Svalbard cruise: explore the High Arctic up close
The Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, roughly halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole is a world of glaciated coastlines, vast tundra, and dramatic fjord systems. It's rightly known as one of the premium destinations for polar travel! A Svalbard expedition cruise with us puts you at the center of a truly authentic adventure, exploring the best that Svalbard has to offer aboard small, dynamic vessels able to go further and discover more than anyone else.
Cruises to Svalbard
19 Days Extensive Arctic Ocean - North Spitsbergen Explorer
21 May - 8 Jun, 2027
•Tripcode: HDS01D27
Sailing between our home port of Vlissingen and our most cherished Arctic archipelago, Svalbard, this expedition adventure visits the Scottish port of Aberdeen, the islands of Fair Isle and Jan Mayen, and the amazing Spitsbergen ice edge, giving you...
17 Days Extensive Arctic Ocean - North Spitsbergen Explorer
23 May - 8 Jun, 2027
•Tripcode: HDS02C27
Sailing between the Scottish port of Aberdeen and our most cherished Arctic archipelago, Svalbard, this expedition adventure visits the islands of Fair Isle and Jan Mayen, and the amazing Spitsbergen ice edge, giving you the chance to search for whales,...
22 Days Extensive Arctic Ocean – Northwest Iceland - Spitsbergen Explorer
29 May - 20 Jun, 2026
•Tripcode: HDS02D26
Leaving Iceland's magical fjords and the isle of Grimsey behind, voyage into the pack ice of the Denmark Strait and stop by remote Jan Mayen before navigating pack ice on your way to Spitsbergen. Watching for iconic wildlife along the way, you'll venture...
19 Days Extensive Arctic Ocean - North Spitsbergen Explorer
29 May - 16 Jun, 2027
•Tripcode: OTL01D27
Sailing between our home port of Vlissingen and our most cherished Arctic archipelago, Svalbard, this expedition adventure visits the Scottish port of Aberdeen, the islands of Fair Isle and Jan Mayen, and the amazing Spitsbergen ice edge, giving you...
17 Days Extensive Arctic Ocean - North Spitsbergen Explorer
31 May - 16 Jun, 2027
•Tripcode: OTL02C27
Sailing between the Scottish port of Aberdeen and our most cherished Arctic archipelago, Svalbard, this expedition adventure visits the islands of Fair Isle and Jan Mayen, and the amazing Spitsbergen ice edge, giving you the chance to search for whales,...
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Latest blog and customer story
Why Svalbard should be on your list as photographer
Svalbard, known as the realm of the polar bear offers photographers an extraordinary combination of dramatic light, wildlife, and breathtaking polar landscapes.
Around Spitsbergen, in the Realm of the Polar Bear & Ice
There are journeys and there are journeys. This trip is one that falls in the latter category. I look back on a fantastic experience, during which the awareness of human behavior on this vulnerable planet (and especially the Arctic) became very clear to me.
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See the highlights you may experience:
See the highlights you may experience:
Map of Svalbard
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Svalbard cruise reviews
The animal and landscape sceneries we're great nur the chinese guests being noisy and chaotic was very disappointing, annoying and shocking to me.they didn't respect nature and I hardly could enjoy the silence of the Arctic as advertised. The food and crew was adorable.
FAQ's about Svalbard cruises
Where do we go on Svalbard?
Svalbard is one of our core Arctic locations, a great place for enjoying wildlife, activities, and scenery. For this reason, there are too many areas we visit to list here. For details on intended routes and landing sites, see the Svalbard page at our website.
What is the best time to travel to Spitsbergen?
This depends on what you want to experience at Spitsbergen. In case you want to experience the Polar night or the Aurora Borealis, November to February is the best time to travel to Spitsbergen. Do you want to see the midnight sun and enjoy boat trips, kayaking or hiking? Then the best time to visit Spitsbergen is around May until September. This is the summer period of Spitsbergen.
When is the winter season in Spitsbergen?
The sun sets for the last time in Spitsbergen in mid-September and rises above the horizon again in mid-February. The winter landscape and temperatures prevail until May.
What is the temperature and weather like in Svalbard?
