920s expeditions trying for the North Pole, where you'll enjoy a guided tour. Then proceed north to the famous Magdalenefjord, one of the most beautiful fjords in Spitsbergen, with its steep, towering rock faces edged by surrounding rugged mountains interrupted by several glaciers. Thousands of rare little auks can be found here, and whale spotting is possible. You'll then enter into the Smeerenburgfjord, another spectacular fjord, and the first stop will be at Amsterdamoya and Danskoya. Visit the old whale hunting site where the Dutch whalers started up whaling in the seventh century. In Zodiacs, you'll cross the narrow sound over to Virgohamna at Danskoya, most famous as the starting point for the Swede Andre in his 1897 attempt to reach the North Pole with the balloon Eagle. Farther along the north coast, landing sites and the route of the ship are dependent on weather and ice conditions. Early in the season, there may be pack ice, making it difficult to go far north, but the chance of seeing large Arctic animals is greater at this time of year. The aim is to cross the 80-degree latitude line and try to reach the more easterly parts of Spitsbergen.

DAY 6 - WOODFJORD - B,L,D
Today you'll continue round the northeast corner of Spitsbergen, while Nordaustlandet appears in the distance. Enter into the spectacular Woodfjord, weather permitting. You'll have the opportunity to take a closer look at the impressive Monaco Glacier and make Zodiac landings for an up-close experience of the animals, birds, and wildflowers that give color and vitality to the harsh beauty of the High Arctic.

DAYS 7-10 - HINLOPEN STRAIT/AUSTFONNA GLACIER/IN THE LAND OF THE POLAR BEARS - B,L,D
Glaciers, fjords and ice will dominate these days. King Winter never really relaxes his grip on the east coast of Spitsbergen, which is majestic in its infinite silence. Here you'll find some of Svalbard's most desolate regions, including Nordaustlandet, the second largest island, which is for the most part completely covered by two enormous glaciers. The larger one, Austfonna, has a spectacular front 124 miles and is the origin of Svalbard's largest icebergs. And while navigating through Hinlopen Strait you'll enjoy fjords on each side. Weather permitting, participate in a Zodiac landing for a close-up encounter with the glacier ice. Alternative route early in the season: North along Nordaustlandet, via Wahlenbergfjord, and then on in the direction of Sjuoyane. Alternative route later in the season: via Edgeoya, Storfjord and around the Southern Cape. The program will depend on weather and ice conditions. Ships can sail through Hinlopen Strait early in the season, ice conditions permitting. Early summer is for those who want to experience large amounts of ice and an abundance of bird life. Consider later in the season to go further east, and perhaps sail around all of Spitsbergen.

DAY 11 - DISEMBARKATION/RETURN TO THE U.S. - B (or your country of origin)
Early morning arrival in Longyearbyen. Transfer with your guide to the airport for your return flight to the U.S. (or your country of origin)

The Polar Star, 3500 tons, 94 berths, 46 outside cabins, modernized in 2000. She has a dining room, a public lounge, a lecture hall, a library and a bar. The Arctic expedition ship has a fleet of Zodiacs for excursions (photo courtesy: Norwegian Coastal Voyage).

Departure Dates:
July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; Aug. 5, 12, 2010.
Plus August 19, 2010. (This variation on the traditional Kingdom of the Polar Bear itinerary includes the opportunity to visit Kvitoya along the island of Nordauslandet, Svalbard’s second largest island.)

Rates: Please contact us to hear about our discounts.

Rates include: Transfers in Spitsbergen; One night accommodation at Spitsbergen hotel including breakfast; Accommodations in select cabin category; Three meals daily shipboard; Port charges; Services of the expedition guides; Lectures and Zodiac landings.

We offer the right Spitsbergen cruise at the right price. Call 1-800-334-6544 (U.S.) or +1-212-480-4521 (International) or go to How to Book.

Polar Bears
Approximately 4,500 polar bears inhabit Spitsbergen. Polar bears can be seen in the east, north, and south, and polar bear spotting is also common along the western fjords and coastlines. Visits of the polar bears to settlements around Spitsbergen are familiar sights.

For other Spitsbergen voyages, click here