Making the most of Magdalenenfjord
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Depending on conditions, passengers from moored or anchored small ships travel to the shoreline by Zodiac tender.
Most visits simply cruise through the fjord, with the ship pausing here.
Svalbard is the Norwegian name for this archipelago, which includes Bear Island and Jan Mayen, although it is commonly called Spitsbergen. Almost as large as the Republic of Ireland, Spitsbergen remains a virtually untouched wilderness with 3,500 residents living across five settlements.
Rugged mountains, broad tundra, ice caps and glaciers make this a genuine High Arctic archipelago only 600 miles from the North Pole.
Abundant wildlife once attracted large numbers of whalers and trappers. Today, discerning travellers come for immense Arctic seabird colonies and opportunities to observe and photograph species such as Walrus, Reindeer, Arctic Fox and, naturally, Polar Bear.
Magdalenefjord occupies Spitsbergen's north-west corner. On arrival, sharply pointed mountains rise on every side, craggy Waggonway Glacier stands directly ahead and Gravneset's golden sand lies beside the ship. Considered one of Svalbard's most beautiful fjords, it offers landings at Gravneset, home to one of the largest cemeteries from the whaling era of the 1600s.
Food and shopping
Visitors are expected to remove their shoes before entering most Svalbard buildings, including certain hotels and shops. At public buildings, the prominent shoe rack filled with muddy walking boots makes the custom clear.
Money
The Norwegian krone (NOK) is used throughout the area, including Russian settlements.
Staying connected
Norwegian is the official language, while Barentsburg also uses Russian. Almost everyone working in tourism speaks English.
Svalbard enjoys a first-rate internet connection because NASA rents bulk capacity on undersea fibre-optic cables running along the seabed to mainland Norway for its local experiments.
Opening Hours and
The relevant settlements observe Norwegian or Russian public holidays, alongside several noteworthy local festivals:
- Polar Jazz is a 4-5-day jazz, blues and bluegrass festival at January's end.
- Around March 8th, Sunfest Week celebrates the conclusion of the polar night.
- The Blues Festival arrives at the end of October, using its musical theme to mark the approaching winter.
- Around 14 November, KunstPause Svalbard marks the polar night's start with an arts festival.