This was most likely my only trip to Svalbard, and I am angry with myself for not researching this more carefully. We did the Norway coastal journey with Hurtigruten five years ago and had an amazing time, so I thought that I knew the quality we would receive. But this was very different.

The greatest disappointment for me was the complete lack of information that we received about the area we were traveling through. I have traveled extensively over a long lifetime, and that has always been a basic ingredient of an expedition adventure. I want to understand the essence of an area: learn what makes it special, understand its geology and history, and get acquainted with its plants, birds, and animals. Unfortunately, our expedition team did not have information to convey beyond the first two sentences in the guidebook or Wikipedia. They lacked enthusiasm and natural curiosity and a desire to teach. Each member provided a lecture at some point, but some of those lectures were prepared for other audiences and only marginally useful to us. There was no organized plan for presenting the information that we needed in logical order. The team members were seldom on deck to explain what we were seeing, and, when they were, they were acting more as tourists than as leaders. Communication with the captain seemed to be deficient, because two evenings after dinner, the captain cruised us past special scenery--but we were listening to lectures in a room with the blinds closed.

This trip was advertised as a circumnavigation of Svalbard. Of course, we did not do a circumnavigation. That did not surprise or disappoint me too much. However, I really think that Hurtigruten should change its advertising about/or itinerary for this trip. According to the captain, even if one were to circumnavigate, it would be a rocky voyage with few landings available. Read more