Small Ship Polar Adventures Since 1999 +46 31-333 17 30 info@polar-quest.com
© Niklas Nilsson
© Niklas Nilsson

Expedition Svalbard to the pack ice

Join us on an extraordinary Arctic adventure as we explore Svalbard's untamed wilderness. It is summer in Svalbard, the midnight sun reigns supreme, and bird colonies are teeming with life. Playful whales are often seen in the sea, purple saxifrage decorates the slopes, and snow-free areas are opening up, allowing for longer walks.

Many of our Svalbard trips offer the chance to experience the vast pack ice, but on this particular expedition, the aim is to spend extra time in this frozen and ever-changing ecosystem north of Spitsbergen. On board the comfortable 50-passenger ship M/S Quest, we will have the opportunity to experience the exceptional tranquility of the pack ice while looking out for the wildlife of the Arctic Ocean, such as seals, ivory gulls and polar bears.

  • A once-in-a-lifetime adventure

  • 10 nights on board M/S Quest

  • More time in the pack ice

  • Small group - great moments

  • 5-star nature experiences

  • 5 experienced guides

Facts about the trip

M/S Quest 17 July 2026 12 days 50 passengers Swedish, English From 9 290 USD
  • © Adam Rheborg
  • © Niklas Nilsson
  • © Niklas Nilsson
  • © Sebastian Lehrke
  • © Niklas Nilsson
  • © Niklas Nilsson
  • © Sebastian Lehrke
  • © Erik Edvardsson
  • © Mattias Horntrich
  • © Sebastian Lehrke
  • © Adam Rheborg
  • © Kerstin Langenberger
  • © PolarQuest
  • © Niklas Nilsson
  • © Erik Edvardsson
  • © Kerstin Langenberger
  • © Niklas Nilsson
  • © Laura Mony
  • © Sebastian Lehrke
  • © Peter & Beverly Pickford
  • © Sebastian Lehrke
  • © Erik Edvardsson
  • © PolarQuest
  • © Sara Orstadius
  • © Erik Edvardsson
  • © Erik Edvardsson
  • © Sebastian Lehrke
  • © Arne Nævra
  • © Erik Edvardsson
  • © Annette Scheepstra
  • © Niklas Nilsson
  • © Niklas Nilsson
  • © Niklas Nilsson
  • © Niklas Nilsson
  • © Niklas Nilsson
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Itinerary

Day 1: Longyearbyen, Svalbard

We arrive in Longyearbyen and transfer to our hotel.

Day 2 - 11: Expedition cruising

Explore Longyearbyen on your own before meeting up your fellow travellers and guides for lunch. In the afternoon we board the expedition ship and sail out through the spectacular Isfjorden - the Arctic expedition has begun! We are now in a part of the world where we are completely dependent on the ice and weather conditions. Our exact itinerary will depend on these factors and on the wildlife we encounter. Our aim is to head out on Zodiac cruises every day and to go ashore when the opportunity arises. Here are some examples of places we may visit.

Northwest Spitsbergen

Isfjorden offers plenty of great landing sites and splendid hiking opportunities. At the entrance of Isfjorden is the characteristic cliff Alkhornet. Arctic foxes are often seen in the rock crevices around the mountain and with some luck we might see these lovely little animals scurrying around, frantically looking for food.

The scientific village of Ny-Ålesund is located in Kongsfjorden. It was from here that Amundsen and Nobile started their heroic expeditions to the North Pole. Two other courageous attempts to reach the North Pole started on the island of Danskøya. The Swedish explorer Andrée made an attempt with a hydrogen balloon, and the American journalist Wellman started with an airship. Interesting remnants of these expeditions can still be seen here.

The magnificent fjords of Spitsbergen

Svalbard offers visitors countless spectacular fjords. During our journey we will explore some of them such as: Liefdefjorden, meaning “The fjord of love”, is lined with snow-capped mountain peaks and here we hope to cruise along the face of the spectacular Monaco Glacier. Many common eiders and pink-footed geese nest in the area. In Krossfjorden we revel in the beautifully sculpted front of the 14th of July Glacier and are greeted by the many kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots that nest on the nearby cliffs. Raudfjorden is an area of immense natural beauty – dominated by magnificent glaciers. It is also a favourite haunt of seals and the bird cliffs are abuzz with activity.

