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The Heart of the Arctic
The Heart of the Arctic

Cruise around Svalbard on the new luxury ship SH Vega

New
The Heart of the Arctic
Difficulty
Difficulty levels
Easy. Passive relaxation and sightseeing — cruises for example. No physical activities. Good for older people.
Normal. Active tours. You don’t have to be a sportsman, but you need to be strong enough to ride a snowmobile or go hiking in the mountains.
Advanced. Get ready for a challenge — long trekking with a heavy backpack on the shoulders, rafting along mountain rivers.
Hard. Professional training and perfect physical fitness are required. The level involves climbing to the tops of the mountains (above 3000 meters), freeriding and North Pole diving.
Group size
to 152 person
Duration
9 days

Accommodation during the trip

1 night
7 nights

Languages

EN
guide
We update the dates and tour price.
Leave your email and we’ll notify you when get this info.

Svalbard has everything you would expect to see in the Arctic: various landscapes from blooming tundra to polar desert, the main representatives of the Arctic wildlife, polar research stations, and historical sites of pioneers. Discover the heart of the Arctic on the voyage aboard the luxury expedition ship. 

New
The Heart of the Arctic
Difficulty
Difficulty levels
Easy. Passive relaxation and sightseeing — cruises for example. No physical activities. Good for older people.
Normal. Active tours. You don’t have to be a sportsman, but you need to be strong enough to ride a snowmobile or go hiking in the mountains.
Advanced. Get ready for a challenge — long trekking with a heavy backpack on the shoulders, rafting along mountain rivers.
Hard. Professional training and perfect physical fitness are required. The level involves climbing to the tops of the mountains (above 3000 meters), freeriding and North Pole diving.
Group size
to 152 person
Duration
9 days

Accommodation during the trip

1 night
7 nights

Languages

EN
guide
We update the dates and tour price.
Leave your email and we’ll notify you when get this info.

Experiences you'll have

Svalbard cruise

You will explore one of the largest polar archipelagos on the newest premium expedition ship, the SH Vega. On board, you can enjoy suites with fireplaces, an outdoor infinity pool, a sauna overlooking the glaciers, and gourmet restaurants with meals from renowned chefs. Unique Arctic landscapes and rich polar wildlife await you on zodiac boat outings.

Special offer: up to 55% discount is available if booked by February 29, 2024

Highlights of the voyage:

  • observing extensive Arctic fauna: walruses, seals, whales, reindeer, polar bears, and a variety of seabirds
  • exploring the diversity of ecosystems: fjords, blooming tundra, drift ice, and polar desert
  • walking on the sparkling 5-km Monacobreen Glacier, the most glorious on Svalbard
  • strolling through Nordaustlandet, one of the three largest islands on the archipelago
  • capturing the bright colors of blooming tundra in Bellsund Bay and Wijdefjord
  • visiting Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund, the northernmost town and the settlement in the world

The cost of the cruise depends on the cabin type selected. See details in the Accommodation section. 

Itinerary

The journey begins in Longyearbyen, where you should get to on your own.


This is a general plan of the expedition, the route may vary depending on the weather.

Day 1 Arrival in Longyearbyen

You will be met at Longyearbyen Airport and transferred to the hotel where you will spend the night before the cruise.

 

The northernmost town in the world, Longyearbyen, is located on Spitsbergen, the Svalbard's largest island. The town's North Pole Expeditions Museum tells the story of the first attempts to reach the pole by air. Nearby is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, where duplicate seeds from gene banks around the world are stored. The surrounding Arctic waters are inhabited by whales, including bowhead whales and narwhals, and walrus haulouts can be seen on the shores.

Day 2 Boarding the ship

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the port and board the ship. You will meet the ship's crew and expedition's members during a welcome cocktail.

Days 3-8 Around Svalbard

On the first day, you will reach Bellsund Bay and see a panorama of mountains with snow-capped peaks, glaciers, and flowering tundra. On expedition zodiac boats, you will approach the coastal cliffs occupied by bird flocks. Urias, kittiwakes, little auks, and northern fulmars are nesting here. You will have a chance to see reindeer during the walk along the tundra. Usually, peacefully grazing reindeer lets people get very close to them. In the bay, you can see ringed seals and polar bears hunting them.

