Ultramarine, Spitsbergen Highlights ex Helsinki Return

5 Night Cruise sailing from Longyearbyen roundtrip aboard Ultramarine. Hotel stay pre-cruise in Helsinki.

Please note: The itinerary shown includes land/flight components that are part of a Mandatory Transfer Package which may be at an additional cost. Please check at time of enquiry/booking.

Day 1 Arrive in Helsinki, Finland
Your Arctic adventure begins in Helsinki, renowned for its extraordinary architecture and intriguing mix of eastern and western influences. If you arrive early, explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District before retiring at your included hotel.

Day 2 Fly to Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Embark
This morning, the group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement.

Days 3 to 6 Exploring Spitsbergen
You’ll sail around the shores of this magical island, constantly searching for polar bears and other natural wonders. Covering western Spitsbergen, your expedition will afford ample opportunities to view immense glaciers, deep fjords, soaring mountains and unique flora and fauna.

Sailing north into Krossfjorden, have your camera handy, ready to capture some of the best glacier calving in Spitsbergen. Deep in the fjord, the highly active Lilliehöök Glacier awaits. Listen in awe to the growling as big chunks break off into the icy waters below. A Zodiac excursion to nearby Ny-London, an abandoned mining settlement, provides an ideal place for a guided walk. Encounters with wildlife, such as the endemic Svalbard reindeer, might be possible here.

After cruising overnight, wake up to the stunning sight of the magnificent Monaco Glacier, another prolific iceberg producing glacier. To make this even more thrilling, help your Expedition Team to scan the shorelines and ice edge for marine mammals. Possible landing sites include Texas Bar, Worsleyneset and Alicehamna.

At Smeerenburg you can see the remains of an abandoned settlement that was established by Dutch whalers nearly 400 years ago. Here, at what was once one of Europe’s most northerly outposts, you’ll have time to explore ashore and learn about Spitsbergen’s whaling history. Afterwards, cruising to Magdalenefjorden rewards you with panoramic vistas of snow-capped mountains and massive glaciers reflected in the crystal-clear waters.

We hope to round out the day in Alkhornet, taking in the towering cliffs teeming with nesting seabirds, such as fulmars and Brünnich’s guillemots (thick-billed murres). Encounters with reindeer are possible here too. Later, in the evening, swap stories with your shipmates and crew one last time, at the captain’s farewell dinner.

Day 7 Disembark in Longyearbyen and Fly to Helsinki
The time to say goodbye has come. Your adventure ends as it began, in the frontier-style settlement of Longyearbyen. From here, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your return group charter flight to Helsinki, included in the transfer package.

This ship, whose name means "beyond the sea", will redefine what is possible in the Polar Regions. This ship will be more than just a ship—it will be an unrivalled home base that allows our guests to experience the Polar Regions in ways never before seen.

Two helicopters and two operable helidecks will allow more of our passengers to simultaneously experience new destinations accessible only by air, and enjoy a once in a lifetime aerial perspective of the Polar Regions.

Ultramarine offers the largest selection of adventure options, including sea kayaking, paddling, camping, mountaineering, skiing, and standup paddle boarding. And now, for the first time ever, the opportunity for flightseeing, helihiking, and heliskiing.

Nature doesn't wait. Ultramarine's water-level Zodiac hangar houses 20 Zodiacs launched from four embarkation points easily accessible from two ready rooms. When wildlife has been spotted or a magical sunset appears, passengers won't miss a thing.

Optimized fuel, water, provisioning, and waste-handling systems have enabled a best-in-class, 70-day operational range that will allow Ultramarine to offer up a completely new set of polar experiences to your clients—from the design of unprecedented new itineraries to exploring new, never-before-seen landing sites.

Quark Expeditions has been one of the leading innovators and operators of expedition cruises, especially in polar regions, since 1991. The company has pioneered and developed a concept of fantastically adventurous journeys in first class comfort on powerful, polar icebreakers. This concept is unique and many "First Ever" passenger voyages have been successfully operated: the first North Pole voyage, the first transpolar voyage through the North Pole, the first Circumnavigation of Antarctica, the first "Far Side" of Antarctica voyage, the first Weddell Sea voyage, the first Northeast Passage and the first Circumnavigation of the Arctic are all part of this tradition.

Names such as Amundsen, Scott, Shackleton, Franklin, Peary and Nansen are synonymous with the Golden Age of Exploration and, thanks to the polar climates, elements of the past have been well preserved. Viewing these historical sights is a great experience and worthy of care and respect. Quark Expeditions understands this and ensures that all our passengers are fully briefed before any visits take place.