Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Hello. If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. Rosy & team.
01273 823 700 rosy@responsibletravel.comCheck dates, prices & availability
Responsible tourism
Responsible tourism: Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
We are committed to the conservation of the places we visits. This is why we have calculated the average CO2 emissions of our Arctic and Antarctic voyages and will automatically offset each client’s share of emissions via the charity Rainforest Concern’s Rainforest4Climate programme. We will also automatically offset the carbon emissions of flights booked through us for our polar expeditions.
With a maximum of only 199 passengers, our Arctic ships are smaller, less imposing on the Arctic landscape than the bigger 'cruise' ships. Group landings by zodiacs are more easily managed and a personalised ratio of leaders to passengers provides an added value experience. Your onboard natural history experts, through guided walks and evening talks, reveal the wonders of Arctic scenery and wildlife and introduces some of the local and global conservation issues which this fragile habitat faces.
Our polar trips are made under full membership of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) and as such abide by their strict codes of conduct in both the Antarctic and the Arctic. Encounters with polar bears, walruses and whales are controlled by strict responsible codes of conduct.
4 Reviews of Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Reviewed on 19 Sep 2016 by Kathryn Huddle
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
An amazing trip! The scenery -glaciers, icebergs and sea ice - were stunning, the northern lights fantastic, and the wildlife wonderful. It is impossible to highlight one part, as it was two memorable weeks!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We treated ourselves to the suite, we had our own space to escape to, more room to relax, more storage space, and a much better bathroom. It was worth the extra expense!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Care is taken not to disturb the wildlife, and the holiday provider supports conservation charities which helps develop local businesses.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
5 stars, it was one of our best holidays!
Reviewed on 02 Jul 2016 by Peter Smart
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing polar bears, walruses and whales. Especially seeing a rare Bowhead whale whilst moving through the pack ice.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take a good pair of binoculars.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Probably not.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent.
Read the operator's response here:
In 2015, donations were focused on Western Ecuador via Rainforest Concern, where we have been helping to extend a reserve where the newly discovered Olinguito is known to exist. Via our partners, the Rainforest Trust, we funded the creation of a 10,000 acre protected rainforest reserve within a new 5.9 million acres of national park, national reserve and 57 community owned territories in Amazonian Peru. We also funded the protection of more than 1,000 acres of new rainforest reserve in Madagascar.
Spitsbergen itself has no indigenous population, but the main industry in the area is tourism, which we support. Tourism certainly helps people living in Spitsbergen financially and strengthens the need for conservation of the area, a void which could otherwise be at risk of other more impactful activities such as oil and mineral extraction industries.
Reviewed on 04 Aug 2013 by david rumsey
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Arriving at the pack ice on a beautiful sunny evening and then seeing our first polar bear.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Only go if you are truly interested in all sorts of wildlife and nature. Don't expect a great variety of plants and animals - but what there is, is spectacular. Take a very good SLR camera with high magnification.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Supported local economy in Longbearyen. No harm to the environment.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very good. But sufficiently interesting for one teenager who required shopping opportunities and some culture. This holiday is not for someone who likes the idea of seeing polar bears but is not particularly interested in wildlife.
Reviewed on 18 Oct 2011 by Bjørn Clasen
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The astonishing landscapes in general, the walks on the mountains.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure you are prepared for the cold - and for not necessarily seeing a lot of wildlife or Northern Lights.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I believe so.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
A unique experience that reminded us of life's basics, of what real beauty is.
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