North of Spitsbergen

In the direction of the North Pole, the goal is to reach the pack ice north of Spitsbergen and spend around two days here. This floating and ever-changing habitat is a fascinating and powerful experience to say the least. Not many ships come here and we can enjoy the tranquillity of this magnificent icy landscape. We are constantly on the lookout for the exciting wildlife associated with the Arctic Ocean, such as polar bears, seals and ivory gulls. The pack ice around Svalbard is of great importance to the archipelago's ecosystem and climate. It is also a mainstay of life in the Arctic.

Sjuøyane

These islands are situated north of Nordaustlandet and it is Svalbard’s northernmost outpost. On one of the islands, Rossøya, Andrée and his companions had one of their depots with supplies in case their, by now legendary, balloon trip in the late 1800s would fail.

Hinlopen Strait and Alkefjellet

Ice conditions permitting, we enter the Hinlopen Strait. Here we find Alkefjellet, an impressive basalt cliff that is home to an estimated 200 000 Brünnich’s guillemots. We may also continue into the beautiful bay of Palanderbukta on Nordaustlandet.

Eastern Svalbard

The island of Nordaustlandet is covered by a huge ice cap and has fascinated naturalists and historians alike. Here the giant glacier Bråsvellbreen stretches for 180 kilometres! The 15-20 metre high ice edge is punctuated by hundreds of by hundreds of waterfalls.

Day 12: Longyearbyen

Early in the morning, we disembark from our expedition ship and begin our journey back home.

Please note: All itineraries are for guidance only. Our exact route will depend on the ice, weather conditions, wildlife and government regulations. The places mentioned are just examples of some of the many sites Svalbard has to offer. We always strive to maximise your experience. Please remember that flexibility is the key to a successful expedition!

Flights

We offer group flights from Oslo to Longyearbyen and return (limited availability). Contact us for more information!


Important!

To ensure responsible tourism and protection of the environment, new regulations come into force in Svalbard on 1 January 2025. Read more about the regulations and PolarQuest's comments about these changes.

Map

Longyearbyen Isfjorden Kongsfjorden Ny-Ålesund Danskøya Krossfjorden Lilliehöökfjorden Raudfjorden Liefdefjorden Alkefjellet Palanderbukta Bråsvellbreen Sjuøyane Pack ice

Videos from this trip

  • Video: Iam Production
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The ship M/S Quest

Passengers

50

Crew

25

Built

1992

Cruising Speed

10 kn
  • © Johnny Van Vliet
  • © Johnny Van Vliet
  • © Johnny Van Vliet
  • © Sebastian Lehrke
  • © Olivier Kopp Wålberg
  • © Sebastian Lehrke
  • © Sebastian Lehrke
  • © Sebastian Lehrke
  • © Sebastian Lehrke
  • © Jett Britnell
    Fartyget har en fantastisk panoramalounge
  • © Sebastian Lehrke
  • © Björn Johansson
    Redahytt
  • © Björn Johansson
    Redahytt
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    Superiorhytt
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    Superiorhytt
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    Dubbelhytt med dubblesäng
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    Dubbelhytt med dubbelsäng
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    Dubbelhytt Plus
  • © Björn Johansson
    Dubbelhytt med två separata sängar
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    Trippelhytt
  • © Björn Johansson
    Trippelhytt
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    Enkelhytt
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    Badrum
  • © Björn Johansson
  • © Björn Johansson
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    Fartygets matsal rymmer samtliga expeditionsmedlemmar
  • Njut av goda måltider med polarlandskapet utanför
  • © Björn Johansson
  • © Björn Johansson
  • © Björn Johansson
  • © Johnny Van Vliet
  • M/S i maj
  • © Susanne Korsvoll
  • © Olivier Kopp Wålberg
  • © Johnny Van Vliet
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A comfortable  expedition ship with a wonderful crew.

The ship M/S Quest was built in Denmark in 1992 to serve as a ferry along the west coast of Greenland. In 2004-2005, it was completely refurbished into a comfortable expedition ship, and in 2018, the passenger areas underwent further renovation.

M/S Quest can accommodate 50 passengers, with all 24 cabins being outside cabins equipped with private facilities.

In the dining room, you enjoy delicious meals between landings, while the panorama lounge offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. This lounge serves as the venue for entertaining talks about the area's flora, fauna, and history. The ship boasts spacious observation decks for you to enjoy the stunning vistas. The bridge welcomes you around the clock, and there is always something to see or search for. There are five Zodiacs and five guides on M/S Quest.

