Tag Archives: Arctic cruises

Poseidon Expeditions Cancels 2022 Cruise Programs To the Russian High Arctic, North Pole

Poseidon Expeditions announced that it has canceled its Summer 2022 polar programs in Russian territorial waters.

Limassol, CYPRUS – Poseidon Expeditions announced that it has canceled its Summer 2022 polar programs in Russian territorial waters. The news affects a total of seven voyages, three aboard the Russian icebreaker that Poseidon has chartered and marketed since 2001 and another four aboard the 114-passenger expedition ship Sea Spirit. The balance of the summer expedition cruises aboard the Sea Spirit remain unchanged.
 
Angelica Vorea, chief executive officer and owner of Poseidon Arctic Voyages, Ltd., the parent company of Poseidon Expeditions, said: “The terrible situation in the Ukraine makes planned operations in Russian waters untenable and we cannot support promoting these trips in any way for the 2022 season. As a result, we have suspended charter arrangements with the operator of 50 Years of Victory.
 
“We also have re-designed itineraries on four upcoming Arctic programs aboard the Sea Spirit. These 14-day voyages will continue to operate roundtrip out of Longyearbyen, Svalbard, on the same dates in July and August, but will not venture into the Russian territorial waters of Franz Josef Land. Instead, the program will provide guests with an in-depth exploration and circumnavigation of the Svalbard Archipelago or a voyage to the Northeast Greenland National Park, depending on the departure date.”
 
The revised programs can be found on Poseidon’s website:
July 10-23                Svalbard Circumnavigation and Kvitøya
July 22-August 4      Svalbard Circumnavigation and Kvitøya
August 3-16              Svalbard Circumnavigation and Kvitøya
August 15-28            Svalbard & Northeast Greenland National Park
 
Travelers aboard the four departures in July and August aboard the Sea Spirit are welcome to keep their reservations and enjoy the new itineraries. Guests booked on any of the affected Summer 2022 programs can request a cruise credit for any future cruise with Poseidon Expeditions or a full refund.
 
Poseidon has chartered and operated the Madeira-registered Sea Spirit year-round since 2015 from SunStone Ships, Inc. of Miami FL.
 
With corporate headquarters in Cyprus and international offices that include the US, UK, Germany and China. Poseidon Expeditions (https://poseidonexpeditions.com/) is a leading provider of polar expeditions in the cruise industry. The company is committed to safe and environmentally responsible polar travel. It is a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO).
 
For inquiries and reservations, contact the company’s North American sales and reservation office at [email protected] or by telephone at 347-801-2610.

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Poseidon Expeditions Suspends March and April 2020 Cruises; Revises Re-Booking, Final Payment and Deposit Policies

Poseidon Expeditions announced that it is suspending cruise operations aboard its 114-passenger expedition vessel Sea Spirit for the balance of March and April 2020. The expeditionary cruise company is rebooking Arctic cruises for 2021.

PROVIDENCE, RI — Poseidon Expeditions announced that it is suspending cruise operations aboard its 114-passenger expedition vessel Sea Spirit for the balance of March and April 2020.
 
Postponed until 2021 are a sub-charter in the mid-Atlantic and a cruise along the coastline of Portugal, Spain and France. All sales and reservation offices are available to provide assistance to booked and prospective passengers and to answer questions about upcoming Spring and Summer 2020 cruises and future cruises.
 
“We certainly understand the COVID-19 related concerns and questions from our travel partners and the travelers booked on our upcoming cruises. There’s no question about it: things are changing daily. We are looking at each cruise on the calendar’s horizon, and will factor into our decision-making all issues pertaining to Coronavirus-related bans, travel advisories, flight availability and any other matters that potentially might affect the health and safety of our guests, staff and crew,” said Steve Wellmeier, managing director of the company’s US office.
 
Following the successful completion of the company’s 2019-20 Antarctic season this past week, the Sea Spirit is currently heading north from Montevideo, Uruguay, where it disembarked passengers March 19.
 
“At the present time, Poseidon remains committed to its schedule of cruises in the Arctic this season. But we are giving our booked passengers and travel partners the benefit of the doubt in rescheduling their summer cruises. Those passengers with existing reservations for the upcoming season may re-book or transfer their booking to a 2021 Arctic departure, beginning from 60 days and up to seven days prior to the 2020 scheduled departure date. Final payment for 2020 Arctic voyages is pushed back from 90 days to 60 days prior to departure, and deposits on new bookings for 2020 Arctic programs are reduced from 20% to 10% of the cruise fare,” said Wellmeier.
 
