Our Product Executive, Michelle Vincent, headed north aboard Quark Expeditions’ Ocean Explorer this spring, hosting a small group of our clients on an eight-night exploration of Svalbard. From polar bears and walruses to Zodiac cruises beneath bird cliffs and a journey beyond 80° North, this is what unfolded.
Michelle joined a group of Cruise Routes travelers in Longyearbyen for Quark Expeditions’ Spitsbergen Highlights: Wildlife Capital of the Arctic, setting sail in late May to explore Spitsbergen and the waters to its north.
This was also one of our Hosted Departures – specially created group journeys developed with trusted expedition partners, bringing together a small number of like-minded explorers and one of our own experienced team.
The idea is simple: you still have the freedom to experience the expedition in your own way, but with the added reassurance – and camaraderie – of travelling with a familiar group and a Cruise Routes host. Michelle was there throughout, helping coordinate the group, answering questions and making sure everyone could concentrate on what they had really come for: experiencing Svalbard.
Our exclusive Hosted Departures bring together small groups of like-minded explorers on carefully chosen journeys created with our trusted partners. With an experienced host on hand throughout, you’ll enjoy personalised support, specially selected experiences and the freedom to explore at your own pace – with the added pleasure of sharing the adventure with others.
Over eight nights, the group travelled 871 nautical miles, ventured beyond 80° North, explored by Zodiac and on foot, reached the edge of the Arctic sea ice – and had a remarkable run of wildlife encounters along the way.
Setting out from Longyearbyen
After embarking in Longyearbyen, the first full day brought the group to Camp Zoe in Krossfjorden, where there was an opportunity to walk across the Arctic tundra.
Later came Fjortende Julibreen – the 14th of July Glacier – surrounded by steep mountains and busy birdlife. Kittiwakes filled the air with their calls, while Brünnich’s guillemots gathered on the cliffs.
It was an early glimpse of something that becomes very apparent in Svalbard: even in a landscape dominated by rock, snow and ice, there is an extraordinary amount of life.
Then came the bears…
Wildlife is never guaranteed in the Arctic. That uncertainty is part of what makes an expedition here so compelling.
But on this particular voyage, Svalbard was feeling rather generous.
On 25 May, the group recorded two polar bears at Ytre and Indre Norskøya. The following morning brought another encounter – a mother and cub at Worsleyneset – followed later that day by a further polar bear sighting near Monacobreen.
Several sightings across two days is something to savour. You can travel to Svalbard at the right time, on the right ship and with an experienced expedition team, but ultimately the wildlife decides whether it wants to appear.
On this occasion, it did.
Image courtesy of Quark Expeditions
Image courtesy of Quark Expeditions
History, glaciers and thousands of seabirds
Of course, Svalbard is about far more than polar bears.
At Smeerenburg, the remains of a 17th-century Dutch whaling station offered a glimpse into the archipelago’s human history, while nearby Virghamna has its own remarkable connection with early polar exploration.
The journey continued through Liefdefjorden, with a landing at Texas Bar and exploration around Monacobreen, before heading north-east to Eolusneset and Alkefjellet.
Alkefjellet is one of those places where Svalbard suddenly becomes rather noisy. Its towering cliffs are a seasonal nesting ground for tens of thousands of guillemots and kittiwakes, with birds crowding the rock and filling the air above.
The voyage’s wildlife list eventually stretched from Atlantic puffins and ivory gulls to Arctic foxes, Svalbard reindeer, several seal species and northern minke whales.
And, naturally, there were walruses.
Image courtesy of Quark Expeditions
Beyond 80° North
On 28 May, Ocean Explorer reached 80°48’ North – the furthest point north of the voyage.
The destination that day wasn’t a settlement or landing site. It was the edge of the Arctic sea ice.
This is expedition cruising at its most elemental. Pack ice stretching towards the horizon, the ship moving through a landscape that is constantly shifting, and everyone watching to see what might emerge.
The ice edge is an important habitat for Arctic wildlife, including seals and polar bears, so plans remained deliberately flexible. Zodiac cruising, kayaking and paddle excursions were all part of the day, with the expedition team responding to the conditions and opportunities around them.
Image courtesy of Quark Expeditions
Image courtesy of Quark Expeditions
There was even a polar plunge for those willing to discover exactly how cold Arctic water feels. We suspect Michelle’s new friends may have needed a cup of tea afterwards.
One final sweep through Svalbard
Turning south again, the expedition continued to Signehamna, with its traces of polar history and seabird colonies, before a Zodiac cruise through Lilliehöökfjorden and its vast glacial scenery.
The final full day brought Borebukta and an expedition afternoon in Isfjord, with the team once again allowing conditions to shape where the ship went and what the group could experience.
That flexibility matters in Svalbard. A rigid itinerary rather misses the point. Weather shifts. Ice moves. Wildlife appears where it chooses. The expedition team’s job is to read all of that and make the most of each day.
And often, it’s the moments nobody could have scheduled that become the stories you bring home.
Exploring together, without travelling in a crowd
One of the pleasures of a Hosted Departure is the balance it offers.
You’re travelling with a small group of people who share your curiosity for the destination, with a Cruise Routes host there when you need them – but it never means having to spend every moment together.
There’s time to swap stories after a day ashore, share the excitement of an unexpected wildlife sighting or simply enjoy knowing there are familiar faces around you. And behind the scenes, your host is there to help with the practical details and make sure the group is well looked after.
For a destination as remote as Svalbard, that can be particularly reassuring. You get all the adventure of a true expedition, with a little more of the personal Cruise Routes experience travelling with you.
Image courtesy of Quark Expeditions
Image courtesy of Quark Expeditions
Why book with Cruise Routes?
At Cruise Routes, we believe cruising is designed for exploration.
The opportunity for real discovery is the golden thread connecting every journey we recommend. From extraordinary wildlife and spectacular landscapes to meaningful encounters with the places you visit, our carefully selected expedition cruises are chosen to help you experience destinations more deeply – not simply pass through them.
Whether you’re considering Svalbard as your first expedition cruise or planning a journey with Quark through the polar regions beyond, our Cruise Consultants are here to help you find the right voyage for you.
Speak to a Cruise Consultant about your Quark Expeditions cruise on 0203 924 8888 or enquire here.
