North Spitsbergen, In search of Polar Bear & Pack Ice – Hondius, June 2022

North Spitsbergen, In search of Polar Bear & Pack Ice – Hondius, June 2022

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Trip Summary

Dates: Jun 2, 2022 – Jun 9, 2022
Duration: 8 Days
Ship: Hondius
Adventure Options: Photography
Starting at $3,850.00View Prices

About the 8-day Spitsbergen Classic Itinerary

Itinerary Map

Pricing Information

$3,850 - Quadruple Porthole
$4,750
Limited - Triple Porthole
$5,300 - Twin Porthole
$5,750 - Twin Window
$6,100 - Twin Deluxe
$6,900 - Superior
$7,400 - Junior Suite
$8,550 - Grand Suite with Private Balcony

About the 8-day Spitsbergen Classic Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

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Day 1- LONGYEARBYEN, BOARDING OCEAN ATLANTIC

Arrival to Longyearbyen, Capital of Svalbard – possibly the northernmost ‘real’ town in the world.

Our vessel, Ocean Atlantic, is docked close to the town center. After boarding and a welcome drink, the Expedition Leader will provide information about the voyage, the ship’s daily routines and the various security and safety procedures. Before sailing, there will be a mandatory safety drill. The Captain then takes the ship out of Advent Fjord and our Arctic adventure commences.


Day 2- KONGSFJORDEN, NY ÅLESUND AND NY LONDON

During the ‘night’ (what is night, when the sun never sets?), we have passed Prins Karls Forland and have arrived in the magnificent Kongsfjord. Our visit to Svalbard is in the early summer and this is both the challenge and gift of this special voyage. Winter ice will possibly block the inner waters of many fjords, but this will give us the best opportunities to observe the omnipresent – but still elusive – polar bear, hunting for seals in its prime habitat. At this time of year the migrating birds have just arrived. They are all eager to settle and feed to get the best start for the coming hectic summer months.

Our first landing will be at Ny Ålesund. This settlement is in fact further north than Longyearbyen, making it THE northernmost town. But… is a group of scientific stations, a post office and a single shop open for a few hours a real town? You will have to judge for yourself. The setting is nice, the scientific projects are very interesting, and so is the town history. The Captain will try to get alongside, so we can enjoy an easy walk through the area.


Day 3- SMEERINGBURG, FUGLESONGEN

We have now entered North West Svalbard, which was declared a national park in 1973. The day could begin with a Zodiac cruise in Danskergattet, looking for seals in Virgohamna, before crossing from Danskøya to Amsterdamøya to make a landing at Smeerenburg, the legendary whaling town of 17th century. 200-plus men were living – and quite often dying – here in the heyday of blubber production.

There are several interesting places to visit in this northwestern corner of Spitsbergen. If conditions allow we’ll make a landing on Fuglesongen, the largest colony of little auks in Svalbard. The arctic fox has noticed this as well and can often be seen roaming the base of the bird cliffs.


Day 4- DAY 4 INTO THE PACK ICE, NORTH OF 80 DEG

During the night the ship will have steered far north towards the edge of the polar pack ice. How far north only time and weather will tell, but the main target for us is just the ‘edge’, possibly at 80 degrees north! This is the kingdom of the polar bear! As the pack ice retreats during summer, polar bears ride the floes north, as this is where their prey – the seals – resides. Bears who for unfortunate reasons do not ‘catch’ the ice moving north, are stranded on Svalbard all summer, and will have to sustain on berries, eggs and whatever whale cadavers they can find. A hard life indeed!

During the day, lectures on polar mammals, environment and/or culture can be enjoyed on board in the Viking Theater. Should we get into the pack ice where the sea usually is calm, a Zodiac cruise will be arranged.


Day 5 - ANDØYANE OG MONACO GLACIER

Most likely the northeastern coast of Spitsbergen Island and Hinlopen Strait are still locked in by coastal ice. We will try our luck and sail as far east as possible. Should this fail, Wood Fjord and Liefde Fjord could be excellent alternatives for the day. In this case, we will circumvent the bird rich Andøya in Zodiacs, and make a landing on Reindyrflya. Other interesting landings in this fantastic fjord system could be Mushamna and the oddly named ‘Texas Bar’. In the afternoon, a Zodiac cruise along the broad glacier front of Monacobreen gives a unique insight of the glacial forces and the unlimited forms of icebergs.


Day 6 - BLOMSTRAND PENINSULA, MORNING HIKE AND LILIEHÖÖK GLACIER

In the morning we will have reached the west coast of Spitsbergen and Kongsfjorden. Ocean Atlantic will anchor behind Blomstrand Peninsula. As we will immediately see, the name is a bit misleading. Blomstrand is now an island – the Blomstrand Glacier has receded, revealing a shallow water strait. We will cruise through this on our Zodiacs and make a landing on the island. Strong hikers might want to scale Irgensfjellet, 385 m for a nice view of ‘The Three Sisters’, nunatak mountains far into the Kongs Glacier, as well as enjoy a view down to Ny Ålesund.

