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Fram, 10 Night Circumnavigating Spitsbergen - In the Realm of the Polar Bear ex Oslo, Norway Return
Cruise Fram, 10 Night Circumnavigating Spitsbergen - In the Realm of the Polar Bear ex Oslo, Norway Return
Cruise Line Hurtigruten Expeditions (HX)
Ship Fram
Destination Arctic North Atlantic
Brief Description 10 Night Cruise sailing from Oslo, Norway onboard Fram
Type of Cruise Speciality
Departure Date 11 Jul 2026
Cruise Description Day 1
Arrive in Longyearbyen
From Oslo to the town at the top of the world  After a flight from Oslo, your adventure begins with an overnight stay in the world’s northernmost town, Longyearbyen.  A colourful frontier settlement where people are outnumbered by snowmobiles, Longyearbyen is a unique place on the edge of the Arctic wilderness. If you have time, head out to explore this special town, before enjoying a relaxing evening at your leisure.  If you'd like to spend two extra days exploring Longyearbyen and its surroundings before your voyage, see this voyage option. It includes the same sailing itinerary but with additional Arctic land adventures. 

Day 2
Longyearbyen adventures
Explore this colourful frontier townAfter breakfast, it’s time to experience Longyearbyen. The former coal mining settlement is small enough to explore on foot. Stroll down the main street lined with boutique shops, an art gallery, and restaurants. You might even see a Svalbard reindeer saunter by.     Before boarding your ship in the afternoon and continuing your Arctic discovery, join an included excursion and get a deeper look at this isolated and remote region at the top of the world.  

Day 3
Peaceful Ny-Ålesund
Experience science, serenity and epic sceneryToday you’ll discover the serenity of Ny-Ålesund and neighbouring fjords such as Krossfjord and Kongsfjord. Disconnect and enjoy a day without distractions as the Norwegian Mapping Authority’s nearby geodetic station means we must switch off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. One of the northernmost settlements and a former mining town, Ny-Ålesund was the starting point for Roald Amundsen’s expeditions north with the airship ‘Norge’. Now a hub for global science and climate research, you can still see remnants of the town’s history. You’ll be immersed in rugged, glacial scenery as we explore the fjords around Ny-Ålesund. Be ready for adventure; we’ll seize any opportunity to launch our small expedition boats, go ashore to hike or cruise by majestic glaciers. 

Day 4-5
Northwest Spitsbergen National Park
Experience pristine Arctic wilderness Over the next two days, we’ll explore the natural beauty and rugged tundra of this breathtaking national park where steep mountains, glaciers and beautiful offshore islands form a unique Arctic landscape. We’ll scout for some of the animals of the Arctic – seals, walruses and reindeer. Early in the season, there’s a good chance we may spot polar bears too, so we’ll always be on the lookout for these iconic but elusive predators. Be ready for adventure; we’ll seize any opportunity to launch our kayaks or use our small expedition boats and go ashore to hike or participate in a beach clean up.

Day 6
Ice edge attempt
Experience the opportunity of sailing to the edge of the polar ice cap  If conditions allow, we’ll sail north and cross the 80th parallel to explore the ever-changing ice edge. The transition zone between the ice cap and the sea is a magical yet ephemeral place where the waters are filled with ice floes and drifting pack ice. From the ship, there are great opportunities for spotting wildlife, such as seals and walruses who lounge on the sparkling ice. And if the conditions are right, we’ll lower our expedition boats into the water and enjoy an unforgettable close-up experience amid the floating ice.  The ice edge isn’t a fixed boundary, and it moves depending on the season and conditions, so visiting it will be an attempt rather than a certainty. From May to August, as summer progresses, it retreats further towards the pole, meaning it may be out of reach for us. If so, we’ll explore the no-less-impressive fjords, glaciers and incredible scenery of the Svalbard coast.   Wildflowers start blooming in July and into August, this is a time when the wildflowers appear, blanketing the landscape with a blaze of beauty and colour.  

Day 7-8
Eastern Spitsbergen
Scouting for polar bears, seabirds and walruses Be ready for anything as this stage of your voyage continues to be truly adventurous. If sea ice permits, we’ll venture to the frozen seascape of Eastern Spitsbergen.  We have high hopes you’ll see the elusive polar bear over the next two days. We'll also scout for walrus and colonies of Brünnich’s Guillemots and other seabirds in the Hinlopen Strait. We may head south to Freemansundet and Kapp Lee or take our small expedition boats to Edgeøya or Barentsøya. In true expedition style, exactly where we’ll go will depend on the conditions on the day.  Channel your inner explorer on exhilarating landings, hikes and kayak trips, and look out for wildlife.    And if the ice doesn’t allow us to pass through Hinlopen Strait, you’ll experience just as much adventure as we delve deeper into the wonders of western Svalbard. We’ll take a flexible route through deep fjords and by calving glaciers, seeking out remarkable Arctic wildlife. 

Day 9-10
Hornsund and Bellsund
Majestic glaciers, birds and pioneer history  Your expedition cruise continues south towards Hornsund – one of Svalbard’s most beautiful fjords. Colourful vegetation makes way for towering mountains along this picturesque waterway. The cliffs here are home to large colonies of auks, guillemots and Northern Fulmars, along with Arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer below. Head out on deck to spot seals and whales, Mount Hornsundtind, and glaciers reaching into the sea, and learn about Wanny Woldstad, the first female trapper to hunt in Svalbard. Then we head to admire the classic beauty of the snowcapped mountains of Bellsund  – a historic area where you can see the evidence of former whaling and mining activity on the shoreline. Our activities will be determined by the ever-changing weather conditions of Hornsund and Bellsund. Your Expedition Team will decide on the best possibilities for exploring on the day. 

Day 11
Return to Longyearbyen
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.
Sailing Dates
20 Jun 2026
11 Jul 2026
01 Aug 2026
Category Single Twin Triple Quad
SD ‐ AU $16,935 ‐ ‐
N2 AU $23,767 AU $16,935 ‐ ‐
U2 AU $25,006 AU $17,790 ‐ ‐
F2 AU $27,837 AU $19,742 ‐ ‐
MG ‐ AU $32,310 ‐ ‐
Cruise Itinerary
Date Port Arrive Depart
11 Jul 2026 Oslo, Norway Flight
11 Jul 2026 Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Flight Arrival Transfer. Overnight Longyearbyen
12 Jul 2026 Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Transfer
12 Jul 2026 Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Embark 8:00 PM
13 Jul 2026 Krossfjorden, Spitsbergen 9:00 AM 1:00 PM
13 Jul 2026 Ny Alesund, Spitsbergen 2:00 PM 7:00 PM
14 Jul 2026 Raudfjorden, Spitsbergen 8:00 AM 8:00 PM
15 Jul 2026 Liefdefjorden, Spitsbergen 8:00 AM 8:00 PM
16 Jul 2026 At Sea    
17 Jul 2026 Hinlopen Strait, Spitsbergen 8:00 AM 9:00 PM
18 Jul 2026 Freemandsundet, Spitzbergen 8:00 AM 8:00 PM
19 Jul 2026 Hornsund, Spitsbergen 12:00 PM 8:00 PM
20 Jul 2026 Bellsund, Svalbard 8:00 AM 6:00 PM
21 Jul 2026 Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen 6:00 AM
21 Jul 2026 Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Transfer. Flight
21 Jul 2026 Oslo, Norway Flight Arrival
All itineraries and ports of call at the discretion of the cruise line subject to local weather conditions and may change without notice.

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