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This expedition cruise to Svalbard’s
remote northern and eastern regions on board the MV Polar Star
provides you with the opportunity to experience at close hand the
unique wildlife, awesome landscape and overwhelming silence of the
Arctic. Our ship is one of the most comfortable ice class vessels
available for polar expeditions and she can safely explore areas that
many others simply cannot reach. Your final itinerary is dependent on
weather and ice conditions, but we aim to explore the remote northern
and eastern regions of Spitsbergen – perhaps circumnavigating the
island.
From EURO 4778 - pr.
person on Double Occupancy basis in an Inside Cabin for sailings in
June & early July 2010
From EURO 5056 - pr.
person on Double Occupancy basis in an Inside Cabin for sailings in
July & Aug 2010
From EURO 5343 - pr.
person on Double Occupancy basis in an Inside Cabin for Aug 19th
sailing
Click
here for Itinerary
DEPARTURE DATES:
June
10, 17, 24; July 1, 8, 15, 22,
29; Aug 5, 12 & 19
Cruise
itinerary, Expedition Cruise - MV Polar Star
Price includes: Voyage
in cabin grade of your choice including full board, sightseeing in
Longyearbyen, 1 night at Spitsbergen Hotel (half board), transfers as
applicable.
Not included: travel insurance, international flights, luggage
handling, optional excursions, gratuities, fuel surcharges
Thursday (day 1)
09.55 SK4414 from Oslo, via
Tromsø (arr. 11.45, dep. 12.15), arrival
13.55, airport shuttle NOK 50,- pr. person.
20.40 SK4496 from Oslo, direct flight, arrival 23.30
22.50 SK4492 from Tromsø, arrival 00.30 (Friday). Connecting flight
from Oslo to Tromsø: SK4432, 18.30 - 20.20.
23.30 Transfer to Spitsbergen Hotel after arrival included.
00.30 Transfer to Spitsbergen Hotel after arrival included.
Friday (day 2)
07.00 Breakfast is served until 10.00. Check-out time.
10.00 Information meeting at the hotel, then time on your own.
12.30 Lunch in Funktionærmessen Restaurant at Spitsbergen Hotel.
13.30 Sightseeing in Longyearbyen, visit at the Svalbard Museum, ends
at the pier.
15.30 Embarkation MV Polar Star.
16.00 Sailing time from Longyearbyen.
18.30 Arrival Barentsburg. Sightseeing with guide (English speaking)
and possibility to visit the Pomor Museum on your own (NOK 40,
no guiding).
19.30 Russian folklore show. Time to look around, and for
souvenir-shopping (cash only, in NOK, Euro and USD). Return to the
ship
by walking the stairs down to the harbour.
21.00 Sailing time from Barentsburg.
At night time we sail out of the Isfjorden, then northbound along the
coast of the Prins Karls Forland.
Saturday (day 3)
09.00 Arrival time Ny-Ålesund. Guided walk in town, with information
about the history of coalmining and exploration. Time for
individual walk around, museum visit and souvenir shopping (credit
cards accepted).
11.30 Sailing time from Ny-Ålesund.
We pass the seven glaciers named Sjubre-flaket, before reaching
Spitsbergen's northwest corner. Arrival in the Magdalenefjorden and
the Smeerenburgfjorden in the afternoon.
Sunday (day 4)
When reaching the Woodfjord we can see Nordaustlandet in the horizon.
Crossing the 80° parallel sailing by the Moffen Island, before heading
further east towards the Hinlopen strait and the remote parts of
Spitsbergen.
Monday (day 5)
Depending on the weather- and ice-conditions we sail south through the
Hinlopen strait with fjords on each side (alternative route when
meeting heavy pack ice is southbound around Sørkapp in order to reach
the east coast). We aim to visit the astonishing bird cliff
Alkefjellet by the Lomfjorden. Zodiac landings at interesting sites.
If possible to Vibebukta near the Austfonna glacier.
