Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice Edge, Spitsbergen, Birding Special

North Atlantic

Embark on this Arctic Ocean birding adventure aboard a small expedition vessel, sailing from Aberdeen through remote seabird havens and volcanic Jan Mayen toward the ice edge and Spitsbergen’s dramatic fjords. Search for puffins, auks, guillemots and other seabirds alongside whales and seals amid drifting pack ice. Zodiac cruises, expert birding guides and immersive Arctic scenery make this a standout voyage for nature lovers and photographers under the midnight sun

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Highlights

Sail from Foula to Spitsbergen aboard a comfortable ship on an Arctic birding expedition.
Explore Jan Mayen’s volcanic coast and seabird colonies.
Search for puffins, auks, guillemots and other Arctic seabirds.
Encounter whales, seals and rich marine wildlife amid ice edge waters.
Zodiac cruises and expert guides enhance wildlife viewing and photography.

Your Expedition Team

The Expedition Leaders and their teams bring diverse expertise in subjects as varied as polar history, marine biology, glaciology, ornithology and photography. Their knowledge and enthusiasm will greatly enhance your immersion into the polar environment and further deepen your connection to the Arctic. With over 30 years of experience bringing passengers to remote polar regions and an industry-leading staff-to-guest ratio, we know how to safely handle the unexpected. Ensuring this hard earned experience is passed on, our expedition staff receive comprehensive training, which provides hands-on polar expedition training prior as part of our onboarding process as well as ongoing training for experienced staff.

Earlybird Rates

Early Booking Rates valid until 31 March 2026 - hurry while space lasts!

Stewart's Take

Sail the East Greenland ice edge north of Spitsbergen in search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife

Overview

Embark on this Arctic Ocean birding adventure aboard a small expedition vessel, sailing from Aberdeen through remote seabird havens and volcanic Jan Mayen toward the ice edge and Spitsbergen’s dramatic fjords. Search for puffins, auks, guillemots and other seabirds alongside whales and seals amid drifting pack ice. Zodiac cruises, expert birding guides and immersive Arctic scenery make this a standout voyage for nature lovers and photographers under the midnight sun

Itinerary

Voyage overview Search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife of the land, sea, and air on an adventurous voyage with birding focus, sailing from the Scottish port of Aberdeen to our favourite Arctic island group, Svalbard. Day 1: Aberdeen - Sights of the Granite City You arrive in Aberdeen, the Granite City, frequent winner of the Britain in Bloom competition. This is the true start of your trip. Several cetaceans, including orcas (killer whales), are native to these seas. To the south you see the lighthouse on Girdle Ness that was designed by the grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson, the famed Scottish writer who gave us such classics as Treasure Island and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. More passengers join you in Aberdeen. Day 2: Birds, seals, and world-famous knits We plan to stay the day on Fair Isle, an island in the Shetlands whose seventy-odd inhabitants are known for their beautiful knitwear. This is a fantastic location with accessible seabird breeding grounds, and you may even spot grey seals. Days 3 – 4: Jan Mayen marine life You sail north to the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen, 300 nautical miles northeast of Iceland. Your two days at sea do not pass idly, however. Keep a close lookout for any spouts of water from the surrounding seas, heralding the arrival of a minke, fin, orca, or blue whale. Day 5: Snow-capped seaside volcano Jan Mayen is a stark volcanic island crowned by the snow-capped summit of Mt. Beerenberg. From the slopes of this imposing 2,300-meter-high (7,545 feet) volcano, broken glaciers grasp out into the frigid sea. With permission from the Norwegian authorities, you can now visit the weather station. You can also walk to the remains of a 17th-century Dutch whaling station amid the thick moss beds of this stark volcanic landscape. Days 6 – 8: Under the midnight sun & along the ice edge Basking in the midnight sun, you sail north along the edge of the sea ice in search of bowhead whales, harp seals, polar bears, and a variety of seabirds. You then change direction after about 79° north, cutting west to the rocky edges of the continental shelf of west Spitsbergen. Here you have a good chance of seeing fin whales and – near the glacial mouths of the gaping Spitsbergen fjords – surfacing minke whales. Day 9: The Arctic island of Spitsbergen Forlandsundet, between the main island of Spitsbergen and the narrow Prins Karls Forland, is a place of great beauty and fascinating wildlife. Walruses sometimes haul out here. Alternatively, you might sail into St. Johns Fjord or head south to the mouth of Isfjorden, landing at Alkhornet. Seabirds nest on these cliffs, Arctic foxes search below for fallen eggs and chicks, and reindeer graze the sparse vegetation. Day 10: Journey’s end in Longyearbyen Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. You disembark in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, taking home memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies. But if you’re still craving additional chances to spot the Arctic’s most iconic apex predator, stay on board for our seven-night North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife voyage. PLEASE NOTE: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per AECO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with AECO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. The average cruising speed of our vessel is 10.5 knots.

