How was your Explore Tour Leader?

All the guides on board were fabulous. All experts in their field with interesting, amusing and engaging styles of lecturing when on board, and helping us get the most out of our excursions when on land.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

"Pack less than you think - a couple of pairs of trousers, lots of under layers and several jumpers plus a windproof top layer is all you really need. It's never that cold, i spent time on shore in just a thin jumper, but on deck with the wind blowing it can be really nippy so ear and fingertip protection are really useful.
Do not expect this to be a relaxing holiday, it's an expedition (albeit one in some comfort with magnificent food!), if wildlife is spotted at 2am you will be woken and even on a normal day the schedule starts at 6am and things are planned all the way through to 9pm. Sharing a cabin can really bring the cost down and is still incredibly comfortable and roomy, plus you get to meet new people! "

Do you have anything else to add?

Book this, you won't regret it! It's a trip of a lifetime and regardless of seeing bears or not, to get within 600miles of the north pole, travelling in uncharted waters and seeing things that no person before you has seen, and doing it in style without a tent or survival gear in sight is an experience not to be missed.

After a day of travelling and a very comfortable night at Hotel Spitsbergen we joined the M/S Expedition. The staff welcomed us aboard and we were shown to our cabins. We had a category 3 cabin which had plenty of room, a window instead of port-hole and en-suite bathroom.

After all the necessary drills we set sail and this is where the fun started. As we progressed along Isfjorden,  the pack ice which had been patchy began to thicken and we could see in the distance another ship and a couple of yachts that were not moving and were surrounded by ice. Expedition is ice reinforced not an icebreaker and our captain tried to get through but decided to turn back and we woke the next morning at anchour inYmerbukta inside Isfjorden. It was a beautiful calm warm day and the views from the deck stunning with the Esmark glacier on one side and pack ice on the other.

The morning briefings provided us with information on zodiac operations and behaviour in polar bear country. All our guides were armed every time we went ashore in case of bear encounters .The afternoon gave us a chance to practise our zodiac skills.  We saw a bearded seal sunning itself on the pack ice,  numerous birds and having found a place to land got quite close to Reindeer. So a good first day and back to the ship for dinner and then back to tackle the pack ice again. It took until 8am the next morning but we made it through so a day at sea with interesting lectures .We reached 80degrees north and what was to be a brilliant day. We started at the bird cliffs at Alkefjellet 60,000 pairs of Thick-billed Murres nesting on narrow ledges, an amazing and somewhat smelly site.  Then just after lunch a female Polar Bear with 2 cubs was spotted on the pack ice. They were quite hard to spot as she was moving on and off the ice but we stayed with them and one of the cubs stood on his hind legs to get a better look at us. This was to be our only bear sighting but how wonderful to see them in their true environment. We finished our day with a beach landing and 18 Walrus’s. The next few days we visited Gravneset Whaler cemetery and beach (where the brave can take a dip!), bird cliff and a hike to the top of a glacier, Ny Alesund, and just watching the breathtaking scenery from the deck. As we returned to Longyearbyen the pack ice had gone but was replaced by fog so our last hike was cancelled as it would not have been safe to land.

This trip brings home how wild and unpredictable this land is and wildlife is not”guaranteed" as with other trips (Galapagos and some African safari’s). The ship was comfortable, food varied and delicious and the crew and staff went out of their way to make our trip enjoyable so would recommend this cruise to anyone wanting to experience the Arctic.

Tips - I took my own wellies as have large feet but they do need to have a good sole with grip as having landed you walk in them on different terrains, inner soles will help keep feet warm when landing in water. It was not too cold, waterproof trousers over jeans were fine most of the time; ski salopets were useful for on deck when the ship was moving. Clothing doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, I bought cheap ski wear from a supermarket and it was fine. If you are prone to sea sickness we nibbled on stem ginger as well as taking medication, although we only had 1 rough night.

I don't consider myself a 'cruise' person but this trip to Svalbard wasn't a cruise in the traditional sense and certainly counts as one of the best holidays I've had. On what other cruise would the ship drop anchor if wildlife was spotted ashore and ferry you in for a closer look in its purpose built zodiacs? The scenery and wildlife were fantastic! I went knowing that wildlife can never be guaranteed but we were spoilt to death! We saw 14 polar bears (11 were on a beach finishing off a whale carcass and one came right up to the side of the ship), walruses which we approached to within feet, arctic foxes, ring and bearded seals, baluga whales, blue whales, fin whales, puffins, glaucous gulls and lots of other seabirds. The photos I took, even though I say it myself, are magnificent! The scientific team/guides were all experts in their particular fields and were very approachable and interesting to talk to. The cabins were clean with en suites and, very importantly, decent showers! The food was delicious and varied and all the ship's crew went out of their way to make the trip comfortable and enjoyable. I cannot recommend this cruise enough but you do have to go on it to appreciate the magnificence of the Arctic. A couple of tips though - it never really got that cold (not as cold as England last winter!) so I don't think it is necessary to buy expensive thermal clothing just for the trip which some guests did. Waterproof trousers are a must though as you are likely to get splashed as the zodiacs plough through the Arctic waves! And if you are prone to being seasick take medication from the moment you board the ship and throughout the trip - prevention is better than cure and it worked for me! (ACS, 6th August 2010)