Tour Overview
The excitement of reaching the top of the world is heightened when you are transported by 75,000 horsepower that crushes through 10 feet thick ice as easily as Michael Phelps crushes the competition. You'll board the nuclear-powered icebreaker in Murmansk, Russia. You'll join and leave the expedition in Helsinki, Finland. The return flight from Helsinki to Murmansk is a charter flight that we arrange. Landings are planned in Franz Josef Land and at 90°N, the top of the world. Sightseeing by helicopter provides an aerial view of the icebreaker crushing through the Arctic Ocean pack ice.Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: July 9, 2010Helsinki, Finland
Welcome to Helsinki. Today when you arrive at Helsinki’s International Airport, collect your luggage and grab a taxi to your hotel for check in. The centrally located hotel provides an excellent base to explore the Finnish capital. You will be within walking distance of the Design District, the elegant Cathedral and the waterfront.
Overnight: Helsinki Day 2: July 10, 2010
Embarkation Day in Murmansk, Russia
As the sailing of the world’s largest icebreaker depends on the tide, your flight schedule will be determined by the tide table. This is one of the elements that make every North Pole expedition unique. A coach transfers you and your fellow adventurers to the airport for the flight to Murmansk, Russia, above the Arctic Circle. Have your identification on hand as you must pass through security. Murmansk is the homeport of he Russian fleet of nuclear powered icebreakers. You will be transferred from the airport to the quay to board the largest of them, 50 Years of Victory. To the sounds of martial music and with the help of tugboats, Victory will set sail on the high tide for her journey to the North Pole. Within 24 hours of sailing, the welcome briefing will be held. The Expedition leader introduces the team of specialists that accompanies every expedition. Afterward a safety briefing occurs during which emergency procedures are explained, and then follows a practical demonstration. A scrumptious three-course dinner with a choice of main course is served in the dining room. The quality of dining is one of the highlights of this expedition.
Breakfast, Dinner
50 Years of Victory Days 3-7: July 11-15, 2010
The Arctic Ocean
Sailing north on board the mighty 50 Years of Victory, you’ll get to know this technologically sophisticated icebreaker and the Expedition Team that sails aboard her. The day begins with a wake up call over the ship’s public address system. You are informed of the ships latitude and longitude, sea conditions and weather. After breakfast, the in-depth education program commences. It could be about humankind’s attempts to reach the North Pole. Alternatively, you could hear a presentation on the life cycles of the polar bear. Unlike cruise voyages where the schedule of onboard activities is replicated exactly on each sailing, every icebreaker education program is unique. The Expedition Team changes the content and schedule of presentations to take advantage if the personnel onboard, their background, interest and style. This keeps the presenters fresh and their presentations dynamic. In anticipation of the first aerial sightseeing opportunity, you are shown how to board and exit a helicopter. By the end of the expedition, flying in the cabin of a helicopter will be second nature to you. The addition of a helicopter for ice reconnaissance, aerial sightseeing and shore transfers is one reason we can say that an icebreaker expedition is the ultimate Arctic experience. The choice of activities in the evenings aboard ship is varied. Over a drink in the bar, you could get to know your fellow adventurers. They come from all over the world- Europe, Australasia, South America, North America and Africa. A current movie could be shown in the presentation room. You could swim, play table tennis or enjoy a sauna. You can always borrow a book from the library and curl up in your cabin with the sound of the ship crushing through ice to accompany the moment. Crossing the Arctic Ocean: Keep in mind that no two expeditions are alike. Landings and wildlife sightings are subject to weather, ice conditions and the natural cycles of wildlife. It is the element of the unknown that makes expedition-style travel exhilarating. That said, our expeditions have common elements, such as landings, wildlife sightings, helicopter sightseeing and ice- massive amounts of ice. Our goal to reach the top of the world drives us for the first few days at sea. Watching 50 Years of Victory break through the formidable pack ice is awe-inspiring. As you journey northward, take one of the included flights on our helicopters for a fascinating aerial view of your progress. In 2008 50 Years of Victory crossed from Murmansk to 90 degrees North in a record 4.5 days. We don’t know if she will be able to repeat the feat in 2010, but we know the captain and crew will try. Another element of a North Pole expedition that sets is apart from all others is the interesting people who choose to participate. Most of them have been everywhere from Machu Picchu to the Galapagos. They are erudite and sophisticated. The dinner conversation ranges from fine art to philosophy.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
