Arctic Tour in the Land of the Polar Bears
German-language support
From Longyearbyen / Spitsbergen to Longyearbyen / Spitsbergen
14 days (13 nights)
MS Sea Spirit
14 days (13 nights): Polar expedition circumnavigating Spitsbergen (Svalbard) via Kvitøya, Nordaustlandet, Hornsund, and back to Longyearbyen / Spitsbergen
+++ Up to 25% early bird discount for bookings made by September 30, 2026 +++
Circumnavigating the entire Svalbard archipelago takes you into the depths of the Arctic world. Explore the fjords, glaciers, and mountain landscapes of this wilderness. And stand before the most formidable ice cliff in this hemisphere. This voyage has no fixed route, as it follows the laws of weather and ice.
Discover Svalbard and its diverse worlds, from cosmopolitan restaurants to glaciers and blooming tundra. During these two weeks, you will visit Svalbard's national parks, which are home to numerous Arctic wildlife species. Keep an eye out for whales, foxes, and reindeer, and witness the spectacle of millions of seabirds in the sky. Spitsbergen is also the kingdom of polar bears, as there are just as many polar bears here as there are inhabitants.
Before you, it was mainly pioneers, inventors, and explorers who were fascinated by this region. Stand where Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile discovered the North Pole, or where Salomon August Andrée and his companions took off in their balloon . Learn more about the discovery of the Arctic and also about the time when whaling was still booming .
Stephanie Gräf
Travel expert, inventia | Travel beyond the ordinary
Specialist in travel to the Arctic and Antarctic.
I am your contact person for questions and bookings relating to the Arctic and Antarctic, and I am delighted that you are one of the few people who are traveling to the ends of the earth.
You can reach me by phone or email:
+49 (0)201 858 90 960
welcome@inventia.de
Good to know
Arrival and departure: We offer a variety of customized travel packages including flights, hotels, transfers, and activities. We are also happy to suggest pre- and post-programs to extend your trip.
A heart for solo travelers: If you don't want a single cabin, shared cabins are available on board.
Entry requirements: German citizens require a valid passport or identity card. The entry requirements can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.
Customs regulations: Norwegian customs regulations are very strict. In particular, the import of alcoholic beverages, but also tobacco products, is subject to strict limitations. Minor violations are severely punished. Further information can be found online.
Insurance: Proof of international health insurance covering medical repatriationmust be provided.
Medical questionnaire:You are required to completea medical questionnaire before departure.
Distance rule for polar bears: From 2025, the Norwegian government will require a minimum distance of 300 meters from polar bears in Svalbard.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Experience an expedition to a region where weather, ice, and polar bears reign supreme
- Visit to the white island of Kvitøya, where the participants in Salomon August Andrée's balloon expedition perished
- Visit the northernmost settlement in the world and former airship base Ny-Ålesund, from where Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile set off on their expeditions to discover the North Pole.
- Marvel at the longest glacier front in the northern hemisphere, Bråsvellbreen on the Austfonna Glacier.
- Observation of whales, walruses, seals, and polar bears
- Hikes in the national parks with sightings of wildlife such as reindeer, arctic foxes, and many seabirds
- Enhance your days with extremely long daylight hours thanks to the midnight sun.
- Exclusive insights into the work of a captain on the bridge of the MS Sea Spirit
route
itinerary
A journey through the realm of the great white bears
Day 1 | Longyearbyen, Svalbard
Welcome to Longyearbyen, the capital of the Svalbard archipelago and the starting point of your expedition. Upon arrival, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Afterwards, you will have time to explore this charming, compact town.
Start at the Spitsbergen Museum, where you can purchase rare polar books and maps. Afterwards, there are many restaurants waiting to serve you an excellent dinner. The midnight sun will accompany you throughout the evening. It will not set for the entire duration of your stay in Spitsbergen. When the weather is nice, you can sit in the sun late into the night before it's time to draw the curtains and get some sleep for the next exciting day.
Day 2 | Embarkation in Longyearbyen
You start the day with a leisurely breakfast at the hotel. While your luggage is being taken to the ship, you have until the afternoon to immerse yourself in Longyearbyen and the culture of Spitsbergen. For example, visit the North Pole Expeditions Museum and get a first taste of the places you will visit in the coming days. Try the world's northernmost pizza or go shopping if you still need something for the expedition. By the way, you don't need to worry about a parka, as one will be waiting for you on board as a gift, and waterproof boots can be borrowed.
Then it's finally time to board the MS Sea Spirit. Settle into your suite and take a tour of the expedition ship. It will be your home for the next two extraordinary weeks. After dinner, enjoy the brightly lit evening on the open decks and get to know the other guests. The first lectures, prepared by the expedition team, will also begin.
