Sailing the Arctic Circle with Seabourn

Ever wondered what it is like to go on an expedition in one of the most remote places in the world? I just returned from a week exploring Svalbard: the northernmost part of Norway that serves as a gateway to the Arctic Circle. This area of the world has some of the most unique wildlife, untouched landscapes, and beauty around every turn. Here is what you need to know about the most incredible trip I have ever been on!

First off, going to The Arctic is no small feat. It is an expensive destination that requires a lot of planning to do justice to. However, the value you get for the money is beyond worth it! Given how remote it is and how spread out the wildlife is, doing this on your own really is not an option unless you solely want to see the small town of Longyearbyen. The true magic comes in sailing around the islands, carving through sea ice and searching for polar bears!

We sailed onboard the Seabourn Venture for their 8 day Svalbard Experience itinerary. The ship itself was incredible, with a sauna overlooking the ocean, an infinity pool at the back of the ship, and a caviar on ice party with glacier viewing! Fill out the travel inquiry form here if you are interested in learning more about expedition cruising, as I can find you the best deal and take all the stress out of planning your trip!

Can you tell me more about The Arctic in general?

The Arctic refers to The Arctic circle up near the North Pole. Typically people access this region via Greenland, Canada, and Norway. There are cruises of many different durations, some spending as few as 2-3 days up in the Arctic Circle and more time exploring Greenland and Canada, and voyages like the one we chose which solely explore Svalbard. We wanted to maximize our time to see wildlife and truly just immerse in the arctic, so we chose to spend 8 days in Svalbard itself.

So what is there to do in The Arctic?

SO MUCH! I was shocked at how busy this expedition voyage kept us! Expeditions are always different based on wind, weather, and ice melt based on the time of year you go (more on this later).

While excursions vary, you likely will get the chance to do a combination of the following:

-Zodiac Cruises to glaciers, among sea ice, and for wildlife spotting

-Landings offering hiking, with likely spotting of reindeer and walruses

-A polar plunge! This was one of the most epic things I have ever done!

-On ship wildlife sighting: The nice thing about a small expedition ship? The entire ship will stop and inform you of wildlife sightings. There is nothing like being woken by the captain for Beluga whale sightings

-Daily briefings on expeditions with optional lectures about the area and wildlife

-Landings to historic sights

-Bird watching: The Arctic is a bird lover's paradise!! We saw so many kinds, including my favorite puffins!

-Walking on sea ice, and if it is thick enough your captain may even drive the boat directly into the ice like ours did! We loved making snow angels and sipping champagne on the ice.

Are wildlife sightings guaranteed?

Unfortunately no. Your guides will do everything possible to find wildlife for you, but wildlife is wild! Polar bear sightings in particular are fairly rare, but we were fortunate and actually saw 3. Reindeer and walrus sightings are much more common, but still never guaranteed and depend heavily on current ice levels and weather too!

Seabourn was fantastic at getting us close to wildlife while protecting the animals and not disturbing their peace! We were actually walking around the ship on the sea ice when a polar bear was spotted in the distance. They promptly got us all back on the ship and had us stay silent out on the decks to not scare the bear away. It walked right around the ship and went on his way!

When should I go?

Sailing The Arctic like I did is seasonal, and the ships only go in the summer due to the freezing of sea ice in the winter months. The summer months bring 24 hour daylight with the midnight sun, which is absolutely magical to experience. Voyages start in May and usually extend through September. Typically the best month to go to see wildlife is the later part of June and July.

I went the last week of May/first week of June, and we were incredibly lucky to see so much wildlife! We even saw Beluga and Menke whales which had just returned to the area. Later June and July will bring a bit more wildlife as more whales migrate to the area and the wildlife converges more on the land as the sea ice melts, increasing chances of sightings.

What is all included?

While each expedition cruise line is different (more on why we chose Seabourn below), our price included a pre and post voyage hotel stay in Edinburgh, charter flights from Edinburgh to Svalbard, all transportation, the cruise fare, all meals, all drinks (including alcohol), all expeditions and entertainment, on ship wifi, a parka, hat, waterproof backpack, and stainless steel water bottle.

How did you get there?

While each expedition cruise line will do things a bit differently, we flew to Edinburgh, spent the night then took a charter flight through Seabourn to Longyearbyen. You can fly directly to Longyearbyen and book shorter, local cruises as well. These will not be as much of an expedition experience and will have very basic accommodations, but are more budget friendly.

What do I pack for a trip like this and what is weather like?

Pack lots of layers! The weather is similar to winter in Colorado: between 15-25F with possibility of snow. Overall, the weather for us was sunny, with a few cold days with sleet.

Our ship provided us a parka, but waterproof outer layers are definitely a must! Good gloves and a balaclava were things I was so grateful I packed for the colder zodiac cruises. And of course a good camera! I have all my favorite essentials linked on my Amazon storefront here. The cruise will have boots you will be fitted in and required to wear for landings to ensure no spread of germs or toxins to the environment.

What are the benefits of choosing a luxury cruise?

As I have mentioned a few times, we sailed onboard the Seabourn Venture. Seabourn is an ultra luxury experience, and the incredible service makes it worth every penny and more. The small size of the ship (less than 200 passengers for The Arctic) means you get a lot of personalized attention and so much time on excursions! Crew members knew us by name immediately, so it really felt like home.

The meals and drinks onboard were all delicious! From fresh sushi, to chef crafted 3 course meals, to a perfect hot toddy after the Polar Plunge, to specialty coffee, to in room dining, everything we tried was exquisite.

Safety! Polar bears are cute, but are very dangerous as they have been known to actively hunt humans. Our expedition guides always set up perimeters before we walked on land, scouting for wildlife so both us and the wildlife remained safe. They are armed when we go on land as well, which is required in Svalbard.

With Seabourn tipping is never expected or required as well! Paying everything up front, and having all transportation and expeditions planned for you makes this such an incredibly easy way to travel! I am a certified travel agent with Seabourn, so if you are interested in sailing with them, let me know by filling out the travel inquiry form here.

Overall, The Arctic absolutely blew me away! This was a place I knew virtually nothing about, and I think this is going to be a top sought after destination in 2-3 years as people discover how wonderful it is. If you are even considering a trip, I advise you to do it now as Norway continually makes restrictions on cruises more stringent, and as demand rises prices will only increase in the future. Since I have gone and experienced it all, I can definitely help provide you with firsthand knowledge you need. Click here if I have successfully convinced you!

As always, drop any questions you have about this incredible place below and subscribe to the blog to stay up to date on all the latest updates! Happy adventures!