Arrive in Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Svalbard and the world’s northernmost substantial settlement. Before embarkation, you may have time to explore this former mining town, visit the Svalbard Museum, or walk through its compact centre.

In the early evening, Hondius departs through Isfjorden. Keep watch from the outer decks for seabirds and the possibility of your first minke whale as the expedition begins.

The precise itinerary will be determined by sea ice, weather, wildlife activity and local conditions. The expedition team plans to travel clockwise around Spitsbergen, although the order and choice of locations may change throughout the voyage.

Krossfjorden and Ny-Ålesund

Sailing north along the west coast, Hondius may enter Krossfjorden, where glaciers flow between steep mountains towards the sea. Zodiac cruises and shore landings could provide the first close encounters with Svalbard’s glacial landscapes.

The voyage may then continue to Ny-Ålesund, a former mining settlement that has become an important international Arctic research centre. Historic remains include railway tracks from the settlement’s industrial past and the airship mast used during the pioneering polar flights of Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile. The surrounding tundra provides breeding habitat for barnacle geese, pink-footed geese and Arctic terns.

Liefdefjorden and Monaco Glacier

If conditions permit, Hondius may enter Liefdefjorden and approach the five-kilometre-wide face of Monaco Glacier. Thousands of kittiwakes can gather around the glacier, feeding where meltwater carries nutrients into the fjord.

The coastline and sea ice around Liefdefjorden are also known polar-bear habitat. The expedition team will scan the shore, glacier front and surrounding ice for signs of wildlife. A landing at Texas Bar or an alternative exploration around Wijdefjorden and Nordbreen may be possible.

The Seven Islands and 80° North

The expedition will attempt to reach the remote Seven Islands, situated north of Nordaustlandet. If ice and weather allow, Hondius may cross 80° North, placing the ship approximately 870 kilometres from the geographic North Pole.

Polar bears inhabit this high-Arctic region, and the ship may spend several hours navigating or remaining close to the pack-ice edge while the expedition team searches for wildlife. The route could include Chermsideøya or Phippsøya, depending on the position of the sea ice.

If access farther north is restricted, an alternative may take the ship towards Sorgfjord. Here, possible encounters include walruses, Svalbard rock ptarmigans and historic remains connected with the archipelago’s 17th-century whaling industry.

Hinlopen Strait and Alkefjellet

Hinlopen Strait separates Spitsbergen from Nordaustlandet and is one of the archipelago's most dramatic waterways. Bearded seals and ringed seals inhabit its icy waters, while polar bears may be encountered along the shore or moving across the sea ice. There is also a possibility of spotting whales near the entrance to the strait.

One of the great natural spectacles of the voyage may be Alkefjellet. Its immense basalt cliffs support tens of thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots, creating an extraordinary concentration of birds above the water. Zodiac cruising beneath the cliffs can reveal the scale, sound and constant movement of this remarkable seabird colony.

Possible landings on the eastern side of Hinlopen include Palanderbukta or Torrelneset. These stark polar-desert landscapes offer opportunities to search for walruses, reindeer and geese, while looking across raised beaches towards the vast ice cap of Nordaustlandet.

Edgeøya and Storfjorden

The route may continue through the waters between Spitsbergen, Barentsøya and Edgeøya. Possible areas of exploration include Heleysundet, Diskobukta, Kvalhovden and the glaciated coastline surrounding Storfjorden.

At Diskobukta, a canyon supports a large kittiwake colony, while the surrounding tundra and coastline may reveal reindeer, Arctic foxes and other wildlife. Alternative landings and Zodiac cruises will be selected according to local conditions.

Hornsund

In southern Spitsbergen, Hondius may enter the great fjord system of Hornsund. Sharp mountain summits rise above a landscape containing numerous glaciers, vividly illustrating why Dutch explorers named the island Spitsbergen, meaning “pointed mountains”.

The area offers opportunities for Zodiac cruising, walking and wildlife observation. Seals, beluga whales and polar bears are all possible, while potential landings at Samarinvågen or Birgerbukta may allow for longer walks through the Arctic landscape.

Bellsund

Bellsund is one of Svalbard’s largest fjord systems. Relatively warm ocean currents support richer vegetation than in many other parts of the archipelago, attracting grazing reindeer and breeding birds.

Possible landing sites include Ahlstrandhalvøya, where piles of beluga bones remain from historic commercial whaling. These haunting remains tell an important story about the exploitation of Arctic wildlife. Elsewhere in Bellsund, the expedition team may explore tundra, search for feeding reindeer or visit slopes occupied by breeding little auks.

Your expedition comes to an end as you disembark in Longyearbyen this morning.