Tuesday (day 6)
Now we are in the land of the polar bear. Possible alternative route
early in the season is north along Nordaustlandet, via
Wahlenbergfjorden or Murchinsonfjorden and then in the direction of
Sjuøyane. Possible route later in the season is via Sørport, towards
Storfjord and Edgeøya where we make landings, before sailing on around
Sørkapp (South Cape).
Wednesday (day 7)
If reaching the very south of Spitsbergen we sail northbound on the
westcoast, and into the beautiful fjord of Hornsund where we make
landings.
Thursday (day 8)
Return to the Isfjorden in the afternoon, with possibilities for
landing in the areas of the Billefjorden and Skansebukta. Captain's
farewell party in the evening.
Friday (day 9)
02.00 Approximately arrival time in Longyearbyen. Disembarkation.
02.15 Night transfer from the pier to the airport.
04.05 SK4493/SK4407 to Oslo, via Tromsø (arr. Tromsø 05.40, dep.
06.50), arrival Oslo 08.45.
04.50 SK4497 to Oslo, direct flight, arrival 07.45.
08.00 Latest embarkation from the ship for late departures or those
with additional nights No breakfast included. Transfer from harbour to
Spitsbergen Hotel where it is possible to buy breakfast (NOK 85,- per
person) and leave the luggage.
14.45 SK4425 to Oslo, via Tromsø (arr. 16.20, dep. 17.10), arrival
19.00, airport shuttle NOK 50,- per person.
Departure Aug 19 - Kvitøya
Thursday (day 1)
09.55 SK4414 from Oslo, via Tromsø (arr. 11.45, dep. 12.15), arrival
13.55, airport shuttle NOK 50,- pr. person.
20.40 SK4496 from Oslo, direct flight, arrival 23.30
22.50 SK4492 from Tromsø, arrival 00.30 (Friday). Connecting flight
from Oslo to Tromsø: SK4432, 18.30 - 20.20.
23.30 Transfer to Spitsbergen Hotel after arrival included.
00.30 Transfer to Spitsbergen Hotel after arrival included.
Friday (day 2)
07.00 Breakfast is served until 10.00. Check-out time.
10.00 Information meeting at the hotel, then time on your own.
12.30 Lunch in Funktionærmessen Restaurant at Spitsbergen Hotel.
13.30 Sightseeing in Longyearbyen, visit at the Svalbard Museum, ends
at the pier.
15.30 Embarkation MV Polar Star.
16.00 Sailing time from Longyearbyen.
18.30 Arrival Barentsburg. Sightseeing with guide (English speaking)
and possibility to visit the Pomor Museum on your own (NOK 40,
no guiding).
19.30 Russian folklore show. Time to look around, and for
souvenir-shopping (cash only, in NOK, Euro and USD). Return to the
ship by walking the stairs down to the harbour.
21.00 Sailing time from Barentsburg.
At night time we sail out of the Isfjorden, then northbound along the
coast of the Prins Karls Forland.
Saturday (day 3)
09.00 Arrival time Ny-Ålesund. Guided walk in town, with information
about the history of coalmining and exploration. Time for
individual walk around, museum visit and souvenir shopping (credit
cards accepted).
11.30 Sailing time from Ny-Ålesund.
We pass the seven glaciers named Sjubre-flaket, before reaching
Spitsbergen's northwest corner. Arrival in the Magdalenefjorden and
the Smeerenburgfjorden in the afternoon.
Sunday (day 4)
During the night we sail east towards Hinlopen strait and
Nordaustlandet, and will pass Moffen and 800 parallel. The morning is
spent exploring the northern parts of Hinlopen strait. The first stop
of the day will be Kinnvika on Nordaustlandet. This is where Professor
Hauke Trinks and Marie Tieche spent the winter 2002/03 in search of
the beginning of life. Kinnvika was originally a Swedish research
station during the last geophysical year in 1957, and most of the
buildings are still standing. In the afternoon we sail northbound
towards the northernmost point in Europe, Rossøya. In order to make a
landing here we need nice and calm weather, and no drift ice. We then
continue further east along the northern parts of Nordaustlandet,
passing sites where rescue teams was searching for the Italian Polar
Explorer Umberto Nobile and his crew on the airship ”Italia” in 1928.
