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The All-Kosher Arctic Cruise to Svalbard
Longyearbyen, SvalbardWhere
22 to 30 June 2027Dates
$12,995 per personFrom
The cruise
An all-kosher Arctic cruise to Svalbard, in the midnight sun
Our kosher Arctic cruise sails from Longyearbyen, the main settlement on Svalbard, around 80 degrees north, through the fjords and past the glaciers of the High Arctic to the edge of the polar ice. Eight nights on the M/V Sea Spirit, a small expedition ship, with Zodiac landings, lectures from polar experts, and three kosher meals a day from our own kitchen. In June the sun does not set.
- When
- 22 to 30 June 2027, in the season of the midnight sun.
- The route
- Svalbard's fjords, glaciers and national parks, and the polar ice edge. The voyage starts and ends in Longyearbyen.
- On board
- 8 nights on the M/V Sea Spirit, an all-suite expedition ship.
- Meals
- Three freshly prepared Glatt Kosher Mehadrin meals a day, snacks, dinner wine each night, and tea and coffee around the clock.
What the cruise includes
- Eight nights on board the M/V Sea Spirit
- Airport transfers in Longyearbyen
- A full-time mashgiach on board
- Three fresh meals a day from the executive chef
- Snacks, and wine with dinner each night
- A tea and coffee station, 24 hours a day
- Welcome and farewell cocktails
- Lectures and guiding in English by Arctic specialists
- Every scheduled landing and Zodiac excursion
- A digital voyage log
- Wi-Fi on board
- Rubber boots for every shore landing
- A parka to take home
- A preparation meeting with our team on Zoom
- IAATO fees, government taxes, permits and pre-departure materials
- A daily Daf Yomi shiur
What it does not include
International and domestic flights, including the round trip between Oslo and Longyearbyen. Nights in Oslo before the cruise. Visa fees, where they apply. Emergency evacuation insurance, to a minimum benefit of $200,000 per person. Sea kayaking, an optional activity limited to 8 places per voyage, at $950 per person, first come first served. Gratuities for the ship's crew, drinks from the bar, and personal expenses such as laundry and telephone.
Kashrut
A kosher kitchen above the Arctic Circle
On this cruise the kitchen is ours. Every meal is Glatt Kosher Mehadrin, cooked in a kosher kitchen by an executive chef and culinary team, and supervised by a full-time mashgiach on board, under Head Mashgiach Rabbi Raphi Solomon.
Three meals are freshly prepared each day, with snacks through the day and wine at dinner. The whole ship is kosher for the voyage, Shabbat included, and the entire ship is used by our group alone. The kitchen is Chalav Yisrael as well as Glatt Mehadrin.
The ship
The M/V Sea Spirit, a small expedition ship
The Sea Spirit is an all-suite expedition ship, renovated in 2017, that carries 109 guests with 72 crew.
- Your suite
- Every cabin on the Sea Spirit is a suite, with its own bathroom, a safe, a refrigerator and temperature control. Eight categories are listed below.
- On board
- The Club Lounge, a bistro, a library, a gym, and a presentation lounge for the lectures.
- At sea
- Rolls-Royce stabilizers for a smoother passage.
- The bridge
- An open-bridge policy: you can visit the captain and officers on the bridge.
A complimentary photography program runs through the voyage. An expedition photographer leads masterclasses on board and guides you at the landings, and at the end you receive a slideshow of the voyage and a selection of images to keep.
Day by day
The Svalbard itinerary, day by day
The voyage from Longyearbyen and back. Eight nights on board, Tuesday, June 22 to Wednesday, June 30, 2027.
