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ARCTIC HIGHLIGHTS and POLAR BEARS CRUISE
September 4 to 17, 2011

PRE CRUISE OPTION
September 3, 2011

POST CRUISE OPTION
September 17 - 19, 2011

 

 

 

Travel Broker Tours invites you to join Jeff Pychel as he returns to the Arctic on the Arctic Highlights and Polar Bears Cruise of Norway, Greenland and Iceland. Explore Norway's renowned wildlife haven of Spitsbergen and the great "Fire and Ice" islands of Greenland and Iceland!

Sailing from Spitsbergen to Greenland, follow the ice's edge - always on the lookout for wildlife. Navigating south, explore this remote landscape not only by ship but also on foot and by Zodiac. This journey highlights the contrast and change in the Arctic as you move south finally ending in the 'Land of Fire and Ice', Iceland. Inuit villages, unique wildlife, the rugged tundra lanscape and remote destinations are some of the highlights on this truly unforgettable expedition voyage through the Arctic. Join Arctic enthusiast Jeff Pychel (Travel Broker Tour Escort) as he explores European Arctic locations that include Spitsbergen, Longyearbyen, the Greenland Sea, East Greenland, the Scoresbysund Fjord and Reykjavik.

Our Program

• 13 Nts Cruise

Pre / Post Cruise Option

• 1 Nt Oslo, Norway
• 2 Nts Reykjavic, Iceland

Tour Escort

Jeff Pychel

Detailed Pre Cruise Option Itinerary

FRI Sept 2nd - DEPART your HOME CITY for OSLO, NORWAY
Board your trans-atlantic flight to Oslo, Norway. (Being a part of a full service travel agency, Travel Broker Tours is happy to assist you with your travel arrangements including flights to join this pre cruise tour option. We suggest booking early to obtain the best flights and rates available.)

SAT Sept 3rd - ARRIVE in OSLO, NORWAY
Welcome to Norway! After arrival we will transfer to a nearby hotel for our overnight in Oslo. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore Oslo or just to relax and recoup from our long flight. For those interested in exploring the city of Oslo and its many attractions especially the Vikingskiphuset (Viking Ship Museum), it takes 20 mins by train to the downtown train station from the airport. Hotel: Scandic Oslo Airport


Scandic Oslo Airport Scandic Oslo Airport is the first hotel you reach coming from the terminal at the Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. The hotel is a large and modern conference hotel with capacity for up to 700 people. Transportation between the hotel and the terminal is made easy by frequent buses that stop just outside the hotel. The hotel rooms are large, airy and decorated in Nordic colors. We offer wireless internet access throughout the hotel and you can enjoy great food and drinks in our two restaurants and the hotel bar. Our gym at Scandic Oslo Airport is 84 sqm and is located in light and airy premises, with all the facilities for effective and varied training.

SUN Sept 4th - FLY to SPITSBERGEN
After an early morning breakfast we depart for the airport for our morning flight to the city of Longyearbyen on the island of Spitsbergen. Meals: (B) Breakfast

Detailed Cruise Itinerary

DAY 1: SUN Sept 4th - ARRIVE in SPITSBERGEN and EMBARK on the M/S EXPEDITION
Upon arrival at Longyearbyen's airport all (pre cruise and non pre cruise option) passengers will be greeted and accounted for by Jeff Pychel, your Travel Broker Tour Escort. We will then be transferred to a local hotel by the cruise line. Please note that you must arrive on the following flight into Longyearbyen to be eligible for this transfer.

FLIGHT: SUN Sept 4th - SK4414 arriving into LYR from OSL at 13:55PM
Being a part of a full service travel agency, Travel Broker Tours is happy to assist you with your travel arrangements including this flight to join up with this cruise. We suggest booking early to obtain the best flights and rates available.

