The North Atlantic Odyssey cruise searches the waters of the North East Atlantic for a variety of marine life. The expedition crosses paths with dolphins as well as large baleen whales on the way to mysterious Jan Mayen with its massive volcano. The pack ice towards Svalbard may reveal surprises. You will board the ship in Aberdeen, Scotland where you will cross the North Sea and sail towards Fair Isle, the volcanic island of Jan Mayen and Spitsbergen.
Duration: 10 Days
Depending on the time you arrive, you might have the chance to explore the town before embarking the M/V Hondius. Settle in your cabin as the ship begins to set sail to the North.
At Fair Isle, in the Shetlands, the roughly seventy inhabitants (renowned for their knitwear) welcome you for a walk to the local bird observatory. This location is a haven for sea birds, though you may also spot grey seals.
You sail north to the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen, 300 nautical miles northeast of Iceland. Your two days at sea do not pass idly, however. Keep a close lookout for any spouts of water from the surrounding seas, heralding the arrival of a minke, fin, orca, or blue whale.
Jan Mayen is a stark volcanic island crowned by the snow-capped summit of Mt. Beerenberg. From the slopes of this imposing 2,300-meter-high (7,545 feet) volcano, broken glaciers grasp out into the frigid sea. With permission from the Norwegian authorities, you can now visit the weather station. You can also walk to the remains of a 17th-century Dutch whaling station amid the thick moss beds of this stark volcanic landscape.
Basking in the midnight sun, you sail north along the edge of the sea ice in search of bowhead whales, harp seals, polar bears, and a variety of seabirds. You then change direction after about 79° north, cutting west to the rocky edges of the continental shelf of west Spitsbergen. Here you have a good chance of seeing fin whales and – near the glacial mouths of the gaping Spitsbergen fjords – surfacing minke whales.
Forlandsundet, between the main island of Spitsbergen and the narrow Prins Karls Forland, is a place of great beauty and fascinating wildlife. Walruses sometimes haul out here. Alternatively, you might sail into St. Johns Fjord or head south to the mouth of Isfjorden, landing at Alkhornet. Seabirds nest on these cliffs, Arctic foxes search below for fallen eggs and chicks, and reindeer graze the sparse vegetation.
We disembark in Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Spitsbergen, for flights south to Oslo and onward home.
| Dates | Cabin | From | Special Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05 Jun 2019 - 14 Jun 2019 | |||
2 portholes, 2 upper & 2 lower berths, small sofa, private shower & toilet, flatscreen TV, desk & chair, telephone and wifi, coffee & tea maker, hair dryer, safe.
2 portholes, 2 lower berths & 1 upper berth, private shower & toilet, flatscreen TV, desk & chair, telephone and wifi, coffee & tea maker, hair dryer, safe.
2 portholes, 2 lower berths, small sofa, private shower & toilet, flatscreen TV, desk & chair, telephone and wifi, coffee & tea maker, hair dryer, safe.
1 window, 2 lower berths, small sofa, private shower & toilet, flatscreen TV, desk & chair, telephone and wifi, coffee & tea maker, hair dryer, safe.
2 windows, 2 lower berths, small sofa, private shower & toilet, flatscreen TV, desk & chair, telephone and wifi, coffee & tea maker, hair dryer, safe, minibar
2 windows, 1 double bed, small sofa, private shower & toilet, flatscreen TV, desk & chair, telephone and wifi, coffee & tea maker, hair dryer, safe, minibar
1 double window, 1 double bed, private shower & toilet, flatscreen TV, desk & chair, telephone and wifi, coffee & tea maker, hair dryer, safe, minibar
1 double window, 1 double bed, private balcony, private shower & toilet, flatscreen TV, desk & chair, telephone and wifi, coffee & tea maker, hair dryer, safe, minibar
4 windows, 1 double bed, sofa, private shower & toilet, flatscreen TV, desk & chair, telephone and wifi, coffee & tea maker, hair dryer, safe, minibar, walk-in closet.
