North Atlantic Expedition - Antarctic Cruise

The journey starts in Iceland, where the MV Ocean Albatros moors in Reykjavik. The cabins will be designated in the late afternoon when the boarding takes place. We set course for Iceland's West Coast after the security drill and review.

We sail in the morning along Snaefellsnes peninsula, which is 100 km long and has a dramatic coastline, hardened lavas, sandy beaches, and volcanoes. It's a mini-format of Iceland, with its cliffs, sand, and volcanoes.

The view from the top of Snaefellsjokull is breathtaking. It was this volcano that inspired Jules Verne to write "The Journey to the Center of the Earth". Snaefellsjokull National Park was established in 2001 to protect the volcano and its surrounding areas.

Snaefellsnes is the first place we will try to land.

We will then pass Iceland's most western point, and Latraberg with its huge bird cliffs.

We will sail in the morning around Iceland's West Fjords and possibly Isafjardardjup, where we can enjoy the views of steep mountains, as well as the amazing aerobatics performed by the Arctic Terns.

We will leave Isafjardardjup during the day and head towards the West Fjords. These Fjords are always a unique experience. The day ends with a sail along Hornstrandir's coast, which is the most northern part of West Fjords. Only 300 km separate the east coast of Greenland from here. The area, which was declared a nature reserve in 1975, has strict rules that protect its fragile and unique nature. The coast offers great opportunities for viewing whales and sea seals. And the mountainsides are alive with birdlife. As we continue, we will pass Hornvik Bay. This is one of Iceland's most scenic places, and we have the opportunity to see the two largest bird cliffs of Europe, home to millions of seabirds.

Continue along the north coast to Grimsey and Siglufjordur.

We will arrive at Grimsey Island in the late afternoon. It is about 40 km from the Icelandic mainland, and the only area of Iceland that is designated as Arctic. Polar circle passes through the island every June at 66 degrees 33' N. This gives it a full 24-hour day.

The little island is rocky and has over 100 residents who live close to the harbor in the one city of the island. Fishing banks around the island make it flourish. The port has been expanded and there are daily flights from the airport to the mainland. Since the beginning of Iceland, the island was populated. It is also mentioned as a rich land in birds and fish in the Icelandic sagas.

Seabirds outnumber the inhabitants of Grimsey by a wide margin. Bird cries are heard throughout the Arctic summer, 24 hours per day. On the island, nests of up to 36 species are found on the rocky outcrops. Here is one of Iceland's biggest tern colonies. It is reported that before an aircraft can land, the runway needs to be cleared.

Explore the birdlife and local culture by landing on the island using Zodiacs.

Our lecturers will provide a variety of presentations on the history, nature and climateology, as well as wildlife, during our journey.

Jan Mayen is a mysterious volcanic island located in the North Atlantic. If not in the exact middle of the North Atlantic, it's at least located on the Mid Atlantic Ridge which is the main reason why the island has a volcanic origin. It is enigmatic, both because it's isolated and also the fog and clouds that are almost always hovering above. Norway is home to Jan Mayen, while Beerenberg, one of Norway's highest peaks above 2,000 meters, belongs to Norway.

Only 18 people live on the island, who run the Norwegian Defense and the Meteorological Station. We'll try to land at the narrowest point of the island from the south or the north depending on wind and waves. There are cinder conicals and lava flows all around, as well as the Mount Fuji like appearance of Beerenberg.

Watch a documentary about Arctic wildlife, listen to our expedition staff or get out onto the deck for a glimpse of migratory birds, and maybe even some whales.

The beautiful Kongs Fjord is our first destination. It's a former mining town with a captivating beauty. Ny Alesund is our first stop, a research center that's even farther north than Longyearbyen. However, it could be debated whether or not this actually counts as a town. The captain will try to get the boat as close to shore as possible so that we can explore the area by foot.

Next, we will visit the old marble mine settlement Ny London. The settlement had a short but interesting history. It began in an explosion of activity similar to the Klondike Gold Rush, before wars and financial loss crippled it nine years later. The remains of locomotives and cranes tell us the story of this ambitious but failed venture.

Now we are in North West Svalbard. This area was designated a National Park in 1973. Day could start with a trip to Danskergattet to look for seals, then a crossing to Amsterdamoya from Danskoya. Then, you can land at Smeerenburg - the legendary 17th century whaling village. In the height of blubber manufacturing, 200 men lived and died here.

This northwestern part of Spitsbergen has many interesting sights to see. We'll land on Ytre Norskoya if conditions permit, which is where the whalers used to have their watch posts.

Isfjorden, located on the western side of Spitsbergen is the second longest fjord in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Alkhornet, the entrance to the fjord and Daudmannsoyra are coastal plains. Nordre Isfjorden Land National Park in Norway includes parts of Isfjorden. The area is bordered by a number of large Svalbard settlements, such as Barentsburg (on Adventfjorden), Longyearbyen and Pyramiden.

Our goal is to land along the coastline before heading towards Longyearbyen. Longyearbyen might be reached by the evening.

Along the route, you can see remnants of old mining stations.