If you are not on the above flight, you will have to arrange your own airport transfer into Longyearbyen. Upon arrival we will have free time to explore the town at leisure before being transferred to the ship from the joining hotel as a group for embarkation at 4:00 pm. No passengers are able to board the ship before that time due to refueling, provisioning, and preparing the ship for our stay. If for some reason you are not at the joining hotel, please make your way to the Port of Longyearbyen no earlier or later than 4:00 pm. Once aboard, we will find our luggage stored in our assigned cabin, please ensure that all your luggage is accounted for on arrival. We enjoy dinner this evening onboard the ship before departing Longyearbyen that evening.
Meals: (D) Dinner

MS Expedition is a fast, sturdy and safe Ice Class - Swedish/Finnish 1B ship, built in 1972 in Denmark. With a maximum of 126 passengers, the M/S Expedition provides an intimate small ship cruising experience. Completely refurbished in 2009, she boasts spacious cabins, each featuring ocean-facing windows or portholes and private en-suite facilities. Large common areas and observation decks provide panoramic views of the distinctive landscapes of some of the most remote regions on earth. While many expedition cruise operators will promise you space, comfort or expertise—the M/S Expedition delivers it all and much, much more.

Day 2 - 3: MON / TUES Sept 5 to 6th - WEST COAST of SPITSBERGEN
We will have 2 full days to explore a small portion of the western coast of Spitsbergen. Entering the fall the days are getting shorter so we will try to take advantage of all of the sunlight possible to search for wildlife.

Svalbard is one of the few places on the planet that offers a wealth and diversity of natural and cultural history sites. Highlights include ice covered seas, fjords with breathtaking mountain scenery and glaciers flowing into the sea around us. We will spend these two days in search of the elusive polar bears hunting seals. At one or more of our stops, we hope to see Svalbard's unique subspecies of reindeer. They are much smaller than their southern relatives, but still carry impressive antlers. We also have the possibility of Arctic foxes. This is also a land of history: from whaling to reaching for the pole, to trapping, coal mining and war. We will visit some of these historic sites. We may cruise in Zodiacs along the ice edge viewing seals or walrus, in fjords with glaciers spilling down to the sea or in front of spectacular seabird cliffs. We will have opportunities to walk on shore, observe and photograph the Arctic flora and fauna. As we are in the land of the polar bear, your expedition staff will carry rifles and flare guns on shore for your protection.

By not having a set itinerary, we take on an expedition spirit and are free to take advantage of the best that Svalbard has to offer. As with all arctic expeditions, weather, ice, tides and other conditions will dictate our itinerary and shore excursions. Wildlife sightings and some activities depend on favourable condition. Meals: (2B, 2L, 2D) 2 Breakfast, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners

Day 4 - 5: WED / THU Sept 7 to 8th - GREENLAND SEA
Keep your eyes out for the whales that are known to feed here in the summer months. We may see Orca, Humpback, and Minke whales as well as White-Beaked dolphins. The view is often complimented by fulmars, kittiwakes, gannets, guillemots, and razorbills. Lectures by our on board Expedition Staff will increase your appreciation of these animals and the wild coast of Greenland. Meals: (2B, 2L, 2D) 2 Breakfast, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners

Day 6 - 11: FRI / SAT / SUN / MON / TUE / WED Sept 9 to 14th - GREENLAND and SCORESBY SUND
Navigating down the coast of Greenland we will explore rarely visited glaciers, bays and inlets. Looking out for picturesque scenery, wildlife and other interesting landing sites in this unspoiled wilderness. We will spend 2 days exploring Scoresby Sund, which is one of the largest fjord systems in the world. The distance from the mouth of the sound to the head of its innermost fjord is 350 km. It is a favoured hunting ground of the Inuit and is home to walruses, seals, narwhals, polar bears, muskoxen, wolves, foxes, ermine, arctic hares, lemmings, and a variety of birds. We hope to visit the local village of Ittoqqortoormiit to get a glimpse into how people live in these harsh conditions. Meals: (6B, 6L, 6D) 6 Breakfast, 6 Lunches, 6 Dinners

Day 12 - 13: THU / FRI Sept 15 to 16th - DENMARK STRAIT
We continue our lecture series as we head back towards Iceland and to the steaming hot springs of Reykjavik. Meals: (2B, 2L, 2D) 2 Breakfast, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners

