  
THE ARCTIC

SVALBARD

NORTH TO THE MIDNIGHT SUN

MAY 18 - 25, 2027

In Svalbard's high summer, the Arctic is fully alive. Polar bears roam the pack ice. Walruses haul out on rocky shores. Seabird cliffs erupt with life. Reindeer and Arctic foxes move through landscapes so vast and so quiet it will make you say "whoooa!" That's the thing about a place this remote and this raw, it changes you, and it can be more profound when you experience it alongside women who showed up for exactly the same reason you did. We will see the views from the deck of our expedition ship as we sail as close as possible to the northern pack ice, going ashore by Zodiac to explore glittering icebergs and calving glaciers, eerie historical sites, and wildlife encounters you can only have here, at this time of year. Every landing, every sighting, every moment of collective silence in the face of something enormous is something you'll carry home together. The Arctic in early season is unlike anything else. And the women you'll share it with? They'll stay with you long after the midnight sun sets.

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ITINERARY

OUR SHIP

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WHY WHOA

GET IN TOUCH

ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES

INTIMATE + IMMERSIVE
EXPLORATION

The Ocean Albatros gives you a boutique, small ship experience, while also having an industry-high 1A ice rating which provides more opportunities to chart our own course and explore the Arctic ice sheet.

ADVENTURE
ALL-AROUND

Our voyages are all about adventure and experiencing wildlife in its element. Kayak among icebergs while seabirds wheel overhead, hike to scenic overlooks scanning for polar bears, and even do a real polar plunge!

PASSIONATE
PEOPLE

Our Expedition Crew is made up of photographers, historians, ornithologists, geologists and marine mammal specialists ready to share their passion for the Arctic with you and your fellow adventurers.

ECO-FRIENDLY OUTLOOK

From minimizing fuel consumption, offsetting your carbon footprint, and the innovative Citizen Science program, we’re committed to preserving wild places down to the smallest details, like our sustainable packing list, and inspiring others to also.

  
    WHY WHOA

MAKING ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME THAT MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL

As usual, we searched to the ends of the Earth (literally) to find the most extraordinary partners in small ship Polar Exploration. Polar Latitudes is a founder-owned and run company that, like WHOA, prides itself in creating a boutique experience that’s about bringing passionate people together with a focus on adventure and eco-friendly exploration. This voyage provides you with the comfort of a world-class Ice Class 1A ship, while getting you up close and personal with the unrivaled wildlife of the Arctic!

WHOA’s inaugural Antarctic voyage with Polar Latitudes in 2023, brought 44 women from 5 different countries together for an experience that we’re all still talking about. In 2027, we’re bringing back that magic with another group voyage towards the other end of the Earth, the Arctic. If our last expedition taught us anything, it's that the right group of women in the right place at the right time is its own kind of magic. We're ready to do it again!

VOYAGE MAP

DAILY BREAKDOWN

DAY 1

*ALL ABOARD IN LONGYEARBYEN!*
May 18

From Oslo, we’ll fly to Longyearbyen, Svalbard, the northernmost town on Earth, where warm Nordic hospitality meets crisp polar air and dramatic mountain views. A polar bear warning sign at the edge of town is our first reminder of just where we are before we board our expedition ship and toast our departure from civilization, sailing out into the Arctic wilderness!

DAY 2-3

*NORTHWEST SVALBARD*
May 19-20
Northwest Svalbard has been a National Park since 1973, preserving a fascinating history of early Arctic exploration and whaling that dates back to William Barents in 1596. Remnants of the Dutch and English whalers who once worked these waters, including blubber ovens and historic sites like Smeerenburg, offer a quietly compelling window into the past. Today the region has been beautifully reclaimed by nature, thick with Arctic flowers, seabirds, walruses, and polar bears, and stands once again as one of the most pristine wildlife habitats in the world.

DAY 4

*NORTHEAST SVALBARD*
May 21
In the morning we enter the icy wilderness of northeastern Svalbard, a stark polar desert shaped by the absence of warming ocean currents. Vast glaciers descend into ice-choked waters, and while the landscape looks barren, it's anything but. Arctic foxes prowl the shores, seabirds nest by the hundreds of thousands, and walruses gather in the cold coastal waters. Our plans shift with sea, wind, and ice conditions, and that unpredictability is part of what makes polar travel so remarkable.

DAY 5

*NORTH SVALBARD*
May 22
We push toward some of the northernmost land on Earth, stark and almost permanently ice-covered. With luck we'll reach Nordaustlandet or the remote islands of Sjuøyane, sitting roughly 1,000 km north of mainland Norway's Nordkapp. These rocky islands are nearly vegetation-free, with only moss, tundra plants, and lichen covering the stones, but the birdlife is surprisingly rich. Shore birds, terns, and skuas are everywhere, so keep your binoculars handy! By end of day we turn toward the Arctic ice pack, stretching north from Svalbard toward the North Pole.

DAY 6

*INTO THE ICE*
May 23

The Arctic ice pack north of Svalbard is a vast, ever-changing wilderness stretching to the North Pole and beyond to Alaska and Siberia, forming one of Earth’s largest and most dynamic habitats. Though it appears empty at first, this icy realm conceals abundant wildlife—from tiny cod-like fish to seabirds and seals, belugas, bowhead whales, and the elusive polar bear, the region’s apex predator. Ocean Albatros can navigate these narrow ice channels, offering a rare glimpse into this mysterious, shifting environment where nature’s secrets unfold with patience and careful observation.