The weather in Spitsbergen differs per area and location. Although snow can occur throughout the year in Svalbard, the North Atlantic Current helps provide Svalbard with warmer temperatures than many other areas within similar latitudes. However, strong winter breezes, low pressure and the combination of wet sea air and cold polar air can lead to rapidly changing weather conditions, especially during the winter months.
During the winter season, the temperature in Spitsbergen can can drop to -16 to -12 degrees Celsius (3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit). Adding in the wind chill factor means the weather can feel much colder. July is the warmest month of the year with an average temperature between 3 and 8 degrees Celsius (37 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit). We therefore recommend that you bring a variety of warm clothes for your Spitsbergen cruise.
Where can I see polar bears during a Svalbard voyage?
As polar bears can travel great distances in a day, it is impossible to say where and when we will spot them. Sea ice is the best place to look, so we tend to focus our efforts there. Though you will have a good chance of seeing polar bears in Svalbard, nature makes the decisions. Sightings cannot be guaranteed.
What wildlife can I see in Spitsbergen?
Your cruise to Spitsbergen will come with an enormous amount of opportunity to spot wildlife. Polar bears are obviously the main attraction regarding wildlife. There are six national parks throughout Spitsbergen, and Svalbard alone is known to contain, Polar bears, reindeer, Arctic fox, numerous birds (such as guillemots and little auks) and several high Arctic seal species inhcluding the iconic Walrus. You might also encounter a variety of whales including the largest of them all: the Blue whale.
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About Svalbard cruises
What makes a Svalbard expedition cruise different
Nowhere else in the Arctic combines accessibility with true wilderness at this scale. Svalbard is one of the few protected archipelagos where polar bears outnumber people, known as the kingdom of the polar bear. Here, huge glaciers calve into the ocean, and vast stretches of tundra remain untouched and pristine. Most Svalbard expedition cruises depart from Longyearbyen, the world's northernmost settlement with regular flights. From here, you can reach far-flung Arctic destinations, and the absolute edges of the map.
This is not a passive, scenic cruise along the coastline. Instead, it is authentic adventure. Each day is built around exploration on shore, by Zodiac, or with immersive activities. Hikes across open tundra or to look out points provide adventure on a scale that no photograph can prepare you for. On the water, you might spot a polar bear picking its way along the shoreline or encounter a group of a walrus resting on a remote beach. Our experience is truly dynamic, and the pace of your voyage adapts to weather and ice conditions, as well as wildlife opportunities. Our expert expedition team monitors the weather, the ice, and the wildlife continually and plans accordingly. No two days follow the same pattern on expedition. it's this unpredictability that makes your polar dreams so real.
Activities that bring you closer to the wildlife and wilderness
Svalbard rewards those who get off the ship, and those who truly live the Arctic. Perhaps you'll hike across tundra carpeted in Arctic wildflowers, skirt the edges of calving glaciers, and encounter polar bears, Arctic foxes, or Svalbard reindeer moving through vast terrain. On a Zodiac cruise, you'll weave between icebergs and along coastal cliffs dominated by nesting birds. On the water, you might also encounter ringed or bearded seals hauled out on ice floes, or spot whales surfacing in a quiet fjord. On some itineraries, you can enter the Arctic pack ice, a magical world full of iconic species, polar silence, and stories waiting to be discovered.
For those looking to go further, kayaking puts you at eye level with the Arctic environment in a way few other activities can. Snowshoeing opens up terrain that would otherwise be inaccessible. Every outing is led by our expedition staff, whose intimate knowledge of Svalbard's wildlife, geology, history and landscapes shapes each excursion into something more than a simple walk or a boat ride. You'll learn, discover, explore and experience. This is polar travel the Oceanwide way.
Combining Svalbard with other Arctic destinations
A Svalbard expedition cruise can also serve as the starting point for a broader Arctic journey. Several of our combination voyages connect Svalbard with expedition cruises to Iceland, expedition cruises to Greenland, or expedition cruises to Jan Mayen, one of the most isolated volcanic islands in the North Atlantic. These extended itineraries follow the migratory routes of whales and seabirds across the open ocean, adding depth and variety to your time in the region. Explore our full range of Arctic expeditions to find the voyage that fits your ambitions.
Few places match the raw, concentrated wildness of Svalbard. Join us and book your Svalbard expedition cruise online and turn your polar dreams into an unbelievable reality.
