Luxury Expedition
Hondius - 170 Guests
Aberdeen - Fair Isle - Jan Mayen - Ice edge - Spitsbergen - Birding
Arctic Ocean Expedition

Search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife of the land, sea, and air on an adventurous voyage from our home port of Vlissingen to our favorite Arctic island group.

Workshop: Sounds of whales and seals
In this engaging audio workshop, we will provide you the theoretical background of various acoustic tools that we will help you use to locate and interpret the songs of whales and seals. This fun and informative workshop covers both the theory and practice of analyzing marine mammal sounds, requiring you to bring no additional equipment.



 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife of the land, sea, and air
  • Learn to locate and interpret the songs of whales and seals, and analyze marine mammal sounds
  • Get an excellent chance of spotting minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises and several other cetaceans, including orcas (killer whales)
  • In Jan Mayen, spot minke, fin, orca, or blue whales
  • Bask in the midnight sun, and watch bowhead whales, harp seals, polar bears, and a variety of seabirds

DATES / RATES

Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
Start DateEnd DateQuadruple PortholeTriple PortholeTwin PortholeTwin WindowTwin DeluxeSuperiorJunior SuiteGrand Suite
May 29, 2025Jun 09, 20253,2003,8004,4004,7905,1505,7506,5507,030
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
Start DateEnd Date(Starting from)
Quadruple Porthole
(Mid-range)
Twin Deluxe
(High-end)
Grand Suite
May 29, 2025Jun 09, 20253,2005,1507,030


ITINERARY

Day 1: Northward bound
You board the vessel at midday in Vlissingen, headed north. Far north.

Day 2: Sea life on the move
Crossing the North Sea and sailing by Doggersbank, you stand an excellent chance of spotting minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbour porpoises. Several other cetaceans, including orcas (killer whales), are also native to these seas.

Day 3: 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 4: Birds, seals, and world-famous knits
At Fair Isle, in the Shetlands, the roughly seventy inhabitants (renowned for their knitwear) welcome you for a walk to the local bird observatory. This location is a haven for sea birds, though you may also spot grey seals.

Day 5 – 6: 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 7: 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 8 – 10: 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 11: 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 12: 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 voyage, "in search of polar bears & pack ice."

Hondius (Expedition, 170-guests)

MV Hondius offers luxury accommodation for up to 180 passengers. The ship has a luxury standard while Oceanwide's signature cozy and informal atmosphere. Hondius the strongest ice-strengthened vessel will be in the polar regions and will be equipped with stabilizers, and great trips for advanced, innovative exploratory quality in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

(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).

ADVENTURE OPTIONS
  • Acoustics Workshop
  • Birding
  • Walk on Fair Isle
  • Shore-Based Walking
  • Whale safari
  • Sailing under the midnight sun & along the ice edge

 

Contact Epic Polar!
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DISCLAIMER: Rates are per person and subject to change.