OceanSky Cruises is planning to launch expeditions to the North Pole. Weekly departures from Longyearbyen, Svalbard, will run from May through October, with services expected to begin in 2024 or 2025.

The lucky passengers will be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The 329-foot-long airship is more like a luxury hotel, containing lounges, panoramic windows, and just eight luxury cabins, to create an intimate and personalized adventure.

The 38-hour trip comes with a hefty price tag, however. A cabin for two people costs 2,000,000 SEK ($210,000). Let’s find out more…

The itinerary

The two-night North Pole Expedition departs from the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, with the round trip to the North Pole taking approximately 38 hours. The airship does not require an airport runway to take off or land, so passengers can easily be dropped off in some of the most remote locations in the world.

Day one

• 6 pm – departure from Longyearbyen, Svalbard – the northernmost city on the planet
• 8 pm – cocktails and dinner

Day two

• 9 am – landing at the North Pole
• Briefing by expedition leaders, before spending the day exploring
• Lunch served at the North Pole
• 3 pm – departure of the return flight to Svalbard
• 8 pm – dinner

Day three

• 6 am – landing in Svalbard

The experience

The floating hotel features luxurious lounges and plenty of panoramic windows. Traveling low and slow, it provides the perfect opportunity to admire the wildlife and incredible scenery below. Those traveling earlier in the summer will experience the so-called midnight sun, with 24-hour daylight, while if traveling in the latter part of the season, passengers may be lucky enough to see the northern lights (aurora borealis).

What is included in the $210,000 price tag? The price covers return transfers to/from the airship in Svalbard, two nights onboard, including all food and drink (award-winning fine dining), a bilingual nature guide, and all activities when at the North Pole.

There will be seven crew members onboard, made up of pilots, flight attendants, a chef, and an expedition leader.

OceanSky Cruises also offers another itinerary, the Capricorn Voyage. Floating over Southern Africa, this trip gives passengers the chance to get up close and personal with some of the region's best sights, including the deserts of Namibia, Victoria Falls, the Okavango Delta, and the white sand beaches of the Indian Ocean.

The future of sustainable aviation?

The OceanSky Cruises airship uses helium to keep afloat, aided by the aerodynamic lift created by the shape of its hull. Four propellors ensure the airship moves forward.

Taking advantage of strong Northern Hemisphere winds to increase its efficiency and speed, the airship has a much lower fuel consumption than other aircraft. In turn, it emits much less CO2 into the atmosphere. This is traveling without leaving a footprint.

Traveling by airship may not yet be mainstream, but it certainly presents some exciting opportunities for the future of sustainable aviation.

What do you think of OceanSky Cruises’ North Pole adventure? Share your thoughts by commenting below.

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