Days 3 to 5 | Planned route
The goal of the expedition is to circumnavigate the Svalbard archipelago. Weather and ice conditions permitting, we will head north until we reach the "white" island of Kvitøya in the far northeast. Then we will head back south, always along the coast.
Days 3 to 5 | The facets of Arctic nature
On this journey, you’ll experience the unspoiled nature of Svalbard, most of which is protected by national parks. The first on your route is the Northwest Svalbard National Park, a true natural paradise. It is known for its deep fjords, mountain ranges, and massive glaciers. Millions of red-throated loons, thick-billed guillemots, and other seabirds circle in the sky, while their chicks are just hatching in the breeding colonies on small islands. You’ll also have the chance to spot marine life such as beluga whales and Arctic seals. The Blomstrand Peninsula and the Kongsbreen Glacier (“King’s Glacier”) are other impressive sights you’ll see.
Days 3–5 | The Ny-Ålesund Airship Base
Ny-Ålesund is one of the northernmost settlements in the world and one of the few places on your Svalbard trip where you will encounter people. The former mining town and airship base is now home to a small international community of Arctic researchers and features a museum, a souvenir shop, and a post office. It was from here that Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile set off on their famous flight over the roof of the world in 1926. The airship mast of the Norge still towers over Ny-Ålesund today, telling this story.
Day 6 | The ice edge right ahead
The Svalbard Archipelago lies roughly halfway between Norway’s northernmost point and the North Pole. Accordingly, the ice line runs north of the archipelago—a region of extraordinary beauty, characterized by spectacular landscapes, fascinating wildlife, and an eventful history dating back to the era of polar expeditions.
The goal is to sail along the ice edge toward the island of Nordaustlandet and—if conditions permit—to continue eastward to Kvitøya (White Island).
Days 7 and 8 | The paths of the Arctic explorers
This part of the journey takes you to the eastern and northern regions of the Svalbard archipelago, which are rarely visited by expedition ships. Here you can experience the beautiful solitude of the Arctic.
Kvitøya is the island closest to Franz Josef Land and is completely covered in ice. It is the final resting place of the expedition team led by Salomon August Andrée. The men had been traveling toward the North Pole in their hydrogen balloon for only three days. After making an emergency landing, they attempted to reach the nearest supply depot on foot, but were then forced to set up camp on a large ice floe. They ultimately became stranded on this island along with the floe.
Kvitøya is not always accessible to expedition ships. However, this increases the chance of seeing polar bears in their natural habitat.
Days 9 and 10 | The High Walls of Austfonna
You’ll find vast fields of sea ice in the enormous Northeast Svalbard Nature Reserve, which encompasses the pristine northeastern regions of Spitsbergen as well as the entire island of Nordaustlandet—the second-largest island in the archipelago.
In this remote and unique landscape, sea ice can persist well into the summer. The massive Austfonna ice cap dominates the impressive High Arctic. At its approximately 45-kilometer-long glacier front, Bråsvellbreen, the inland ice meets the sea—a spectacular natural phenomenon and one of the Arctic’s most impressive landmarks.
The barren polar desert has very little vegetation, but it is an important habitat for numerous species of seabirds. Thousands of thick-billed guillemots breed on the steep cliffs of Alkefjellet. In addition, visitors can spot roseate gulls, glaucous gulls, red-throated loons, snow buntings, and, with a little luck, barnacle geese, among other species.
This remote icy wilderness is also considered one of the best areas in Svalbard for observing polar bears and walruses in their natural habitat.
Day 11 | The islands east of Spitsbergen
The Southeast Spitsbergen Nature Reserve is one of the most pristine and least-visited regions in the Arctic. Hundreds of uninhabited islands characterize this remote wilderness. Vast tundra stretches across the large islands of Edgeøya and Barentsøya, home to Spitsbergen’s largest reindeer population.
The tundra landscapes are also important breeding grounds for numerous ground-nesting bird species, such as geese, eider ducks, and common sandpipers. Arctic foxes roam the vast plains in search of food for their young, which are just leaving their protective dens. In the shallow, nutrient-rich coastal waters, walruses find ideal conditions for foraging and gather in large numbers on gently sloping beaches.
Historical artifacts on the islands tell the story of the era of early hunters and trappers and offer a fascinating glimpse into the history of this remote region.
