DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
Start Date | End Date | Quadruple Porthole | Triple Porthole | Twin Porthole | Twin Window | Twin Deluxe | Superior |
May 27, 2026 | Jun 05, 2026 | 3,050 | 3,650 | 4,350 | 4,650 | 4,900 | 5,550 |
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
Start Date | End Date | (Starting from) Quadruple Porthole | (Mid-range) Twin Window | (High-end) Superior |
May 27, 2026 | Jun 05, 2026 | 3,050 | 4,650 | 5,550 |
ITINERARY
Birding:
-
We
will have at least one dedicated expedition guide in our team who will
share their expert knowledge about bird species and who will be
available to help you identify, photograph on deck and learn more about
the birds that we see. In addition to outdoor sessions, our guide will
focus on species and related information on the birds of the Arctic in
re-caps and lectures onboard.
Day
1: Sights of the Granite City
You
arrive in Aberdeen, the Granite City, frequent winner of the Britain in
Bloom competition. This is the true start of your trip. Several
cetaceans, including orcas (killer whales), are native to these seas.
To the south you see the lighthouse on Girdle Ness that was designed by
the grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson, the famed Scottish writer
who gave us such classics as Treasure Island and Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde. More passengers join you in Aberdeen.
Day
2: Birds, seals, and world-famous knits
We
plan to stay the day on Fair Isle, an island in the Shetlands whose
seventy-odd inhabitants are known for their beautiful knitwear. This is
a fantastic location with accessible seabird breeding grounds, and you
may even spot grey seals.
Day
3 – 4: Jan Mayen marine life
You
sail north to the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen, 300 nautical miles
northeast of Iceland. Your two days at sea do not pass idly, however.
Keep a close lookout for any spouts of water from the surrounding seas,
heralding the arrival of a minke, fin, orca, or blue whale.
Day
5: Snow-capped seaside volcano
Jan
Mayen is a stark volcanic island crowned by the snow-capped summit of
Mt. Beerenberg. From the slopes of this imposing 2,300-meter-high
(7,545 feet) volcano, broken glaciers grasp out into the frigid sea.
With permission from the Norwegian authorities, you can now visit the
weather station. You can also walk to the remains of a 17th-century
Dutch whaling station amid the thick moss beds of this stark volcanic
landscape.
Day
6 – 8: Under the midnight sun & along the ice edge
Basking
in the midnight sun, you sail north along the edge of the sea ice in
search of bowhead whales, harp seals, polar bears, and a variety of
seabirds. You then change direction after about 79° north,
cutting west to the rocky edges of the continental shelf of west
Spitsbergen. Here you have a good chance of seeing fin whales and
– near the glacial mouths of the gaping Spitsbergen fjords
– surfacing minke whales.
Day
9: The Arctic island of Spitsbergen
Forlandsundet,
between the main island of Spitsbergen and the narrow Prins Karls
Forland, is a place of great beauty and fascinating wildlife. Walruses
sometimes haul out here. Alternatively, you might sail into
St. Johns Fjord or head south to the mouth of Isfjorden, landing at
Alkhornet. Seabirds nest on these cliffs, Arctic foxes search below for
fallen eggs and chicks, and reindeer graze the sparse vegetation.
Day
10: Journey’s end in Longyearbyen
Every
adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. You
disembark in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen,
taking home memories that will accompany you wherever your next
adventure lies. But if you’re still craving additional
chances to spot the Arctic’s most iconic apex predator, stay
on board for our seven-night North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile
landscapes, sea ice & wildlife voyage.
Ortelius (Expedition, 108-guests)
Ortelius offers a comfortable hotel standard, with a u-shaped, a bar and a lecture room. Our voyages are primarily developed to offer our passengers a quality exploratory wildlife program, trying to spend as much time ashore as possible. As the number of passengers is limited to approximately 116 on the Ortelius, flexibility assures maximum wildlife opportunities. Ortelius carries 10 zodiacs
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the
itinerary
- All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including
snacks, coffee and tea.
- All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage
by Zodiac.
- Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by
experienced expedition staff.
- Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
- Transfers and baggage handling between the airport, hotels
and ship only for those passengers on the group flights to and from
Longyearbyen.
- All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout
the programme.
- AECO fees and governmental taxes.
- Comprehensive pre-departure material.
Excluded
from this voyage
- Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights
- Pre- and post- land arrangements.
- Passport and visa expenses.
- Government arrival and departure taxes.
- Meals ashore.
- Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is
strongly recommended).
- Excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature
such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges.
- The customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for
stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be
provided).