Oslo is the capital of Norway and is also its largest city, situated at the head of Oslo Fjord and surrounded by hills and forests. Home to some 50 museums and full of galleries, cafés, a sculpture park and the Royal Palace, this vibrant city with its handsome 19th-century buildings and wide streets has much to offer. Its history dates back 1,000 years, and includes a rich seafaring heritage that ranges from the Viking era to Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki expedition. Discover more about this exciting city on our varied selection of excursions.

Longyearbyen is the biggest settlement in Svalbard. Seat of the Norwegian administration, it also has the best services and infrastructure in the archipelago. Located deep in the Adventfjord, a sidearm of the Isfjorden (Icefjord), Longyearbyen’s airport can be used all-year round, but its harbor is blocked by ice in winter. Most shops, hotels, restaurants and a hospital are within easy walking distance of the port. One of the most prominent buildings in town is the UNIS center, where several Norwegian universities have joined forces to operate and offer the northernmost higher education to both Norwegian and international students. Adjacent to UNIS, and well worth a visit, is the Svalbard Museum, covering the natural history and exploitation of Svalbard. Remnants of the former mining activity can be seen all around Longyearbyen and even in town.

Welcome to the remote wilderness of the Svalbard Archipelago, a dramatic polar region of rugged glaciers, craggy mountains, and frozen tundra. Open the blackout curtains of your ultra-luxury suite and step onto your private verandah to take in ever-changing vistas, from volcanic islands dotted with sparse greenery to snow-capped peaks peeking through the horizon.

Over the next few days, your itinerary will remain flexible, with the Captain and Discovery Leader adjusting plans daily to make the most of weather, ice conditions, and daylight. You may have the opportunity to enjoy Zodiac cruises, kayak tours, nature walks, and discover Arctic scenery, wildlife, and marine life up close. Throughout the day, the Discovery Team will host lectures and presentations in the state-of-the-art theatre, sharing insights into the region’s history, geology, and ecology, while evenings offer world-class performances from musical theatre to interactive shows, rounding out an unforgettable polar experience.

As your journey continues through Svalbard’s rugged archipelago, keep your eyes peeled for Arctic wildlife. Walruses bask on ice floes, seals surface in the fjords, and seabirds wheel overhead, while the more elusive Svalbard reindeer, Arctic foxes, wolverines, and rabbits may appear on the tundra. Binoculars from your suite or the Swarovski telescopes in the Observation Lounge offer a closer look at these extraordinary creatures in their natural environment.

Scenic Discovery:
Subject to weather and ice conditions, venture ashore and onto the water with Zodiacs, kayaks, and guided nature walks, exploring pristine locations while discovering the majestic landscapes, glaciers, and wildlife that define this polar wilderness.

Continue cruising around the spectacular Svalbard Archipelago. Whilst enjoying daily Discovery Excursions, seek photography tips and guidance from your expert Discovery Team on capturing wildlife encounters and dramatic landscapes. They will help you document these remarkable moments while cruising on Zodiacs, kayaking, or stand-up paddleboarding around impressive ice formations. Comprised of up to 20 specialists in polar sciences, natural history, and wildlife, the Discovery Team is at the heart of your Expedition Voyage.

Scenic Discovery:
Daily activities may include Zodiac cruises, kayaking, and guided nature walks, providing opportunities to explore untouched Arctic landscapes, tundra, and coastal habitats, while observing native wildlife and marine life in their natural setting.

On the northern side of the entrance to the Scoresbysund fjord system stands Ittoqqortoormiit, the only permanent settlement in the region. The population here is approximately 430 people, largely dependent on a subsistence lifestyle. The inhabitants make their living hunting seals, narwhals, muskoxen and polar bears. Ittoqqortoormiit is the northernmost settlement on Greenland’s east coast, apart from a few meteorological and military stations. Brightly colored, quaint little houses and dogsled enclosures dot the rocky slopes of the settlement. It must be incredible to live here every day enjoying the magnificent views of Kap Brewster and the Volquart Boon Coast to the south.

Begin your journey into Scoresby Sund, one of the world’s largest and most dramatic fjord systems. Stretching over 350 kilometres and plunging to depths of 600 metres, the fjord is dotted with colossal icebergs, calving gently from the Inland Ice.

Take in this Arctic grandeur from the Observation Deck, where the Discovery Team is on hand to explain the geology and wildlife, or savour the view in private from your suite’s verandah, as the icy landscape drifts by.

Today, sail deeper into Scoresby Sund, an awe-inspiring labyrinth of fjords and towering cliffs. Witness icebergs slowly breaking from their parent glaciers, drifting in the glassy Arctic waters beneath snow-dusted peaks.

