Price start from :
$
200
Contact Us
29 May 2025 - 31 May 2025
3 Days/2 Nights
Vlissingen - Aberdeen
Search for whales, seals, and seabirds on a scenic voyage from our home port of Vlissingen to culturally rich Aberdeen, the "Granite City" of northeast Scotland. White-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises, minke whales, orcas, and various species of seabird are all possible sights.
Description
All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per AECO regulations. Note:
We will have at least one dedicated expedition guide in our team who will share their expert knowledge about bird species and who will be available to help you identify, photograph on deck and learn more about the birds that we see. In addition to outdoor sessions, our guide will focus on species and related information on the birds of the Arctic in re-caps and lectures onboard.
Northward bound
You board the vessel at midday in Vlissingen, headed north. Far north.
Sea life on the move
Crossing the North Sea and sailing by Doggersbank, we hope to be lucky enough to spot such species as white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises, minke whales, and orcas.
Sights of the Granite City
Passengers who boarded in Vlissingen will be offered an excursion by bus to Fowlsheugh, a seabird cliff south of Aberdeen. Over 100,000 pairs of seabird of different species can be seen here. Alternatively, you can join an excursion to the Ythan Estuary, where the beaches are teeming with harbor seals, grey seals, and birds that keep to the shorelines. Both outings are included in the price of booking.
Highlights You Might Experience
Blue Whale
Barnacle Goose
Beluga Whale
Arctic Skua
Arctic Fox
Arctic Tern
Black Guillemot
Atlantic puffin
Bowhead Whale
Brunnics Guillemot Guillemot
Fulmar
Fin Whale
Bearded Seal
Glaucous Gull
Grey Phalarope
Hooded Seal
Ivory Gull
Harp Seal
King Eider
Killer Whale
Humpback Whale
Kittiwake
Little Auk
Northern Bottlenose Whale
Minke Whale
Pink-footed Goose
Polar Bear
Long-tailed Skua
Ringed Seal
Ptarmigan
Sperm Whale
Walrus
White-Beaked Dolphin
Svalbard reindeer
Cabins and Pricing
Quadruple Porthole
2 upper & lower berths
Complete Cabin
USD
1200 USD
800 Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sharing Cabin
USD
300 USD
200 Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Triple Porthole
1 upper berth & 2 lower berths
Complete Cabin
USD
900 USD
600 Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sharing Cabin
USD
300 USD
200 Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Twin Porthole
2 single beds
Complete Cabin
USD
600 USD
400 Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sharing Cabin
USD
300 USD
200 Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Twin Window
2 single beds
Complete Cabin
USD
680 USD
460 Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sharing Cabin
USD
340 USD
230 Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Twin Deluxe
2 single beds
Complete Cabin
USD
800 USD
580 Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sharing Cabin
USD
400 USD
290 Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Superior
1 double bed
Complete Cabin
USD
800 Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sharing Cabin
USD
400 Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Junior Suite
1 double bed
Complete Cabin
USD
900 USD
680 Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sharing Cabin
USD
450 USD
340 Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Grand Suite with private balcony
1 double bed
Complete Cabin
USD
960 USD
740 Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sharing Cabin
USD
480 USD
370 Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Map
IMPORTANT
EXCLUDED
INCLUDED
- Flights to the embarkation point and from the disembarkation point.
- Pre- and post- land arrangements.
- Passport and visa expenses.
- Meals ashore.
- Personal health Insurance for Medical, Accident and Repatriation/Evacuating.
- All personal expenses, including but not limited to laundry services, bar beverages, and excess internet usage charges.
- The customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).
- Voyage aboard the indicated vessel
- 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.
FAQ
Will I get seasick on the Drake Passage?
- This largely depends on your own tendency to get motion sick. The Drake Passage can get turbulent, but it is occasionally placid as a lake. We highly recommend purchasing motion sickness medication in case the former occurs. If you find yourself without any such medication, we sell very effective brands on board. There are also a number of best practices you can adopt should the seas get rough, such as avoiding alcohol, smoking, or any foods that are spicy, fatty, or have strong odors. You can also keep to the lower decks of the vessel, where rocking will be less severe, fix your gaze on the horizon, or simply lie down. But not all of these remedies will work for everyone, so you have to decide what will help you based on your own experience. We can recommend reading our blog: 7 tips to defeating motion sickness.
How do we get to shore?
- We use sturdy inflatable Zodiac boats for all landings. As there are few harbors in the areas we sail, these boats are critical to our expeditions. Our motor vessels are equipped with gangways for boarding the Zodiacs, but our sailing vessel uses a small side ladder. Using this ladder is not very demanding, but passengers must be physically able to climb and descend them.
What forms of payment do you accept when making a reservation?
- We accept payment via bank transfer, Wise or credit card (Mastercard and Visa). When paying with a credit card, we have to pass on a credit card fee.
Can I get a cash advance on board the ship?
- No, you are not able to get cash advances on the vessel.
Where can I see polar bears during a Svalbard voyage?
- As polar bears can travel great distances in a day, it is impossible to say where and when we will spot them. Sea ice is the best place to look, so we tend to focus our efforts there. Though you will have a good chance of seeing polar bears in Svalbard, nature makes the decisions. Sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Who Owns Svalbard?
- Svalbard is part of the non-mainland Norwegian islands. This West Spitsbergen island was first spotted in 1596 by Wilhelm Barents, and it was originally claimed by the Danish. The Spitsbergen Treaty granted Norway sovereignty over Spitsbergen as of 1920, but anyone who is a citizen of the more than 40 signatory nations has the legal right to settle within Spitsbergen.
How many people can travel on board the Hondius?
- The number of passengers is limited to 174 on the Hondius. Furthermore the vessel is manned by 24 highly experienced international nautical crew, 32-34 international hotel crew, 13 expedition staff (1 expedition leader, 2 assistant expedition leaders and 10 guides/lecturers) and 1 doctor.
When was the Hondius built?
- The Hondius was built in Croatia in 2018 and delivered in 2019.
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Blog
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Spitsbergen: Alkefjellet magic
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8 Scientific Wonders of the Arctic
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Solargraphy & Pin Hole photography in the Arctic
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“The polar bear will still be there”
For several hours, we had been navigating the pack ice in search of polar bears. Despite numerous binoculars scanning the ice, no bears were visible, and only a few tracks were found. This suggested we might be in an area with fewer bears. Later that morning, we decided to head a few miles east, suspecting a higher bear population there.
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The Ice-Jewelled Geology of Spitsbergen
The Svalbard archipelago is located in the Arctic Ocean, roughly 660 km (410 miles) north of Norway's northernmost point. This region is a haven for geologists, boasting a rich geological history that spans from the Mesozoic era (65-245 million years ago) through the Cambrian era (570 million years ago) and back to the Archean era, over 3.5 billion years ago.
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The Enchanting Islands of Svalbard
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