South Spitsbergen National Park impresses with its extraordinary landscape diversity—ranging from barren polar deserts to rugged, virtually inaccessible mountain ranges. At its heart lies the spectacular Hornsund, an impressive fjord into which massive glaciers extend from steep mountain peaks down to the icy sea. The national park also includes the southern shore of Bellsund. Here, the remains of former whaling stations—including wooden boats, huts, and thousands of whale bones—serve as a reminder of a bygone era, impressively preserved by the Arctic climate.
Throughout the national park, there are excellent opportunities to observe Arctic wildlife in its natural habitat. During the summer months, blooming wildflowers also add splashes of color to the otherwise rugged landscape.
Thanks to its duration, this intensive expedition cruise offers the perfect opportunity to discover the diversity of the Arctic in all its facets. Every day brings new landscapes, wildlife sightings, and unforgettable experiences.
They take every opportunity to observe the fascinating wildlife of the Arctic, discover spectacular polar landscapes, and follow in the footsteps of the great polar expeditions.
Days 12 and 13 | Back to the West Coast
Our circumnavigation of the Svalbard Archipelago is drawing to a close. Back on the impressive west coast, some of the archipelago’s most beautiful landscapes await you once again. These include the striking Alkhornet—often referred to as a “bird paradise.” Its steep cliffs provide a safe nesting site for more than 10,000 breeding pairs of seabirds, making the mountain one of Svalbard’s most impressive natural wonders.
Day 14: Disembarkation & Return Home
After breakfast, you will disembark and make your way to the airport if you are returning home. If you wish to stay longer in Spitsbergen, a transfer to the city center will be arranged for you. No matter where your journey takes you, the memories of the polar world will stay with you for a long time to come! You have become a part of it.
The daily programs described here are for your guidance. The itinerary may vary considerably due to local ice and weather conditions, last-minute permit procedures, and local authorities, but also to respond to current conditions regarding wildlife viewing.Theexpedition leader on board will determine the final itinerary and daily program. Flexibility is of utmost importance during our expedition-style voyages.
activities
Photography
Inclusive
The polar regions are among the most photogenic places in the world, offering countless beautiful landscapes every day. Wildlife, landscapes in the midnight sun, glaciers, and the hustle and bustle of Spitsbergen—all of these provide fantastic photo opportunities. To ensure that you return from your trip with truly successful pictures, you have the opportunity to learn more about the theory and practice of photography alongside an experienced photographer.
The photography expert will answer your questions and give practical tips – both in the form of lectures on board and during workshops on land. Learn the most important elements of photography in an entertaining way, against a dreamlike backdrop and with plenty of opportunities for questions and feedback. Discover how to perceive light in a whole new way in the polar region and what new image compositions can be created here.
Sea Kayak Club
The islands and fjords of the Arctic offer some of the most unique and interesting kayaking areas in the world. Join a kayaking tour and discover the Arctic on professionally guided tours! This optional activity is not just a one-time kayaking tour, but membership in an exclusive club for the duration of your trip. The kayaking experts will take you out on the water as often as possible, depending on weather and ice conditions. With your membership in the Sea Kayak Club, you have the opportunity to kayak as often as possible during your trip.
Before your first tour, you will receive detailed instructions, and a safety boat will always be standing by near the paddlers, just in case. Qualified instructors ensure safety during the kayak tours and assist you in getting in and out of the kayak.
- Basic kayaking and paddling experience required
- Paddling suit, spray skirt, personal flotation device/life jacket, booties, and neoprene mittens are provided.
DATES & PRICES
Request your trip here!
Submit questions via email Arrange a callback Call now: +49 201 85890960
or please select your preferred date
July 7, 2027 – July 20, 2027
Starting at €13,395 ; €12,056 per person
14 days/13 nights
MS Sea Spirit (Maximum occupancy: 114)
Longyearbyen (Svalbard) Longyearbyen (Svalbard)
Up to 15% early-bird discount for bookings made by September 30, 2026
Travel with German-speaking support*
July 19, 2027 – August 1, 2027
From €13,395 €11,386 per person
14 days/13 nights
MS Sea Spirit (Maximum occupancy: 114)
Longyearbyen (Svalbard) Longyearbyen (Svalbard)
Up to 15% early-bird discount for bookings made by September 30, 2026
Travel with German-speaking support*
Selected date
July 7, 2027 – July 20, 2027 (14 days/13 nights)
MS Sea Spirit | German-speaking | Circumnavigation of Spitsbergen including Kvitøya
Classic Triple Suite
Main Deck Suite
Classic Suite
Superior Suite
Deluxe Suite
Premium Suite
single suite
Owner Suite
cabin
options
| Photography (included) | ||
| Person(s) | ||
| Kayak Sea Club (Price per person) | ||
| Person(s) | 695,00 € | |
personal data
By clicking on the "Request now" button, you agree to the Processing of your personal data to complete the reservation.
