HIGHLIGHTS
- Crossing
the Arctic Circle at 66 degrees North
- Shetland
islands with magnificent scenery, and the harbour and fishing village
of Lerwick
- Faroe
Islands’ deep fjords and steep grassy mountains around
Tórshavn
- The
isolated volcanic island of Jan Mayen
- Very
good chances of seeing polar bears as well their main prey, seals.
- Spring
in Svalbard; a paradise for bird enthusiasts
- Zodiac
cruises in the fjords and nature walks on the tundra.
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | Category F | Category G | Category E | Category D | Category C | Category B | Category A | Premium Suite |
|---|
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Category F | (Mid-range)
Category C | (High-end)
Premium Suite |
|---|
ITINERARY
Day
1: Boarding in Aberdeen
Our
journey begins in Aberdeen in North East Scotland, where MV Ocean
Atlantic is located by a dock in the Dee River. Boarding is in the
afternoon, where the staterooms are designated. After the mandatory
security review and drill, we sail out through the mouth of the Dee
River towards the North Sea.
Day
2: Shetland Islands with the harbour and fishing village of Lerwick
Ocean
Atlantic approaches Lerwick near the "Main Land" of Shetlands in the
morning. The island of Shetland consists of more than 100 islands and
shores, of which only 15 are inhabited year-round. The islands form the
northernmost part of the British kingdom, located approximately 300 km
north of the mainland of Scotland. This "central" location in the North
Atlantic has through the ages led many to the islands, and the
Scandinavian heritage still shines through dialects, folklore and place
names.
Once
securely docked at the port, we depart through Lerwick towards
Scalloway for a short scenic drive. From the elevated position we can
enjoy the view of the charming village and the imposing Scalloway
Castle. After a short photo stop, we continue eastwards through the
area that is locally known as the “Black Gates”
– an area where peat is still cut to use as fuel.
Following
the road northwards our main destination of Clickimin Broch is only a
short drive. There will be free time to discover this well preserved
and restored Broch and learn more about life in the Iron Age.
(The
excursion is part of the excursion package and is not included in the
price of the trip).
Afterwards,
we will return to Lerwick and the ship in the middle of the day. The
rest of the day is for enjoying at leisure before departing in the
early afternoon.
Day
3: Faroe Islands Tórshavn and the North Atlantic
We
arrive after breakfast at Tórshavn, possibly the smallest
capital in the world, ruling the scattered 18 island that make up the
Faroes. Centred around the charming grass-roofed Parliament on
Tinganes, Tórshavn is now an almost bustling modern city
with shops, cafés and even three traffic lights!
By
midmorning you can participate in an optional bus excursion where we
will try to look a bit back in history. We drive out of the capital and
over the mountains to the south. As the climate on the Faroe Island is
‘stable unstable’ it is not unlikely that we will
drive through the cloud base and experience some fog on the way. But if
you wait a moment, it also not unlikely that it will clear up. We
arrive in Kirkjubøur, the most important historical site on
the islands. Kirkjubøur was in medieval times the Episcopal
centre of the Faroe Islands, and also its undisputed cultural centre.
We visit the ruins of the impressive Magnus Cathedral that perhaps
never was completed, and the St. Olav church – the only
remaining medieval church on the Faroe Islands. Upon our return to
‘Havn’ – as Tórshavn is often
just called – you can go for a leisurely stroll through the
old citadel near the harbour. A visit to the Art museum and the Nordic
House is also very recommendable.
(The
excursion is part of the excursion package and is not included in the
price of the trip).
The
sailing northwards towards Jan Mayen will probably go through Vestmanna
Sound, along the west-facing shore of Streymoy and the south side of
Mykines. But the route depends on winds, sea and comfort. We spend day
number 6 at sea and enjoy the ship’s many facilities.
Day
4: On the sea towards Jan Mayen looking for seabirds, dolphins and
whales
Listen
to a lecture from our experienced expedition staff, see a film about
Arctic nature – or go out on deck to catch glimpses of
migrating birds and hopefully some whales.