For the next 2020-21 Antarctic season, final payment is due 60 days prior to departure rather than the customary 90 days, and deposits on new Antarctica business are also reduced from 20% to 10% of the cruise fare.
 
While the Russian Federation recently announced that its borders are closed to all foreign travelers until May 1, the company’s three voyages to the North Pole aboard the nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Years of Victory remain scheduled for operation, beginning with the July 12-24, program from Murmansk, Russia. Final payment conditions are changed from 90 days to 60 days prior to the departure date.
 
The company recently updated its Coronavirus Travel Policy, and will continue to do so as the situation warrants.
 
For inquires and questions, travelers and their agents can contact the company’s North American sales and reservation office at [email protected] or by telephone at 347-801-2610.
 
With offices in the US, UK, Germany, Russia, Cyprus and China, Poseidon Expeditions is a leading provider of polar expeditions in the cruise industry. The company is committed to safe and environmentally responsible polar travel. It is a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO).

Follow Poseidon Expeditions on Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poseidonexpeditions
Twitter:      https://twitter.com/poseidonexp
YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/user/pxpeditions
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poseidonexpeditions/
Website     http://poseidonexpeditions.com/

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AdventureSmith Explorations’ New Ships, Itineraries Expand Opportunities to See Big Arctic 8

National Geographic Explorere at Monoco Glacier, Leifdefjord, Northwest Spitsbergen National Park, Svalbard Archipelago, Norway

TRUCKEE, CA – Small cruise ships purpose-built to ply the planet’s polar regions also transport guests on floating Arctic wildlife safaris.

AdventureSmith Explorations, the small ship cruising experts, invite guests on an increasing number of Arctic cruise options that observe, among other things, a variety of indigenous wildlife. Some, if not all, of the Big Arctic Eight, marine- and land-based creatures are often spotted on these expedition cruises.

“Just to know that these creatures are out there is part of the excitement of venturing north,” says Todd Smith, AdventureSmith’s Founder and President. “These are creatures straight out of children’s fairytales. What’s also amazing is to learn how they’re so physically adapted to their frozen world.”

He notes that demand is up to explore the Arctic among clients who have already cruised Antarctica, as well as travelers new to the polar regions. “The core of what AdventureSmith strives for is delivering the most incredible explorations of the natural world to our clients who are a special group of likeminded explorers. Alongside our observation of more cruise itineraries opening up in the Arctic, we’ve seen more purpose-built expedition ships being built with a focus to educate travelers on how to be ambassadors for the Arctic’s wild places and animals. The trips we offer are designed to be small (under 200 guests) and focused on sustainable exploration.”

The company has created a blog post with tips on spotting some of Earth’s most interesting animals. Here is what AdventureSmith Explorations has named the Big Arctic Eight:

  • Polar Bear, the largest living land carnivore, can measure up to eight feet long and weigh 1,500 pounds. Some 26,000 Polar bears are estimated to be roaming the Arctic and regions of Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Russia and Norway.
  • Walrus live in the Arctic areas of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. These creatures are often viewed lounging in large herds on shorelines or icebergs. Their powerful tusks that sometimes reach three feet are tools to lift their heavy bodies onto the ice.
  • Reindeer (caribou) live on the tundra and in boreal forests and are known to migrate up to 3,000 miles a year. Males grow antlers for sexual attraction and mating standoffs. Females grow antlers to defend their food from other females. Come spring, herds number in the thousands.
  • Arctic Foxes possess incredible hearing that allows them to locate prey under the snow. Their thick, long fur that sustains them at -58 degrees Fahrenheit is an example of camouflage – in winter white or blue-gray, in summer brown-gray.
  • Narwhals are some of Earth’s most unusual creatures. The narwhal tusk is actually a spiral tooth that can grow as long as 10 feet. This is a specialized sensory organ that spots changes in the environment, aiding in locating food and mates.
  • Puffins, the cute white-and-black birds with orange beaks, can fly up to 55 mph. In spring and summer, they return to a land colony that numbers in the thousands to mate (usually with the same partner each year).
  • Beluga Whales, stark white creatures with a unique neck, can turn their heads almost completely sideways to create a right angle. This allows for special maneuverability for swimming backwards and for harvesting food. Their sonar skills echolocate their prey while working together to force fish into favorable situations. Highly vocal, they make a variety of sounds for communication in their social pods which can number up to 100 individuals.
  • Musk Ox are one of the few hooved animals, along with reindeer, that survived the Ice Age. Their long, shaggy hair can grow to two feet long and an undercoat provides insulation that is eight times warmer than sheep’s wool. In winter herds numbering up to 24 forage for roots, moss and lichen, which they harvest with their hooves.

