10 Days - Prince Albert II - Voyage 7015 and 7016   August 2 - August 12, 2010 Tromsoe to Longyearben Discover majestic fjords, icebergs, and glacier-filled bays Ice-cruise by ship and by Zodiac Search for seabirds, bearded seals, ringed seal, walrus, beluga whale and the king of the Arctic – the polar bear Visit scientific research stations and whaling operation ruins SEE THE KING OF THE ARCTIC - THE POLAR BEAR August 2:  Fly into Tromsoe, Norway - Fly out of Longyearben, Norway Domestic air on SAS Airlines out of Oslo, Norway - www.flysas.com    Norway including Tromsø,  Magerøy Island, ; Skarsvag (Nordkapp or North Cape), Cruise & Explore Bear Island; Svalbard, Longyearbyen,

August 2 - August 12, 2010 Escorted by Ngaire & Ken Hutyra of Brown & Keene Travel ENHANCED B&K REWARDS LIMITED TIME OFFER - 35% SAVINGS Link here for Ken's ship and cabin pictures Links below for details from Ngaire's 6/17/09 Voyage   Landing Reports Cabin Reports What to Wear Overview of the  cruise. Link here to guests blog on this cruise

PER PERSON CRUISE ONLY FARES AUGUST 2  AND BK REWARDS

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Silver SKY^® Air Programme Package
 

Air fares are offered from 75 U.S./Canadian gateways.  Unless otherwise specified, fares include roundtrip air, 1-night pre-cruise hotel stay in conjunction with evening flight arrival, post-cruise dayroom in conjunction with evening flight departure on day of disembarkation, and applicable transfers.

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SILVERSEA SAMPLE VOYAGE JOURNAL

Voyage Highlights:

• Discover majestic fjords, icebergs, and glacier-filled bays

• Ice-cruise by ship and by Zodiac

• Search for seabirds, bearded seals, ringed seal, walrus, beluga whale and the king of the Arctic – the polar bear

• Visit scientific research stations and whaling operation ruins

DAY 1 – LONGYEARBYEN, NORWAY

Embark the Prince Albert II this evening and depart on your exciting 7­day Silversea – “Expedition Spitsbergen”. You will be introduced to your Expedition Team and receive a Zodiac briefing. Tonight we invite you to attend a special Welcome Aboard cocktail party.

DAYS 2 through 7 – CRUISE & EXPLORE SVALBARD

Join us for a journey along an expansive archipelago of the Arctic Ocean woven between the North Pole and Norway. Svalbard is one of the last major European wilderness areas with pristine mountains, fauna, deep fjords, picturesque icebergs, and massive ice sheets. Our goal on this voyage is to explore the western sections of Svalbard’s breathtaking and the dramatic Spitsbergen. Once there, we will locate wildlife and spend the maximum amount of time possible hiking on the tundra. Spitsbergen is home to approximately 5,000 polar bears and we hope to encounter a good number of them during our trip.
 

We will travel along the same routes as famous polar explorers such as Andrée, Nordenskiöld, Amundsen and Nobile. We will trek along beaches blanketed with walruses, get to know the indigenous reindeer, and maybe even spot the Arctic fox or Bearded seal. Seabirds, such as Ivory gulls, auks and puffins, will be our constant companions as we admire their playfulness and grace. We might even encounter a few whales. A variety of known species frequent the area, in particular the Minke and Beluga.
 

Our flexible itinerary allows us to take advantage of favorable ice and weather conditions. We will search for walruses, seals, reindeer, Arctic foxes and polar bears. Shore walks and Zodiac landings will bring us up close to the mystical settings and passing icebergs. Each day our Expedition Leader and Captain will determine our best course, depending on changing weather, ice conditions and the wildlife we encounter. In the true spirit of adventure cruising, our Expedition Leader will provide daily updates. Here is a list of places we may visit:

•           Hornsund – This is the southernmost fjord on the rugged west coast of Spitsbergen. Jagged mountain peaks tower above glacier­filled bays. Listen for the crash of white thunder as huge chunks of ice fall into the fjord. Amidst floating icebergs jewels, watch for bearded seals, the rare Beluga whale and the king of the Arctic – the polar bear. Sightings are fairly common as the polar bear’s favourite food, the Ringed seal, breeds in the fjord. The surrounding bird cliffs are home to thousands of pairs of nesting Little auks. We may visit the Polish research station or the remains of whaling stations and trappers’ huts.

•           Liefdefjorden – Basement rocks south and west of Liefdefjorden feature scenery with high, jagged mountains and strong glaciations, which culminate in the large calving front of the Monacobreen (Glacier of Monaco).

•           Danskøya – Rove across a small island off the northwest corner of Spitsbergen that is scattered with remnants of an ill­fated attempt by three Swedes to fly a balloon to the North Pole. The balloon went down because of icing, just 240 miles (386 km) north of the island.

•           Smeerenburg – This island’s name literally means “Blubber Town” in Dutch. Ruins of some of the island’s earliest settlers, Dutch whalers, are preserved at Norway’s North­West Spitsbergen National Park.

•           Prins Karls Forland – Off the west coast of Spitsbergen, we encounter the island home of Forland National Park with cragged mountains, massive glaciers and remarkable wildlife. The entire island and the surrounding seas make up Forland National Park. Members of our Expedition Team takes us ashore at Poolypnten, a well­known walrus haul out, where and our marine biologist explains the habits and habitat of these amazing creatures.

•           Kongfjord or King’s Bay – Cutting into the west coast of Spitsbergen and reaching inland about 15 miles (24 kilometres) and spanning up to 6 miles (10 kilometres) wide, Kongfjord is a splendid place to behold. Together with our onboard geologist, we will explore its complicated geological formations and visit the 14th of July glacier. We also hope to land at Blomstrand, a name not referring to a flower­covered beach, but rather in memory of a Swedish chemist.

•           Magdalenafjord – This majestic fjord is normally accessible year­round because of the influence of the West Spitsbergen Current or Gulf Stream. Landing via Zodiac, we discover the alluring fjord and search for wildlife.

•           Ice Cruising – With the strengthened hull of the Prince Albert II, we have the perfect platform to search for walrus and polar bears as we devote at least one day to exploring the pack ice north of Spitsbergen. Conditions permitting, our Expedition Leader may choose to take us out in the Zodiacs for an even closer look.

DAY 8 – LONGYEARBYEN, NORWAY

This morning we arrive at Longyearbyen before breakfast, following we will disembark Prince Albert II.

Expedition highlights and wildlife listed here are possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed. Your Expedition Leader and Captain will work together to ensure opportunities for adventure and exploration are the best possible, taking into account the prevailing weather, wildlife activity and ice conditions.