DAY
5: Jan Mayen with landing in Zodiacs
Approximately
in the middle of the North Atlantic lies the enigmatic volcanic island
of Jan Mayen. And if not exactly in the middle, at least it is located
precisely on the Mid Atlantic Ridge, the reason for its volcanic
existence. And enigmatic it is not only because of its isolation but
also due to the almost perpetual clouds and fog that hovers above it.
Jan
Mayen belongs to Norway, and the mountain Beerenberg is one of the
higher of Norways 300 summits above 2.000 meter. The island is habited
by only 18 persons, running the meteorological station and the
Norwegian Defence.
We
will try to go ashore at the narrowest part of the island, from either
south or north, depending on the prevailing wind and surf. The volcanic
origin is visible all over with cinder cones, lava flows and the Mount
Fuji like appearance of Beerenberg looming above.
After
a pleasant stroll on the narrow isthmus we board the Zodiacs and Ocean
Atlantic to continue our voyage north.
DAY
6: On the sea towards Svalbard
Lectures,
movies or maybe a game are some of the activities and this sea day.
Day
7: Svalbard ahoy! Whales at the continental shelf and navigation along
the coast northbound
We
are getting closer towards the islands of Svalbard, and it should be
possible to spot the largest island, Spitsbergen during the afternoon.
Our
route for this day and next are much depending on conditions. Not least
the pack ice coming from Arctic Sea as well as from calving glaciers,
and also solid winter sea ice. Our vessel has an ice class of 1B and
the Captain should be able to safely approach the edge of the ice to
give us opportunity to spot our first polar bear, hunting for seals.
The
west coast enjoys the warmer water coming up through the Atlantic, so
winter ice should now have melted.
During
the night the ship will sail north along the coast of Spitsbergen.
Day
8: Ny Ålesund, Kongsfjorden and Blomstrandhalvøya
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 the 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.
Continuing
our exploration of 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.
Day
9: Former whaling station at Smeerenburg and Ytre Norskøya
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 Ytre
Norskøya, where whalers would have their lookout posts.
Day
10: Prince Karls Forland with herds of walruses around Poolepynten and
the Icefjord
During
the night we have entered Forlandssundet, that separates Prince Karls
Forland from Spitsbergen. Our destination is Poole-pynten (Poolepoint),
a small headland named after the British whaler Jonas Poole. Today the
area is inhabited by herds of walruses who can be seen (and smelled!)
from a distance. The large mammals flaunt their tusks and whiskers, as
well as their considerable bulk.
After
the visit, we are southbound towards the entrance to the Icefjord.
On
our way towards Longyearbyen as we cruise through the Icefjord, we hope
to get our last glimpses of wildlife as well as the truly unique
landscapes of Svalbard.
Day
11: Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen. Disembarkation. Chartered flight to Oslo
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. From here you will board your chartered flight to Oslo.
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.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- 11-day/10-night
cruise in a shared outside double stateroom with private bathroom/toilet
- Chartered
domestic flight from Longyearbyen to Oslo
- English-speaking
guides
- Zodiac
landings
- Near-port
town walks with expedition team
- Information
briefings and lectures by expedition team
- Full
board on the ship
- Free
coffee, tea and afternoon snacks on the ship
- Airport
transfer from ship to airport in Longyearbyen
- Taxes,
tariffs and AECO fees
- Guiding
and lectures by our experienced expedition leader and team
- Special
photo workshop
- Welcome
and farewell cocktails
- Digital
visual journal link after voyage, including voyage log, gallery,
species list and more!
Exclusions
- International
flights to Aberdeen/from Oslo
- Hotel
accommodation before/after the voyage.
- Travel
insurance.
- Cancellation
insurance.
- Extra
excursions and activities not mentioned in the itinerary.
- Single
room supplement.
- Meals
not on board the ship.
- Beverages
(other than coffee and tea).
- Tips
for the crew (we recommend USD 14 per person per day).
- Personal
expenses.
- Anything
not mentioned under 'Price includes'.
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
- Bus
Excursions
- Lectures
- Photography
- Wildlife
Observations
- Zodiac
Cruising
