12 October 2026 - 18 Oct 2026
7 Days/6 Nights
Akureyri - Seyðisfjörður
You arrive in Longyearbyen, the main town of Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago. Explore this former mining town, with its interesting parish church and Svalbard Museum. Despite its stark appearance, over a hundred plant species have been recorded here.
In the early evening, the ship sets sail from Isfjorden, where you might spot your first minke whale. You then head to Trygghamna, where you can visit the remains of a 17th-century English whaling station and an 18th-century Pomor hunting station the next morning.
Foxes, seabirds, and grazing reindeer
From Trygghamna, you walk to Alkhornet, a large seabird cliff where birds are scouting for breeding spots. Below the cliffs, you might see Arctic foxes and reindeer grazing on the lush vegetation if there’s not too much snow.
Remains of the whalers
You sail into Fuglefjorden, with views of Svitjodbreen and Birgerbukta, both breeding areas for great skuas and possible polar bear sightings. On Birgerbukta, you can see 17th-century Basque ovens used for cooking whale blubber. Next, you visit Ytre Norskøya, a small island that was a Dutch whaling lookout. Follow the whalers’ tracks to the summit, passing bird cliffs. Onshore, see more 17th-century blubber ovens and breeding Arctic skuas and common eiders among the graves of Dutch whalers.
The many sights of Svalbard
You start by sailing to either Sorgfjord or Murchison Bay, home to numerous reindeer and a Swedish research station. Continue through Hinlopen Strait, surrounded by ice caps. Over the following days, you may visit:
- Lomfjord: A beautiful fjord with towering mountains, great for hiking.
- Wilhelmøya: A tundra landscape where polar bears might be seen, good for various hikes.
- Svartknausflya: A stark polar desert rich with invertebrate fossils and whale skeletons.
- Heleysundet: A narrow, picturesque waterway between Spitsbergen and Barents, navigable against the current.
- Freemansundet: Depending on conditions, sail through this waterway. A walk at Kapp Lee may introduce you to reindeer and walruses, and you might visit a large colony of kittiwakes in Diskobukta. Arctic foxes and polar bears often roam here, scavenging for birds.
- Hornsund: Sail into the labyrinth of side fjords around Hornsund. At Brepollen, see a large glacial deposit. Sailing along the glacier front offers chances to spot bearded seals and polar bears. The geological formations are vibrant and mesmerizing.
- Bellsund: On the way to Longyearbyen, you may reach Ahlstrandhalvøya, with fascinating geological formations and remains of 20th-century beluga hunting. This is still a good area to see beluga.
There and back again
Every adventure must end. You disembark in Longyearbyen, taking home memories for your next journey.
s/v Remvrandt van Rijin
Our three-mast schooner, Rembrandt van Rijn, is ideally suited for expedition cruising among the fjords of Greenland and Spitsbergen.
Specifications
| Passengers: | 33 in 16 cabins |
| Staff & crew: | Crew 10 | Guides 2 |
| Length: | 49,50 meters |
| Breadth: | 6,65 meters (22,9 ft) |
| Draft: | 2,8 meters (8 ft) |
| Ice class: | Suitable to sail in the Svalbard and Greenlandic waters. |
| Displacement: | 435 tonnes |
| Propulsion: | 2 cummins engines together 550 KW |
| Speed: | 6,5 knots average cruising speed |
Cabins Gallery
Ship Interior Gallery
Ship Exterior Gallery
S/V Rembrandt Van Rijn was originally built as a herring lugger in 1947. The vessel was then rebuilt as a three-mast passenger sailing schooner in he Netherlands in 1994, sailing in Spitsbergen (1994 – 1996) and the Galápagos (1998 - 2001). The vessel later underwent a complete rebuilding and refurbishment program until 2011. The communication and navigation equipment has been completely renewed according to the latest SOLAS regulations.
Perfect for expedition cruising among small islands
The ship is well suited for expedition cruising among small islands and offer good open deck viewing areas, also when under sail. The two inflatable rubber crafts (Zodiacs) enable landing and wildlife viewing opportunities in otherwise inaccessible areas.
Comfort and Character
Rembrandt van Rijn measures 49,50 meters in length, 7 meters in width, and has a draft of 2,8 meters. The average cruising speed on engines is 6,5 knots. It has an experienced crew of 12 persons on board including 2 tour guides. The ship can accommodate a maximum of 33 passengers in 16 cabins. It has one Triple Private cabin (with shower and toilet and porthole), six Twin Private Inside cabins (with shower and toilet, no porthole), and nine Twin Private cabins (with shower and toilet and porthole).
Age range & Nationality onboard
Passengers on a typical voyage range from their 30s to their 80s - with a majority usually from 45 - 65, but a little younger on the Rembrandt van Rijn, between 30 - 55. Our expeditions attract independent-minded travellers from around the world. They are characterised by a strong interest in exploring remote regions. The camaraderie and spirit that develops aboard is an important part of the expedition experience. Many departures have several nationalities on board.
