Wildlife and Glacier Cruise
with Hurtigruten Svalbard
About the tour
Join a trip with the hybrid-electric catamaran MS Bard! The trip takes you through magnificent landscapes, to Billefjorden and the glacier front of Nordenskiöldbreen.
A bus will pick you up and take you down to the harbour, where MS Bard is waiting. The conditions on Svalbard change a lot throughout the year, and a tour under the midnight sun in May will be different from when the polar night approaches in October. Whatever the season, you can expect unique experiences in beautiful Svalbard nature.
Read the full description
You will travel with the hybrid electric catamaran MS Bard. The engine and propellers are specially designed to minimise the noise and vibration. This not only takes you closer to nature; More importantly, the surrounding wildlife is less disturbed by our presence.
Early in the season, parts of Billefjorden may still be covered in ice. By the use of only the electric motor, we will then silently follow the ice edge where the opportunity to see wildlife is great! Here we will also enjoy the beautiful glacier front of Nordenskiöldbreen. In addition, we will see the ghost town Pyramiden from a distance and drive by Skansbukta, a bay with a lot of interesting history.
The boat has a contemporary, Norwegian design that contributes to the serene experience on board. You are free to move on several outdoor decks or enjoy the views from inside, through massive panoramic windows. Comfortable lounges are available outside as well as indoors. On board you will find a café and bar with a diverse selection of snacks and drinks. On this tour, you will be served a delicious vegetarian lentil soup.
Physical Requirements/Difficulty Grading System
Suitable for everyone.
Practical information
Included in the trip
Dress in layers – it’s the best way to stay warm. Remember: it is better to be too warm than to be too cold. And also – there is no bad weather, just bad clothing!
- Transfer to/from the harbour in Longyearbyen
- Boat tour with guides and all necessary safety equipment on board
- A small meal: Vegan lentil soup. The soup is vegan, gluten and lactose free. We will do our best to offer an alternative for those with other allergies. To arrange this, send an email to info@hurtigrutensvalbard.com with information about your allergies, no later than the last work day before the tour.
Important Information
- The scheduled time for the tour is time when the transport to MS Bard begins. Please be ready at your chosen pick-up location at this time. Note that the bus may come a few minutes later, if it has pickups from several other locations.
- Safety is our highest priority, and the guide needs to be able to give instructions that you understand. To participate in this tour, it is therefore required that you speak and understand English or one of the Scandinavian languages.
- This tour is subject to weather conditions, particularly in regards to wind and waves.
- If the total number of participants is less than 8 people, we reserve the right to cancel the tour, or offer it at another day.
- MS Bard is a new and groundbreaking catamaran for day cruises, specially built to leave the smallest footprint possible in the vulnerable Arctic nature. When we approach glaciers, wildlife or settlements, it will run silently on electric propulsion. At higher speeds we use a hybrid solution, where we run both an electric motor and diesel engine at the same time. In that way, we get the speed up whilst reducing the diesel consumption.
Cancellation Policy
- 22+ days beforeFull refund, minus a cancellation fee of NOK 350
- 21–8 days before50% cancellation fee
- 7–0 days before or no-showNo refund
Read the full terms
Individual Activity Bookings & Cancellations:
The full price of your activity is payable at the time of booking.
Based on the start date of the earliest product in your booking, the following cancellation charges apply:
22 days or more before: full refund, minus a cancellation fee of NOK 350
21 – 8 days before: 50% cancellation fee
7 – 0 days before or no-show: no refund; if unpaid, the outstanding amount will still be due.
Transfer of Booking:
If you or any member of your party is prevented from travelling, that person(s) may transfer their place to someone else, with the exception of flight tickets, subject to the following conditions:
That person is introduced by you and satisfies all the conditions applicable to the Arrangements.
We are notified not less than 22 days before departure.
You pay any outstanding balance payment, an administration fee of NOK 350 per person, as well as any additional fees, charges or other costs arising from the transfer, and
The transferee agrees to these booking conditions and all other requirements applicable to the holiday booking. You and the transferee remain jointly and severally liable for payment of all sums.
If you are unable to find a replacement, cancellation charges will apply as set out in ‘Cancellation by customer’. Otherwise, no refunds will be given for passengers not travelling or for unused services.
Cancellation / Changes to programme
Hurtigruten Svalbard reserves the right to cancel any travel service due to a force majeure event or other unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances outside of our control. We may also make alterations in the travel services, for example, due to local weather conditions, temperature conditions, ice conditions, risk of avalanche, polar bear sight, pandemics, illness and mechanical or equipment difficulties. We reserve the right to adjust a tour programme with the safety and comfort of participants in mind. Changes may also be made to assist other ships, groups or stranded persons. Reciprocal assistance is common practice in Polar Regions and must be seen as a part of the experience, as long as the main content of the tour is not substantially reduced due to the incident.
We also reserve the right to cancel travel services where the minimum number of participants for the travel service has not been reached.
The payment made for the cancelled travel service will be refunded. You are not entitled to any further compensation (for example, we will not cover costs for flight tickets or other travel services booked via other agents or organisers).