New state-of-the-art polar exploration vessels for fewer than 200 guests now can offer itineraries as compact as seven days. Debuting in the Arctic spring of 2019 is the 174-guest Hondius and in spring 2020 the 176-guest World Explorer and the 126-guest National Geographic Endurance. They cruise in the north for the boreal summer and position south in the autumn for the Antarctic sailing season.

AdventureSmith Explorations offers several itineraries exploring the “classic” destinations of Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland. For 2019, cabin availability can still be found on:

  • Realm of the Polar Bear
  • Around Spitsbergen
  • Intro to Spitsbergen
  • Three Arctic Islands
  • A Circumnavigation of Iceland
  • Classic Polar Bear Adventure

The company also offers trips to lesser-known areas such as the Russian High Arctic: Franz Josef Land, which yield excellent opportunities to view polar bears, marine mammals and seabird rookeries.

For details on all AdventureSmith’s small ship cruises worldwide, day-to-day itineraries, availability and reservations, phone: 866-575-2875 toll-free or visit their company website.

AdventureSmith Explorations, founded in 2003, is a recognized leader in small ship cruising (“Think Outside the Boat!”). In 2012 owner Todd Smith joined the ranks of Condé Nast Traveler‘s prestigious world’s Top Travel Specialists list as the leading expert on small ship expeditions.

 

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Poseidon Expeditions Offering Early Bird Booking Discounts on 2018-9 Arctic, Antarctic Cruises

PROVIDENCE, RI – Early booking rates are available through the end of July 2017 for Arctic and Antarctic cruises in 2018-19 with polar cruise specialist Poseidon Expeditions. Cabin discounts are as generous as 20 percent off the regular rate, depending on category reserved.

The well-appointed 114-passenger expedition ship Sea Spirit serves both Arctic and Antarctic for Poseidon Expeditions

Poseidon Expeditions (http://poseidonexpeditions.com/), which focuses on remote polar cruise exploration in the high latitudes, offers May through September cruises in the Arctic and October through February itineraries in the Antarctic.

The stylish and well-appointed 114-passenger expedition ship Sea Spirit serves both regions for Poseidon Expeditions. Applying the early booking discount, Arctic rates in 2018 for the all-suite Sea Spirit begin at $4,660 per person if three people share a spacious Triple Suite. This rate applies to a June 27-July 5, 2018, West Spitsbergen & Polar Ice Edge/ Searching for Polar Bears adventure. This same suite for three with the early booking discount brings a Nov. 26-Dec.7, 2018, Antarctic Peninsula tour to just $7,564 per person. Double occupancy rates for these departures begin at $6,596 and $10,204, respectively.

Sea Spirit offers all-suite accommodations ranging from 215 to 463 square feet (20-43 square meters). There are two multi-purpose lounges for educational programming and entertainment, a restaurant that can accommodate all passengers in one seating, a well-stocked polar library, and ample outdoor deck space to enjoy the polar landscapes and wildlife.

Activities both on and off the ship are directed by a team of experienced, bilingual polar guides, scientists and educators. Guests are offered many opportunities to venture from the ship. Shore landings provide the chance to explore and to partake in guide-led interpretive walks and photography workshops. Sea kayaking and Zodiac cruising are offered in both polar regions and camping can be arranged in Antarctica. The ship’s expedition staff-to-passenger ratio of 1:9 is one of the most generous in the business.

Travelers bound for the Antarctic Peninsula embark from Ushuaia, the southernmost tip of Argentina. Other destinations in this region of the Southern Ocean include the Falklands and South Georgia Island, once a whaling center and the final resting place of legendary explorer Earnest Shackleton. Icons of the area are penguins, seals, sea lions, whales and birdlife, including albatross.

Arctic-bound cruises include a focus on the region’s wildlife – walrus, polar bears, reindeer, arctic fox, whales and birdlife – as well as delving into the history of polar exploration more than 100 years ago. Early summer travelers will come face-to-face with the contemporary culture of the Intuit and the echoes of the past visits of Vikings. In this shifting landscape of sea ice and icebergs, the Northern Lights are always a possibility on late summer departures.

The next frontier in polar expedition cruising is the High Arctic region known as the Franz Josef Land Archipelago. Few visitors have ventured here and because of multi-year sea ice, access by ship is possible only a few weeks each summer. Poseidon Expeditions is the only company offering dedicated cruises from Longyearbyen, Svalbard to this archipelago of 191 uninhabited, volcanic, mostly glaciated islands that since 2012 are part of the Russian Arctic National Park. The seal industry drove the first explorers here in the mid-1800s. They were followed by others searching for the North Pole.