- Day 1Arrival and embarkation. Our staff meet you at Longyearbyen airport and take you into town, with free time to explore; the Svalbard Museum is the place to start. In the afternoon you transfer to the pier and board the Sea Spirit. After the briefings and the first dinner on board, we sail out through the wildlife-rich waters of Isfjorden under the 24-hour Arctic daylight.Longyearbyen
- Days 2 to 9West Svalbard and the polar ice edge. South Spitsbergen National Park and the Hornsund fjord, where polar bears hunt seals on the fast ice; Bellsund and its old whaling remains; Northwest Spitsbergen National Park with its glaciers and seabird cliffs; Prins Karls Forland in Forlandet National Park, one of the best places to see walrus; reindeer and Arctic foxes in North Isfjorden National Park; Ny-Ålesund, one of the world's northernmost settlements; and the edge of the polar pack ice. The exact route depends on the weather and the ice.Svalbard
- Day 10Disembarkation. A last buffet breakfast on board, then transfers to the airport, or to the town center if you are staying on in Svalbard.Departure
Lectures and Torah
Polar experts on deck, a Daf Yomi each day
The ship's expedition team are specialists in the Arctic. They guide the landings and the Zodiac cruises, and on the days at sea they give the lectures, in English.
There is a daily Daf Yomi shiur, given by R' Yossi Gleiberman. A Sefer Torah sails with the group, with daily tefillot, and Shabbat is kept as a Shabbat with the group.
Wildlife and landings
What you may see, and what the landings ask of you
Svalbard is a land of large animals. Polar bears, walrus, Arctic foxes and millions of migratory birds live here, and the Zodiacs are lowered for a closer view wherever it is safe to do so. You go ashore in rubber boots, which we provide.
- Polar bear. The world's largest land predator, males up to 1,500 pounds. Bears rely on sea ice to hunt, and Svalbard is one of the best places in the world to see them.
- Walrus. Animals of over 2,000 pounds that feed mainly on clams, up to 4,000 in a single dive. Their tusks are used in fights between males and to climb onto the ice.
- Arctic fox. A small survivor with the most insulating fur of any animal. Landings are planned at beaches where foxes den beneath the bird cliffs.
- Seabirds. Little auks, kittiwakes, barnacle geese, Arctic terns, red-throated loons and puffins come here to raise their young.
Svalbard in numbers
- Latitude
- Around 80 degrees north
- Size
- 61,000 square kilometers (23,500 square miles)
- Population
- About 2,000 people and 3,000 polar bears
- In June
- An average of 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit), from 2 to 18, with the sun up all day
This is an expedition cruise, so it suits travelers who are steady on their feet in the cold. Ship cabins are kept at a constant 22 degrees Celsius. The reservation form asks for a short health declaration.
Cabins and price
What the Arctic cruise costs
Prices are per person in US dollars for the eight-night cruise, and run from $12,995 in a triple suite. They are the 2027 rates in our brochure.
| Cabin | Per person |
|---|---|
| Triple SuiteOceanus Deck, picture window | $12,995 |
| Main Deck Suite20 sq m, Main Deck, portholes | $13,995 |
| Classic Suite20 sq m, Oceanus Deck, picture window | $14,995 |
| Superior Suite22 sq m, Club Deck, picture window | $15,995 |
| Deluxe Suite with balcony24 sq m, Sports Deck | $16,995 |
| Premium Suite with balcony32 sq m, Sun Deck | $17,995 |
| Owner's Suite with balcony64 sq m, top deck, private deck | $21,995 |
| Single cabinOceanus Deck, picture window | $26,495 |
The cabins
-
Triple Suite
Oceanus Deck
A suite for three, with a picture window.
-
Main Deck Suite
20 sq m, Main Deck
A suite on the Main Deck, with portholes.
-
Classic Suite
20 sq m, Oceanus Deck
A suite with a picture window.
-
Superior Suite
22 sq m, Club Deck
A little more space, with a picture window.
-
Deluxe Suite with balcony
24 sq m, Sports Deck
A suite with its own private balcony.
-
Premium Suite with balcony
32 sq m, Sun Deck
More living space, with its own private balcony.
-
Owner’s Suite with balcony
64 sq m, top deck
The largest suite on board, with a private deck.
-
Single cabin
Oceanus Deck
A cabin for one traveler, with a picture window.
Suite sizes and features are the expedition operator’s, and can vary by position on the ship.
