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9 days - Small ship voyage with only 53 passengers
Join M/S Quest (formally Sea Endurance) one of the world’s most magnificent wildernesses – Svalbard. This early in the season, Svalbard is characterised by a wonderful purity, pastel coloured skies and breathtaking sceneries. Here we keep our eyes open for polar bears, walrus and other Arctic animals, but above all we enjoy the stunning nature that surrounds us – ice formations and snow covered mountains, glistering glaciers and fjord ice.
There are three ships operating the same itinerary, M/S Quest being the biggest. Two smaller ships, M/S Sjøveien and M/S Stockholm carry only a maximum of 12 passengers.
M/S Quest, formally known as Sea Endurance The ship was built in Denmark in 1992 to serve as a ferry on Greenland’s west coast. In 2004/2005 she was completely refurbished and now has a career as a small and comfortable expedition ship. Sea Endurance takes 53 passengers and all 26 cabins are outside cabins with private facilities. The triple cabins have upper and lower berths. All other cabins have two lower berths or a double bed. In your cabin you find a desk with a chair and a cupboard for storage. The superior cabins are spacious and have armchairs and TV/ DVD. The Owner’s cabin has a double bed, two large picture windows, a separate seating area and TV/DVD.
In the dining room you are treated to delicious meals in between landings and in the panorama lounge you can enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. Here you can listen to entertaining talks on the area’s flora, fauna and history. In the lounge you also find a bar and a small library. The ship has spacious observation decks, where you can enjoy the beautiful vistas. Passengers are welcome on the bridge around the clock and there is always something to see or search for. There is an international crew on board the Sea Endurance and the atmosphere is relaxed and very friendly.
Read more about the smaller ships here:
Flights to and from Longyearbyen, travel and cancellation insurance, the customary gratuity to the ship’s crew, personal expenses such as bar and shop charges.
We arrive in Longyearbyen and transfer to our hotel.
Longyearbyen is a vibrant Arctic metropol with a population of 2100 people from over 40 nations. The society is characterized by active people, living in tough conditions in the wilderness of the High Arctic.
We start our adventure in Svalbard by exploring Longyearbyen. In the afternoon we embark the expedition ship Sea Endurance and sail out through Isfjorden. We are now in a part of the world where we are totally dependent on the ice and weather conditions.
Your exact itinerary depends on these factors and on the wildlife you encounter. The captain's ambition is to make landings or cruises every day with the Zodiacs. Here are some examples of places you may visit:
This narrow strip of land is covered by a magnificent and snow-covered mountain chain. The island is also home to many seabirds and harbour seals.
Two of the most courageous attempts to reach the North Pole started on the island of Danskøya. Swedish balloonist Andrée made an attempt with a hydrogen balloon and American journalist Wellman started with an airship. There are still interesting remnants from these expeditions left on this site.
Svalbard offers the visitor countless spectacular fjords. During our journey we will explore a few of them such as: Liefdefjorden, meaning “The fjord of love”, is lined with snow-covered mountain peaks and here we hope to cruise along the face of the spectacular Monaco Glacier. Many common eiders and pinkfooted geese nest in the area and if lucky we see the rare king eider. In Krossfjorden we revel in the beautifully sculptured front of the 14th of July Glacier to the raucous greeting of the large number of kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots nesting on the nearby cliffs.
Raudfjorden is an area of immense natural beauty – dominated by beautiful glaciers. It is also a favourite spot for seals and the bird cliffs are bursting with activity. The scientific village of Ny Ålesund is situated in Kongsfjorden. It was from here that Amundsen and Nobile started their heroic expeditions to the North Pole.
North of Spitsbergen we might meet the edge of the pack ice. Not many ships venture here and we can marvel at the silence and grandeur of this icy landscape. Chances of meeting polar bears increase as we sail along the ice floes.
The grand fjords of Hornsund offer spectacular glaciers and a breathtaking landscape of towering mountain peaks, often reaching above the clouds. On a clear day we can see the summit of the highest mountain Hornsundtind, measuring 1431 meters. Hornsund is a favourite haunt for some of Svalbard’s polar bears and bearded seals are often seen resting on the fjord ice.
Early morning we disembark our expedition ship and begin our journey back home.
Price per person, twin share double. Please note: It is always possible to share a cabin on board M/S Quest. All cabins have windows and private facilities. Alternate cabin options include triple, twin, single, double superior and owners cabin.
*The double bed in cabin 402, 319 & 301 is separable.
09 June 2022 and 07 June 2023 departures are German speaking.
Please note: This itinerary is subject to change. Your exact route will depend on ice, weather conditions and wildlife. The crew always strive to maximise your experience. Please remember that flexibility is the key to a successful expedition!
Resident of Longyearbyen, our friend Maria Rossi shares with you her 'top ten things to see and do in Svalbard'. Regardless of season, the magnificent outdoors, high standard in hotels and fine dining options (along with the jolly old pub) will cater for all your requests.
Take a glimpse of some wildlife tours that we offer in the Nordic region. Which one are you most interested in – polar bears, brown bears, whales or puffins?
Keen to see a polar bear during your Norwegian holiday?
If you want to commit to a booking please use the Book Tour form below.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours with 50 Degrees North. Please ensure that you have this organised as we will need to see proof of this upon issuing your tour documentation. Please contact us for a quote or visit http://www.suresave.net.au/