ALL ABOARD THE SVALBARD EXPRESS

Set deep inside the High Arctic, the Svalbard Archipelago is a silent wilderness of jaw-dropping beauty which offers a truly Arctic experience. One of the world’s northernmost inhabited places, with breathtaking landscapes and a wealth of wildlife, it is one of the Arctic region’s must-visit destinations, with nearly two-thirds of Svalbard made up of nature reserves, national parks, and bird sanctuaries. Spring (April and May) and Summer (June-August) are generally the most popular times to travel, and the Midnight Sun can be experienced between mid-April and the end of August. For wildlife lovers, summer is the peak time to maximise sightings. Hurtigruten Norway, which has carried local passengers, goods, and tourists along Norway’s coast since 1893 aboard its Norwegian Coastal Express, will introduce the Svalbard Express in June 2023: one of several new offerings commemorating the company’s 130-year anniversary. The Svalbard Express will offer eight departures across summer aboard the soon-to-be upgraded MS Trollfjord. The new itinerary will include some of the Norwegian coast’s most popular destinations – including the Lofoten Islands, Vesterålen, and the North Cape – before heading north to Longyearbyen in Svalbard, with the full round-trip journey taking 16 days. hurtigruten.com

Leading culinary and destination-focused cruise line Oceania Cruises has launched its 2024 Collection of more than 350 voyages ranging from 7 to 82 days in length and spanning from October 2023 to December 2024. “Next to our reputation for serving The Finest Cuisine at Sea, Oceania Cruises is widely acclaimed for developing the most enticing and destination-rich itineraries in the cruise industry,” said Howard Sherman, president and CEO of Oceania Cruises. “With our 2024 Collection, we have set a whole new standard for destination innovation with an astounding mix of marquee destinations and exotic new locales blended together in creatively crafted voyage offerings.” Europe 2024 will be the brand’s most expansive European season to date. With six ships positioned around the continent, the destinations are as diverse as Greenland and Iceland in the north and west to the Holy Lands of Egypt and Israel in the south and east and everywhere in between. Additionally, the Riviera will chart her inaugural season in Asia and Africa sailing from Arabia to India, to south-east Asia, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and Japan. oceaniacruises.com