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Ultramarine, Spitsbergen Circumnavigation ex Helsinki Return

12 Night Cruise sailing from Longyearbyen roundtrip aboard Ultramarine. Hotel stay pre-cruise in Helsinki.

Departs
Wednesday, 25th June 2025
Ship
Ultramarine
Quark Expeditions
Pricing is From and Per Person
Cabin Twin Triple Quad Single
N/A N/A N/A N/A

Please note, while prices and inclusions are accurate at time of loading they are subject to change due to changes in cruise line policies and pricing and due to currency fluctuations. Currency surcharges may apply. Please check details of price and inclusions at time of booking.

12 Night Cruise sailing from Longyearbyen roundtrip aboard Ultramarine. Hotel stay pre-cruise in Helsinki.

Please note: The itinerary shown includes land/flight components that are part of a Mandatory Transfer Package which may be at an additional cost. Please check at time of enquiry/booking.

Day 1 Arrive in Helsinki, Finland
Your Arctic adventure begins in Helsinki, renowned for its extraordinary architecture and intriguing mix of eastern and western influences. If you arrive early, explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District before retiring at your included hotel.

Day 2 Fly to Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Embark
This morning, the group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement. As your ship sets sail, enjoy your first view of the island’s rugged, glacier-topped mountains rising majestically from frigid waters.

Days 3 to 13 Exploring Spitsbergen
Expect a new adventure every day as we begin our journey by heading north and around the island of Spitsbergen, exploring smaller, outlying islands. We plan to circumnavigate Spitsbergen, but if conditions are favorable, we will also attempt a larger circumnavigation of the archipelago, including many of the outer islands in the Svalbard archipelago. Every expedition will be different, depending on the weather and ice, but some of the places we may visit include the 14th of July Glacier, Ny-London, Phippsøya, Alkefjellet and the seldom-visited Kvitøya.

These names may seem strange to you, but each site has its own unique appeal. There is no shortage of natural beauty in Spitsbergen, where colorful tundra meadows are complemented by immense glaciers. For birders, 14th of July Bay is home to puffins, purple sandpipers, black-legged kittiwakes, pink-footed geese, and barnacle geese, while Alkefjellet’s cliffs are teeming with nesting Brünnich’s guillemots (thick-billed murres).

Always on the lookout for wildlife, be sure to have your camera ready to capture reindeer when we visit sites like Ny-London, Sundneset and Alkhornet. Searching for the iconic polar bear is a constant activity for your Expedition Team. Phippsøya and Isbukta are often home to sea ice, the bears’ preferred habitat for hunting, which translates into great potential for you to view and capture them in action.

A big part of appreciating Spitsbergen comes from understanding the history—not just how people live today, but also how this land was first explored. Whaling was a key industry, and you will see remains of outposts from the 16th century, plus other evidence of whaling at landing sites such as Smeerenburg.

Day 14 Disembark in Longyearbyen and Fly to Helsinki
Your adventure ends in the frontier-style settlement of Longyearbyen. From here, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your return group charter flight to Helsinki, included in the transfer package.

Cruise Itinerary
Date Activity Arrive Depart
25/06/25 Helsinki, Finland Hotel
26/06/25 Helsinki, Finland Flight to Longyearbyen
26/06/25 Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Embark
27/06/25 Spitsbergen, Norway
28/06/25 Spitsbergen, Norway
29/06/25 Spitsbergen, Norway
30/06/25 Spitsbergen, Norway
01/07/25 Isbukta, Spitsbergen
02/07/25 Spitsbergen, Norway
03/07/25 Spitsbergen, Norway
04/07/25 Spitsbergen, Norway
05/07/25 Smeerenburg, Spitsbergen
06/07/25 Spitsbergen, Norway
07/07/25 Spitsbergen, Norway
08/07/25 Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Disembark Flight to Helsinki
08/07/25 Helsinki, Finland
Itinerary may vary by sailing date and itineraries may be changed at the cruise lines discretion. Please check itinerary details at time of booking and before booking other travel services such as airline tickets.

Available Sailing Dates