This route makes explorers’ dreams come true: from circumnavigating Spitsbergen to heading deep into the fjords of north-eastern Greenland. An “island-hopping” adventure only possible with the small HANSEATIC spirit.
The cruise is fully booked.
For further assistance please contact us at 040 30703050.
The surcharge for single travellers on this cruise (Categories 1 – 8) is only 25 %.
Charter flight from Hamburg* to Tromso
Tromso/Norway, departure 20.00 hrs
The wonders of the Arctic don’t just come to you – you have to seek them out. The same goes for Spitsbergen and north-eastern Greenland. Travelling through the pack ice, cruising off bizarre coasts, Zodiac landings and hikes: uncover the secrets of these regions in a small group of explorers on board the HANSEATIC spirit. In the best season for cruising, explore an extreme habitat with magnificent landscapes. The ship’s course will be decided day by day depending on the weather and ice. A flexibility only possible with a small expedition ship and an experienced polar crew. Whatever the route, the Observation Lounge, spirit Walk and glass balconies will become your front-row seats for unique natural spectacles. Perhaps you’ll catch sight of the king of the Arctic? The best way to watch polar bears is from the deck of the ship or from a Zodiac at a respectful distance. With a little luck, you will spot reindeer, Arctic foxes and walruses on a shore visit. The backdrops to your fascinating hikes range from mighty glaciers to vast tundra. Awestruck by these overwhelming impressions, allow gazing in wonder to become your new passion on this expedition.
Relaxation at sea
Adventure in Spitsbergen (including Cape Lee, cruising through Freeman Sound, Torellneset, cruising through the Hinlopen Strait, Liefdefjord, Magdalenefjord, 14th July Glacier, Ny-Alesund)
The first goal of the HANSEATIC spirit is clear: to circumnavigate Spitsbergen. This route takes in many remote locations, such as Cape Lee on the north-western tip of the island of Edgeoya. Will the Zodiacs manage to land in a sheltered bay? The cruise through Freeman Sound, a strait of water only around 5 km (3 mi.) wide, is accompanied by the play of colour and light on the landscape. With a little luck, you can enjoy particularly weighty observations in the original territory of the walrus: Torellneset. These colossal creatures often like to lounge on the beach. The cruise through the Hinlopen Strait is all about birdwatching. Between 60,000 and 100,000 pairs of thick-billed murres nest on the cliffs of Alkefjellet between April and August. Peaked mountains surround the Liefdefjord. The mighty Monacobreen rises up at the end of the fjord, one of the largest glaciers in Spitsbergen. Gazing at its blue, shimmering ridge from a Zodiac is an overwhelming experience. The Magdalenefjord is one of the most beautiful in the archipelago; here, historic graves recall the once flourishing whalers’ settlement. The spectacular 14th July Glacier inspires both awe and amazement when pieces break off its front and drift into the sea as icebergs. Ny-Alesund combines the pioneering spirit of the past and present – it was here, in 1926, that Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile set out for the North Pole in an airship. If you succeed in circumnavigating Spitsbergen, your traveller’s CV will boast an outstanding feat.
Relaxation at sea
Northeast Greenland National Park (including Wollaston Peninsula, Clavering Island, Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord, Ella Island, King Oscar Fjord)
A distant island world, shrouded in ice, with mountains rising up into the sky, untouched by humanity: north-eastern Greenland is the beautiful unknown. The history books on exploration still have empty pages – for you to fill! The HANSEATIC spirit follows a flexible course to the deep fjords, bizarre icebergs and majestic glaciers of Northeast Greenland National Park – the largest of its kind in the world and home to musk oxen, Arctic foxes and Arctic hares. You will encounter very few humans here. What you will find, however, is fascinating history, for example on the Wollaston Peninsula, explored by the Second German North Polar Expedition in 1869 to 1870. The team also named Clavering Island after polar explorer Douglas Clavering. Find traces of earlier expeditions on walks with your experts. A small ship such as the HANSEATIC spirit is in its element in the labyrinth of the Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord: Steep rock faces alternate with glacier snouts, from which icebergs drift off into the sea. Triangular Ella Island is overwhelming with its almost 1,200 m (3,937 ft) high mountainside – just like the King Oscar Fjord, where the peaks rise up from the shore.
Eastern coast of Greenland (Scoresbysund)
Relaxation at sea
Patreksfjordur/Iceland
Iceland provides the finale to your experiences. The vast bay near the harbour town of Patreksfjordur seems almost Caribbean when (depending on the weather) the fjord shimmers turquoise next to its beach – one of many images that will stay with you after the cruise.
Reykjavik/Iceland, arrival 7.00 hrs
Full-day island tour
Overnight stay with breakfast
Journey to Keflavik
Scheduled flight from Keflavik to Germany
* Depending on the flight time, an extra night (at extra cost) in an airport hotel may be required for your arrival.
---- The ice conditions determine the course here (see map).The itinerary depends on official approval, weather and ice conditions. The natural experiences and wildlife sightings described are possibilities on this expedition and are not guaranteed.
The following programmes can be booked.
Please note that our pre- and post-cruise programmes are conducted in German.
For individual programmes kindly consult your travel agent.
The following programmes are offered in German:
Our popular pre- and post-cruise programmes include a broad spectrum of excursions and are usually accompanied by experienced Hapag-Lloyd Cruises tour guides. Recommended for guests who like to share their experiences with a group of like-minded travellers. Explore specially selected highlights of your holiday destination and enjoy the convenience of group travel – we will take care of the transfers, excursions and overnight stays.