SETI

In-Depth Svalbard Cruise

Longyearbyen→Longyearbyen

29.06.26 - 08.07.26

Voyage completed

This departure has already sailed

Bookings for this date are closed, but the itinerary below is kept for reference. The same voyage usually returns in a following season — and there are other departures open right now.

V1826062909SH VEGA

Ports2

Countries1

Nights9

Embark on the Exploring Svalbard luxury cruise, a captivating round-trip voyage departing from the world's northernmost town, Longyearbyen, on the island of Spitsbergen. This adventure leads you through the breathtaking landscapes of the Svalbard archipelago

Day-by-Day Itinerary

As you navigate the Arctic waters, keep an eye out for mesmerizing wildlife like polar bears, ringed seals, and walruses. Your luxury cruise experience includes various activities to engage and enrich. Optional kayaking with the Swan Hellenic Expedition Team offers a unique perspective on the stunning Arctic landscapes. As you're enveloped in the natural wonders of Svalbard, take delight in the diverse flora burgeoning under the midnight sun, creating unforgettable memories on this extraordinary voyage

NOTE: This itinerary provides general information about each destination. Also, please be aware that some of the venues and highlights mentioned may not be open or accessible on the day we visit. For the most accurate tour program, we recommend contacting your Swan Hellenic agent or travel agent closer to your departure date.

Overview

Day 1

Longyearbyen

It's home to the North Pole Expeditions Museum, chronicling early pole-reaching efforts by air. Arctic waters around are populated by whales, including bowheads and narwhals, while walruses are regularly seen hauling out

Days 2-9

Svalbard

Svalbard is the kingdom of the polar bears, deep in the Arctic Circle, featuring varied polar landscapes and gargantuan glaciers. Beyond magnificent fjords in the north, the remaining sea ice serves as prime hunting grounds for polar bears. Closer to Longyearbyen, tundra and beaches replace snow and ice. Alongside 600 polar bears, this Arctic hotspot is home to walrus, Svalbard reindeer, ringed seals, and arctic fox

Day 10

Longyearbyen

Your Arctic voyage ends back in Longyearbyen, having experienced a unique glimpse into the barren lands and wildlife of this remote area. Learn more about the island's early explorers, the challenges of living in the Arctic, and the diverse wildlife you might have encountered on your cruise at the Svalbard Museum. Or even send a postcard from the world's northernmost post office before your journey home

Expedition highlights

High-latitude coasts where glaciers, fjords, and shifting light set the pace, and wildlife watching is part of the day from deck and shore.

Eternety Fjord, Greenland

Ice Fjords

Listen to the symphony of nature as towering icebergs and colossal glaciers crack and calve.

Citizen Science Workshops

During your trip, join Swan Hellenics Citizen Science programs and contribute to real-world environmental research.

Expert-led Talks

Learn more about this isolated polar region from our on board team of experts.

Polar Wildlife Watching

Spy on polar bears, walruses, whales and arctic foxes in their natural habitat.

Cruising in Search of the Ice Pack

A full day navigating north toward the pack ice — where polar bears roam and the high Arctic frontier feels genuinely close.

Onboard Experts & Lecturers

Orkan Umurhan

Dr. Orkan Umurhan is a mathematical physicist and planetary scientist at the SETI Institute, where he investigates how planets form and how icy landscapes evolve on Earth, and from Mars and all the way out to Pluto. He has served as a NASA mission scientist on enterprises like New Horizons and studies how dust and gas chaotically swirl into the building blocks of planets in young solar systems. He’s involved in new mission design concepts to visit comets and is currently writing a book on cosmic turbulence. A dedicated science communicator and educator of decades, he shares the wonders of planetary science with audiences of all ages—and has even appeared on TV from time to time! When contemplating sublime cosmic mysteries, he's a baseball-dad musician who enjoys trekking through exotic wild landscapes of this planet with his partner and son