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Through the North Atlantic from Scotland to Svalbard

Through the North Atlantic from Scotland to Svalbard

From AUD $5,990

Description

There are few wilder, more magnificent and untouched places than the Arctic Islands of the North Atlantic! And our new ship the Ocean Albatros is more than suited for such a voyage.

Join us for an early summer’s cruise from Aberdeen to the lush green Shetland isles, the Faroe Islands small capital Tórshavn and the North Atlantic to the Arctic islands of Jan Mayen and Svalbard. We will travel north along with the migrating birds, and hopefully spot the polar bears hunting from the sea ice in the 24-hour daylight.

The cruise starts in Aberdeen on the Scottish East Coast. Here we embark Albatros Expedition’s vessel, the comfortable and newly built Ocean Albatros, which is our home for the next 10 days. Our first stop is the cozy capital village Lerwick on “main” Shetland, then we venture further north to Tórshavn on the Faroe Islands. After a day at sea spotting for seabirds and whales we reach the enigmatic and isolated island of Jan Mayen with its looming 2,200-meter high volcano of Beerenberg. We travel north with the spring and 24-hour daylight until we reach the snow-covered mountains of Svalbard. Sea ice will still cover many fjords, but with an ice class of 1A we are safe on board Ocean Albatros. From the panorama deck we hope to spot the iconic polar bear on the ice and feel the Arctic nature close to us as we cruise in our smaller Zodiac vessels. We venture further north into Kongsfjorden and Ny Ålesund, to Smeerenburg and hopefully as far as Yttre Norskøya in the far North west corner of Spitsbergen Island. Weather and ice conditions will often dictate the course, but each landing with Zodiac-boats will still be unique and adventurous.

After 10 fantastic days we will disembark in Longyearbyen for your homebound flight.

