Arctic Summer in Norway: Expedition Aboard the Plancius

Today the Plancius heads north along the west coast to reach the Bay of the Cross. This morning, you’ll take a trip on an inflatable boat along the Fjortende Julibreen, named by Prince Albert I of Monaco at the beginning of the 20th century. Aboard his yacht, Princess Alice, Albert I led several scientific exploration campaigns in Svalbard. Here, mountain slopes are covered with plants in full bloom, and arctic foxes prowl in search of eggs on the cliffs where seabirds nest. In the afternoon, you’ll visit the former mining town of Ny-Alesund, which is now a polar research centre.

Your navigation around Spitzbergen continues today. Dependent on the weather and sea conditions, you might come across beaches where walruses laze, remnants of ice floes carrying polar bears, cliffs full of sea birds and historical sites that evoke the harsh lives of Arctic trappers. The journey continues to Raudfjorden (the Red Fjord) which owes its name to the colour of the red sandstone on its eastern shore. Alice Bay was named after the Princess of Monaco, Prince Albert I’s second wife. Here, you can hike up Mount Solander, which stands over 200 meters above sea level. For several miles, you’ll follow the magnificent front of the Monaco Glacier while seagulls come in their thousands to feed nearby.

Today you’ll sail to the legendary 80th Parallel North, the circle of latitude that sits 80 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane, and ten degrees south of the North Pole. Weather permitting, the boat will take you to the Sjuøyane (Seven Islands) archipelago, where you can see bears and walruses in the wild.

Things are cooling down even more today as you approach the region’s pack ice: frozen sea made up of smaller pieces of ice that have welded together. Pack ice makes for some exceptional wildlife watching. Keep your eyes peeled for polar bears hunting on these drifting chunks of ice.

The next few days are full of incredible scenery and exciting wildlife. If the conditions allow, the boat will take the Hinlopen Strait. This strait is almost permanently full of pack ice, so you can witness the spectacle of the ship slipping between these icy sheets. A huge colony of thick-billed murres lives on Alkefjellet cliff, which is also a great place to see polar bears looking for seals. The boat will also stop on Barents beach – home to hundreds of reindeer, geese and barnacles – followed by the beaches of Augustabukta, the island of Barentsöya and the bay of Diskobukta, where a huge colony of kittiwakes nests. In the Tusenoya archipelago, you can spend some time watching its numerous walrus colonies.

During your last full day on board, you’ll stop in Bellsund Bay. Three fjords open into this large bay: Recherchefjorden, Van Keulenfjord and Van Mijenfjord. This region was originally used by stopover whalers, and so is now a wonderful place for whale watching, both at the entrance to the bay and very close to the coast, where belugas can often be found. You’ll also stop at Midterhuken and Akseloya before continuing to sail towards Longyearbyen.

Sadly, your polar boat trip has come to an end. This morning, you’ll disembark in Longyearbyen and head to the Longyearbyen Museum for a wander before lunch. After lunch, you've a free afternoon to explore and pick up some souvenirs before heading back to the airport to board your return flight to Oslo. Dinner is at your hotel in Oslo this evening before a good night’s sleep ahead of your return flight tomorrow.