Svalbard In Summer | Ultramarine

Arrive in the Finnish capital and make your way to the group hotel located right at Helsinki airport—included in your Charter Flight and Hotel Package You will have the rest of the day to explore explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District. If you do plan to visit Helsinki city center, take advantage of the convenient 40-minute rail service from the airport.

This morning, the group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement, where you’ll have some time to explore before embarkation. As your ship sets sail, enjoy your first view of the island’s rugged, glacier-topped mountains rising majestically from icy waters.

Svalbard is a true Arctic environment, where many iconic species spend their entire lives, entwined with the winter and spring sea ice. But with the arrival of summer—brief as it is—the archipelago bursts to life as countless migratory species settle in to take advantage of the season’s endless daylight and abundant food. Chief among Svalbard’s summer migrants are seabirds, waterfowl, and other birds, joined by marine visitors such as baleen whales—including the mighty blue whale. Though wildlife sightings aren’t guaranteed, these giants are sometimes observed foraging in the rich Arctic waters. Under the midnight sun, plant life also flourishes. While less diverse than in southern regions, Svalbard hosts hundreds of plant, lichen, and moss species, from hardy grasses to vibrant wildflowers. For a few brief months, snow and ice are replaced by pockets of green and splashes of color, framed by snowcapped peaks —a fleeting transformation of the High Arctic landscape. Throughout the summer, sea ice fractures, melts and disperses. Many species that depend on it shift north and east where ice lingers, or remain ashore until it returns in late fall. While ice may be less frequent, the open water offers greater access to the archipelago’s northern and eastern reaches. If we do encounter ice, we’ll pause to explore it. At this time of year, wildlife is more often spotted in the water, along shorelines, or gathered in bustling bird colonies clinging to the cliffs. Some terrain here is nearly vertical, with seabirds colonizing every possible ledge. Little auks, guillemots, and puffins nest in rocky crevices, spending the brief summer flying back and forth to feed themselves and their chicks before their f irst flights and plunges. Looking upward while seated in a Zodiac, the sky may seem alive with more birds than you can count, and sometimes we’ll explore near these cliffs on foot. Keep watch for other iconic species too, such as Arctic terns, common eiders, and the occasional king eider. The sounds are astonishing—an Arctic “silence” feels alive with nature’s calls. Standing beneath towering seabird cliffs renders visitors speechless. Summer offers the chance to step ashore and walk on bare ground, though patches of snow can linger. We may hike into foothills, valleys, and Arctic beaches— land shared with polar bears. While sightings are farther inshore, their paw prints in sand or mud tell their story. Take time to look around and underfoot, where hardy vascular plants and wildflowers bloom. You might also spot driftwood—not from ancient Svalbard forests, but carried here by Arctic currents from Siberia, where tree trunks and branches are swept up in the Arctic currents, ultimately coming to rest here. Additionally, we may see reindeer, as they busily forage on the bountiful summer plant life. Although the weather in midsummer is often cool—even crisp—in midsummer, it’s possible to enjoy reasonably warm days in Svalbard. It’s a surreal experience—feeling the warmth of the summer sun knowing you’re less than 700 nautical miles from the North Pole. As summer warms and sea ice recedes, glaciers come alive—meltwater hastening erosion, tidewater glaciers calving ice with thunderous force. From a Zodiac amid icebergs and brash ice, listen for the crackle of melting ice, the lap of currents, and Arctic terns calling overhead. During summer, if conditions align, it might also be possible to visit some of Svalbard’s residents, be they trappers or researchers. There are a number of trappers’ cabins dotted across the archipelago, and the stories their

The time to say goodbye has come. Your adventure ends as it began, in the frontierstyle settlement of Longyearbyen. From here, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your return group charter flight to Helsinki, and hotel night. Both are included in your Charter Flight & Hotel Package.

After breakfast at your included hotel, make your way independently to the airport for your onward flight home, or spend more time exploring the Finnish capital as prearranged.

*Please note: Cruise itinerary is subject to change depending on weather conditions, ice conditions and other factors.