DAY 7

*KONGSFJORDEN*
May 24

During the Arctic "night" we sail into Kongsfjord, a vast fjord framed by glaciers and the dramatic Three Crowns mountains. We visit Ny-Ålesund, the northernmost settlement on Earth, once a base for legendary polar explorers like Amundsen and Nansen and today still home to active scientific research. It's a place where the history of exploration and the work of modern science exist side by side in one of the most remote settings imaginable.

DAY 8

*DISEMBARK IN LONGYEARBYEN*
May 25

On the final morning of our expedition, we arrive back in Longyearbyen. Even this small town will feel like a metropolis after days of isolation in the wilderness of the Arctic! After exploring Longyearbyen and bidding a fond farewell to the crew and fellow Arctic explorers, we’ll return to Svalbard Airport and join your flight back to the Norwegian mainland with memories that will last a lifetime.

  
BOOK NOW

Reserve your spot with an
 $1,800 deposit

Arctic Svalbard Expedition 2027

$1,800.00

There are a variety of cabin types and prices for the Arctic Expedition, but to give an idea, pricing starts at $7,895 per person for a triple and $8,322 for a Grand Balcony Stateroom. Final cost depends on cabin category and current availability.
Because cabins go quickly and categories vary, we always recommend hopping on a quick call with our team. We’ll walk you through the options, flag any current savings, and make sure you land in the cabin that fits your budget and your style.
- Transfer from Longyearbyen airport/ship for embarkation/disembarkation
- Shipboard accommodations on the The Ocean Albatro s
- Charter round trip flight from Oslo-Longyearbyen (Please note-$1,000 for this flight will be reflected on final invoice)
- All meals on board
- All beverages, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic (some top shelf liquor may cost extra)
- Photography coach at your disposal + all adventure activitieslisted as included for your voyage
- 24/7 coffee, tea + cocoa
- Landings and excursions
- Citizen Science program + participation in a variety of scientific activities that support important research projects
- A waterproof outer layer expedition jacket that you can use during the trip and an insulated down jacket that is yours to keep!
- A pair of loaner boots for use during the voyage
- Daily international news service. Feel free to unplug from the world back home too!
- A reusable water bottle to cut down on single use plastics
- All port and landing fees
- Digital Voyage Log
- All the TLC + shared experiences that come standard when traveling with WHOA, including a pre-adventure meet and greet call and WhatsApp group!
- 1% for the planet, as in 1% of what you pay goes towards grassroots environmental groups making a difference in their local communities
- Offsetting of this trip’s negative impact on the environment and carbon footprint, from the transportation to lodging to meals**
NOT INCLUDED:
- Any airfare or travel expenses associated with arrival or departure other than those specified above
- Transfer from airport to hotel, unless arriving on Day 1 of the itinerary
- Pre- or post-voyage expenses in Ushuaia other than those specified above
- MANDATORY travel insurance, medical insurance and evacuation coverage
- All necessary tests, vaccines, and medical checks required to travel
- Activities not listed as included (some activities, like kayaking, are available at an additional fee)
- Laundry and personal expenses incurred on board
- Onboard communication charges such as outgoing phone calls
- Gratuities for your amazing Staff + Crew
*Providing we have your confirmed air itinerary at least 90 days prior to departure

**For our carbon offsetting, we do our best to crunch the numbers and accurately calculate the carbon footprint the best we can with the information that we have. It’s not a perfect system and carbon offsetting isn’t an exact science, but we believe it’s more important to take action now, in every way that we can. All our offsetting programs are certified by our partners at Sustainable Travel International. At the moment, our traveler’s international airfare to the destination is beyond our scope, and not included. Flights are the largest carbon emitter on most of our adventures, so we encourage all our travelers to consider doing it independently through the airline or with our partners at STI.
Putting down a $1,800 deposit will reserve your spot on this WHOA Arctic Expedition! You’ll be invoiced and must pay in full at least 120 days before the adventure starts. All deposits are non-refundable. All prices are shown in USD. Please also note Polar Latitudes’ Payment Terms.
If this particular departure isn’t the right fit, you’re not out of luck. The 2027 Arctic season includes multiple ships and sailing dates, and we’d love to help you sort through them.
Set up a quick call with our team and we’ll look at timing, ship style, cabin options, and overall vibe so you can choose the expedition that feels right for you.
The Arctic isn’t one-size-fits-all. Let’s find the voyage that suits you!

GET IN TOUCH

Connect with our team in whatever way works best for you. We’ll walk you through how to sign up and offers available right now.

THE OCEAN ALBATROS

Beneath the sleek exterior of the Ocean Albatros is decades of experience navigating the demanding Polar environment. Its patented, ice-conquering X-Bow delivers exceptional stability and comfort, even in rough seas, while its Ice Class 1A and Polar Class 6 ratings allow access to deeper ice and more remote corners of the Arctic and Antarctic (in fact, this is the same ship our Women’s Day Antarctic Expedition is taking)! Onboard, spacious cabins, panoramic views, two hot tubs with sweeping 360° vistas, and a large heated mudroom with four exterior doors make zodiac boarding quick, safe, and seamless, so every moment on and off the ship is designed to maximize your time in this extraordinary place!

The Ocean Albatros keeps the Polar world front and center from the moment you wake up to lights out. The staterooms offer expansive views, most with private balconies, and multiple observation decks flow easily from indoor spaces. Two hydraulic platforms lower to near water level for rare photography opportunities, and even the outdoor hot tubs deliver sweeping 360° views of the landscape around you! Powered by a hybrid system of diesel and electro engines that optimize speed and fuel efficiency, the ship reduces its carbon footprint by up to 50% compared to traditional expedition vessels. Through its Green Initiative Program, comfort and sustainability work hand in hand, ensuring a lighter footprint without compromising the experience.