Birding

We will have at least one dedicated expedition guide in our team who will share their expert knowledge about bird species and who will be available to help you identify, photograph on deck and learn more about the birds that we see. In addition to outdoor sessions, our guide will focus on species and related information on the birds of the Arctic in re-caps and lectures onboard.

Vessel

Expedition Vessels

Your expedition will take place on board one of the following small, comfortable and ice-strengthened vessels:

M/V Hondius

The Hondius was built in 2019 as an ice-strengthened and specially crafted vessel for expedition voyages. Hondius was the first vessel to be built to class “LR PC6”, meeting the latest and highest demands of Lloyd’s Register for “Polar Class 6” vessels, the highest Polar Class notation for ice-strengthened vessels. The vessel is fully compliant with the mandatory requirements of the Polar code, for safe ship operation and the protection of the Polar environment. Hondius offers deluxe accommodations for in total 176 passengers. One deck has been entirely reserved for (multi-language) lectures and presentations in one large observation lounge and in addition one separate lecture room. The vessel offers a deluxe standard and at the same time a distinctive cozy and informal atmosphere. The philosophy is to keep sea legs short and to focus on fast and effective access to shore and near shore activities for all nature and wildlife minded passengers. A powerful fleet of zodiacs will guarantee quality outings and swift landing operation for all passengers at the same time. Our main focus remains discovery, taking advantage of wildlife opportunities and the related shore activities, a product that has been very much appreciated by our current travelers for many years. A speedy zodiac embarkation is guaranteed with two separate gangways and in addition a zodiac embarkation indoor-platform which can also be used for special outdoor activities such as kayaking. While cruising, 72 crew and staff members (including expedition and hotel staff) will be at the passengers’ service. Hondius is equipped with 2 main engines and can reach a maximum speed of 15 knots.

For full information about Hondius click here:

M/V Ortelius

The ice-strengthened vessel Ortelius is an excellent vessel for Polar expedition cruises in the Arctic and Antarctica, providing possibilities to adventure in remote and ice-bound locations. Ortelius was built in Gdynia, Poland in 1989, was named Marina Svetaeva, and served as a special purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science. The vessel is now re-flagged and renamed Ortelius. The vessel has the highest ice-class notation (UL1 equivalent to 1A) and is therefore very suitable to navigate in solid one-year sea ice and loose
multi-year pack ice. Ortelius features lots of open-deck spaces, as well as capacity for helicopter options for specific voyages. The vessel is manned by 24 highly experienced international nautical crew, 20 international hotel crew,
including stewardesses, 8 expedition staff (1 expedition leader and 7 guides/lecturers), and 1 doctor. Ortelius offers a comfortable hotel standard, with two restaurants, a bar/lecture room and a sauna. The vessel offers simple but comfortable cabins and public spaces. All cabins are spacious outside cabins with a minimum of two portholes or windows per cabin and all cabins have private shower and toilet. Her voyages are primarily developed to offer our passengers a quality exploratory wildlife program, trying to spend as much time ashore as possible. As the number of passengers is limited to approximately 108, flexibility assures maximum wildlife opportunities.

For full information about Ortelius click here:

Booking Information

Essential Information

Rates, Share and Sole Use policy

All rates are quoted per person, based on shared twin, triple or quad occupancy. If you are travelling alone and wish to share, you will be matched with another person of the same gender at the shared rate. Twin and Superior cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.7 times the share rate.

Children

Upon request (some voyages may be excluded), children under 16 with parents may receive 40 % discount in Superior, Triple (sharing with 2 parents / adults) and Quadruple Cabins (sharing with 3 parents / adults).

Deposits

Reservations require a deposit of 20% at the time you receive a booking confirmation from Expeditions Online. A payment link will be sent to you and this may be paid by major credit card. Bookings within 60 days of departure require full payment.

Final Payments

Balances are due 60 days prior to departure.

Cancellations

All requests for cancellation must be received in writing to Expeditions Online. Cancellations received 90 days or more prior to departure, are refunded less a fee of 20 % of the total price. If cancellation is received between 89 days and 60 days prior to departure, are refunded less a fee of 50 % of the total price. If cancellation occurs less than 59 days up to and including the day of departure: 100 % of the total price. If full payment has not yet been received, the full penalty will still apply and any unpaid balance is due immediately. We strongly recommend that you obtain adequate trip cancellation insurance.

Booking Terms

Please read carefully the General Booking Conditions for Expeditions Online. This voyage is operated by Oceanwide Expeditions and you additionally travel under their terms and conditions as the operator as well as of the Shipping Company/transport carrier. Details will be forwarded to you at the time of booking

Included

Voyage as indicated in the itinerary.
All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea.
Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
Pre-scheduled group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation).
All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.
Comprehensive pre-departure material.

Excluded

Any airfare whether on scheduled or charter flights.
Pre- and post land arrangements.
Transfers to the vessel.
Passport and visa expenses.
Government arrival and departure taxes.
Meals ashore.
Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended).
Excess baggage charges.
All items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges.
The customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).