Enjoy uninterrupted views from your private verandah or join the Discovery Team on the Observation Deck for insights into the fjord’s glacial formations, Arctic wildlife, and the remote landscapes that make this one of the planet’s most remarkable natural wonders.

Today your Scenic Discovery Yacht will exit the magnificent Scoresby Sund fjord. Wake up at your own time and ask your butler to bring breakfast to your suite, so you can take in the awe-inspiring views from your private verandah.

Enjoy some downtime at the expansive 550sqm Senses Spa. Book an appointment# with the wellness therapists and surrender yourself to bliss. Afterwards, hold on to that feeling of calm for a while longer in the Zen-like space of the Vitality Lounge. Here, ambient light envelops you with tranquil music as the heat from our soothing thermal loungers works to gently purify the body.

Akureyri, called the Capital of the North is the second largest urban area in Iceland, and a lively one at that. Hemmed by the 60-km (37-mile) long Eyjafjörður, Akureyri is sheltered from the ocean winds and embraced by mountains on three sides. Late 19th-century wooden houses impart a sense of history, and the twin spires of a modern Lutheran church rising on a green hill near the waterfront, provide a focal point. To the south of Akureyri is the pyramid-shape rhyolite mountain Súlur. Beyond it is Kerling, the highest peak in Eyjafjörður District.

Akureyri, called the Capital of the North is the second largest urban area in Iceland, and a lively one at that. Hemmed by the 60-km (37-mile) long Eyjafjörður, Akureyri is sheltered from the ocean winds and embraced by mountains on three sides. Late 19th-century wooden houses impart a sense of history, and the twin spires of a modern Lutheran church rising on a green hill near the waterfront, provide a focal point. To the south of Akureyri is the pyramid-shape rhyolite mountain Súlur. Beyond it is Kerling, the highest peak in Eyjafjörður District.

Vigur Island is a little more than a mile (1.6 km) in length and about 450 yards (412 m) wide. This green oasis punctuates the waters of the Ísafjarðardjúp fjord east of the town of Isafjordur. The island is home to a single farming family and has some meticulously preserved historical landmarks including Iceland’s only windmill, built in 1840 and used until 1917 for grinding imported wheat from Denmark; and a 200-year-old rowing boat, which is still in use to ferry sheep to the mainland. Summer is the best time to see large numbers of Atlantic Puffins, Arctic Terns and Black Guillemots. One of the export articles from this small island was eider down and one can see where the eider ducks nest and how the down is collected and cleaned.

Iceland is well-known for its spectacular waterfalls. The iconic Dynjandi waterfall, located in the Westfjords region, is regarded as one of Iceland’s most impressive and majestic waterfalls. At the top, the cascading water is roughly 100 feet wide and tumbles down about 330 feet into the fjord. Its name Dynjandi means, “the thundering one” and its vast size, enormous sound, and sheer force is overwhelming. It has also been nicknamed, ‘The Bridal Veil’ because of the way the water sprays and spreads over the rocks.

Sprawling Reykjavík, the nation's nerve center and government seat, is home to half the island's population. On a bay overlooked by proud Mt. Esja (pronounced eh-shyuh), with its ever-changing hues, Reykjavík presents a colorful sight, its concrete houses painted in light colors and topped by vibrant red, blue, and green roofs. In contrast to the almost treeless countryside, Reykjavík has many tall, native birches, rowans, and willows, as well as imported aspen, pines, and spruces.Reykjavík's name comes from the Icelandic words for smoke, reykur, and bay, vík. In AD 874, Norseman Ingólfur Arnarson saw Iceland rising out of the misty sea and came ashore at a bay eerily shrouded with plumes of steam from nearby hot springs. Today most of the houses in Reykjavík are heated by near-boiling water from the hot springs. Natural heating avoids air pollution; there's no smoke around. You may notice, however, that the hot water brings a slight sulfur smell to the bathroom.Prices are easily on a par with other major European cities. A practical option is to purchase a Reykjavík City Card at the Tourist Information Center or at the Reykjavík Youth Hostel. This card permits unlimited bus usage and admission to any of the city's seven pools, the Family Park and Zoo, and city museums. The cards are valid for one (ISK 3,300), two (ISK 4,400), or three days (ISK 4,900), and they pay for themselves after three or four uses a day. Even lacking the City Card, paying admission (ISK 500, or ISK 250 for seniors and people with disabilities) to one of the city art museums (Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, or Ásmundarsafn) gets you free same-day admission to the other two.