Summary
Optional activities
Selected date
July 19, 2027 – August 1, 2027 (14 days/13 nights)
MS Sea Spirit | German-speaking | Circumnavigation of Spitsbergen including Kvitøya
Classic Triple Suite
Main Deck Suite
Classic Suite
Superior Suite
Deluxe Suite
Premium Suite
single suite
Owner Suite
cabin
options
personal data
By clicking on the "Request now" button, you agree to the Processing of your personal data to complete the reservation.
Summary
Optional activities
Included services:
- One night's accommodation on day 1 in Longyearbyen at the Radisson Blu Polar Hotel (subject to change)
- Group transfer from the airport to the hotel (Day 1)
- Group transfer to the ship on the day of embarkation (Day 2)
- Group transfer to the airport or city center after disembarkation
- 13-night stay on the MS Sea Spirit, including full board during the trip (B/L/D)
- 24-hour water, tea, and coffee station on board
- All-inclusive beverage package with non-alcoholic beverages, house wine and beer, and house spirits in the onboard restaurant and bar
- All planned shore excursions, Zodiac trips, and excursions as per the program
- Experienced expedition leaders and lecturers
- Expedition parka specially designed for polar regions (you may keep it as a souvenir)
- Drinking bottle, to reduce plastic waste on board (you may keep it as a souvenir)
- Original "Artic Muck Boots" (or similar) available on loan, comfortable and high-quality thermal rubber boots, waterproof, lined and with padded midsole, for shore excursions
- Welcome and farewell cocktail
- Information material before the trip
- Digital logbook of the trip
- Wi-Fi on board
- AECO fees and government taxes
Not included in the price:
- Flights to and from Longyearbyen
- Costs for medical tests or vaccinations required by either a government agency or Poseidon Expeditions before, during, or after the cruise
- Visa or passport fees (if required)
- Luggage, trip cancellation, and trip interruption insurance (recommended)
- Personal expenses, for example for laundry or communication services (telephone, fax, email)
- Health insurance with emergency repatriation (required)
- tips
Important:
- Onboard language: English/German
- Expedition leaders and lecturers who speak English/German
- Means of payment on board: US dollars, euros, and major credit cards
- Filling out a medical questionnaire is mandatory.
- Free rubber boots available on board
- Open bridge
- There is a doctor on board.
- Proof of international health insurance with medical repatriation must be provided.
- The trip is not suitable for people with limited mobility.
*German language support
On board the expedition ships, the expedition team speaksEnglish and Germanduring the cruises.
For you, this means that all publications, such as ourin-flight magazine, daily programs, and notices, are also available in German. Menusare multilingual, so you can be sure you're always choosing the right thing. This also applies to announcements on board: to ensure you don't miss anything, these are always made in German as well. Do you have any specific questions or personal requests? Feel free to contact the German-speaking members of the expedition team at any time.
Your individual needs will also be taken into account during the diverse activities on the expedition cruises: for example, whenever possible, you will be divided into language groups for trips on Zodiac inflatable boats, and lectures will be held in German. You can always count on simultaneous translation.
Your ship during the voyage
Your ship: The MS Sea Spirit
Click here for deck plans, cabin categories, facts & figures
> View here
Total Solar Eclipse and the Three Pearls MS Sea Spirit Arctic©Page Chichister Poseidon Expeditions
MS Sea Spirit in the Arctic | © Page Chichister
Total Solar Eclipse and the Three Pearls Deck Restaurant©Page Chichester_Poseidon Expeditions
Deck restaurant on the MS Sea Spirit | © Page Chichester
Total Solar Eclipse and the Three Pearls _Zodiac Excursion Ice Bear©John Bozinov_Poseidon Expeditions
Zodiac trip | © John Bozinov
Total Solar Eclipse and the Three Pearls _Zodiac Trip©Anthony Smith_Poseidon Expeditions
Zodiac trip | © Anthony Smith
Total Solar Eclipse and the Three Pearls _Whale Kayaking©Sergey Dolya_Poseidon Expeditions
Whale near kayakers | © Sergey Dolya
Total Solar Eclipse and the Three Pearls_Spitsbergen@Page Chichester_Poseidon Expeditions
Spitsbergen landscape | @ Page Chichester
Total solar eclipse and the three-pearl coastal tern©Page Chichester_Poseidon Expeditions
Coastal terns | © Page Chichester
Total Solar Eclipse and the Three Pearls_Spitsbergen Glacier©Page Chichester_Poseidon Expeditions
Spitsbergen Glacier | © Page Chichester
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