Today’s text is a super cost-effective Arctic.
If someone tells you to go to the Arctic, but you end up going to Alaska, Norway, Finland… although these places are also beautiful, strictly speaking, they are within the circle (Arctic Circle), and not truly going to the Arctic.
The true Arctic, I only recognize two places: the North Pole and the Svalbard archipelago.
Svalbard is the most representative of the rich landforms and ecology within the Arctic Circle. It is also easier to reach and somewhat less expensive compared to the other two locations.
This is about 1000 kilometers from the Norwegian mainland, and an entire archipelago is located within the Arctic Circle, with some parts even within the 80° North latitude line.
Svalbard is one of the last wildernesses on this planet, where 60% is covered by a world of perennial ice and snow. When you come here, almost no one can be closer to the North Pole than you.
However, I don’t have any goods to sell today.
This year’s Arctic season is too late (the Arctic season usually ends at the end of August, and even with a package, there is no time to prepare a visa now). The route for next year’s Arctic season has not been released yet (it is said that Hapag-Lloyd is considering whether to retire this ship), so there is nothing to sell for now.
Let’s first plant a large grassland for everyone.
When I write this, I want to tell everyone that there is also the existence of “information cocoons” in travel. When the market price for the Arctic is starting at 40,000 or 50,000, and suddenly there appears one priced just over 10,000, which is just as enjoyable, you might think this is a scam.
But in reality, they all play the same, and at most, they just stay a little worse.
There is evidence with pictures, a screenshot of the prices on the Haida Road website.
6 days and 5 nights for only 1,690 euros, which is about more than 13,000 yuan.
The all-inclusive price, excluding the airfare, has no hidden costs; as long as you fly to Svalbard, everything is taken care of for you. So, including the round-trip airfare, going to the Arctic for under 20,000 is not a dream, right?
This is not a clearance sale but a regular price; no one is promoting it domestically, and no one is taking responsibility, perhaps because the agents are not making a profit.
The itinerary, whether for a trip or a relatively in-depth tour of Svalbard, will cross (or come close to) the 80° North latitude line.
There is a high probability of crossing the line, as there will be a celebration ceremony and certificates will be issued. Of course, if there are too many ice floes and it cannot be crossed, there is nothing that can be done (the probability is very low).
The further north you go, the greater the chance of seeing polar bears.
Of course, this itinerary also has its drawbacks.
First of all, the ship is really old. The MS Nordstjernen under the Hapag-Lloyd is considered an antique ship of the grandfather level, and there is definitely a hardware gap compared to new ships.
The cheapest starting price room is only 3㎡ and requires a shared bathroom.
Secondly, although the cruise lasts 6 days and 5 nights, the itinerary in Svalbard is 4 days and 3 nights (the other 2 nights are spent in Longyearbyen), so the duration is shorter, and naturally, the price is lower.
Let me briefly introduce the itinerary.
On the first day, I flew to Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway by myself and was picked up to go to the hotel.
The hotel arrangements in Longyearbyen are at the Radisson Hotel or the Coal Miners’ Cabin, including dinner and breakfast the next day. It seems to depend on the room type; the arrangement with private bathrooms on the cruise is Radisson Blu, while the rooms with shared bathrooms are arranged at the Coal Miners’ Cabin.
The Radisson in Langley is not cheap; it’s basically one of the most expensive hotels in the area.
The main reason is that there are few hotels in Longyearbyen itself, and the ones commonly used by Hadeland are just a few. The hotels used for each ship are not much different.
The next day, a 3-hour sightseeing tour of Longyearbyen, including a visit to the Svalbard Museum and the Barentsburg settlement.
Langiel City is very small; a 3-hour tour can basically cover the entire city.
The Svalbard Museum provides a detailed introduction to the transformation history of Longyearbyen from a coal mining site to a polar research center, as well as various polar organisms living in Svalbard.
After that, we boarded the ship for a 4-day, 3-night cruise.
On this day, we will sail to Isfjorden, the most famous fjord system in the Svalbard archipelago. It extends into many smaller fjords, forming a lush and beautiful system with abundant wildlife and vegetation.
In the northern part of the fjord, you can see the landmark Alkhornet, a spectacular carbonate rock with a horn-shaped peak. It is currently inhabited by Arctic wildlife.
On the third day, the cruise began to enter the wilderness of the Svalbard archipelago, mainly focusing on Magdalenefjorden and the northwest corner, where you might be lucky enough to see polar bears.
In the summer, if you go to the Arctic, you will find that there is too much time to play, as it is 24 hours of daylight.
The fourth day mainly includes Wood Fjord, Liv Fjord, Muffin, and the 80° North latitude line.
In the sky, thousands of seabirds can be seen, such as three-toed gulls, terns, and eiders, and there is a high probability of encountering whales at sea, while the chances of seeing polar bears have also increased.
During the journey, we will most likely cross the 80th parallel north. At this time, the outdoor deck at the stern will host a barbecue party and a celebration for crossing the 80th parallel north. Each guest will receive a certificate of crossing the 80th parallel north.
We do not have the certificate for the 80-degree line, so let’s just post a certificate for entering the Arctic Circle. Our assistant took another cruise from Hapag-Lloyd at the beginning of the year and entered the Arctic Circle.
The fifth day is New Orleans.