Trip Name
Through the North Atlantic from Scotland to Svalbard
Days
10
Overview
Vessel Type: Luxury Expedition Passenger Capacity: ~190 (95 cabins) Built: 2022 The Ocean Albatros, sistership to the Ocean Victory, will join the fleet of Albatros Expeditions in November 2022. The Ocean Albatros will be deployed to a large selection of expedition cruise destinations, Antarctica, the Arctic, any various exciting new destinations in between. With a total of 95 comfortable staterooms and suites, all with unobstructed sea view, most with their own balcony, the Ocean Albatros will definitely become one of the most popular expedition cruise vessels in the world. Like it's sistership the Ocean Victory it offers two restaurants, a wellness area, an Albatros Nordic Bar, an open deck dining facility, a modern lecture lounge, and other state-of-the-art amenities.  The vessel will have more than a 50% lower carbon footprint than traditional expedition vessels and be one of the most environmentally friendly, implementing the Green Initiative Program, ensuring both absolute comfort and sustainability for our guests. Unlike the Ocean Victory, the Ocean Albatros will also offer a unique panorama sauna, and a total of 12 dedicated solo travel cabins without a single-supplement. BRIDGE Due to its important role as a control center for all nautical and technical processes, the ship's bridge is a vital, sensitive place. Therefore, the bridge may not be accessible to the public at all times. Conditions permitting, we will be happy to welcome you into the bridge for a visit. Guests must be accompanied by the master or our expedition leader. STATEROOM SERVICE Your stateroom is serviced daily. We provide a turn-down service. We provide meal to room only for serious cases of guest being sick. Our suites will have VIP services. ZODIAC LANDINGS One feature of our expedition cruises includes landings and excursions aboard Ocean Albatros's fleet of 18 inflatable, motorized rubber "Zodiac" boats. The Zodiac brand has earned a well-deserved reputation as the sturdiest and safest small watercraft available. These boats have a low draft and great stability. Zodiacs are constructed for professional use and are outfitted with a top-quality outboard engine, yet their design minimally impacts the environment. The Zodiacs are designed to provide unrestricted access to the world’s last great frontier. Their versatility enables us to make landfall on remote shores, cruise along awe-inspiring coastlines and share breathtakingly close encounters with whales, seals, penguins, seabirds and more. We will come within arm’s reach of icebergs and set foot on land discovered by pioneering explorers just over a century ago. Your safety and comfort are our #1 priority, and your expedition leader will carefully plan for as many Zodiac excursions as possible, dependent upon the local weather and prevailing conditions. In each case, the expedition leader makes the final decision if the landing is possible or not. Safety regulations apply on landings. All guests receive a mandatory instruction of the safety guidelines. Life jackets are mandatory to wear. Please note, we highly recommend the use of waterproof bags in order to protect your personal camera or binoculars, as both hands must be free of everything during boarding. Participation is fairly easy and comfortable for able-bodied guests but can be more challenging for those with physical handicaps. GRATUITIES Following international standards in the service industry, it is customary to leave gratuity for the ship’s crew at the end of the voyage. All gratuities will be divided among the crew. Typically, a recommended amount is approximately 13.5 USD per person per day. Gratuity is, of course, not required and any gratuity payments are voluntary. DRESS CODE The dress code on board is casual. Ties, jackets and evening dresses you may leave at home. It is rather more important to wear the right clothes in order to adapt to the different weather conditions. We recommend comfortable, breathable, waterproof and windproof clothing. Also, you should have a pair of gloves, thermal underwear and sturdy footwear in your luggage. For the captains and farewell cocktail, we recommend a smart casual dress style. INTERNET / PHONE Keep in mind, we will be cruising in a very remote region of the world. Where accessible, internet access is available for an extra charge. Mobile phone reception may be possible in select regions along our route. For further details please contact your mobile phone operator. Prices can be found in the information folder in your state room. Please ensure that your ‘Data Roaming’ function is switched off. RECEPTION The daily office hours of the board reception are from 06:00 until 23:00. ALBATROS OCEAN SHOP The selection of items available for purchase varies by ship, and may include a range of warm and practical clothing, as well as souvenirs, local arts and postcards at reasonable prices. A small selection of soap, toothpaste and other personal effects are also sold. HEALTH / MEDICAL EMERGENCY Each of our vessels has a small medical facility equipped with the necessary equipment and medicine to handle small emergencies. The infirmary is always staffed by a professionally licensed, English-speaking physician and nurse. Should a serious incident occur, the nearest hospital will be contacted. All guests must have personal travel/health insurance. Although we do not have an official requirement regarding personal fitness, you should be able to move on board and ashore without the help of others. Please be aware that the ship does not provide wheelchair accessible state rooms. Due to safety reasons a cruise is only possible for pregnant women until the 24th week of pregnancy. The state of pregnancy must be presented by a medical certificate. PHYSICAL DISABILITIES / WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY Guests with physical disabilities are recommended to travel with an accompanying person. The processes on board should be handled without external help. The gangway can be – depending on the individual disability – a challenge. The angle of inclination of the gangway varies due to tide and different circumstances in the respective port. Please note that the guest’s participation in shore excursions as well as the (dis-)embarkation by Zodiac can be denied by the expedition leader due to security reasons. The instructions of the expedition leader must be followed. The ship is not suitable for wheelchairs. SEASICKNESS / STABILISATORS The ship is equipped with stabilizers in order to reduce the ship’s roll. However, these expeditions are hosted in remote regions, and it is possible to periodically encounter changing environments and climate patterns, including rough seas and large swells. Seasickness patches (Scopoderm or similar) work solely or in part to help cure nausea for most people. These medicines can cause sleepiness. If you are prone to motion sickness, consult with your doctor prior to departure to help ensure your comfort while travelling. SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS All meals on board the vessel is chef-prepared. If you have special dietary requirements (food allergies, intolerances, health conditions or religious preferences), please inform us as early as possible - ideally, no later than 2 weeks before departure. In order to ensure efficient service, please re-confirm your requirements with the crew upon boarding the ship. LAUNDRY If you wish to have some laundry done while aboard the ship, laundry service is available for an additional fee.

