Explore Sailing - Norway & Svalbard cruise - Gooik

Lenard M.

We boarded the Noorderlicht at the end of May '23 for 8 days along the western edge of Svalbard, and it was an outstanding experience. Skippered by the youngest captain in the Dutch fleet, apparently, and his capable and friendly crew, the wind cooperated twice during which we raised sail - a glorious sight and good speed besides. Other reviews elsewhere grumble about the ship's slow speed (on motor, 6 kt) but this was not an issue on this voyage or for me - first, the Captain was at the helm for many hours to enable us to transit to destination points, second, what's the rush? Do people believe that polar bears will be lining up to display themselves further away? Relish the experience instead!

Some salient points - the cabins are small, indeed, but it's a working, historical sailboat, not a massive, ugly cruise liner, and why would you be in your cabin anyway when the great outdoors beckons (unless perhaps seasick, but then you'd anyway be lying on your bunk, surely)? A sink in each cabin is a nice touch. Shared toilets and showers were clean, hot water more than adequate. Lunch and dinner - especially dinner - much exceeded expectation, and having fresh-baked bread was heavenly. Tea, coffee, biscuits, and fresh fruit were always on hand. A small bar (both alcoholic and non-) catered to passengers' tastes, with people running a tab for the week. Breakfasts, however, could be improved - the same cereal/yoghurt, sliced cheese and processed meats may be typically Dutch, but eggs (on more than 2 occasions) or hummus or... would have been most welcome. And yes, passengers are asked to help out with bussing dishes, washing glasses, making coffee/tea, raising sails. It's entirely voluntary, and if you're not prepared to help out with grace and camaraderie, then buy a place on one of those large, ugly cruise ships where all you have to do is sit and be catered to.

The library of reference books and entertainment books in several languages was much used by all, and appreciated. So then why only 4, not 5 stars? Because the guides did not meet expectations on this voyage. While nice enough, and easy to communicate with, several of us (not only me) thought that they do not have a deep enough knowledge of arctic ecology to be sufficiently proficient. Too many times they answered "I don't know" to a question. As they consulted reference books once back on the ship, even that would have been ok but for two other issues. First, on shore landings (every day, via Zodiac) had differently capable people, so it became often the case that the group became strung out while on foot - keeping people together would be more optimal. This of course is easier said than done, but at what point in polar bear country does the extended string of people present a risk? And second, it would have been a great addition had evening lectures on, say, tectonic drift that brought Svalbard to where it is now, why its climate is relatively mild given its latitude, risks posed by the climate crisis, ecology of the polar bear, the heavy toll whaling took on marine ecology that remains extant to this day, etc. Yes, it was nice to view a travelogue made by one of the guides of a hike along King Charles Island, and a short documentary on the rounding of Cape Horn, but these do not replace what I'd been hoping for.