The Svalbard Line – North

Welcome to Bergen! Your voyage begins in this beautiful city on the west coast of Norway. What began as a small village was developed by King Olav Kyree in 1070 AD and is now Norway’s second largest city. The majestic peaks that famously surround the city give Bergen its nickname, ‘The City of Seven Mountains’. Nestled in Bergen’s centre is Vågen Bay, the historic core of the city, and home to the UNESCO-listed Bryggen quarter made up of charming cobblestone streets and local boutique shops. Across from Bryggen, you’ll find the fish market, which cooks up fresh and delicious seafood dishes to feast on. Before you board, visit our comfortable guest lounge at the Bergen Terminal. Here, you can talk to staff about securing a spot on any optional excursions still available. Once we’ve welcomed you aboard, you’ll meet your ship’s Expedition Team, who will be your hosts and guides to the Norwegian coastline and Svalbard. Get acquainted with your shipmates and take some time to get comfortable in your new home-away-from-home. Enjoy your first meal aboard the ship, and watch the row of colourful buildings on the seafront get smaller behind you as you sail into the Norwegian Sea.

Located along the Isfjord, Åndalsnes is a picturesque coastal town, home to about 2,000 people. The literal highlights of Åndalsnes are the mountains that tower over the town. Experience the Norwegian concept of friluftsliv – a love of the outdoors – through a variety of activities, such as hiking to Rampestreken viewpoint. For an easier way to take in the sights, sit back for a relaxing ride on the Romsdal Gondola or travel the winding Trollstigen Pass by bus. Whichever activities you choose, this day will bring you the best views of the Isfjord, Romsdalsfjord, and surrounding peaks.

Træna is an archipelago that sits along the Helgeland coast at the edge of the Arctic Circle, 33 nautical miles northwest of the mainland. Made up of around 500 islands, islets and skerries, only four are inhabited year-round. Today’s selection of activities and optional excursions takes you to the heart of the archipelago’s sights and traditions. The village will be open just for us, including the church, Petter Dass chapel and the local museum. Alternatively, you can join a hike or take a cultural walk to explore the archipelago further on one of our optional excursions. Back on board, we’ll cross the Arctic Circle as we continue heading north, commemorating the moment with a traditional and fun ceremony.

Today, we explore the famed Lofoten islands. Watch for the steep mountains rising from the sea as we approach from the south in the morning. We dock in Reine, an important – and picture-perfect – fishing village since 1743. This is one of the most photographed landscapes in all of Norway, where red-painted rorbuer cling to a string of islands beneath sharp mountain ranges reflected in the waters below. Not far to the south of Reine, at the western tip of the Lofoten archipelago, you’ll find Å, one of the best-preserved traditional fishing villages in Norway. You can visit it on an optional excursion. At the heart of this tiny village is the Norwegian Fishing Village Museum, which covers the importance and development of fishing in Lofoten over the last 250 years.

Tromsø is northern Norway’s urban Arctic hotspot, boasting impressive architecture, hip restaurants, and the world’s northernmost university. Calling into Tromsø on the way to or from Svalbard follows in the footsteps of history. Most explorers and sailors on Arctic expeditions would embark from or return to the city. We aim to dock here in the morning, giving you a whole day to explore this historic Arctic city and its surroundings. Take your pick from a number of optional excursions. Learn more about the culture and polar history of Tromsø on a city walk, or take a scenic bus tour. You can also visit the striking Arctic Cathedral, which has an impressively large multi-coloured stained-glass window. Or ride the Fjellheisen Cable Car up Storsteinen Mountain for exceptionally beautiful views of the city, mountains, and fjords.

Around mid-morning, we arrive at Honningsvåg, the northernmost city in mainland Norway. You have several optional excursions to pick from here. These could include taking a bus or riding a quad to the North Cape, a hike with your Expedition Team. Honningsvåg is also the gateway to the North Cape, the northernmost point of Europe. The plateau stands 307 metres above the sea, and is just over 1,600 km south of the geographical North Pole. Take a moment to gaze out across the sea from a top the soaring cliffs, watching the waves crash against the rocks below. Sailing away from Honningsvåg, we’ll enjoy dramatic views of the plateau from the sea. The ship will head further into the Barents Sea, leaving mainland Norway’s coast far behind us.

Today is a day spent far from land as we cross the Barents Sea heading towards the remote wilderness of Svalbard. It really does feel like we're leaving civilisation far behind as we sail towards the top of the world. There will be a lecture about Svalbard, and the theme of the day is Arctic desert. Out on deck, our talented chefs will prepare another special tasting for you to enjoy - and listen out for any points of interest from the Expedition Team. It's a day for you to relax and enjoy the ship's facilities, and also to look ahead and learn about our next destination. At some point today we will sail past the lonely and rugged island of Bjornøya - 'Bear Island' - although no bears live there today. Why not get a cup of tea or coffee and seat yourself somewhere comfortable and read up about the nature and history of the Arctic frontier. In the afternoon there will be a briefing about the special rules that we all must follow to protect the delicate local ecology when we reach Ny-Ålesund. Remember, there's plenty to do on board, so maybe now's the ideal time to take that sauna, work up a sweat in the fitness room, or browse the library. You might want to sort through all the photos you've taken so far, and if there are any you're particularly proud of, don't forget to share with your fellow guests using the Cameralla app so we can all see them!

On the last day of your voyage, we arrive at the Svalbard archipelago and make our way up to Spitsbergen, the largest of the three main islands. Magnificent brown and green mountains rise and ripple up from the High Arctic tundra while rivers of snow-melt trickle through the valley plains, glistening under the summer sun. Take a moment to just be here, now, in Svalbard. You’re at a latitude more than 78°N and under 1,500 kilometres from the North Pole itself. The air of this Arctic desert is fresh and pure, and temperatures in summer average between zero and eight degrees Celsius thanks to a warm northern branch of the Gulf Stream. In early afternoon, we find Longyearbyen nestled on the banks of Isfjord. It’s time to disembark the ship, but before you travel home, give yourself plenty of time to explore Longyearbyen. or join excursions. A former coal mining colony, Longyearbyen is the biggest settlement in Svalbard and a hub for adventure travellers, as well as scientists and engineers attached to local research projects, like the famous Global Seed Vault. You’ve travelled as part of this historic, iconic voyage to pieces of paradise along the Norwegian coast you won’t soon forget. We hope you’ll cherish each of the memories you’ve made on The Svalbard Line. Come sail with us again soon, on another iconic voyage of our spectacular home: the Norwegian coast.