Itinerary



Day 1 - DAY 1 BOARDING IN ABERDEEN
Our journey begins in Aberdeen in North East Scotland, where our ship is located by a dock in the Dee River. Boarding is in the afternoon, where the staterooms are designated. After the mandatory security review and drill, we sail out through the mouth of the Dee River towards the North Sea.
Day 2 - DAY 2 SHETLAND ISLANDS WITH THE HARBOUR AND FISHING VILLAGE OF LERWICK
We are set to approach Lerwick near the "Main Land" of the Shetlands in the morning. The island of Shetland consists of more than 100 islands and shores, of which only 15 are inhabited year-round. The islands form the northernmost part of the British kingdom, located approximately 300 km north of the mainland of Scotland. This "central" location in the North Atlantic has through the ages led many to the islands, and the Scandinavian heritage still shines through dialects, folklore and place names.Once securely docked at the port, we depart through Lerwick towards Scalloway for a short scenic drive. From the elevated position we can enjoy the view of the charming village and the imposing Scalloway Castle. After a short photo stop, we continue eastwards through the area that is locally known as the “Black Gates” – an area where peat is still cut to use as fuel.Following the road northwards our main destination of Clickimin Broch is only a short drive. There will be free time to discover this well preserved and restored Broch and learn more about life in the Iron Age. (The coach excursion is part of the excursion package and is not included in the price of the trip).Afterwards, we will return to Lerwick and the ship in the middle of the day. The rest of the day is for enjoying at leisure before departing in the early afternoon.
Day 3 - DAY 3 FAROE ISLANDS TÓRSHAVN AND THE NORTH ATLANTIC
We arrive after breakfast at Tórshavn, possibly the smallest capital in the world, ruling the scattered 18 islands that make up the Faroes. Centred around the charming grass-roofed Parliament on Tinganes, Tórshavn is now an almost bustling modern city with shops, cafés and even five traffic lights!By midmorning you can participate in an optional bus excursion where we will try to look a bit back in history. We drive out of the capital and over the mountains to the south. As the climate on the Faroe Island is ‘stable unstable’ it is not unlikely that we will drive through the cloud base and experience some fog on the way. But if you wait a moment, it also not unlikely that it will clear up. We arrive in Kirkjubøur, the most important historical site on the islands. Kirkjubøur was in medieval times the Episcopal centre of the Faroe Islands, and also its undisputed cultural centre. We visit the ruins of the impressive Magnus Cathedral that perhaps never was completed, and the St. Olav church – the only remaining medieval church on the Faroe Islands. Upon our return to ‘Havn’ – as Tórshavn is often just called – you can go for a leisurely stroll through the old citadel near the harbour. A visit to the Art museum and the Nordic House is also very recommendable.(The coach excursion is part of the excursion package and is not included in the price of the trip).The sailing northwards towards Jan Mayen will probably go through Vestmanna Sound, along the west-facing shore of Streymoy and the south side of Mykines. But the route depends on winds, sea and comfort.
Day 4 - DAY 4 ON THE SEA TOWARDS JAN MAYEN LOOKING FOR SEABIRDS, DOLPHINS AND WHALES
Listen to a lecture from our experienced expedition staff, see a film about Arctic nature – or go out on deck to catch glimpses of migrating birds and hopefully some whales.
Day 5 - DAY 5 JAN MAYEN WITH LANDING IN ZODIACS
Approximately in the middle of the North Atlantic lies the enigmatic volcanic island of Jan Mayen. And if not exactly in the middle, at least it is located precisely on the Mid Atlantic Ridge, the reason for its volcanic existence. And enigmatic it is not only because of its isolation but also due to the almost perpetual clouds and fog that hovers above it. Jan Mayen belongs to Norway, and the mountain Beerenberg is one of the higher of Norways 300 summits above 2.000 meter. The island is habited by only 18 persons, running the meteorological station and the Norwegian Defence.We will try to go ashore at the narrowest part of the island, from either south or north, depending on the prevailing wind and surf. The volcanic origin is visible all over with cinder cones, lava flows and the Mount Fuji like appearance of Beerenberg looming above.After a pleasant stroll on the narrow isthmus we board the Zodiacs and return to our ship to continue our voyage north.
Day 6 - DAY 6 ON THE SEA TOWARDS SVALBARD
