The Motherbear Arctic Expeditions

SVALBARD

Some travel details

Cabins There are nine cabins for guests on board, all with windows facing the sea and with private shower and toilet. All cabins have closets with hangers and a few drawers for storage of personal items. All beds are lower beds (no bunkbeds). Food We are served food in the dining room three times per day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Coffee, tea, drinks and snacks are available around the clock. Dietary requirements like vegetarian, vegan, lactose, allergies etc are not a problem - just let us know! There is also a bar in the dining room which has a selection of wine, beer and drinks. Electricity All electrical outlets on the ship have standard Swedish 220V / 50Hz outlets. When you come from abroad, for example the U.S., you need to bring a power plug adapter. Ask us if you’re not sure. Visit the bridge Passengers are always welcome on the bridge. But please listen to the captain’s orders that may come for example when navigating through close drift ice or during bad weather. Water M/S Freya makes her own water for us from the ocean. It tastes great, and yes, you can and should drink a lot of it! Cell phones and communication There is good cell phone coverage and plenty of Wifi hotspots in Longyearbyen. But as soon as we leave the harbour, we disconnect from everything. For emergencies though, we have satellite phone on the ship.

Currency On Svalbard we use Norwegian “kronor” (NOK). There is no ATM in Longyearbyen. Most stores, restaurants etc accept the common credit cards. Passport A valid passport is mandatory to enter Svalbard. Make sure it is valid for at least six months past the trip’s last day. (Please note: a passport is also necessary for European citizens since Svalbard is not part of Schengen.) Tipping Tip is not included in the trip price. It is very appreciated to tip the crew (not us or the guides though) when we leave the ship. Please note that this is optional and everyone decides on their own if they want to tip and how much. A normal tip is around US$ 10 / EUR 10 per passenger and day. Travel insurance Make sure you have a valid travel insurance for your entire trip. Check with your insurance company what’s included and if you need to get additional coverage. Weather In March-April the temperature on Svalbard usually is around -15°C (5°F) and in May around -5°C (20°F), but it varies a lot. In the northern and eastern parts of the archipelago, it is normally a few degrees colder. Also keep in mind that we have windy conditions at times. It rarely rains here, but when we go in our zodiacs a little bit of sea water may splash over us. That’s why we recommend clothing that can handle both wind and some water.

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