A Taste of North Spitsbergen
A compact Arctic expedition for travellers balancing wildlife ambitions, time and budget.
Personal advice · No obligation · No advisory fees
Why we picked it
This earns a place as EA’s accessible entry to Svalbard. It gives us a practical starting point for travellers whose budget or available leave makes a longer expedition difficult.
Our recommendation comes with a clear trade-off: a short voyage has less time to absorb poor weather or follow wildlife opportunities. We would shortlist it for someone who values getting to Svalbard within their limits, then compare a longer voyage before deciding whether the saving is worthwhile.
Travellers seeking a short, expedition-focused introduction.
A manageable voyage fare with both shared and private-cabin options.
Six itinerary days include embarkation and disembarkation. This is a taste of the region.
Considering this voyage? Ask our team how its cabins, activities and overall trip compare with other Arctic options.
Enquire about this voyagePersonal advice · No obligation · No advisory fees
The Expedition Advisory difference
Why book this voyage with us?
Choose your voyage and cabin with confidence. We’ll help with the rest of your journey.
Operator Pricing
You pay the expedition operator’s fare. We check applicable offers and promotions for your voyage. Our advice and booking support cost you nothing extra.
Independent Advice
Compare this voyage with other Arctic options. We match the ship, season and cabin to your priorities. We search all available itineraries from our partner operators, including voyages not listed on our website.
Field Experience
Our polar guiding experience helps you understand sea conditions, time ashore and daily expedition life before you choose.
Beyond the Cruise
Get practical flight, packing and preparation guidance, plus a pre-departure call with a regional guide. We can book your hotels and transfers with no extra booking fee.
Personal advice · No obligation · No advisory fees
Voyage overview
A west and north Spitsbergen route combining fjords, exploration history and wildlife searching, with the pack ice as a possible objective.
Use the plan below to understand the intended shape of the journey. Wildlife sightings, ice access and landings cannot be promised.
Day-by-day plan
Longyearbyen and Isfjorden
Your voyage begins in Longyearbyen, Svalbard’s main gateway. If you have time before boarding, the Svalbard Museum offers useful context for the landscapes and history ahead. In the early evening, Ortelius sails into Isfjorden and the expedition begins.
EA recommends arriving with a sensible buffer rather than relying on a tight same-day connection. We will check your flights against the operator’s transfer arrangements.
Kongsfjorden, Ny-Ålesund and Krossfjord
The planned route reaches Ny-Ålesund, a former mining settlement now associated with Arctic research. Its historic airship mast connects the place with the expeditions of Amundsen and Nobile. Birds and traces of earlier working life add detail to a walk ashore.
The afternoon is intended for Krossfjord before continuing north along the west coast. The balance between time ashore, cruising and travel is adjusted to the conditions.
Whaling history and the northwest coast
Ytre Norskøya offers a possible walk through the landscape used by seventeenth-century whalers. Graves and lookout sites give the coast a human history alongside its seabird cliffs.
Raudfjorden is another possible focus, with glaciers, coastal vegetation and wildlife searching. Seals, Arctic foxes and polar bears may be encountered, but the expedition follows opportunities rather than a wildlife checklist.
Towards the pack ice
The ship heads north towards the seasonal ice edge. Its location matters: the team must balance the distance to the ice with weather and the time needed to return. From deck, watch for seals, bears and seabirds while the ship explores suitable fringes of the pack.
This is one of the reasons to travel with flexible expectations. The texture and light of the sea ice can be memorable in their own right; reaching a particular point or seeing a particular animal is never assured.
Forlandsundet and the journey south
The proposed afternoon stop is Poolepynten on Prins Karls Forland, known as a walrus haul-out. Alkhornet near the entrance to Isfjorden is an alternative, with seabird cliffs and the possibility of reindeer and Arctic foxes.
Landings depend on access, wildlife and the team’s assessment. Keep binoculars handy during the return towards Isfjorden: travelling between sites can also provide wildlife opportunities.
Return to Longyearbyen
Ortelius returns to Longyearbyen for morning disembarkation. You can continue exploring locally or begin your journey home.
We will help align onward plans with the operator’s disembarkation and transfer advice.
Indicative operator itinerary; weather, ice, permissions and wildlife determine the final programme.
Dates & departures
Selected published departures are shown below. Ask us to confirm the current schedule, ship and cabin availability for your preferred dates.
2027 sailings
| Starts | Ends | Ship |
|---|---|---|
| 30 June | 5 July | Ortelius |
| 5 July | 10 July | Ortelius |
Plan your voyage
Ask about this voyage, check availability or request a quote. We’ll confirm the complete trip cost, inclusions and any applicable operator offers for your chosen departure.
Enquire about this voyagePersonal advice · No obligation · No advisory fees
Life aboard Ortelius
A traditional expedition ship carrying up to 108 passengers in 50 cabins, with open decks, a bar and lecture room.
Explore the ship’s shared spaces and watch the operator’s tour below. The six cabin categories are shown together in the following section.
Tour Ortelius
Oceanwide’s ship tour. Watch on YouTube
A glimpse of Svalbard
An operator film of the region, not a promise of this six-day route. Watch on Vimeo
Choose your cabin
Ortelius offers six cabin categories, from shared berths to Superior accommodation. Images are representative: layout, outlook and furnishings can vary by cabin. Some windows have partial obstructions; we will check the specific cabin before you commit.
Quadruple Porthole
12.4-14.1 m²
Four berths arranged as upper and lower bunks, two portholes and private shower/WC.
Triple Porthole
Triple share
An upper/lower bunk plus a single lower berth, two portholes and private shower/WC.
Twin Porthole
11.4-15.1 m²
Two lower berths, two portholes and private shower/WC. A practical starting point for two travelling together.
Twin Window
17.5-17.7 m²
Two lower berths, two windows and private shower/WC, with more floor space than the entry twin.
Twin Deluxe
17.7 m²
Two lower berths, three windows, a small sofa, refrigerator and tea/coffee facilities, with private shower/WC.
Superior
18.4-20.4 m²
A double bed and sofa bed, at least two windows, refrigerator and tea/coffee facilities, with private shower/WC.
We will confirm the current fare, availability and any sole-use supplement for your preferred cabin and departure.
What the voyage includes
See what your voyage fare covers and what to allow for beyond the ship.
Included in your fare
- Your stay aboardFive nights in your chosen cabin, plus onboard meals, snacks, tea and coffee.
- Expedition programmeZodiac excursions, expedition staff and onboard lectures.
- Equipment on loanBoots and snowshoes for the voyage.
- Programme feesPort and service charges, AECO fees and programme governmental taxes.
- Useful extrasPre-departure material, a reusable water bottle and 1.5 GB of Wi-Fi data per guest, per day.
Budget separately
- Travel to LongyearbyenFlights and any travel outside the confirmed transfer arrangements.
- Time ashoreHotels and meals before or after your voyage.
- Travel insuranceArrange suitable cover for your trip.
- Personal spendingBar purchases, other personal expenses and customary gratuities.
- Arrival and departure taxesGovernment arrival and departure taxes are excluded.
Selected Longyearbyen flight transfers and baggage handling are included only when confirmed by Oceanwide. We’ll check your flight plans against those arrangements before you book.
Let’s find your expedition
Tell us your wishes, dates and questions. We’ll help you choose with confidence.
Personal advice · No obligation · No advisory fees
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Sources: Oceanwide OTL06-27 · Oceanwide OTL07-27 · Ortelius ship details. Image: Oceanwide Expeditions.