Svalbard Expedition Cruise with Seabourn

Enjoy a relaxed overnight stay in Edinburgh, included in your cruise fare. Check in to your room is available in the afternoon - a hospitality room is available for early arrivals - and then the rest of the day is at leisure. Transfers from Edinburgh airport to your hotel are also available if you are arriving by scheduled flight into Edinburgh airport. 

Stay: Edinburgh accommodation

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport to board your charter flight from Edinburgh to Longyearbyen, Svalbard's main settlement and the world's northernmost town with a population greater than 1,000. On arrival, you will be transferred to the port to board Seabourn Venture and begin your luxury expedition cruise. Dinner will be served onboard this evening.

Stay: Seabourn Venture

You will spend seven enthralling days exploring the vast Arctic wilderness that is Svalbard. Your exact itinerary for these days is not set in advance; instead, your highly knowledgeable and experienced Seabourn expedition team takes the weather and sea conditions into account each day to create unforgettable experiences in the best possible way. Should a polar bear appear on the horizon, for example, the ship or Zodiacs might be stopped to get a better look (from a safe distance, of course). Should ice choke the waters in front of you, you might slow down and explore the ice edge, admiring its colours and forms while searching for wildlife, or else turn and choose another destination that's more easily accessible. This is the best way to explore a place like Svalbard, full of mystery and natural beauty. 

Some of the highlights of visiting Svalbard include:

Tundra landscapes – Join your expedition team for hikes across stark landscapes to discover small plants and flowers that manage to thrive in this hostile environment. Admire rock formations and other landscapes created moulded by ice over the millennia, while keeping a close eye out for wildlife such as Arctic foxes and reindeer. 

Polar bears – This iconic species is known as the King of the Arctic for a reason. Whether you spot them as a tiny white speck in the distance or ambling along the shoreline, a glimpse of this regal species never fails to amaze. You will never pursue polar bears, and your expedition team carefully manages all activities to ensure the safety of both you and the bears.

Historic remains – Human endeavours in Svalbard have been relatively small-scale, but you can still see some historic trapper's huts and remains from the whaling eras onshore. Seeing these remains gives you a fascinating insight into the life of hardship and beautiful isolation of those who've carved out a life in this hostile land. 

Zodiac cruises and kayaking tours – Take in icebergs and glaciers from the best vantage point by Zodiac or kayak throughout your days here. The blue-tinged colour of the ice is nothing short of mesmerising, as are the shapes of the ice forms themselves. There's also a chance of encounters with marine life such as beluga whales, humpback whales, seals, and walruses.

Stay: Seabourn Venture

On the final day of your cruise, enjoy breakfast onboard before disembarking and boarding your flight back to Edinburgh.  On arrival you will be transferred to your hotel in Edinburgh for a further overnight stay. 

Stay: Edinburgh accommodation

Your experience ends with a leisurely breakfast at your hotel, before checking out and making your way home or onwards to your next destination. 

If you need assistance with travel to Edinburgh or wish to extend your experience in Scotland after your cruise, please speak to one of our specialists.