Poseidon Expeditions offers cruises to the Antarctic October through February.

The complete 2018-19 Arctic and Antarctic schedules, rates and special offers can be found at https://poseidonexpeditions.com/. A new 80-page catalog detailing the company’s ships and activities is also available, and can be requested online or through any of the Poseidon Expeditions offices.

For inquires and reservations in North America, or to request a catalog, agents can contact the company’s Providence, RI, sales and reservation office at [email protected] or by telephone at 347-801-2610.

With offices in the US, UK, Germany, Russia and China, Poseidon Expeditions is a leading provider of polar expeditions in the cruise industry. In addition to the Sea Spirit, the company provides guests with the unique opportunity to travel to the geographic North Pole aboard the 50 Years of Victory, the largest and most modern nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world. Fourteen-day, top-of-the-world programs are scheduled for both the 2017 and 2018 summer seasons. The company is committed to safe and environmentally responsible polar travel. It is a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO).

Follow Poseidon Expeditions on Social Media:
Facebook:     https://www.facebook.com/poseidonexpeditions
Twitter:           https://twitter.com/poseidonexp
YouTube:       https://www.youtube.com/user/pxpeditions
Instagram:     https://www.instagram.com/poseidonexpeditions/
Website          http://poseidonexpeditions.com/
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Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Launches 7 Arctic Voyages to Rarely Explored Territory

Lindblad’s Arctic expeditions are set aboard the 148-guest National Geographic Explorer, with an ice-strengthened hull and advanced navigation equipment for polar expeditions; and fleet of Zodiacs and sea kayaks.
Lindblad’s Arctic expeditions are set aboard the 148-guest National Geographic Explorer, with an ice-strengthened hull and advanced navigation equipment for polar expeditions; and fleet of Zodiacs and sea kayaks.

Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic has announced seven 2015 Arctic itineraries – including two new voyages – that will explore the vast geography of Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland and Canada from late May through early September. Much of the season will be spent in the high Arctic. Each expedition promises Arctic wildlife, riveting ice in myriad forms, plus dramatic elements of human history. Lindblad Expeditions’ Arctic voyages underscore what sets an “expedition” apart from a “cruise.” New for 2015 are:

Epic 80ºN: Exploring Greenland, Baffin & Ellesmere Islands will explore Baffin Island and Lancaster Sound, then make its way up the beautiful coast of Ellesmere, which reaches farther north than any other land, except for Greenland. The expedition has been planned to allow time to go as far north as the ice allows, and then trace the rarely explored coast of northwest Greenland, going places Lindblad has never been—where tidewater glaciers of extreme beauty dominate. Guests will experience unbridled 21st-century exploration as they venture deep into the far reaches of the ice to Zodiac cruise, kayak, and hike the tundra. They will encounter hardy Inuit communities and learn about the ancient Thule and Dorset at remote archaeological sites, some marvelously preserved. Observe polar bears, walruses, and even elusive narwhals. Explore amid the big ice of Philpots Island. Departs Aug. 17 for 23 days. Rates from $23,990 pp/double.

Exploring Greenland and the Canadian High Arctic ventures deep into the far northern reaches of the Arctic on a quest for arctic wildlife and the magisterial scenery of the ice occurring at an epic scale in Greenland. Guests will share the experience of explorers driven to discover the Northwest Passage. This itinerary provides opportunities to navigate the eastern entrance of Canada’s fabled Northwest Passage; explore Greenland’s fjords, and the Ilulissat Glacier, a UNESCO site and a tongue of the Greenland ice cap; spend a week in the Canadian High Arctic observing polar bears and other denizens of the ice, and visit an historic Inuit fishing village and former whaling port. The 13-day voyages depart July 28 and Aug. 7, 2015. Rates from $12,990.

The other five Arctic itineraries include the Land of the Ice Bears: An In-Depth Exploration of Arctic Svalbard; Norway’s Fjords and Arctic Svalbard; Svalbard, Iceland & Greenland’s East Coast; Along the Viking Trail: From Iceland to Greenland, and A Circumnavigation of Iceland (sold out). Lindblad Expeditions’ route in the Arctic is flexible and completely ice and weather dependent.

Lindblad’s Arctic expeditions are set aboard the 148-guest National Geographic Explorer, with an ice-strengthened hull and advanced navigation equipment for polar expeditions; and fleet of Zodiacs and sea kayaks.

Contact Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic voyages at www.expeditions.com, 800-EXPEDITION (800-397-3348), or a travel agent.

 

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