Day 14: SAT Sept 17 - ARRIVE in REYKJAVIK, ICELAND and DISEMBARK
Today after breakfast we arrive in Reykjavik. A one-time complimentary airport transfer to Keflavik International Airport (KEF) will be offered to those passengers not staying on for the post cruise option. This airport transfer departs immediately after disembarkation is complete. Meals: (B) Breakfast

Detailed Post Cruise Option Itinerary

SAT Sept 17 - ARRIVE in REYKJAVIK, ICELAND
For those passengers staying on for the post cruise option we will be transfering to our hotel in the heart of downtown Reykjavik. Located just minutes from attractions, shopping and restaurants, the rest of the day is at leisure to explore, relax and settle into our surroundings. For those interested, your invited to join Jeff for lunch in a local restaurant before he sets out to explore the world's northernmost capital to visit must-see sights including the Church of the Hallgrímur (Hallgrímskirkja), and the Sun Voyager (a massive steel sculpture in the shape of a Viking ship) along the waterfront.

SUN Sept 18 - REYKJAVIK
Today after an early breakfast we will depart our hotel for the majestic and beautiful Gullfoss waterfall and the incredible spouting hot springs of Geysir and Strokkur. We then visit Thingvellir, a geologically unique place where the American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. The Icelandic parliament "Alpingi" was established here in 930, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. We have lunch in a local restaurant before departing for "The Blue Lagoon", a unique geothermal spa in a lava field south of Reykjavik. It is an absolute "must" for any traveller visiting Iceland! Enjoy a relaxing soak in the milky turquoise outdoor lagoon whose colour comes from blue-green algae. The 102 Farenheit silica-rich waters have curative powers, and the sensation of lying in a natural outdoor spa is uniquely relaxing. The spa experience (approximately $37.00 CAD) is payable locally and swimming costumes, towels and bath robes (approximately $7.00 CAD) are available for hire as well . For those not interested in the spa experience, you can enter the spa without bathing in the lagoon. Blue Lagoon spa shop, restaurant and bistro are on the site. Visitors can sit down and enjoy the view of the lagoon from the bistro and restaurant area. It is also possible to go outside and follow the steps up to the observation platform where one can have a view of the lagoon and its unique surroundings. Later that afternoon we will return to our hotel and take a short break, before regrouping with our fellow travellers for the Tour's Farewell Dinner. Meals: (B, FD) Breakfast, Farewell Dinner

MON Sept 19 - DEPART REYKJAVIK for HOME
Today after a leisurely breakfast we check out of our hotel and transfer to the harbour for a ferry ride over to Videy Island. Videy Island is a unique site that combines history, culture and nature, and is only a few minutes away from Reykjavik by boat. Videy was inhabited until the 1940s and it is here that you can find Videyjarstofa, the oldest stone building in Iceland built for the High Sheriff in 1752. There are hiking paths around the island, which is renowned for its varied bird life. At least 30 species of breeding birds have been counted on the island. Videy also inhabits interesting sculpural art work. We will enjoy lunch on the island before making our way back to the mainland and to the airport for our late afternoon flight back home. Meals: (D) Breakfast

Deck Plan:

Pricing:

Cruise (Sept 4 to 17, 2011)
(Price in Canadian dollars CAD)
Deck
Per Person

CAT 1 Triple Sharing - 1 upper berth,
2 lower berths. En suite washroom. Porthole view.
2
$4,003.00
was $4709

CAT 2 Twin Sharing - 2 lower berths.
En suite washroom. Porthole view.
2
$4,177.00
was $5569

CAT 3 Twin Sharing - 2 lower berths.
En suite washroom. Window view.
3
$4,815.00
was $6419

CAT 4 Twin Sharing - 2 lower berths.
En suite washroom. Window view.
4
$5,542.00
was $7389

CAT 5 Twin Sharing - Queen bed. Lounge area.
En suite washroom. Large window view.
4
$6,262.00
was $8349
  • Prices in Canadian dollars and includes all applicable taxes.
  • Single accomodation rate upon request and only if space is available.
  • Deposit at time of booking CA$750.00 per person + insurance premium if applicable (See details below).
  • Final payment due on May 29, 2011

Cruise Inclusions:

