Join an expedition cruise of Svalbard with Hurtigruten to enter the realm of rugged Arctic wilderness where polar bears roam.

Walking across a glacier doesn’t sound like a great idea on paper, but oh, how it is. On a postcard-perfect day in Magdalenefjord, north-west Spitsbergen, we immerse ourselves in the soft soundtrack of snow crunching underfoot and the call of little auks to distract us from the -7°C chill.

Suddenly, a crack rings out, followed by a scream and then a splash; one of our group members has broken through the ice and is knee-deep in the water. Moments later, another falls through, then another.

We laugh nervously; nobody is wet beyond their knees, but our guide is concerned enough to ask us to walk quickly across the ice to the safety of the sand buried under the snow. “It should be frozen," he says in a quiet voice as we stand, moments later, surveying the holes. “It’s usually frozen solid at this time of year."

First impression

I had arrived in Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost settlement and the unofficial capital of Svalbard, a few days prior to a bizarre combination of blinding midnight sun and heavy snowfall. Icicles hung threateningly from the roofs and balconies of the colourful wooden homes.

Snowmobiles – the ones that weren’t constantly in motion – lay buried up to their handlebars. And Svalbard reindeer meandered in front of shop windows advertising dog-sledding tours and ice cave visits. The domesticated deer seemed unaware that their mates were being served on charcuterie boards and in burgers at cafes and restaurants across town. Along with minke whale and seal, reindeer is a local delicacy.

Where to stay

Funken Lodge

After these first impressions, I checked into Funken Lodge, the most luxurious hotel in Longyearbyen, for a few days of pre-cruise action. Located up on the hill overlooking town, the contemporary hotel has housed royals and heads of state (as well as the odd travel writer). And it features one of the best restaurants in town, Funktionærmessen, a cosy fire-lit bar, a library filled with polar literature, a welcome sauna and staff happy to workshop any issues you might have (travel-related or otherwise).

With Funken Lodge as my base and Hurtigruten Svalbard as my personal travel agency (seriously, it has fingers in many pies, operating a number of the tours, experiences and restaurants in town), I immersed myself in every experience Longyearbyen had to offer.

What to do

Nordic tasting at Huset Restaurant

There was a scenic walrus safari towards the glacier Nansenbreen where we found many, all stacked up on one another as though they were waiting for us. We then enjoyed a memorable 14-course Nordic tasting menu at Huset Restaurant.

ATV tour with Svalbard Adventures

Snowmobiling, unfortunately, was cancelled (Arctic weather, it happens), but an ATV tour booked through Svalbard Adventures provided more than three hours of exhilaration and a chance to see the outskirts of the settlement, home to the polar bear.

MS Nordstjernen: Six-day Spitsbergen & Polar Bears Voyage

Despite the many signs alerting us to their furry, jack-in-the-box nature, it was all geese, huskies and reindeer. Then it was time to board our ship. I’m cruising on Hurtigruten’s grande dame, MS Nordstjernen, on its six-day Spitsbergen & Polar Bears voyage – the first sailing for the Arctic summer season – in the hope of seeing polar bears in their natural habitat (I’m not delusional; with a population of around 3000 polar bears in the archipelago and Barents Sea, Svalbard is known as the one place in the world where they outnumber humans).

The ship itself is unlike any other. Built in 1956 for the Coastal Voyage fleet and modernised in 2000 for exclusive Arctic sailing, it’s a survivor of a vintage class of ship that has been granted a protected heritage status by the Norwegian Directorate of Cultural Heritage. But she is by no means ‘fancy’. Certainly, MS Nordstjernen has the air of the Grace Kelly era of cruising, all polished teak decks and wood-panelled interiors adorned with Paul René Gauguin artworks. But guests can also expect simple interior and exterior cabins – many with shared bathroom facilities and all but one with bunk beds, a small but elegant dining room and bar, plus a panorama lounge with a library.

What Hurtigruten’s MS Nordstjernen does have far outweighs the bells and whistles of a traditional cruise liner. It’s part of a fleet of ships with eco innovations that have cemented Hurtigruten’s position as a world leader in sustainable cruising. And while it may not be a battery-hybrid power ship such as industry leaders MS Fridtjof Nansen and MS Roald Amundsen, it is small, carrying a maximum of 104 passengers to reduce its environmental impact.

It’s an essential point to make. AECO (Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators) regulations state a maximum of 100 guests can land at any Arctic site at the same time. Also, the larger the ship, the less time you can spend ashore.

What are some of Hurtigruten’s sustainability projects?

Considered the thermometer of the globe, studies suggest Svalbard is heating up six times faster than the global average. As a result of increased tourism to the archipelago, the Norwegian Environment Agency is pushing for a wealth of tourism restrictions, including a ban on snowmobiles in certain fjords and a reduction in landing sites for ships with more than 200 people onboard.