Higher categories add a private balcony or deck and more living space. Flights, airport transfers, phone and internet packages, kayaking, evacuation insurance and gratuities for the crew are not in the cabin price.
The brochure
The all-kosher Arctic cruise to Svalbard, June 2027
PDF · 18 pages · 3.0 MB
Download the brochureDeposit and terms
What you pay, and when
Payment
- On registration$2,000 per person
- By 15 October 202650% of the remaining balance
- By 30 January 2027The remaining balance
Name changes are permitted up to 15 May 2027. All prices and payments are in US dollars.
If you need to cancel
- Until 15 October 2026$500 per person
- 15 October 2026 to 30 January 202750% of the deposit paid is refundable
- After 30 January 2027No refund
Emergency evacuation insurance to at least $200,000 per person is required for this cruise, and we recommend cancellation, health and luggage cover as well.
What happens after you inquire
- You send a short inquiry
A few questions, with this cruise already filled in.
- We reply within one working day
The person for your region will be in touch with the dates, the cabins and the reservation form.
- We answer every question
Kashrut, cabins, the landings, flights to Oslo and Longyearbyen, deposit and balance. We are happy to answer all of your questions so you can make an informed decision.
- Cabins are confirmed in order of booking
The ship has a fixed number of cabins in each category. Your reservation form and deposit confirm yours.
Your hosts
Who is looking after you
Our guests all share a commitment to Shabbat and kosher observance, but there are no specific religious requirements to join. We won't ask about your personal religious practices. For anything before you travel, the simplest route is an email or a call to the line for your region; every missed call and message is returned.
Questions
Asked before booking the Arctic cruise
When is the next kosher Arctic cruise?
The sailing we are planning is 22 to 30 June 2027, from Longyearbyen. June and July are the peak of the Arctic season, with the midnight sun, the best sea ice conditions and the best chances of spotting whales and polar bears. Send an inquiry and we will confirm the dates.
Does the cruise go to the North Pole?
No. The voyage is an expedition around Svalbard, at about 80 degrees north, with the fjords, glaciers and national parks of the archipelago and a visit to the polar ice edge. It does not land at the North Pole.
Is every meal kosher?
Yes. Every meal on board is Glatt Kosher Mehadrin, from a kosher kitchen under a head mashgiach who sails with the group, with three freshly prepared meals a day, snacks, and wine at dinner. The whole ship is kosher for the voyage.
Should I add nights in Oslo?
We recommend it. All flights to Longyearbyen go through Norway, usually via Oslo or Tromsø. We suggest where to stay, eat and pray in Oslo and which flight to book, and we hold a Zoom meeting for the group before you sail.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes. Your cover must include travel to the polar regions, with evacuation and repatriation cover of at least $200,000 per person. We also encourage cancellation, health and luggage cover.
How cold will it be?
Arctic summer temperatures average around 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) and range from 2 to 18. The cabins are kept at a constant, comfortable 22 degrees Celsius, and we provide rubber boots and a parka.
Is there Wi-Fi on board?
Yes. The M/V Sea Spirit has Wi-Fi, and it is included in the cruise package.
Is this a good cruise for someone traveling alone?
Yes. A small ship and a supportive group make it easy to meet like-minded people, and there is a single cabin. Ask us about it.
How far ahead should I book?
As early as you can. There is a limited number of cabins in each category, and booking early gives the best chance of the cabin and dates you want.
Other kosher cruises
Our other kosher cruises
Every cruise we run, with its dates, is on the kosher cruises page.
Connect
Friendships that outlast the trip.
Enrich
Memories that touch the soul.
Inquire
Speak to someone about your trip
Call the line for your region, or send an inquiry and we will come back to you.
- Israel+972 2 992 9801
- USA / Canada+1 646 240 4118
- Europe+44 207 048 6168
- Australia+61 39 999 7496
- South Africa+27 83 377 1908
Speak to Shelley in reservations. Every missed call and message is returned.
Since 1991 · Glatt Mehadrin