Experience a remarkable Svalbard cruise on board the small and comfortable 50-passenger expedition ship M/S Quest! In June, the midnight sun reigns supreme, bird colonies teem with life, and the dramatic mountain ranges are beautifully snow-capped. The ice still keeps the islands in its grip and we can admire the ever-changing ice formations. Spring has arrived and summer is just around the corner.
Your adventure begins with a night in a hotel in Longyearbyen, followed by a seven-night expedition cruise on board the M/S Quest. As we navigate the magnificent Arctic wilderness of Svalbard, we will cruise along glittering glaciers and go ashore to take in the magnificent scenery. We also keep an eye out for the iconic wildlife, including walruses, seals, and polar bears.
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A true Arctic adventure
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1 night in Longyearbyen
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7 nights on the small expedition ship M/S Quest
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Magical midnight sun
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5-star wildlife and nature experiences
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5 experienced guides
Facts about the trip
Itinerary
Day 1: Longyearbyen, Svalbard
We arrive in Longyearbyen and transfer to our hotel.
Day 2 - 8: Expedition cruising
Explore Longyearbyen on your own before meeting up your fellow expedition members and guides for lunch. In the afternoon we board the expedition ship and sail out through 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 Zodiacs cruises every day and also to go ashore when the opportunity arises. Here are some examples of places we may visit:
Prins Karls Forland
This narrow strip of land is covered by a magnificent and snow-covered mountain chain. The island is also home to many seabirds and harbour seals.
Virgohamna, Danskøya
Danskøya was the starting point for two of the most daring attempts to reach the North Pole. The Swedish explorer Andrée made an attempt with a hydrogen balloon and the American journalist Wellman started with an airship. Interesting remnants of these Arctic expeditions can still be seen here.
Fantastic fjords
Svalbard offers the visitor countless spectacular fjords. During our cruise 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 and if we are lucky we may see the rare king eider. In Krossfjorden we enjoy in the beautifully sculpted front of the 14th of July Glacier and are greeted by the large numbers of kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots nesting on the nearby cliffs. Raudfjorden is an area of immense natural beauty – dominated by magnificent glaciers. It is also a favourite spot of seals and the bird cliffs are abuzz with activity. Kongsfjorden is home to the scientific village of Ny-Ålesund. It was from here that Amundsen and Nobile set out on their heroic expeditions to the North Pole.
North of Spitsbergen
North of Spitsbergen, we may come across the edge of the pack ice. Not many ships venture here and we can marvel at the silence and grandeur of this icy landscape. We keep an eye out for the iconic Arctic wildlife.
Day 9: 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.
The ship M/S Quest
Passengers
50Crew
25Built
1992Cruising Speed
10 knA 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.
Departures and booking
Departure | Return trip | Cabins available | |
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2 June 2025 | 10 June 2025 | Limited | Book online |
16 June 2025 | 24 June 2025 | Fully booked | More info |
28 May 2026 | 5 June 2026 | Cabins available | Book online |
11 June 2026 | 19 June 2026 | Cabins available | Book online |
Lodging & prices
- Book any Svalbard expedition in 2026 by the 31st May 2025 at the latest and get a USD 500 discount per person! Cannot be combined with any other offers.
Lodging category | Bed | Prices 2025/person | |
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Triple cabin | upper/lower beds | 6 590 USD | |
Twin cabin | 2 twin beds | 7 890 USD | |
Twin cabin Plus | 2 twin beds | 8 190 USD | |
Double cabin | double bed | 8 190 USD | |
Double cabin Superior | large double bed* | 9 390 USD | |
Owner’s cabin | large double bed | 10 190 USD | |
Twin cabin for single use | 12 590 USD |
Lodging category | Bed | Prices 2026/person | |
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Triple cabin | upper/lower beds | 6 990 USD | |
Twin cabin | 2 twin beds | 8 390 USD | |
Twin cabin Plus | 2 twin beds | 8 690 USD | |
Double cabin | double bed | 8 690 USD | |
Double cabin Superior | large double bed* | 9 990 USD | |
Owner’s cabin | large double bed | 10 790 USD | |
Twin cabin for single use | 13 290 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
- 7 nights on board M/S Quest
- Lunch 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
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
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
More inspiration
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Webinar: Svalbard, the realm of the midnight sun
Dreaming of experiencing Svalbard? Then watch our recorded webinar for an exciting virtual journey to the Arctic wilderness.
Watch the webinar -
Meet the Crew on M/S Quest
Meet the crew aboard the M/S Quest, the people who week after week make each journey unique.
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Zodiac Cruises and Hikes
We hiked at Idunneset on Nordaustlandet, north-east of Spitsbergen. Chilly but sunny, with wonderful views as far as the eye could see.
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So why is the ice blue?
The question arises as we Zodiac cruise among ice blocks and small icebergs in Bjørnfjorden. Why is the ice so blue?
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A stunning day in Kongsfjord & Krossfjord
Today we visit a research community in Northwest Svalbard with a history of coal mining.
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My first day as a Svalbard guide
My first week as a guide gave me experiences that made me forget the summer in Sweden.
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The indescribable silence of Svalbard
I joined PolarQuest in the middle of the pandemic. When I finally got to visit Svalbard, my expectations were exceeded!
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Slideshow Svalbard Season 2024
A successful season in Svalbard has come to an end, here are just some of the highlights. Many thanks to our fantastic guides and travellers for making this season unforgettable.
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Andrée's North Pole expedition
In 1897, Andrée, Strindberg and Frænkel attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon. Two days later they are forced to make an emergency landing, and their fate remains unknown for 33 years.
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Get to know the Svalbard reindeer
The Svalbard reindeer is a true survivor, adapted to the harsh Arctic climate. Learn more about this magnificent animal in our latest blog.
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Five reasons to explore Svalbard with a small ship
Small expedition ships are the best way to explore the polar regions. Our three ships in Svalbard take a maximum of 12 or 51 passengers. Read more below!
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Get to know the charming Atlantic puffin
A puffin with a rainbow-coloured beak and sad eyes is often called the ‘clown of the sea’. It is a favourite of photographers and can be seen in Svalbard and Greenland.
Read the whole post
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