Svalbard & North Pole Expedition Cruises

From Northern Norway travel north and further north towards the archipelago of Svalbard - next stop, the North Pole. This is true Arctic wilderness. An expedition cruise around Svalbard, often centred around the main island of Spitsbergen, provides and unmatched opportunity in the arctic for wildlife viewing, from huge flocks of birds to lounging walrus and seals scattered across the ice. It is this concentration of wildlife along the shores and in the waters surrounding Svalbard make a perfect hunting ground for the most famed residence, the polar bear.

Highlights of a Svalbard and North Pole Expedition Cruise

A Svalbard expedition is perhaps the quintessential Arctic exploration cruise. Navigating the freezing waters surrounding the islands, you'll hug the coastline, spotting huge bird colonies, opportunist Arctic foxes, lounging walrus and seals, and, hopefully, polar bears.

In the spring, the Arctic tundra blooms with a muted brightness. Summer sees the magical midnight sun, and as autumn gives way to dark nights, late sailings in the area offer the chance to see the Northern Lights.

Svalbard is also the start and finish point of the most extreme expedition there is, an attempt to reach the North Pole. This journey sets a course due north, slowly making its way through the sea ice to the geographic North Pole and offering the ultimate bragging rights. There is currently only one ship that can achieve this remarkable feat, Ponant's luxury icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, and itineraries are only offered every other year, so you'll always be one of an exclusive group if you do make the pole.

Svalbard Expedition and North Pole Itineraries and Operators

On the island of Spitsbergen, a couple of so-called 'towns', Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund, house scientists and a few intrepid visitors, and provide the most common start and end point, although some longer itineraries can combine Norway's North Cape or Iceland's volcanic shores. Expeditions that focus solely on Svalbard offer an intensive itinerary with Zodiac discovery cruises and hikes ashore daily; our favourite lines that visit Svalbard include AE Expeditions, Quark Expeditions, Scenic, Silversea and Seabourn. The majority of expedition operators we work with spend some time focused on the islands, such is the demand from intrepid travellers, but regulations are strict and numbers are controlled. These rules extend to how close expedition cruise operators take guests to polar bears, so sightings are usually at a distance for the animals' protection. Expedition cruise lines are also unable to use helicopters (if they have them) over the islands, an important factor when weighing up who you might wish to travel with.

The North Pole is a highly unusual itinerary. Once the preserve of Russian Nuclear-Powered Icebreakers offering their crew quarters to tourists during their quiet summer season, in 2021, Ponant's luxury electric hybrid ship Le Commandant Charcot launched, offering a truly luxurious way of reaching the world's most remote areas. The most technically advanced expedition vessel in the world employs every tool it has to make the journey, starting with an exploration of North West Spitsbergen and turning due north, offering guests the chance to walk on sea ice in the footsteps of the explorers of old.