Monday (day 5)
We are now at the eastern parts of Nordaustlandet, and the plan is to
reach Kvitøya, the easternmost island in the Svalbard archipelago.
Kvitøya is 98% covered by the ice cap Kvitøyjøkulen. We plan to land
at Andréeneset, the western point of Kvitøya where the relics of the
Andrée expedition were found in 1930. They failed in their attempt to
fly over the North pole with the balloon “örnen” (the eagle). In the
afternoon we head south for Edgeøya and Barentsøya, the third and
fourth largest islands on the Svalbard archipelago.
Tuesday (day 6)
When reaching the nearby waters of Barentsøya and Edgeøya there are
several possibilities for landings around Freemansundet. One could be
the old trappers hut at Sundneset on Barentsøya, another Kapp Lee on
Edgeøya. Later the same day we head south to Diskobukta on Edgeøya for
a landing. From the tree-trunk littered beach we take a walk up to the
rim of a narrow gully which is occupied by thousands of Kittiwakes. By
the foot of these cliffs the chances are good to spot Polar Foxes that
searches for young birds that have fallen from the nests. During the
night we sail around Sørkapp, the southernmost point of Spitsbergen.
Wednesday (day 7)
In the morning we sail into the beautiful fjords of the Hornsund area
of southern Spitsbergen. Surrounded by the scenic towering mountain
peaks in between the 14 magnificent glaciers in the area we understand
why this is seen upon as one of the most spectacular areas of Svalbard.
The majestic peak of Hornsundtind (1,431 m) tells us why Dutch
explorers gave the name Spitsbergen (peaked mountains) to the island.
There are possibilities for visiting the Polish research station in
Isbjørnhamna and the bird mountain of Sofiekammen at Gnålodden.
Thursday (day 8)
Returning to the Isfjord we still have a lot to explore; the old Dutch
whaling stations at Trygghamna, the beginning of the coal industry at
Bohemanneset, the beauty of Skansebukta where we also find remains of
an old gypsum mine. In the afternoon we all enjoy the captains fare
well dinner before heading towards Longyearbyen for disembarkation.
Friday (day 9)
02.00 Approximately arrival time in Longyearbyen. Disembarkation.
02.15 Night transfer from the pier to the airport.
04.05 SK4493/SK4407 to Oslo, via Tromsø (arr. Tromsø 05.40, dep.
06.50), arrival Oslo 08.45.
04.50 SK4497 to Oslo, direct flight, arrival 07.45.
08.00 Latest embarkation from the ship for late departures or those
with additional nights No breakfast included. Transfer from harbour to
Spitsbergen Hotel where it is possible to buy breakfast (NOK 85,- per
person) and leave the luggage.
14.45 SK4425 to Oslo, via Tromsø (arr. 16.20, dep. 17.10), arrival
19.00, airport shuttle NOK 50,- per person.
• We make landings approximately two times a
day.
• Schedule will change when ice- and weather-conditions make it
necessary. This usually occurs on early departures in June.
Circumnavigation can not be guaranteed, but normally we manage to
circumnavigate at the end of July.
• Full board is included in the program.
From EURO 4778 - pr.
person on Double Occupancy basis in an Inside Cabin for sailings in
June & early July 2010
From EURO 5056 - pr.
person on Double Occupancy basis in an Inside Cabin for sailings in
July & Aug 2010
From EURO 5343 - pr.
person on Double Occupancy basis in an Inside Cabin for Aug 19th
sailing
Price includes: Voyage
in cabin grade of your choice including full board, sightseeing in
Longyearbyen, 1 night at Radisson BLU Polar Hotel (half board),
transfers as applicable.
Not included: travel insurance, international flights, luggage
handling, optional excursions, gratuities, fuel surcharges
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