Sailing between the Scottish port of Aberdeen and our most cherished Arctic archipelago, Svalbard, this expedition adventure visits the islands of Fair Isle and Jan Mayen, and the amazing Spitsbergen ice edge, giving you the chance to search for whales, and other animals of the land, sea, and air.

Cruise along the pack-ice of North Spitsbergen for a great chance of spotting Polar Bears. You’ll sail into beautiful fjords found on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, a fantastically beautiful fjord crested with spectacular glaciers and home to Ringed and Bearded Seals. The shorelines and cliffs support thriving seabird colonies that in turn provide fertilizer that supports a surprisingly rich array of vegetation.

Enter a world of Norse mythology, wild, dramatic coastlines, and seabirds in their thousands as you voyage from Iceland, crossing the Arctic Circle and encountering the fringes of the sea ice, with good possibilities of viewing seals, whales, and a lonely polar bear. Seabirds will be your constant companions as you visit islands, skerries, and fjords before landfall in Akureyri, Iceland.

This unique Arctic adventure takes you from Iceland's magical fjords and the isle of Grimsey into the pack ice of Greenland's rugged coastline, before exploring wild and remote Jan Mayen and delving into the Greenland Sea's pack ice. Finish your adventure in the realm of the polar bear – Spitsbergen, watching for iconic wildlife along the way.

Leaving Iceland's magical fjords and the isle of Grimsey behind, voyage into the pack ice of the Denmark Strait and stop by remote Jan Mayen before navigating pack ice on your way to Spitsbergen. Watching for iconic wildlife along the way, you'll venture further north, immersed in an icy, unspoiled world.

A cruise to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia & the Antarctic Peninsula. Visit some of the most beautiful arrays of wildlife on Earth. This journey will introduce you to at least 6 species of penguin and a whole lot of Antarctic fur seals!

“Base camp” is by definition a temporary storing and starting place, from which an activity starts. We offer “activity modules” which go beyond our normal shore program. The vessel will stay for two or three days at specific locations to serve our active passengers as a comfortable hub to allow more time than usual for wide ranging activities.

See the Antarctic from the vantage point of a true expedition leader – from the air. Our helicopter capability on the Ortelius provides you the unique chance to view an emperor penguin rookery numbering upwards of 4,000 breeding pairs, located just south of Snow Hill Island. Heavy ice may prevent entrance from the Weddell Sea, and ice at the rookery itself might break up and start to melt earlier than expected. With this in mind, the aim is to stop the vessel between the Antarctic Sound and James Clark Ross Island, close to the ice edge, and find emperor penguins on their way to the open water. The helicopters make this search possible – and thrilling – as you embark on scenic flights, as well as landings in places otherwise inaccessible so early in the season.

Few places compare to South Georgia in terms of exotic wildlife and jaw-dropping scenery. On this exploratory voyage you can enjoy wandering albatross colonies while also seeing some of the biggest breeding spots for king penguins and elephant seals on Earth – along with day after day of amazing polar scenery.  

See the Antarctic from the vantage point of a true expedition leader – from the air. Our helicopter capability on the Ortelius provides you the unique chance to view an emperor penguin rookery numbering upwards of 4,000 breeding pairs, located just south of Snow Hill Island. Heavy ice may prevent entrance from the Weddell Sea, and ice at the rookery itself might break up and start to melt earlier than expected. With this in mind, the aim is to stop the vessel between the Antarctic Sound and James Clark Ross Island, close to the ice edge, and find emperor penguins on their way to the open water. The helicopters make this search possible – and thrilling – as you embark on scenic flights, as well as landings in places otherwise inaccessible so early in the season.

This Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands cruise delivers you into a landscape of dark rugged rock, pure white snow, and a fantastic variety of wildlife. Come say hello to whales, seals, and thousands of penguins.

See the Antarctic from the vantage point of a true expedition leader – from the air. Our helicopter capability on the Ortelius provides you the unique chance to view an emperor penguin rookery numbering upwards of 4,000 breeding pairs, located just south of Snow Hill Island. Heavy ice may prevent entrance from the Weddell Sea, and ice at the rookery itself might break up and start to melt earlier than expected. With this in mind, the aim is to stop the vessel between the Antarctic Sound and James Clark Ross Island, close to the ice edge, and find emperor penguins on their way to the open water. The helicopters make this search possible – and thrilling – as you embark on scenic flights, as well as landings in places otherwise inaccessible so early in the season.