More about M/S Quest

Departures and booking

Departure Return trip Cabins available
17 July 2026 28 July 2026 Cabins available Book online
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like help with your reservation. (Please note: you always need to contact us if you wish to book a shared cabin as this cannot be booked online).

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Lodging & prices

Lodging category Bed Prices 2026​/person
Triple cabin upper/lower beds 9 290 USD
Twin cabin 2 twin beds 11 290 USD
Twin cabin Plus 2 twin beds 11 990 USD
Double cabin double bed 11 990 USD
Double cabin Superior large double bed* 12 990 USD
Owner’s cabin large double bed 14 090 USD
Twin cabin for single use 18 090 USD

Many of our travellers journey solo, so in addition to single cabins, we offer the option to share a cabin on board the M/S Quest. Shared cabins are divided into female and male cabins. Contact us for availability!


Included in the price:

  • 1 night in a hotel in Longyearbyen
  • 10 nights on board M/S Quest
  • Lunch day 2
  • Visit to Svalbard Museum day 2
  • All meals on board
  • Coffee and tea
  • An experienced Expedition Leader and knowledgeable guides
  • Guiding ashore and talks on board
  • All excursions and activities
  • Slideshow from the trip

Not included in the price:

  • Flight to/from Longyearbyen
  • Travel and cancellation insurance
  • Gratuity to the ship’s crew
  • Personal expenses such as bar and shop charges

Said about the trip

  • Joanna Day, Australia - July 2025

    We were really happy with the whole experience. There was good information from the start. All the guides were friendly. It felt like they went out of their way to ensure we had a great experience. Everyone on the cruise was friendly, it was a great atmosphere.
  • Vithal Palsule, India - July 2025

    The whole experience was like a family atmosphere. Daily Zodiac cruise and landing were extremely enjoyable.
  • David & Maureen Macleod

    We have been home a few days now, but are still ‘blown away’ by our holiday in Svalbard. We will remember our time in the Arctic forever. The hospitality and the food on the ship were excellent, and the guides were 5 star plus. This has proved to have been one of our best holidays ever, and one which we would hope to repeat.
  • Yvonne Higgs McHugh & Tony Brake

    In my experience, a wonderful thing about your company, i.e. all the staff and crew, is that everyone tries their very best, and they are so well selected for the jobs they are doing. Intelligence, personality, experience… it made the trip a charmed cruise from planning to completion. The support I got from you in the office was excellent – everything went as planned and all details were correct!
  • Janet & Eddie Brown

    Our trip was faultless, everything was so well organised, and every person so pleasant. We have travelled a lot, to over 80 countries in the world, with different companies, but yours “PolarQuest” certainly came out the top, yes you are our no. 1 company.
  • Ian Salisbury

    To say that everything was great would be an understatement... The ship, the people, the food (tons of it) the scenery and the wildlife were all magnificent. The level of professionalism and the quality of the whole product was of the very highest standard... absolutely first class!
  • Marit & Don Meredith

    The expedition was absolutely fabulous, with a very efficient and friendly crew, and delicious food. The Zodiac outings and landings were awe-inspiring with five exceptional, highly professional and enthusiastic guides, giving excellent and captivating explanations on the Arctic fauna and flora, as well as on their environment and on different explorers.
  • Doreen McBarnet

    I am still in a dreamlike state after my wonderful trip to Svalbard on M/S Quest. Thank you to all your multitalented guides who could not have done more to make the trip a fantastic experience. Thanks to all of you in the office too who made it all work from afar! Many thanks.
  • Trevor Soames & Camilla Permin

    We have returned from our wonderful journey and wanted to thank you, and especially everyone on the ship itself. Every single day that we had on board was a great experience. The flexibility and inventiveness of the Expedition Leader and the ship’s Captain and First Mate in ensuring that we made the best of our time considering the ice conditions as well as the care taken not to disturb the native animal life and respect the distance needed, so as not to overstress them, was much appreciated. The ship’s crew, the restaurant staff who served our cheerful and tasty ”yummi yummi” meals, our cabin, were all excellent.
  • Richard Boweb

    We have just finished our magnificent Svalbard cruise with PolarQuest and M/S Quest. What a fantastic experience. Our trip was really great and your guides superb. They went out of our way to help at all times, and the Captain also was magnificent, entering the true “expedition” spirit and steering the ship into the ice for our convenience, and participating in all manner of events. All-in-all we have had a fantastic time with the PolarQuest people, and would certainly look for further adventures sometime in the future.

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