NCV Offers Early-Booking Specials To December 31 On Expedition Voyages To Arctic Island Of Spitsbergen

Norwegian Coastal Voyage offers savings from $150 to $300 per person on bookings received by Dec. 31 for soft-adventure NCV Expedition Voyages to the remote Arctic island of Spitsbergen. A reduction of $300 applies to new bookings for the June 7, 14, and 21 departures for 11-day voyages aboard the 100-berth MS Polar Star, an icebreaker. The $150 early-booking special is in effect for every departure of eight-day expeditions from June 13 to August 19 on the 163-berth MS Nordstjernen (North Star), a traditional coastal ship.

Located only 600 miles from the North Pole, Spitsbergen is the largest island of the Svalbard Archipelago, where glaciers have carved stunning fjords lined with steep cliffs and rugged mountains frame the landscape. In the land of the midnight sun, the sun never sets from April to August. Although ice covers two thirds of the region, wildlife and plants flourish, including polar bears, wild reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, whales, seals, migratory birds and wildflowers. Cruising is an ideal way to explore the island since no roads link communities.

The two vessels are small enough to visit areas inaccessible to larger ships and landings in inflatable Zodiacs offer up-close encounters with Europe’s last wilderness. Every Polar Star departure features expedition leaders presenting lectures on the archipelago’s unique plant and animal life.

The air-inclusive eight and 11-day expeditions include respectively a four-day cruise aboard the Nordstjernen, at $3,615 to $4,420 per person, double occupancy, or a more comprehensive seven-day voyage on the Polar Star at $6,070 to $6,265 per person for cabins and $6,875 to $7,575 for suites. Cruise rates cover round-trip flights from New York to Oslo, intra-regional flights, Oslo and Spitsbergen hotel with breakfast daily, all meals aboard ship, naturalist guides, Zodiac landings, shore excursions, air taxes, port charges and transfers.

Itineraries may change because of weather and ice conditions. Rates vary by cabin category. Add-on airfares from other gateways are available. Reservations can be obtained from Norwegian Coastal Voyage, (800) 323-7436 or (212) 319-1300; for brochures, (800) 666-2374, 24 hours a day; www.norwegiancoastalvoyage.us

October 29, 2004   Posted in: Cruise Ships