BIG ACE Virtuoso

Having made your way to Oslo, you will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred to our group hotel.

Upon arrival at your included hotel, please visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk to collect your luggage cabin tags and to speak with our ground operations team, who may have information to share with you about pre-embarkation or to provide you with information about where to dine, withdraw cash or purchase last minute items from a local pharmacy or supermarket.   

Spend the rest of the day exploring Oslo at your leisure. Wander the historic harbour, stroll through the picturesque streets and and immerse yourself in Norways beautiful capital. 

Staging Hotel: Radisson Red, Oslo

Get to know the like-minded expeditioners you will be sharing this experience with. Hear from your Expedition leader and ship’s namesake Dr Sylvia Earle and learn how BIG ACE seeks to lobby for the protection of the Arctic, foster a collective appreciation of our planet’s fragility and mitigate the impact of climate change through the power of the arts. 

This morning, please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before transferring to the airport for our charter flight to Longyearbyen.

In Longyearbyen, enjoy a half-day tour delving into the fascinating culture and wildlife of Svalbard’s captal. 

After the tour, you will be transferred directly to the pier to embark in the late afternoon. Settle into your cabin before attending important safety briefings and enjoy the thrill of departure as we ‘throw the lines’ and set sail.  

Svalbard offers Arctic wilderness at its best. The members of our experienced Expedition Team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to tailor our day-to-day itinerary, choosing the best options, based on the prevailing weather, sea-ice conditions and the possibility of encounters with wildlife.

Phenomenal fjords, magnificent mountains ranges, and a polar desert rich in fossils, set the stage for heroic tales of early exploration. See walrus hauled-out on sea ice or on beaches. On land, we stretch our legs on walks across tundra carpeted in brightly coloured wildflowers. We visit towering cliffs noisy with nesting guillemots and puffins, and scree slopes that hold Svalbard’s largest little auk colonies. Most memorable will be encounters with the majestic polar bear on pack ice.

If you have chosen an optional activity such as kayaking, you will have an opportunity to enjoy that activity when conditions allow. For those who are enthusiastic to participate in a polar plunge, as soon as conditions are suitable, you will hear the announcement to prepare for an exhilarating dip – a memory you will savour for years to come.

During the early morning we cruise back into Longyearbyen. Farewell your Expedition Team upon disembarkation and enjoy some free time before transferring to the airport for our charter flight back to Oslo. 

Note: the arrival time in Oslo is contingent on the approved allocated flight slot of our charter flight to Longyearbyen, which we expect to receive in February 2025.