  • 13 Nights on board the M/S Expedition in an outside cabin in the category choosen.
  • All meals included on board the ship.
  • Coffee, tea and water are all provided free of charge.
  • Shore and Zodiac excursions led by English-Speaking Expedition Staff
  • Lecture and educational programs presented by English-Speaking staff.
  • Waterproof boots supplied for men's USA sized 8-14 and women's USA sized 3-9 .
  • Visit to a local community.
  • Longyearbyen and Reykjavik airport transfers.
  • Fully escorted by Jeff Pychel of Travel Broker Tours.
  • Port charges and all taxes

Cruise Exclusions:

  • International and charter flights (Please see below for sample airfares)
  • Mandatory emergency medical insurance required to take this voyage.
  • Personal Insurances (baggage, cancellation, etc.)
  • Immunizations and Visas (If required)
  • Gratuities and Tips (Suggested $10 USD per person per day)
  • Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic beverages not already stated in the inclusions area.
  • Laundry & personal cruise charges
  • All optional excursions or deviations from the itinerary
  • Items of personal nature and souvenirs

Pre Cruise (Sept 3, 2011) and Post Cruise (Sept 17 - 19, 2011) Option
(Price in Canadian dollars CAD)
Per Person
Pre Cruise Option - Hotel, airport transfers, meals. (See pre cruise option inclusions for more details).
$125.00
Post Cruise Option - Hotel, airport transfers, meals and excursions. (See post cruise option inclusions for more details).
$450.00
  • Prices in Canadian dollars and includes all applicable taxes.
  • Prices are based on double occupancy in 1st class twin accommodations w/ en suite facilities.
  • Pricing is based on minimum 6 and maximum 12 passengers.
  • Single accomodation rate upon request and only if space is available.
  • Full payment is due at time of booking + insurance premium if applicable (See details below).
  • Final payment due on May 29, 2011

Pre and Post Cruise Option Inclusions:

  • 3 Nights 1st class accommodation including 1 Nt in Oslo (Scandic Oslo Airport) and 2 Nts in Reykjavic (Hilton Reykjavic), both w/ private en suite facilities.
  • Daily breakfast in Oslo and Reykjavic.
  • Tour Farewell Dinner in Reykjavic for all tour participants.
  • Oslo, Longyearbyen and Reykjavik airport transfers.
  • Transportation, sightseeing and entrance fees on Sunday Sept 18, 2011 excluding Blue Lagoon Spa ticket.
  • Fully escorted by Jeff Pychel of Travel Broker Tours.
  • Guaranteed shared accomodation.
  • All taxes

Pre and Post Cruise Option Exclusions:

  • International and charter flights (Please see below for sample airfares)
  • Mandatory emergency medical insurance required to take this voyage.
  • Personal Insurances (baggage, cancellation, etc.)
  • Immunizations and Visas (If required)
  • Gratuities and Tips (Suggested $10 USD per person per day)
  • Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic beverages
  • Laundry & personal hotel charges
  • All optional excursions or deviations from the itinerary
  • Items of personal nature and souvenirs

International and Charter flight - (Sept 2, Sept 4, Sept 19, 2011)
(Price in Canadian dollars CAD)
Per Person
International flight - (Toronto to Oslo and Reykjavic to Toronto are with Icelandair in economy class and subject to availability. Prices are approximate rates available as of Feb 17, 2011)
$974.00
Charter flight - (Oslo to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen flight is in ecomony class and subject to availability. Prices are approximate rates available as of Feb 17, 2011)
$409.00
  • All pricing is in Canadian dollars and includes all applicable taxes and service fees.
  • Flights are in ecomony class and subject to availability. Prices are approximate rates available as of Feb 17, 2011.

Itinerary Disclaimer:

While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission.

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We would be happy to assist you in arranging flights from your home to join us!

For more information or to register for this tour please contact Jeff Pychel at:

Travel Broker Tours
A division of The Travel Broker & Cruise Centre
1758 Bath Road Kingston, ON Canada
Telephone: 613-389-7914 or 1-800-387-7678
Email: jpychel@thetravelbroker.ca
Web: www.thetravelbroker.ca