21-day arctic explorer

[greenland]

Hello, just wondering has anyone gone on this cruise before with holland america prinsendam ship, and how was it? The itinerary looks fantastic. I just got back from p&o cruise to Greenland and Iceland and am looking already for next years trip!!

[RuthC]

I don't know the details on this cruise off hand, but if you describe it a little, I bet I know a great deal about at least some of the places.

I've sailed the Prinsendam to The Top of the World, getting to 500 miles from the North Pole. I've done a lot of cruising in Norway, Iceland, and Greenland.

If you could ask more specific questions, or list out the ports, I'd be happy to make some comments.

[greenland]

Sounds like a similar cruise to the one I'm looking at. It goes from Tilbury UK to the Faroes, then to Iceland, then to Longyearbyen, Ny Alesund and to Norway.

 

Is there ever any problems docking and visiting the places in Spitsbergen? What did you think of the ship? thanks :o:)

 

Heres the link to the cruise anyway:

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/find-cruise-vacation/CruiseDetails.action?noOfFlexibleMonths=1&sourceName=byRegion&flexibleMonths=false&directionCode=N&pageNumber=3&voyageCode=P128&destCode=E

[Mary Ellen]

Yes, that looks like what HAL has called the 'Top of the World' cruise in the past. I wonder why they've changed the name? This year's cruise departs in a little under 2 weeks, so I would expect some reports on that after mid-August.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Sounds like a similar cruise to the one I'm looking at. It goes from Tilbury UK to the Faroes, then to Iceland, then to Longyearbyen, Ny Alesund and to Norway.

 

Is there ever any problems docking and visiting the places in Spitsbergen? What did you think of the ship? thanks :o:)

 

Heres the link to the cruise anyway:

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/find-cruise-vacation/CruiseDetails.action?noOfFlexibleMonths=1&sourceName=byRegion&flexibleMonths=false&directionCode=N&pageNumber=3&voyageCode=P128&destCode=E

 

Does the Prinsendam require tenders in Spitsbergen? If so there is always a risk that the visit won't be possible. But I don't think it happens often. We've called there twice (QE2) and had no trouble with tendering, but the year after we went the second time,QE2 couldn't tender because of rough water.

[wander]

We were on a HAL cruise that went to up the coast of Norway and on to Spitsbergen. We really really enjoyed the whole cruise. We were not on the Prinsendam, however and it was about 10 years ago.

 

Docking was not problem at all for us. It was a sturdy docking area for ships taking coal away from the island. Coal mining was the primary reason for the existence of the town and the port.

 

We really enjoyed visiting there and I remember the town well, but I do not remember if we walked to town or a shuttle took us, either way it was not very far. It was the type of Port I love to visit, really get to see how folks live in isolated places in the world. There was some fun shopping, with the stores all being places that sold to the locals as well as the tourists.

 

When we were there, getting around town was NO problem at all!!! It was very, very small!

 

In terms of getting around outside of the town, when we were there it was not feasible as all roads exiting the very small town itself had huge signs warning to not go beyond that point without a gun. Every biker and walker and 4-wheel driver we saw entering or exiting on these roads had a rifle slung over their back. Why? Polar bears. While tourist time is not the real danger time of year, they still had their rifles. Winter is the serious time, as the hungry bears are not friendly and come right into the town looking for food. After we were there a major magazine, National Geographic I think, had a great article about the area and the very serious bear problem they were having one year.

 

Another interesting thing to us was that we saw very few autos and personal sized trucks, but every home we saw had 2 or more snowmobiles parked on their lawns. Winters are long and hard there.

 

Hope this helps some. Even through it was small, I would gladly go there again.

 

In response to the above comment, neither my husband nor I remember it as a tender port, maybe we were lucky and there was no coal barge being loaded as the dock was not very extensive.

Edited July 12, 2010 by wander

[RuthC]

Sounds like a similar cruise to the one I'm looking at. It goes from Tilbury UK to the Faroes, then to Iceland, then to Longyearbyen, Ny Alesund and to Norway.

 

Is there ever any problems docking and visiting the places in Spitsbergen? What did you think of the ship? thanks :o:)

I docked at Longyearbyen, a short way out of town. There was a HAL shuttle for (I think) $5., chargeable to your on-board account.

I loved the little town. I took the HAL tour that goes to the museum, all around town, and out to a dog sled spot. I remember the signs about not going beyond that point without a rifle. What a photo-op! Bring dog biscuits.

We also had several reindeer run across the street right in front of our bus.

We had to skip Ny Alesund as there was a medical emergency, and the ship had to divert. That took too much time, and something had to give. Maybe I'll get there one day. :confused: Hope so.

 

I've been to the Faroes many times. At first I didn't like it there, but it's starting to grow on me. I'm starting to appreciate the difficult life the natives live.

What a kick being in the Polar Ice Cap! The front end of the ship was smack, dab in the ice, while the captain worked to keep the stern out of it. Five hundred miles from the North Pole! Wow.

 

I loved the Prinsendam. It's small enough to get around easily, and to get to meet and know the passengers. It has most of the public rooms that the other HAL ships have. More importantly, the service is outstanding. It reminded me of what service was like in "the old days" on HAL. The food as also just a little better. For example, this was the only cruise on which there was Yorkshire Pudding with the prime rib.

[greenland]

Sounds great, thanks. So excited already planning for next years trip!

[fixit10]

We're going on HAL 21-day Arctic Explorer in July, 2011. Ports: Scrabster, Scotland; Lerwick, Scotland; Torshaun, Faroe Island; Djupiogur, Iceland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Longyearbyen and Alesund, Norway; Bergen, Norway; Edinburgh, Scotland. Please suggest shore excursions that you found were most worthwhile.

[onthegogirl]

I too would be very interested in that information s I'll be sailing as well.

[john2003]

In 2015 she is no longer going to look for the Ice Cap it appears. Wonder if it is because it is now too far north!

 

Anyone any info on this change. I thought the Prinsendam did this every year but perhaps I am mistaken.

[POA1]

In 2015 she is no longer going to look for the Ice Cap it appears. Wonder if it is because it is now too far north!

 

Anyone any info on this change. I thought the Prinsendam did this every year but perhaps I am mistaken.

 

Probably not. The polar ice cap is 50% larger than it was in 2012.

 

http://m.bbc.com/news/science-environment-25383373

[PeetNL]

We did this trip with Prinsendam in 2013 and enjoyed it very much.

Spitsbergen is a once in a lifetime experience. No tender in Longyearbyen. Tender in Ny Alesund is very near to the shore http://www.arcticstation.nl

[john2003]

I was incorrect. The itinerary is different but she does still look for the Ice Cap.

 

 

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