50 Years of Victory Day 8: July 16, 2010
The North Pole
The Geographic North Pole, our destination, is a mathematical point where the imaginary line of the Earth’s axis of rotation passes through the Earth’s surface. From the pole, all points on the globe are south. The pole itself has no length, width or breadth, and because the sea-ice at the pole is constantly moving, there can be no plaques or markers to indicate the spot. That is the reason that on every voyage we plant our own marker for the duration of our stay at 90 degrees North. We use 50 Years of Victory’s global positioning system to confirm that the ship has reached the North Pole. If the ice conditions permit, we lower the gangway and guests descend to the ice surface for the world’s shortest circumnavigation- one stroll around the Pole marker. We like to celebrate with a glass of champagne and a short speech by the captain.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
50 Years of Victory Days 9 & 10: July 17-18, 2010
Southbound
After appropriate celebrations at the North Pole, Victory turns south toward our next destination, Franz Josef Land. This archipelago, essentially uninhabited, was not officially charted until 1873. Access is limited to ships for only a few weeks a year. Special permits must be obtained to visit Franz Josef Land. Mys Norvegia (Cape Norway): Explorers Fritjof Nansen and Hjalmar Johanesen wintered on this cape from 1895-1896. The conditions were astonishingly difficult. A memorial on the shoreline marks the event. Ostrov Greem- Bell (Graham Bell Island): An airfield and Cold War outpost were located on this island. Ostrov Gukera (Hooker Island) and Bukta Tikhaya (Tikhaya Bay): This was the site of a major polar expedition base, and, from 1929 to 1963, the location of a meteorological station. It was visited by the dirigible Graf Zeppelin in July 1931 during an aerial survey. During World War II, staff was marooned on the island. A seabird colony exists near the bay. Ostrov Gallya: August 30, 1873 Ostrov Gallya was discovered. It is from that date the discovery of Franz Josef Land is marked.
During these days at sea the onboard education program continues. Our specialists prepare you for the landings to come. Again, the helicopter may be used for aerial sightseeing. You will watch for polar bear tracks on ice. And if a bear wanders close to the ship, you may spend an hour on deck under the midnight sun taking once-in-a-lifetime photographs or videos.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
50 Years of Victory Days 11-13: July 19-21, 2010
Franz Josef Land
The landings: Landings, which are announced in advance in the daily program, can be scheduled any time of day. The Expedition Team takes advantage of the long hours of daylight that occur within the Arctic Circle. When the call to board the helicopters is announced over the public address system, you will don your expedition gear. Landings in Franz Josef Land will be by helicopter. All passengers are assigned to groups, which board the helicopters in rotation to ensure that everyone has the same opportunity in rotation to ensure that everyone has the same opportunity to be the first or last ashore. Sometimes during a landing, the ship repositions and you board helicopters at a different location for the return. This makes efficient use of the equipment and the time ashore. The Wildlife: The waters that surround Franz Josef Land are known to be the habitat of marine mammals, polar bears, whales and walruses. The island’s cliffs are the habitat of nesting seabirds. Arctic foxes patrol the islands. If there are to be any wildlife sightings during this expedition, the best chance is on the islands of Franz Josef Land. The Landscape: Franz Josef Land is an archipelago comprised of 191 islands, many covered in ice. They stretch from 80 degrees north to 81.9 degrees north. They are the most northerly islands n Eurasia. They are only 560 miles from the North Pole. Recap Sessions and Social Time: On this voyage, your Expedition Team will hold recaps of what was experienced during the voyage. These recaps provide opportunities to relive the journey; share your experiences and ask questions of the shipboard specialists. Traveling with about 128 like-minded travelers in an icebreaker for an extended period of time is a recipe for friendships that can last a lifetime. Each new adventure shared builds upon the last. Every moment of laughter or awe becomes a memory you will cherish. The expedition experience can only be truly understood by participating.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
50 Years of Victory Days 14 & 15: July 22-23, 2010
Murmansk to Helsinki
After sailing from Franz Josef Land, you will disembark in Murmansk. From there, you are transferred as a group to the airport for a flight to Helsinki, Finland. Please have your identification ready for presentation to customs. As you’ll spend the final night of the expedition at our host hotel in Helsinki, please arrange your homeward flights for the following day.
Breakfast
Overnight: Helsinki
Important Reminder:Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy- and excitement- of expedition travel. There are no guarantees that we can achieve everything we set out to accomplish. A measure of flexibility is something all of us must bring to a voyage.
