Faroe Islands, Iceland, Spitsbergen – Island Hopping in and around the Arctic (Northbound)

Start in Scotland's stylish city of culture

A former industrial powerhouse, Glasgow has reinvented itself as a cultural hot spot, packed with museums, galleries, and parks. Discover the splendid Art Nouveau architecture of Charles Rennie Mackintosh before your expedition cruise begins.

You’ll embark your ship MS Spitsbergen in Fairlie, a small community outside of Glasgow. Lying on the shores of the Firth of Clyde and nestled against a backdrop of the North Ayrshire Hills, this area is known for coastal towns that boast both Viking heritage and scenic walks. 

Get to know the ship before meeting the Expedition Team – your guides for the adventure ahead. Enjoy your first onboard dinner as we set sail. 

Discover the mystical coastline of the Scottish Isles

Today, we sail through the wild beauty of the Hebrides, a scattered world of rugged coastlines and quiet islands. Spend the day on deck with the Expedition Team as we navigate these storied waters, keeping watch for seabirds, dolphins, seals, and perhaps even whales. 

The Hebrides have inspired travellers, monks, fishermen, and storytellers for centuries, and there's a special atmosphere to these remote islands that reveals itself best from the sea. Enjoy the shifting landscapes of green hills, dark cliffs, white beaches, and distant lighthouses as we continue deeper into the North Atlantic. 

Discover Norse heritage in Kirkwall 

Today we visit Kirkwall, the vibrant, Viking-influenced capital of the Orkney Islands, easily explored on foot. 

Start with the majestic St Magnus Cathedral, built from the region's distinctive red sandstone, and admire the stone ruins of the adjacent Earl's Palace, a once-grand Renaissance building. The Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae is also just a short bus ride away. 

Whisky lovers will appreciate the excellent single malts from Highland Park and Scapa distilleries. If gin is more your thing, the Orkney Distillery produces small-batch spirits with local botanicals. 

Explore Scotland's northernmost town

Welcome to the Shetland Islands. Lerwick, the capital, is a friendly, Victorian-influenced fishing town set in beautiful scenery. Navigate its narrow lanes on foot to discover little shops selling local whiskies, woollen sweaters, and fudge, then head to the old waterfront for the Shetland Museum, home to Pictish carvings and intricate lace shawls. Nearby, Fort Charlotte and the regal town hall are worth a look. 

Keep your binoculars handy: grey and common seals bask along Lerwick's beaches, and red-throated divers, redshanks, and curlews are often spotted from the shore. 

Surround yourself with the sounds of Faroese nature

Today we stop at Elduvík, a tiny village of just 23 inhabitants set in the Funningsfjørður inlet in the Faroe Islands. Split in two by the river Stórá, this is a place of astonishing quiet. 

Despite its size, Elduvík has a school, church, dock, and pier. From the waterfront, look across sparkling waters to the nearby island of Kalsoy. Walk the charming streets and listen for seabirds, bleating sheep, and waves lapping from the fjord. You'll notice many houses still wear traditional grass roofs, offering natural insulation against the Faroese weather. 

Enjoy a relaxing day as we cruise towards Iceland

As we sail towards Bakkagerði, time is yours to enjoy at your own pace. Swap stories with fellow travellers in the Explorer Lounge, relax in a hot tub on deck while scanning for seabirds and marine life, or join the Expedition Team in the Science Centre as they set the scene for northern Iceland: its stunning landscapes, cultures, and beliefs. 

Exploring the fjord-cut coastline

Iceland's east coast is cut by deep fjords, lined with tumbling waterfalls and bird-filled cliffs. Quiet villages dot the shoreline, like Bakkagerði, known as Iceland's puffin capital, with nearby viewing platforms at Hafnarhólmi where Atlantic Puffins nest in their thousands each summer. 

Beyond the birds, this is a landscape steeped in folklore and drama. We might visit Álfaborg, the legendary "elf rock" said to house the queen of the Hidden People, and look up at the jagged Dyrfjöll peaks and colourful rhyolite mountains that frame the fjord. Thanks to our Zodiacs, we can reach stretches of this coastline that are otherwise inaccessible, exploring Iceland in true expedition style. 

Iceland's best whale watching spot

Today you'll discover Húsavík, a charming fishing town and one of the best places in the world to see whales. It looks out over Skjálfandi Bay, where humpback and minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises, and even the elusive blue whale are regularly spotted. 

On shore, the Whale Museum brings you closer to these giants, while the Exploration Museum tells a more unexpected story: in the 1960s, NASA sent 32 Apollo astronauts to train in the lunar-like lava fields nearby, preparing them to collect rock samples on the Moon. For something more relaxing, soak in the geothermal waters at GeoSea overlooking the bay, or end the day with a beer at the local microbrewery. 

Relax and learn at sea

As we cross the Arctic Circle and head towards Jan Mayen, this day at sea is yours to enjoy at your own pace. Scan for marine wildlife from the deck, enjoy the panoramic sauna or soak in a hot tub, or simply relax in the Explorer Lounge & Bar, a great place to read or watch the world glide by. 

The Expedition Team will also be on hand to share insights on what’s to come over the next few days exporing the Arctic. 

Visit an active volcano that's a haven for birdlife 

Today we reach Jan Mayen, a volcanic island suspended 500 km offshore with no permanent residents and almost no visitors. The only inhabitants are temporarily stationed Norwegian military personnel, meaning we join a very select group given the chance to set foot here. 

Dominated by Beerenberg, the world's northernmost active volcano, the landscape feels almost alien: volcanic rock, moss, and lichen stretching to the horizon. Conditions permitting, we'll go ashore to explore. While there are no land mammals, Jan Mayen is a designated Important Bird Area, home to large colonies of northern fulmars, Brünnich's guillemots, and little auks. Keep watch for whales and seals in the surrounding waters too. This is one of the true highlights of any Arctic expedition. 

A peaceful interlude in your adventur

Spend the day at your leisure as we sail across the Barents Sea deeper into the Arctic towards the Svalbard archipelago. Watch the open water slip by from the Explorer Lounge & Bar, soak in a hot tub on deck while scanning for seabirds, or work up a sweat in the gym. The Expedition Team will set the scene for what's ahead with lectures on Svalbard's history, geology, and wildlife. This time is yours to enjoy.

A land of spectacular beauty

Spitsbergen, Svalbard's largest island, is a wilderness of steep mountains, glaciers, and scattered offshore islands.  

 Over the next few days, we'll explore dramatic fjords where glaciers creak and calve icebergs into the sea, push north towards Northwest Spitsbergen National Park where sea ice may shape our route, and scan for the wildlife that thrives here: polar bears, walruses, Arctic foxes, reindeer, and colonies of seabirds nesting on the cliffs. 

Each day will be different. Landings, Zodiac cruises, kayaking, hikes: be ready for anything as your Captain and Expedition Team read the conditions and seize every opportunity the Arctic offers. 

A final day on top of the world

Your Arctic adventure ends in Longyearbyen, where you’ll catch your flight back to Oslo. You'll return home knowing more about Arctic animals, history, polar ice, and climate change than you arrived with and memories of an incredible experience.