After lunch, we continue further north into the fjord system, and depending on the ice situation, we may do a Zodiac cruise along the Lilliehöök Glacier front… or enjoy a lecture.


Day 7 - BELLSUND, VÅRSOLBUKTA AND CALYPSOBYEN

The west coast enjoys the warmer water coming up through the Atlantic, so winter ice should now have melted. This allows us to enter the southern fjord of Bellsund on this last full day of exploration.

Bellsund has some of the richest coal layers in Svalbard, and Svea Mine, far into the fjord, was formerly one of the biggest communities on the island. But prices went down, and the coal mine is currently being dismantled.

We will stay in the fjord entrance and make landings at the Vårsol Bay. The biggest attraction here is the little auk cliff. Tundra is richly fertilized by hundreds of thousands of little auks, which the Svalbard reindeer love to graze. We will go for a nice walk along the beach – and spot remains from early industrial eras.

During lunch, we’ll cross the fjord along the 4 km long (but quite narrow) island of Akseloya. We will make a Zodiac landing at Calypsobyen in Recherche Fjord. Coal was extracted here in the early 1900s, but the enterprise never attained full production. Today, Calypsobyen offers an exciting landing that gives visitors a glimpse of the era of Neo-Industrialism, when all opportunities for profit were tried out. A pleasant walk can be made on the tundra behind the buildings.


Day 8 - Longyearbyen

Early in the morning the ship has returned to our starting point in Longyearbyen. After breakfast and farewell greetings to the expedition team and crew, disembarkation will take place. Transfer is arranged to the airport.

Please note that all the outings and landings rely on weather, sea and ice conditions being favorable both for the ship to access the areas, as for the zodiacs and kayaks to maneuver under adequate conditions, ensuring the safety of all our passengers and staff.
For this reason, during moments of harsh weather and throughout the entire trip, Ocean Atlantic has excellent public areas, such as wellness/sauna, restaurant, bar and a library for our passengers to spend their spare time.  Our ship is staffed by experts in the field who will also share great lectures along the way, ranging from exploration history to biology, geology, ice and wildlife.


Welcome Aboard the Hondius


The all-new Hondius, launched in 2019, is designed from the ground up for rapid response to polar weather and wildlife conditions that exist nowhere else in the world. Hondius sets a standard as a structurally and technologically advanced polar cruise ship that not only meets the challenges of the polar regions but optimizes their opportunities for adventure.

As a Hondius passenger, you will enjoy cuisine, surroundings, and service that starkly contrast the rugged world just outside your window. An entire deck is dedicated to (multi-language) lectures and presentations in the presentation theater or the sizable observation lounge, and in combination with a fully provisioned bar and separate library room, provide ample opportunities to socialize and guarantee that what time you spend on board will be spent comfortably entertained. Take your pick of numerous cabins and suites, all custom-designed and impeccably outfitted in stylish mid-century modern décor.

Hondius is one of the first civilian vessels in the world to receive a Polar Class 6 notation, the most advanced category of polar cruise ship to date. When you set foot on Hondius, you are indeed choosing the best of modern marine science. Furthermore, Hondius exceeds the latest green requirements imposed by the International Maritime Organization, using only bio-degradable paints, LED lighting, steam heat, and flexible power management systems to keep fuel consumption and CO2 emission at the absolute minimum.

Highlights:
• Flexible, fast, and fortified. Capable of swift and safe response to fluctuating polar conditions.
• Ideal for land-based excursions. Sheltered Zodiac boarding zone for easier entry into the boats that will shuttle you to shore.
• Elegant, cozy, and surprising. Public areas, passenger lodgings, and cuisine that will fuel your exploration and stimulate your senses.
• Interactive, experiential, and informal. Activities that will engage and entertain you on the ship and off.
• Environmentally friendly technology to help ensure your cruise is higher impact for you, and lower impact for nature

Technical Specs

Length: 353 ft / 107.6 meters
Breadth: 25 ft / 17.6 meters
Draft: 17.4 ft / 5.30 meters
Ice class: Polar Class 6 (equivalent 1A-Super)
Displacement: 5,590 tonnes
Propulsion: 2 x ABC main engines; total 4,200 kW
Speed: 15 knots
Passengers: 176 in 83 cabins
Staff & crew: 72
Registered: The Netherlands
New build 2019

Cabins & Amenities

  • Large observation lounge
  • Fully provisioned bar
  • Library room

Notes

  • All rates are quoted per person based on twin occupancy.
  • Single travelers can chose between “single occupancy” at a supplement
    of 1,7 x the Twin or Superior cabin rate , or “sharing basis” in Twin, Triple
    or Quadruple category at no additional cost.
  • Adventure options must be pre-booked and paid for prior to start of the trip. Space is subject to availability. Some activities require experience.
  • Camping – From $210 per night, max 30 people. (2022- 2023)
  • Kayaking – From $475 per voyage, max 14 people. (2022- 2023)
  • Snowshoe – No charge but sign up required
  • All trips subject to possible fuel surcharge.

Book now for early bird discounts on the 2024-25 season

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