Catering
Three simple but good meals of international cuisine per day are served buffet style in the restaurant and is prepared by our cook.
Dress code
In keeping with our expeditions atmosphere, dress on board is informal. Bring casual and comfortable clothing for all activities. Keep in mind that much of the spectacular scenery can be appreciated from the deck, which can be slippery. Bring sturdy shoes with no-slip soles and make sure the parka is never far away in case of the call "Whales!" comes over the loudspeaker and you have to dash outside. Wear layers since it is comfortably warm aboard the ship - and often cold on deck.
Electric Current
The electrical supply aboard the ship is 220 volt 50hz. Electrical outlets are standard European with two thick round pins. U.S. passengers may need a 220v/110v converter.
Excursions & Landings
Every day there will be excursions on land, weather and ice permitting. The landings will take three to six hours per day over untracked areas. According to circumstances (the weather, the ice situation or the passengers´ wishes) the program can sometimes be adjusted. Ample time will be devoted to wildlife, vegetation, geography, and history.
Gratuities
The customary gratuity to the ship's crew and expedition leader is made as a blanket contribution at the end of the voyage. Tipping is a very personal matter and the amount you wish to give is at your discretion. We suggest to give cash in Euros, US Dollars or Danish kroner.
Non-smoking policy
On board our vessels we have a non-smoking policy. It is prohibited to smoke inside the ship. You can smoke in designated ares. Please respect the wishes of non-smokers.
The crew
The crew of the ´Rembrandt van Rijn´ consists of 9 experienced crew and 2 expedition guides and a cook. The sailors are in charge during sailing and will bring us ashore.
Your physical condition
You must be in good general health and you should be able to walk several hours per day. The expedition is ship-based and physically not very demanding. Although we spend as much time as possible ashore, you are welcome to remain aboard the ship if you like. To join most excursions, you must be able to get up and down the ladder from the ship to the water level to board the Zodiacs. Staff will assist you in and out of the boats. This will become progressively easier with practice. Ashore it can be slippery and rocky. You are travelling in remote areas without access to sophisticated medical facilities, so you must not join this expedition if you have a life-threatening condition, or need daily medical treatment.
Insurance Requirements:
- Mandatory Insurance: All travelers must have insurance covering medical expenses, accidents, and repatriation/evacuation.
- Recommended Insurance: It is strongly recommended to include cancellation insurance for added protection.
Drone Usage Policy:
- Prohibited: The use of drones is strictly prohibited during the expedition.
Clothing and Gear Recommendations:
- Water-resistant coat and Pants: Essential for protection against wet and windy conditions.
- Layered Underwear: To ensure warmth and comfort in extreme weather.
- Sunglasses: Necessary to protect against the strong UV rays and glare from the snow.
- Gloves: Insulated and water-resistant gloves to keep your hands warm and dry.
- Additional Items: Consider packing a warm hat, thermal socks, and sturdy waterproof boots.
- Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary
- All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea.
- All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
- Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
- Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
- Transfers and baggage handling between the airport, hotels and ship only for those passengers on the group flights to and from Longyearbyen.
- All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
- AECO fees and governmental taxes.
- Comprehensive pre-departure material.
- Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights
- Pre- and post- land arrangements.
- Passport and visa expenses.
- Government arrival and departure taxes.
- Meals ashore.
- Personal health Insurance for Medical, Accident and Repatriation/evacuating..
- Excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, beverage charges and Internet charges.
- The customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).
- Our expedition leaders always do their best to ensure the camping activity is carried out, but sometimes this is impossible due to unsafe environmental conditions. If such is the case, we may offer camping on the outer decks of the ship.
- That is hard to say. It depends on the weather and constraints of time and distance. Depending on the voyage, you may spend several days aboard the ship, followed by a series of landings, each several hours long. On some cruises, you land two or three times every day. During our time at the high latitudes, we will have almost continuous daylight, which means we may schedule excursions before breakfast, after dinner, or in the middle of the night. Often the light for photography is best at these times. We would like to show you as much as possible, but we also want to leave it up to you to skip an excursion.
- The currency used on all vessels is the Euro, but you can also pay with USD.
- No, you are not able to change currency on board.
- There are in total 16 cabins at the Rembrandt van Rijn: 1 triple Private cabin with porthole (with shower and toilet). 6 twin private inside cabins (with shower and toilet, no porthole). 9 twin cabins (with shower and toilet and porthole) .
- Sailing depends on wind, ice conditions, and the itinerary. When these conditions are right, our sailing ship will usually attempt to sail. In case the wind is not favorable, ship engines will be used. On each voyage, several sailing attempts will be made.
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