DAY 2 - OSLO
Morning arrival in Oslo. Transfer to your hotel. You'll have the rest of the day to explore this interesting capital with its sights including Vigeland Park, the Norwegian Folke Museum, and the Holmenkollen Ski Jump.

DAY 3 - LONGYEARBYEN/EMBARKATION - B
Breakfast at your hotel. Day at leisure. Transfer to the airport for your evening flight to Longyearbyen. Transfer to the ice breaker MS Polar Star. You'll sail out of Isfjord after midnight. Overnight stay on board.

DAY 4 - NY ALESUND/MAGDALENEFJORD/SMEERENBURGFJORD - B,L,D
Cruise into the majestic Tempelfjord, one of the most spectacular places in Spitsbergen with steep rock walls ascending 1,800 feet up from the water's edge, before arriving at the Russian settlement of Barentsburg, where you'll enjoy a colorful folklore performance.

Continue to the international research center of Ny Alesund, also the starting point for many 1920s expeditions trying for the North Pole. Then proceed north to the famous Magdalenefjord, one of the most beautiful fjords in Spitsbergen, with its steep, towering rock faces edged by surrounding rugged mountains interrupted by several glaciers. Thousands of rare little auks can be found here, and whale spotting is possible. Explore the northern parts of the Forland Strait and the Lilliehookssfjord. The sharply-peaked mountains on all sides surrounded by massive glaciers, and remarkable wildlife, including walruses, seals, wild reindeer, and Arctic foxes, will take your breath away.

You'll then enter into the Smeerenburgfjord, and the first stop will be at Amsterdamoya and Danskoya. Visit the old whale hunting site where the Dutch whalers started up whaling in the seventh century. In Zodiacs, you'll cross the narrow sound over to Virgohamna at Danskoya, most famous as the starting point for the Swede Andrée in his 1897 attempt to reach the North Pole with the balloon Eagle.

Farther along the north coast, landing sites and the route of the ship are dependent on weather and ice conditions. Early in the season, there may be pack ice, making it difficult to go far north, but the chance of seeing large Arctic animals is greater at this time of year. The aim is to cross the 80-degree latitude line and try to reach the more easterly parts of Spitsbergen.

DAY 5 - WOODFJORD - B,L,D
Today you'll continue round the northeast corner of Spitsbergen, while Nordaustlandet appears in the distance. Enter into the spectacular Woodfjord and Leifdefjord, weather permitting. You'll have the opportunity to take a closer look at the impressive Monaco Glacier and make Zodiac landings for an up-close experience of the animals, birds, and wildflowers that give color and vitality to the harsh beauty of the High Arctic.

DAYS 6-7 - HINLOPEN STRAIT/VIBEBUKTA/AUSTFONNA GLACIER - B,L,D
Glaciers, fjords and ice will dominate these days. King Winter never really relaxes his grip on the east coast of Spitsbergen, which is majestic in its infinite silence. Here you'll find some of Svalbard's most desolate regions, including Nordaustlandet, the second largest island, which is for the most part completely covered by two enormous glaciers. The larger one, Austfonna, has a spectacular front 124 miles and is the origin of Svalbard's largest icebergs. And while navigating through Hinlopen Strait you'll enjoy fjords on each side. Weather permitting, participate in Zodiac landing at Vibebukta, for a close-up encounter with the glacier ice.

DAYS 8-9 - IN THE LAND OF THE POLAR BEARS - B,L,D
Alternative route early in the season: North along Nordaustlandet, via Wahlenbergfjord or Murchinsonfjord, and then on in the direction of Sjuoyane. Alternative route later in the season: via Sorport, Edgeoya, Storfjord and around the Southern Cape. The program will depend on weather and ice conditions. Ships can sail through Hinlopen Strait early in the season, ice conditions permitting. Early summer is for those who want to experience large amounts of ice and an abundance of bird life. Consider later in the season to go further east, and perhaps sail around all of Spitsbergen. On the way into the Isfjord, you'll make a stop at Barentsburg, the Russian settlement on Spitsbergen.

DAY 10 - DISEMBARKATION/OSLO/RETURN TO THE U.S. - B
Early morning arrival in Longyearbyen. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Oslo, where you'll have a few hours before boarding for your return flight to the U.S.

AARP members enjoy a discount of $100 per cabin. Please call for details.

Fares Include - Roundtrip Economy Class transatlantic airfare from New York - Roundtrip Economy Class airfare between Oslo and Longyearbyen - Air taxes - Transfers as indicated in itinerary - Services of the expedition guides - Accommodations as indicated in itinerary, including breakfast - Accommodations in select cabin category - Three meals daily shipboard - Port charges Fares Do Not Include - Add-on airfares for gateways other than New York

Public Lounge Outisde Larger Cabin   The MS Polar Star is equipped with a comfortable dining room, a public lounge, a lecture hall, a library, a gym and a bar. The ship is specially equipped for expedition cruising in Arctic waters (Ice Class 1A) and has a fleet of Zodiacs for excursions.

Cabin Categories and Color Key          Suites and Junior Suites with queen-size bed          Outside larger cabins with queen-size bed          Outside cabins with 2 lower berths          Inside cabins with 2 lower berths; limited view Public Areas          Restaurant/Lounges          Open-Air Areas          Elevator/Stairs MS Polar Star Built: 1969 Modernized: 1988, 2000 Berths: 94 Car Spaces: 0 Gross tonnage:3500 tons Length:86.5 m Width:21.2 m Speed:11 knots