Riviera Travel Voyage to the Arctic and Spitsbergen

– Experience the midnight sun within the Arctic Circle
– Enjoy a programme of fascinating lecture by the on-board team of expedition guides
– Visit the vast glaciers, icebergs and fjords of Spitsbergen

– 7nts on-board the new MV Ocean Albatros
– 2nts in hotel
– Return flights and transfers
– Programme of daily tours & visits onboard
– Full board cruise, B&B hotel
– Services of an expert tour manager
– Checked luggage

Day 1 – Departure
Fly to Oslo where you’ll spend the night

Day 2 – Longyearbyen & Embarkation
Today, you’ll fly from Oslo to Svalbard, where you’ll board the MV Ocean Albatross to begin your exciting Arctic Voyage

Day 3 – Regnardneset & Lilliehöök Glacier
Awake in the magnificent Krossfjord. There is a planned landing during the morning at Möllerhamna (or in another suitable location). In the afternoon, continue further north into the fjords. Depending on the ice, you’ll navigate past the magnificent scenery in the bay of Fjortende Juli.

Day 4 – Smeerenburg & Ytre Norskøya
The day may begin with a cruise in Danskergattet, looking for seals in Virgohamna, before crossing from Danskøya to Amsterdamøya to make a landing at Smeerenburg, a legendary whaling town of the 17th century. If conditions allow, you will also make a landing on Ytre Norskøya, where whalers would have their lookout posts.

Day 5 – Alkefjellet & Torrelnesset
In the morning we arrive and cruise slowly by the famous Alkefjellet (subject to weather conditions). The whole area is home to a dense congregation of Brünichs guillemots and you will have a good chance of seeing their frantic activity both along the cliffs and in the sea in front. More wildlife awaits us as we land at the polar desert landscapes of Torrelnesset. The beach here is home to a host of walruses that lay amongst each other

Day 6 – Cruising towards the pack ice & Sjuøyane
During the night the ship will steer far north towards the edge of the polar pack ice in search of polar bears! During the day, lectures on polar mammals, the environment and local culture can be enjoyed on board in the Viking Theatre. Continue to the smaller islands of Sjuøyane in the far north of Svalbard. Weather permitting, you will land and walk these most northern landmasses, an area rich in birdlife.

Day 7 – Liefde Fjord With Monaco Glacier And Texas Bar
During the night we sail towards Wood Fjord and its branch, the Liefde Fjord where we hope to slow cruise along the broad glacier front of Monacobreen. This gives a unique insight of the glacial forces and the numerous forms of icebergs. The ice front is named after Albert I of Monaco, who was a major sponsor of Svalbard research.

Many trappers historically hunted and trapped in these areas and some built cabins to stay over the winter. The cabin known as Texas Bar built in 1927, is said to be named after the US state of Texas. Weather permitting, you can visit the area around the cabin and enjoy the surrounding scenery.

Day 8 – Ny Ålesund & Ny London
Today, enter the beautiful Kongs Fjord known for the former mining settlement and stunning scenery. The first landing will be at Ny Ålesund – further north than Longyearbyen it makes it the northernmost town consisting of scientific stations, a post office and a single shop.

On the opposite side of the fjord, find the abandoned marble mining settlement Ny London. Wander amongst the ruins of workshops, locomotives and cranes, testament to the great but failed investments. After the visit, we begin to head south towards the entrance to the Isfjord back towards Longyearbyen.

Day 9 – Disembarkation & Oslo
Disembark and board a flight back to Oslo. On arrival, transfer to the hotel for your overnight stay.

Day 10 – Oslo & Return flight
This morning, enjoy an inclusive sightseeing tour around Norway’s capital city. A scenic drive will take you past the modern Opera house, Karl Johans gate, Akerhus Castle and Fortress and the Royal Palace. You will also be taken for views of the city from Holmenkollen ski jump and for a visit to Vigeland Park to see some of the 200 sculptures cast in bronze, granite and iron by Gustav Vigeland.

This afternoon, transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

MV Ocean Albatross

Scandic Sjølyst Hotel, Oslo
The Scandic Sjølyst Hotel, is centrally located in Skøyen, only 5 mins by train from Oslo city centre.

Tour Essentials

• Currency: Norwegian Krone on land and US dollars onboard the ship
• Flight time: UK/Oslo approx. 2 hrs 15 mins, Oslo/Longyearbyen approx. 3hrs.
• Language: Norwegian
• Time zone: GMT+1
• Country: Norway
• Plug type: Standard European 2-pin round

Visa Information

UK Citizens do not require a visa to enter Norway however must have a valid passport.

Health Information

Whilst the travelling schedule shall pose no problems for people of any age in normal physical health, we should point out that shore excursions are always over uneven, sometimes snow-covered ground and involve stepping into and sitting on the side of an inflatable Zodiac dinghy.

For these reasons this holiday is not suitable for clients of impaired mobility. Please note the Expedition Leader reserves the right to deny participation in shore excursions to anyone deemed to pose a risk to themselves or others.

*All transfer times listed here are approximate