Finally! Our first expedition in two years.
Every summer since 1998, the expedition ship M/S Stockholm has taken adventurous travelers to Svalbard's magical archipelago. Then came the pandemic when everything suddenly changed and PolarQuest were forced to cancel all expeditions for two years. Now we are finally back!
On Saturday 9 April, our small expedition ship, M/S Stockholm left Gothenburg and set course towards the Norwegian town of Bergen. This marks the start of our first expedition in two years and we couldn't be happier. We made it! Joining this first journey are a group of very excited travelers from both Sweden and Australia.
"We feel relieved and grateful to get started after two long years of COVID-19 pandemic. Now we enjoy being able to do what we love the most – to offer five-star nature experiences in some of the world’s most remote and magnificent destinations. For PolarQuest and our travellers it will be an unforgettable reunion with Svalbard’s stunning nature." – Marie Lannborn Barker, Managing Director at PolarQuest.
At PolarQuest, we have supported each other and our partners to get through the pandemic. We really want to thank all of our travelers and partners for all the support and encouragement. When it was time for M/S Stockholm to launch in Gothenburg and set off on her first expedition, PolarQuest was there to join the celebration. Under a clear blue sky and radiant sunshine, we watched captain Magnus Reteike and the crew, guides and guests, weighed anchor and set course towards Norway. A big day for PolarQuest!
The first expedition is from Gothenburg to Bergen and then the ship sets course for Tromsø in Northern Norway and then on to Svalbard. During this first expedition the guests will explore some of Norway’s most magnificent sites. They will visit picturesque fishing villages and interesting museums, enjoy scenic hikes and explore the beautiful Hardangerfjord.
”It feels great to be guiding on this first expedition on M/S Stockholm. We had a windy start in Gothenburg with a flexible with our schedule, but that is what makes an expeditions. We are having an incredible time and it is so wonderful to see everyone's enthusiasm and to be out at sea again. A real highlight was when we entered the Hardangerfjord.” – Nilla Lindh, guide at PolarQuest
This first trip to Bergen will be followed by 57 unique polar expeditions with four different ships along the Norwegian coast and in Svalbard before the season ends in November 2022.
Do you also want to go on an expedition with M/S Stockholm this year? All expeditions to Svalbard 2022 with M/S Stockholm are fully booked, but there are a few berths left on our trips in Northern Norway in October and November 2022. Read more about the trips here! We have also released our Svalbard trips for 2023 and you can find them all here!
Destinations
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Since 1999, we have taken travellers on once-in-a-lifetime trips to Svalbard. From May to September our three small expedition ships, carrying only 12 and 51 passengers, explore this magnificent Arctic archipelago. Unpredictability and flexibility are the main keywords when you travel with PolarQuest as the exact route depends on weather, ice conditions and wildlife encounters. Sometimes you might be woken up in the middle of the night if a polar bear has been spotted on the ice.