Why this site exists
Svalbard is one of the few places on Earth where you can see polar bears in the wild, and almost everyone who goes does it by expedition ship. Planning it is the hard part: which voyages fly you from the UK, how long you are actually at sea, what a Zodiac landing involves, when the sea ice lets ships reach the bears, and whether it suits you if you are not as nimble as you were.
That information is spread across cruise line brochures, the Svalbard tourist board and forums. We bring it together in one place and compare the organised voyages on the facts.
How we compare voyages
We only compare things we can check: what each operator publishes about its own voyages. That means the length, the from price where it is shown, the ship, where the flights go from, the hotels, the meals and the pace. We note the date we checked, because prices and departures change.
We don't publish reviews of cruise lines or tour operators or give star ratings, and we never invent experiences. If a voyage includes Zodiac landings, we say so because the operator says so, and link you to the operator for the live details.
Where our facts come from
- The Governor of Svalbard and Visit Svalbard (rules, seasons, safety around polar bears).
- The Norwegian Polar Institute (wildlife and sea ice).
- The cruise lines' and tour operators' own published voyage details.
- Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each page under their open licences; some general scene images are illustrative and say so.
How the site makes money
Some links to holiday companies are affiliate links. If you click through and book, the company may pay us a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes the facts we show.
We are independent. We are not part of, or endorsed by, any cruise line, tour operator or the Svalbard authorities.
Contact
Email [email protected]. We read everything, and corrections are always welcome.