SVALBARD SUMMER CRUISE EXPEDITION | NORWAY

Journey to the High Arctic – A Bucket List Adventure
Step into a world of raw, untouched wilderness on our small-group expedition to Svalbard, one of the most spectacular destinations in the Arctic. Travelling in July, at the height of the Arctic summer, we’ll explore ice-filled fjords, dramatic coastlines, towering glaciers, and remote islands—home to polar bears, walrus, Arctic foxes, whales, seabirds, and more.

This expedition is limited to just 6 guests, ensuring an intimate experience with maximum time on deck and personalised guidance from your photographic leader. You’ll be travelling aboard the MV Vikingfjord, a modern, sturdy and ice-strengthened expedition vessel known for its stability and comfort. With only 12 guests total onboard and a highly experienced Arctic crew, the Vikingfjord offers unmatched flexibility and access to remote locations that larger ships simply can’t reach.

Photograph the High Arctic With a Photographer Beside You
Ten days in Svalbard on a small expedition ship, with Neal Cooper in the Zodiac alongside you. Not a lecturer on deck — a wildlife photographer in the boat, reading the light, working the angle with you, and helping you get the frame while the ice is still in front of you.

Late July brings long, low light through much of the night, sea ice with kittiwakes and fulmars feeding along its edge, walrus haul-outs, and glacier fronts that reward patience. Polar bears are possible, never promised. The route is the expedition’s; what you make of each outing is yours, and Neal is there to make sure you don’t waste it.

Small group, all camera brands, all skill levels. Images reviewed together on board, and the mentoring carries on after you’re home.

Why Join Us

• Travel on the MV Vikingfjord one of the best small expedition ships in Svalbard

• Flexible daily itinerary based on weather, light, and wildlife

• Access remote fjords, glaciers, and wildlife-rich areas unreachable by large ships

• Comfortable ensuite cabins, excellent food, and a warm Arctic-ready base

• Maximum 6 photographers to 1 photographic tour leader for personal attention

• Expert photographic guidance throughout

The MV Vikingfjord is a sleek, ice-strengthened expedition vessel, built for bold exploration of the High Arctic. At 41.8 metres with an ice-class 1B rating, she can push a path through the ice to reach places other ships can’t.

With just 12 guests and a crew of eight aboard, the experience is personal and unhurried, with one guide for every six guests. Eight Scandinavian-styled cabins, each with private en-suite facilities and a window onto the Arctic, lead to shared spaces made for relaxing and sharing the day’s images. There is an open-plan lounge with rear-facing windows, an observation lounge on the bridge that’s open to all guests, and a warm dining room where the crew serve hearty meals. Two Zodiacs stand ready to take you ashore or in close to glaciers and ice floes.

After a day behind the lens, you can unwind in the outdoor hot tub or sauna as the midnight sun lights the fjords. Starlink Wi-Fi keeps you connected.

Whether you’re reviewing images in the lounge, watching for bears from the bridge, or framing a walrus haul-out in soft Arctic light, the Vikingfjord is a comfortable and capable home at the edge of the ice.

• Small group of only 6 photographers – plenty of space and personal guidance

• Travel aboard MV Vikingfjord – an ice-strengthened expedition vessel for just 12 guests

• Flexible, photo-led itinerary – no fixed cruise schedule, we go where the light and wildlife take us

• Incredible wildlife – walrus, whales, Arctic foxes, seals, reindeer, and plenty of seabirds. Polar bears are possible, never promised.

• Spectacular landscapes – glaciers, sea ice, icebergs, fjords, and tundra

• July advantage – soft golden light, active wildlife, colourful terrain, and accessible pack ice

• Twice-daily zodiac excursions – land and sea access for close encounters and varied perspectives

• Access to remote, wild locations – go where larger ships can’t, for a more intimate Arctic experience

• Led by experienced photographers and guides who understand light, behavior, and timing

• Breakfast
• Time to explore Longyearbyen town
• 15:45 transfer to the Port of Longyearbyen
• After boarding and settling in, the ship will leave the dock and your expedition will begin.
• Dinner

Day 3 – 9

• Breakfast
• Zodiac excursion
• Lunch
• Photographic evaluation sessions
• Zodiac excursion
• Dinner

*We don’t follow a fixed itinerary.

*For this reason, every expedition is flexible and inherently authentic as its course will be defined on a daily basis by the opportunities presented by weather, ice, and wildlife.

*Your voyage is led by a highly experienced expedition leader with the support of a professional polar guide. Collaboratively, the route and landings are decided by your expedition leader and captain, who have extensive experience in the area.

*Sample cruise itinerary attached below

Day 10

• Breakfast
• Zodiac excursions
• Lunch
• Evening docking at the Port of Longyearbyen
• Captain’s Dinner
• Last night on board the MV Vikingfjord ship

Day 11

• Early morning breakfast
• 08:45 disembark at the Port of Longyearbyen
• A transfer will take you and your luggage to either the airport or your accommodation in Longyearbyen.
• End of trip with CNP Safaris

Sample Cruise Itinerary

Day 1: Depart Longyearbyen. Sail past striking Fuglefjella (Bird Mountain), a fine example of plateau mountainous landscape, as we leave Longyearbyen.

Day 2: Explore Poolepynten, a headland on Prins Karls Forland, home to a walrus colony and burial site. Take a Zodiac cruise of Fjortende Julbreen, a stunning glacier, and Fjortende Julibukta, a scenic bay in Krossfjord.

Day 3 – 8: Land at Sallyhamna, a hut built in 1937, rich in history and cultural remains from the 1600s whaling period.

Search the ice edge, a dynamic setting of texture and light, home to seals, seabirds, and polar bears.

Explore the island of Kvitøya, taking in the walrus colony and cultural remains of the Andreeneset headland.

Take a Zodiac cruise to see Storisstraumen and a ship cruise to Bråsvellbreen of the Austfonna ice cap, Europe’s third-largest glacier by volume and area.

Marvel at Alkefjellet, a stunning bird cliff, nesting location of Brünnich guillemot.

See the historical site at Bruceneset in beautiful Alicehamna bay, during a Zodiac cruise or hike.

Land at Hamburgbukta to view remains from the 1600s whaling industry.

Visit Ny-Ålesund Research Station, the world’s northernmost year-round research facility, and Kongsfjorden, with landings and cruises to its two glaciers, Kronebreen and Kongsbreen.

Alkhornet showcases the change in geology from plateau to edge-dominated, alpine mountainous landscape.

Day 9: Return to Isfjorden and Longyearbyen.

Day 10: Disembark in Longyearbyen

Longyearbyen is accessible by air, and there are regular flights from Oslo, Norway.

The main airlines operating this route are Norwegian Air and Scandinavian Airlines.

If you come from outside Norway, you will likely need to fly into Oslo first. Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL) is the main international airport in Oslo and has international connections to the rest of the world. From here, you can catch a connecting flight to Svalbard Airport (LYR). The flight duration is approximately three to four hours.

Includes:

• 1 night dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation at Mary-Ann’s Polarrigg, Longyearbyen.
• 9 nights sharing full board accommodation on the MV Vikingfjord, including alcohol with dinner
• Starlink internet (daily limit)
• 1x Local expedition guide
• 1x CNP photographic guide
• Transfers within Longyearbyen
• Private Zodiac for CNP group

Excludes

• All travel to/from Longyearbyen.
• Drinks at Mary-Ann’s Polarrigg.
• Alcohol outside of dinner service.
• Expenses of a personal nature.
• Gratuities.
• Visa application and visa-related fees.
• Medical and Travel Insurance
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