This is the northernmost inhabited point for humans. Our country’s only Arctic scientific research station, the Huanghe Station, is located here. If you have the opportunity to visit Huanghe Station, it takes just a 10-minute walk from where you disembark to the station.
Sometimes the Yellow River Station may not necessarily open its doors to welcome guests.
Afterwards, I will return to Longyearbyen and stay one more night at either the Radisson Hotel or the miners’ cabin, including dinner and breakfast the next day.
The transfer from the cruise ship to the hotel will also be included.
On the sixth day, we sent the machine to the airport, ending the journey.
The transfer service in Langiel City (airport-hotel, hotel-cruise, cruise-hotel, hotel-airport) is included.
The ship is the MS Nordstjernen under the Haidaluode brand. It is named after the North Star because the North Star helps sailors find their way home and is known for helping the Vikings navigate north.
It is a ship specifically designed for Arctic navigation.
Nostalgic expedition cruise ship, built in 1956, modernized in 2013.
I posted the parameters
Tonnage: 2,191 tons
Length: 80.77 meters
Width: 12.6 meters
Ice level: 1°C
Speed: 15 knots
The expedition team consists of about 7 members, and there are about 30 crew members.
The reason it is so cheap is that this ship is really old, with a youth hostel vibe. The condition of the ship is definitely not good.
The Polaris has been listed as a “National Heritage” by the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage, symbolizing the glorious years of Hurtigruten. However, “National Heritage” also needs to be operated and generate some revenue.
The Arctic Star is not large. Compared to the massive cruise ships, the Arctic Star can navigate into those narrow waters, reach remote places, and be closer to nature, providing more opportunities to discover wildlife, including polar bears.
Starting from January 1, 2025, the new tourism regulations for the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic will be implemented, with fewer landing points and a reduced number of required landings per trip, making small boats indeed more convenient.
I will post some pictures of the Polaris
The Polaris is relatively retro, with classic wooden and brass interiors creating a unique atmosphere, and original artworks with a long history can be seen throughout the ship.
The restaurant is the place for meals every day, and both adventure cruises and traditional cruises include three meals a day.
Haida Lude always emphasizes using the freshest local ingredients, with a high proportion of seafood. As for the taste of the food, you may not necessarily be accustomed to it, but it is definitely authentic.
The observation hall will host lectures and other activities. There are lectures almost every day on polar exploration cruises, sharing knowledge about polar flora and fauna. The onboard expedition team members, who are experts in Svalbard, are also available to answer any questions during the journey.
But if you want Chinese, it is not available.
The lounge is a place to daydream and watch the sea.
Bars and cafes also have these.
The real ship may be small, but it has everything essential.
There is also an outdoor deck. The temperature in the Arctic during summer is around 0 degrees, and the perceived temperature during the day can be a bit higher. It feels nice to have a breeze on the deck.
I’ve entered the circle, and in the summer, you can see the midnight sun in Svalbard. This is the true land of the 24-hour sun.
The relatively good N cabin (13㎡), A cabin (7㎡), J cabin (bunk beds 6㎡), and I cabin (7㎡) have independent bathrooms.
The image below shows a relatively good N cabin, completely in a youth hostel style.
The reason why it’s cheap is this.
Starting from Cabin D (5㎡), there is only a washbasin, and public toilets and bathrooms must be used. Cabin E is even smaller at only 3㎡, which is not much different from a hostel bed.
In fact, everyone has high expectations. When I went to Antarctica, the conditions on the ship weren’t that great either; there were two rooms sharing one bathroom.
The total number of passengers on the Polaris is about 100, divided into 5 groups of approximately 20 people each.
All activities such as landing and cruising will be conducted in batches by this group. The specific timing for each group’s activities will be arranged by the expedition team.
Under ideal weather conditions, there will be two landings or cruising activities each day. Each person will have approximately 60-90 minutes for each landing and boat cruise. Ultimately, it depends on the weather conditions at the time.
On the expedition team, Hurtigruten is very professional. Let me put it this way, many other cruise ships in Svalbard use Hurtigruten’s expedition team members.
The Polaris carries 4 Polarcirkel boats, each capable of carrying 7-8 guests. A group of 20 people can complete the landing of the entire group at once using 3 boats.
After logging in, the expedition team will lead guests along the designated route for a hiking tour, providing explanations of the plants, animals, and cultural relics seen along the way, while ensuring the safety of the guests.
At the landing point for weather and environmental matters, the expedition team will set up an ice swimming area, prepare towels, and guests can challenge themselves to the near-zero degree waters of the Arctic Ocean. Each challenger will receive a certificate for Arctic ice swimming.
When writing this article, I also shared the information with our little assistants. The little assistants all expressed that such an Arctic is very appealing, and they all want to go.
Unfortunately, the price for next year hasn’t been released yet, so reservations can’t be made. There’s also a saying that this ship will be retired next year, which is why the price has been delayed.
There are not only Arctic options priced at 40,000 to 50,000 in the market, but also those priced at over 10,000, which is an all-inclusive price excluding airfare.
Soul-searching question: If it were you, would you be willing to travel?
I will answer first, I won’t! It’s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality; there’s no turning back. But I also believe that many people would be willing to give their first Arctic experience to the Polar Star, after all, it offers great value for money.
Back in the day, my first trip to Antarctica wasn’t on a great ship, but in terms of scenery, there was really no difference; everyone was in the same Antarctica.