Beach cleaning

Not only does Hurtigruten’s MS Nordstjernen have a maximum capacity of 104, the cruise operator has long been invested in giving back to the communities – and environments – that their ships visit. Citizen science projects onboard are undertaken by staff (and any interested guests), with Hurtigruten Foundation running sustainability projects throughout Norway, including an extensive beach-cleaning operation throughout Svalbard’s islands.

Wildlife preservation

Since 2015, Hurtigruten Foundation has supported more than 60 projects in 16 different countries with a focus on three core pillars: preserving endangered wildlife, battling plastic waste and marine litter, and supporting local communities in the areas where they operate.

Itinerary

West coast of Spitsbergen to Blomstrandøya

Our proposed itinerary is to sail to the north along the west coast of Spitsbergen, making port visits to destinations rich in Arctic history, such as the scientific research settlement of Ny-Ålesund and the abandoned mining settlement of Ny-London. We also take in the explorer and whaling history of Magdalenefjord before pushing onto Moffen, a sanctuary for Svalbard’s walrus population (don’t worry, the ship adheres to the 300-metre exclusion zone to avoid disturbing them).

Mindful of the heartbreaking reality of melting ice, the expedition is a glorious privilege. The cruise ventures into destinations that embody rugged Arctic wilderness, all steep, ice-covered mountains, majestic glaciers, blinding snow and the odd remnants of times gone by – a wooden cabin here, a whale-blubber oven there.

Gravneset

Judging by the number of guides clutching rifles (to give warning shots if necessary), there’s also hope, it seems, that we’ll finally see a polar bear. In howling weather heavy with frost biting at my cheeks, we trek Ny-London, the short-lived marble mining settlement with an unfortunate history in Blomstrandøya, and around Gravneset in the knee-high snow, heightened by my first-ever experience of having to dig out someone who has fallen into the deep cushion of fresh powder.

Kennedybukta

The opportunity to go sledding – using the reusable plastic bags I’ve brought along with me for the occasion – presents itself on the steep curves of Kennedybukta and our screams of childish laughter ring out across the fjord. We tour Ny-Ålesund, home to about 30 scientists from 10 different countries, each one conducting polar research. And we visit the local museum, small gift store and mooring mast for the famous 1926 North Pole flight by Roald Amundsen, Umberto Nobille and Lincoln Ellsworth.

With hours left on the clock (and no polar bears in sight), we begin to fantasise about putting meat in our pockets and going for a run. (I’m kidding of course, it’s forbidden to actively search for polar bears and the words ‘natural selection’ come to mind for anyone considering baiting them).

The Arctic wilderness might be the star of the show, but it’s the time onboard between landings that makes the trip for me. Strangers at the beginning of the cruise quickly become good friends (the ship attracts plenty of like-minded female solo travellers) and, free of any kind of meaningful wi-fi connection, we spend our hours laughing uproariously over hearty fare and quickly sipping cooling tea side-by-side on deck as we glide past lazy walruses.

Longyearbyen

We live in different parts of the world, but I already know we’ll be friends for life. On our final day, our mission to get to Moffen Island is aborted, but the announcement is made that we’ve almost hit the 80-degrees-north mark within 1000 kilometres of the North Pole. It wasn’t all that long ago that sailing that far north in the beginning of May would have been impossible, but the rapidly vanishing sea ice has meant that we can.

It’s a sobering thought that also means there are no seals, and with that, no polar bears chasing their food source. I disembark not having seen a single polar bear and walk the streets of Longyearbyen feeling deflated. But then, just as I’m about to pack my bags and head home, word begins spreading around town that the next Hurtigruten sailing has had much better luck with numerous polar bears spotted frolicking by the sea.

Heart pounding with elation, I pick up the phone to my husband. “So, bad news… it looks like I’m going to have to come back," I tell him, grinning from ear to ear. Polar bears? Oh, I can hardly wait.

A traveller’s checklist

The cruise ventures into destinations that embody rugged Arctic wilderness, all steep, ice-covered mountains, majestic glaciers, blinding snow and remnants of times gone by. For more information about the Spitsbergen & Polar Bears cruise, or about any of Hurtigruten’s Arctic itineraries, visit the website.

Getting there

Norwegian airlines operates weekly flights from Oslo directly to Longyearbyen, where the cruise begins.

Staying there

Check in at Funken Lodge Longyearbyen for a luxury hotel that encompasses fine dining and warm hospitality with the best views in town.

Eating there

Stop by Longyearbyen’s Café Huskies for a flat white served among in-house huskies; grab lasagne and chocolate from café and chocolatier Fruene in Lompensenteret; and enjoy a fine dining experience at Huset in Longyearbyen.

Playing there

Plan the ultimate ice cave trip or walrus safari by booking through Hurtigruten Svalbard.