 

The expedition ship will enter Liefdefjorden, framed by the sparkling 5-km Monacobreen Glacier. The boats will take you right up to the edge of the glacier. Sometimes, the absolute silence of this place is broken by the rumbling sound of breaking off icebergs. You will land on the glacier and take a walk. Walruses and polar bears may be seen here.

 

Nordaustlandet is one of the 3 largest islands in the Svalbard archipelago. You can stroll through the polar desert and walk on a soft carpet of mosses and lichens. Watch walruses and bears on the edge of the ice field, meet reindeer, and get as close as possible to bird colonies on the coastal cliffs.

 

The 100-km-long Wijdefjord, the longest fjord in Svalbard, is part of the Indre Wijdefjorden National Park. It was created to protect the rich Arctic steppe flora unique to Europe. You will walk among Arctic grasses, willow shrubs, and wildflowers such as Saxifraga cespitosa and Silene latifolia. The area is home to reindeer and Arctic foxes.

 

Ny-Ålesund is the northernmost settlement in the world. It is located on the shores of a closed fjord at 79 degrees north latitude, and scientific stations from more than 100 countries are located here. The famous expedition on the Norway Airship was started here in 1926. Its members, Roald Amundsen, Lincoln Ellsworth, and Umberto Nobile, were the first people to visit the North Pole and were able to document it. You will learn the details of this event from the history expert.

 

On Svalbard's east coast, you will sail on expedition boats to the picturesque Alkefjellet cliffs to admire huge bird colonies. You will also visit Barents and Edge Islands, where you can enter abandoned hunting cabins.

Day 9 Return to Longyearbyen

In the morning, the ship will call at the port of Longyearbyen. After breakfast and disembarking, a transfer to the airport will be organized for you.

 

If you are leaving Longyearbyen the next day, you can spend the night in a hotel (1 night accommodation and breakfast included).

New
The Heart of the Arctic
Difficulty
Difficulty levels
Easy. Passive relaxation and sightseeing — cruises for example. No physical activities. Good for older people.
Normal. Active tours. You don’t have to be a sportsman, but you need to be strong enough to ride a snowmobile or go hiking in the mountains.
Advanced. Get ready for a challenge — long trekking with a heavy backpack on the shoulders, rafting along mountain rivers.
Hard. Professional training and perfect physical fitness are required. The level involves climbing to the tops of the mountains (above 3000 meters), freeriding and North Pole diving.
Group size
to 152 person
Duration
9 days

Accommodation during the trip

1 night
7 nights

Languages

EN
guide
We update the dates and tour price.
Leave your email and we’ll notify you when get this info.

Accommodation during the trip

A 15% prepayment is needed to make a reservation. The final payment of 85% is paid 65 days before the start of the cruise.

 

Rates depend on the cabin type selected. The price is per person with double occupancy in a cabin.

 

  • Oceanview D4 (deck 4, bow) – 11,138 4,260 USD
  • Oceanview M4 (deck 4, center) – 11,584  4,485 USD
  • Balcony D5 (deck 5, bow and aft) – 12,576 5,235 USD
  • Balcony М5 (deck 5, center) – 13,098 5,610 USD
  • Balcony D6 (deck 6) – 14,258 6,135 USD
  • Suite (deck 5 and 6) – 16,305 7,410 USD
  • Premium Suite (deck 6) – 18,713 8,160 USD

 

Cabin types:

 

Oceanview (19 sq.m.): 2 single beds (convertible to a double bed), sitting area with a sofa, soothing flame-effect fireplace, luxurious bathroom, panoramic windows

 

Balcony (28 sq.m.): 2 single beds (convertible to a double bed), sitting area with a sofa, soothing flame-effect fireplace, luxurious bathroom, private balcony 6 sq.m. 

 

Suite (44 sq.m.): king-size bed, separate living room with a soothing flame-effect fireplace, luxurious ensuite bathroom, private balcony 6 sq.m.

 

Premium Suite (47-49 sq.m.): king-size bed, separate living room with a soothing flame-effect fireplace, luxurious ensuite bathroom, spacious walk-in wardrobe, private balcony 12 sq.m.


 

Ship’s description

 

SH Vega is a new 5-star expedition ship built in Finland’s famous Helsinki Shipyard in 2022. It is equipped with ice-strengthened hulls and extra-large stabilizers.

 

A small number of guests (152) provide a friendly, informal atmosphere aboard as well as dynamic activities of the ships. 

 

All public areas have fireplaces and panoramic windows. You can admire the Antarctic scenery from anywhere on board.