Lectures, movies or maybe a game are some of the activities and this sea day.We are getting closer towards the islands of Svalbard, and it should be possible to spot the largest island, Spitsbergen during the night.Our route for this day and next are much depending on conditions. Not least the pack ice coming from Arctic Sea as well as from calving glaciers, and also solid winter sea ice. Our vessel has an ice class of 1A and the Captain should be able to safely approach the edge of the ice to give us opportunity to spot our first polar bear, hunting for seals.The west coast enjoys the warmer water coming up through the Atlantic, so winter ice should now have melted.During the night the ship will sail north along the coast of Spitsbergen.
Day 7 - DAY 7 NY ÅLESUND, KONGSFJORDEN AND BLOMSTRANDHALVØYA
During the ‘night’ (what is night, when the sun never sets?), we have passed Prins Karls Forland and have arrived in the magnificent Kongsfjord. Our visit to Svalbard is in the early summer and this is both the challenge and gift of this special voyage. Winter ice will possibly block the inner waters of many fjords, but this will give us the best opportunities to observe the omnipresent – but still elusive – polar bear, hunting for seals in its prime habitat. At this time of the year, the migrating birds have just arrived. They are all eager to settle and feed to get the best start for the coming hectic summer months. Our first landing will be at Ny Ålesund. This settlement is in fact further north than Longyearbyen, making it THE northernmost town. But… is a group of scientific stations, a post office and a single shop open for a few hours a real town? You will have to judge for yourself. The setting is nice, the scientific projects are very interesting, and so is the town history. The Captain will try to get berthed alongside the pier, so we can enjoy an easy walk through the area. Continuing our exploration of Kongsfjorden, Ocean Atlantic will anchor behind Blomstrand Peninsula. As we will immediately see, the name is a bit misleading. Blomstrand is now an island - the Blomstrand Glacier has receded, revealing a shallow water strait. We will cruise through this on our Zodiacs and make a landing on the island.
Day 8 - DAY 8 FORMER WHALING STATION AT SMEERENBURG AND YTRE NORSKØYA
We have now entered North West Svalbard, which was declared a national park in 1973. The day could begin with a Zodiac cruise in Danskergattet, looking for seals in Virgohamna, before crossing from Danskøya to Amsterdamøya to make a landing at Smeerenburg, the legendary whaling town of 17th century. 200-plus men were living – and quite often dying – here in the heyday of blubber production.There are several interesting places to visit in this northwestern corner of Spitsbergen. If conditions allow we’ll make a landing on Ytre Norskøya, where whalers would have their lookout posts.
Day 9 - DAY 9 PRINCE KARLS FORLAND WITH HERDS OF WALRUSES AROUND POOLEPYNTEN AND THE ICEFJORD
During the night we have entered Forlandssundet, that separates Prince Karls Forland from Spitsbergen. Our destination is Poole-pynten (Poolepoint), a small headland named after the British whaler Jonas Poole. Today the area is inhabited by herds of walruses who can be seen (and smelled!) from a distance. The large mammals flaunt their tusks and whiskers, as well as their considerable bulk.After the visit, we are southbound towards the entrance to the Icefjord.On our way towards Longyearbyen as we cruise through the Icefjord, we hope to get our last glimpses of wildlife as well as the truly unique landscapes of Svalbard.
Day 10 - DAY 10 LONGYEARBYEN, SPITSBERGEN. DISEMBARKATION. CHARTERED FLIGHT TO OSLO.
Early in the morning the ship has made it to port in Longyearbyen. After breakfast and farewell greetings to the expedition team and crew, disembarkation will take place. Transfer is arranged to the airport. From here you will board your chartered flight to Oslo. Please note that all the outings and landings rely on weather, sea and ice conditions being favorable both for the ship to access the areas, as for the zodiacs and kayaks to maneuver under adequate conditions, ensuring the safety of all our passengers and staff.For this reason, during moments of harsh weather and throughout the entire trip, Ocean Albatros has excellent public areas, such as wellness/sauna, restaurant, bar and a library for our passengers to spend their spare time. Our ship is staffed by experts in the field who will also share great lectures along the way, ranging from exploration history to biology, geology, ice and wildlife.
Day 11 - Please Note:
Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
23-05-202301-06-2023AUD $5,990Category F
23-05-202301-06-2023AUD $7,790Category D
23-05-202301-06-2023AUD $8,290Category E
23-05-202301-06-2023AUD $8,990Category C
23-05-202301-06-2023AUD $9,490Category G
23-05-202301-06-2023AUD $9,990Category B2
23-05-202301-06-2023AUD $11,790Category B1
23-05-202301-06-2023AUD $13,790Category A
23-05-202301-06-2023AUD $15,990Premium Suite

Inclusions

    • FAROE ISLANDS TÓRSHAVN AND THE NORTH ATLANTIC
    • JAN MAYEN WITH LANDING IN ZODIACS
    • NY ÅLESUND, KONGSFJORDEN AND BLOMSTRANDHALVØYA
    • FORMER WHALING STATION AT SMEERENBURG AND YTRE NORSKØYA

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