North Atlantic Odyssey

Day 1: Departure from Vlissingen
Day 2 & 3: North Sea, search for seabirds & marine mammals
Day 4 & 5: Course to Jan Mayen
Day 6: Jan Mayen
Day 7, 8, & 9: To the edge of the ice pack
Day 10: West of Spitsbergen
Day 11: Walruses, Belugas, & more
Day 12: Disembark in Spitzbergen

The itinerary is a guideline. There may be circumstances along the way that cause the route and the daily schedule to be completed in a different way than described. Bad weather, government guidelines, but also unexpected possibilities for unplanned zodiac cruises or landings can cause the trip to go differently than we can indicate in advance. The expedition leader will provide you with more information at the start of the trip and will keep you informed of the possibilities and developments during the trip. The species mentioned in the itinerary all occur in the area and are all seen in the area with some regularity. However, it is possible that you will see fewer or different species than indicated in the itinerary. It is of course also possible that you see more species than are mentioned in the travel description!

Day 1: Departure from Vlissingen
The ship departs from Vlissingen in Zeeland, Holland via the Western Scheld, to the North Sea. We recommend that you plan your travels to allow extra time in Holland. There are many possibilities from biking, to hiking, to a private townhouse stay. Just ask!

Day 2 & Day 3: North Sea, search for seabirds & marine mammals
Your first two days finds you cruising the North Sea.

Possible sightings:
Orca, Minke Whales, White-beaked Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Porpoises, Bottlenose Dolphins, Fulmars, Auks, Black Guillemots, Puffins, Shearwaters, Great Skua, and Lesser Skua.

Day 4 & 5: Course to Jan Mayen
After breakfast, a landing on Fair Isle is planned and you will have half a day to explore this beautiful island. The ship heads north after lunch towards the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen, which lies about 300 nautical miles northeast of Iceland. This is the area where the North Atlantic Odyssey is at its best. During these two days, the guides are fully on deck on the lookout for marine mammals and seabirds. The vessel has more than enough space for all passengers to also stand on deck and enjoy sightings.

Possible sightings:
 Minke, Common Whale, the huge Blue Whale (on several previous trips we saw a Blue Whale less than 25 meters from the boat !), Bottlenose Whale, Humpback, Bottlenose Dolphin, White-beaked Dolphin and birds such as Auk, Puffin, Little Auk, perhaps the first Thick-billed Guillemot, Northern Fulmar, Black Guillemot, Gannet and Little Skua. Orcas are also found here and are often very curious, wanting to get a glimpse of you as much as you want to see them!

Day 6: Jan Mayen
Jan Mayen is a small volcanic island with Mount Beerenberg at its center. Impressive glaciers slide from the flanks of this 2300-meter-high volcano into the sea. Until recently, a stop at this island with its military base was not allowed, but with permission from the Norwegian authorities, it is now usually possible to land here to visit the weather station. At Kvalrossbukta, you visit the remains of a 17th-century settlement of Dutch whalers, which today houses a large colony of Fulmars. You glide past Koksletta where thousands of Lesser Auks and Thick-billed Guillemots breed close to the glacier, watched by hungry Great Mayors.

Possible sightings:
Fulmars, Lesser Auks, Thick-billed Guillemots, & Great Mayors

Day 7, 8, & 9: To the edge of the ice pack
The ship heads northeast toward the edge of the sea ice, looking for whales, dolphins, seals, and seabirds. If it is not possible to go further north, the ship heads for Spitsbergen. This is the area to be on the lookout for the very rare Bowhead Whale, which exists in small numbers but is seen with some regularity. During a 2015 trip, those on board made a discovery that made world news, the sighting of nearly 100 Bowhead Whales, more animals than this population was thought to have. In 2016 and 2017 travelers discovered several groups of this very rare whale and in 2018, again, record numbers were sighted, more than 100 Bowhead Whales that year!  The chances of seeing this previously untraceable animal seem to have increased and for 2023, there are very high hopes for more sightings. But another highlight can also happen here, a mighty encounter with the Emperor of the North, the Polar Bear, even in the middle of the night! Because you will be cruising above the Arctic Circle, night does not mean darkness, so you have a 24-hour chance of seeing this super predator.

Possible sightings: 
Bowhead Whales & Polar Bears

Day 10: West of Spitsbergen
Depending on the position of the sea ice, you sail into one of the fjords in the west of Spitsbergen. Here you have a chance of seeing Walruses and Polar bears hunting for sunbathing seals. West of Spitsbergen, still on the open sea, is an area where several whale species of whales are sighted, including the largest animal on earth, the Blue Whale!

Possible sightings:
Walruses, Polar Bears, Seals, & Blue Whale

Day 11: Walruses, Belugas, & more
On the east side of Prins Karls Forland is Poolepynten, a low embankment with an inland sea and beaches on both sides, a great place to search for Walruses that come ashore to rest and digest their food and usually allow themselves to be viewed and photographed up close. The last stop is Alkhornet, a huge mountain at the entrance of Isfjorden. Tens of thousands of birds breed on the mountain and fly to and fro with loud calls, squeaks, and cackling. At the foot of the mountain, several Arctic foxes have their fortresses. Beluga's are often found in the fjord itself and reindeer are also found here in considerable numbers. They have shorter legs than their counterparts on the mainland and can often be seen and photographed quite close. 

Possible sightings:
Artic Foxes, Belugas, & Reindeer

Day 12: Disembark in Spitzbergen
You disembark in the morning in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen. Here, everyone has the choice for onward travel or staying one or more days longer. Another option is to remain on board for a North Spitsbergen expedition cruise. We will provide details! Discount for combining the two cruises will be applied.

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