DESTINATIONS CRUISE | SVALBARD
ABOVE: Clia team, cruise line members and agents in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, during the Clia Expedition Showcase PICTURES: Steve Dunlop; Richard l’Anson; David Merron
in 1596 by a Dutch explorer, and coal mining began in 1899. The main island is Spitsbergen, which means ‘pointy mountains’, while the name Svalbard is a Viking word for ‘cold coast’. Most settlements are on the western side because of the warming effect of the Gulf Stream, while the eastern side has cold Arctic currents. That’s where cruise ships can sail past glaciers and, hopefully, spot polar bears down by the shore. Lorna’s slides show us some
of the birds to look out for, such as Brünnich’s guillemot, little auk, northern fulmar and kittiwake. My
favourites are puffin chicks called pufflings, which look like grey balls of candyfloss, and the Arctic tern, which migrates between the Arctic and Antarctic, clocking up about 1.5 million miles during its lifetime. We spot a small iceberg and, as the ice melts, we can hear the popping of bubbles formed thousands of years ago. There’s more excitement as we glimpse the brown hump and tusks of a walrus and then a minke whale – nicknamed ‘stinky minke’ because of their bad breath. Sadly, we don’t spot any of
Svalbard’s 3,000 or so polar bears – but a colleague sailing around
We spot an
iceberg and hear the popping of bubbles formed thousands of years ago
Svalbard on AE Expeditions’ Sylvia Earle the following day is lucky enough to catch a glimpse.
SAFARI BY SEA That’s the appeal of an expedition cruise; they take clients to remote places, often only accessible on
3 X-BOW EXPEDITION SHIPS at the Clia Expedition Showcase in Svalbard
OCEAN ALBATROS, ALBATROS EXPEDITIONS “Our USP is we offer good value compared to competitors. Single cabins sell out quickly. We’re a Danish company and have visited Greenland
for 40 years. We also have a team of historians, biologists, geologists and photographers on board.” Melissa Waidner, sales manager, Europe and South Africa
36 11 SEPTEMBER 2025
SYLVIA EARLE, AE EXPEDITIONS “We are the only B Corp-certified expedition operator, with no single- use plastic on board. Sylvia Earle has 130 passengers and you can have
four to five hours off the ship every day. We offer citizen science projects and, being Australian-owned, it’s very casual on board.” Andrew Turner, EMEA sales director
OCEAN EXPLORER, QUARK EXPEDITIONS “The vibe on board is chilled – you’ll often find the expedition crew in the observation lounge or bistro, which has stunning views. You can have a glass of
champagne in the outdoor Jacuzzis or see lectures in the theatre or on your cabin TV.” Becky Francis, senior sales director, EMEA and China
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travelweekly.co.uk
Zodiacs, to view calving glaciers, and flora and fauna up close while accompanied by wildlife experts who can add valuable insights. It’s no wonder expedition cruises are dubbed ‘safaris on water’ or, as Clia UK & Ireland’s managing director Andy Harmer tells me, a ‘seafari’. These cruises can be expensive but Harmer says: “Price-wise, it is value for money. You get lots included and the experience is incredible.”
If our sojourn in Svalbard is anything to go by, expedition cruisers certainly have some awe- inspiring experiences in store.
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