 

Onboard facilities: club lounge with 24-hour food service, observation lounge equipped for lectures and live music evenings, outdoor infinity pool, sauna with hot tubs with panoramic ocean views, SPA, gym, main restaurant, basecamp, library, and laboratory. 

 

The night before the cruise and the final night you will spend in a hotel in Longyearbyen.

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Common questions

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What to bring with me +

You will be given a branded waterproof and windproof expedition jacket, and high expedition rubber boots will be provided during sea walks and landings.

 

Clothing: 

  • waterproof pants for boat landings and landwalks (Gore-Tex and similar membrane fabrics are preferred. Wear them over your regular pants)
  • thermal underwear (2 sets)
  • thermal socks (3 pairs)
  • shirts and T-shirts
  • jeans or other comfortable pants (several pairs)
  • turtlenecks (suitable for wearing under a warm sweater and for wearing on board)
  • wool or fleece sweaters
  • dressy clothes (for the welcome dinner and farewell cocktail with the captain)
  • warm mittens and thin gloves (2 pairs)
  • warm hat to protect your head and ears
  • warm scarf
     

Footwear:

  • comfortable shoes to wear on board
  • shoes for the cities where your cruise begins and ends
     

Personal items and gear:

  • sunglasses
  • high SPF sunscreen
  • protective lip balm
  • waterproof backpack for your camera and other essentials on disembarkation
  • waterproof case for your gear
  • swimming gear
  • binoculars (optional for animal watching)
  • camera
  • battery pack/spare batteries
Who will be my guide +

The crew of the liner consists of 120 employees, including an expedition team of experienced guides, speakers, and lecturers. On the ship and during zodiac boat trips they will tell about the nature and history of Arctic exploration, give lectures, presentations, and master classes.

Meals +

The price includes full board meals on the ship and an open bar (tea, coffee, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, except premium brands). You will also enjoy a welcome cocktail with the captain and crew, a farewell gala dinner, and 24-hour cabin service.

Medical insurance +

Medical insurance covering emergency evacuation from inaccessible and remote places is required for the journey. It is not included in the tour price and is paid additionally. We are ready to help with its registration. If necessary, please leave a comment in the application form.

Special offer +

Purchasing this cruise will give you a 5% discount on all future journeys with RussiaDiscovery. 

Booking

New

The Heart of the Arctic

Difficulty
Difficulty levels
Easy. Passive relaxation and sightseeing — cruises for example. No physical activities. Good for older people.
Normal. Active tours. You don’t have to be a sportsman, but you need to be strong enough to ride a snowmobile or go hiking in the mountains.
Advanced. Get ready for a challenge — long trekking with a heavy backpack on the shoulders, rafting along mountain rivers.
Hard. Professional training and perfect physical fitness are required. The level involves climbing to the tops of the mountains (above 3000 meters), freeriding and North Pole diving.
Group size
to 152 person
Duration
9 days

Accommodation during the trip

1 night
7 nights

Languages

EN
guide
from 4 003 EUR
What's included in the price:
  • accommodation in Longyearbyen hotel before and after the cruise (2 nights and breakfasts)

  • accommodation on the ship in a cabin of the chosen category

  • all transfers between the hotel, port and airport

  • full board service 

  • all excursions and landings as per the program

  • lectures from the expedition team

  • rental of rubber boots and branded expedition jacket as a gift

  • standard Wi-Fi

  • port charges and tip on board 

Extra charge:
  • airfare to Longyearbyen

  • mandatory health insurance with emergency evacuation from remote locations coverage

  • premium alcoholic drinks at the bar, not included in the price

  • personal expenses on board (laundry, calls, spa, etc.)

In the price:
Included Extra charge
  • accommodation in Longyearbyen hotel before and after the cruise (2 nights and breakfasts)

  • accommodation on the ship in a cabin of the chosen category

  • all transfers between the hotel, port and airport

  • full board service 

  • all excursions and landings as per the program

  • lectures from the expedition team

  • rental of rubber boots and branded expedition jacket as a gift

  • standard Wi-Fi

  • port charges and tip on board 

  • airfare to Longyearbyen

  • mandatory health insurance with emergency evacuation from remote locations coverage

  • premium alcoholic drinks at the bar, not included in the price

  • personal expenses on board (laundry, calls, spa, etc.)

Best price
guarantee
Customized
tours
Discounts for
regular clients
Easy booking
and payments