A unique Arctic wilderness Lying 80 degrees north, Svalbard is truly on the top of the world – head north from here and all you’ll encounter is Arctic Ocean and ice. These remote islands of midnight sunshine are nothing short of spectacular. The landscapes of Spitsbergen are breathtaking from sheer-sided fjords to polar desert, individual glaciers to infinite sheet ice. Each day brings a new highlight not to be forgotten. History & Wildlife Explore history through visits to the old whaling settlements dating from the 16th century and send a postcard from the most northerly post office in the world. This is the stage for an incredible wildlife adventure as you go in search of reindeer, Arctic birds, seals, walruses, whales and above all, the majestic polar bear. Nothing compares to seeing these incredible giants in their natural habitat. The Polar Star Built for the Swedish Maritime Administration, the Polar Star is the first ice-breaker to be fully converted for expedition cruising. Carrying approximately 100 passengers the range of cabins and public rooms offer a high degree of comfort. There is a large observation lounge and open bridge policy. Akademik Ioffe & Akademik Sergey Vavilov These ships were built in Scandinavia by the Russian Academy of Science in 1988-89 for sensitive hydroacoustic ocean research. Designed to be exceptionally stable and quiet there is little if any engine noise. While not luxurious, the ships are working scientific vessels, they are comfortable clean and practical. There are ample outside viewing areas and an open bridge policy. Some of the greatest and untouched wildernesses on Earth are only really approachable by ship. Using small ships with an expert crew and team of on board specialists is the essence of expedition cruises – voyages of discovery that could well turn out to be the holiday of a lifetime. Expert Team On all the ships you’ll have a full expeditionnaturalist team on board to give talks on the wildlife, natural environment and history of the area. These experts will also accompany your onshore or water based expeditions in sturdy inflatable ‘zodiac’ boats which will typically take place twice a day. Please remember that a Responsible Travel The expedition cruise ships used operate under strict environmental guidelines to minimise any impact. | 
