The best way, by far, to explore the archipelago of Svalbard, Norway located in the High Arctic, is by joining an expedition cruise in the warmer months to explore its remote fjords and islands. But what exactly do you pack to zip around the Arctic in Zodiac boats, hoping to spot polar bears, glaciers, and walruses?
My husband, Justin, and I just got back from a two week Svalbard cruise with Aurora Expeditions and had an absolutely epic time exploring this incredible corner of the planet. After being onboard and exploring Svalbard for two weeks, we’ve put together the ultimate Svalbard cruise packing list for everything you need to bring onboard—and what you should leave at home.
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What to pack for a Svalbard cruise
Clothes
The main thing that you should think about while packing for a Svalbard cruise is being sure to bring plenty of layers that you can adjust depending on whether you’re lounging around on the ship or exploring outside, as well as the weather for that day—we experienced days with gusty Arctic winds and below freezing temperatures, whereas other days were borderline warm.
Additionally, you’ll obviously need to adjust the number of clothing items you bring depending on the length of your cruise.
Our cruise was 14 days in length. If you want to learn more about our experience in Svalbard, you can watch our YouTube video below or read our comprehensive review of our experience on Aurora Expeditions Svalbard cruise.
There are lots of cruise itineraries out there, though, which can be as short as just 5 days onboard or well over two weeks in length.
Most ships do offer laundry services if you prefer to be a minimal packer, but just be prepared for it to be on the pricier side!
1. Puffer jacket
Most Svalbard cruise operators will provide you with a waterproof parka, waiting for you in your cabin.
Definitely double check with your cruise operator if that’s the case, though—if not, you’ll absolutely need to bring along your own waterproof parka, given that your cruise operator will require you to have a layer of waterproof outerwear on to go on any excursions.
Even if your operator provides you with a complimentary parka, you’ll generally spend most of your embarkation day (i.e., prior to stopping in your cabin) and disembarkation day checking out some of the best things to do in Longyearbyen (the northernmost city on the planet!). Accordingly, you’ll need to bring something with you on the plane that will keep you nice and toasty for your time in the city.
Additionally, even though Aurora provides complimentary parkas to its guests, I was still pretty cold during some outings and wound up wearing my puffy coat as an extra layer of warmth underneath the parka.
Plus, given how small puffy jackets pack down to, why wouldn’t you bring it along?
Here’s the jacket that Justin has and here’s the jacket that I have.
2. Base layer tops (x4)
I’d recommend packing base layer tops that you can wear inside (most cruise operators keep the ships on the cooler side), as well as layering under your outerwear to keep you warm during your expeditions.
I have a few of these basic tops, as well as some of these more colorful base layers (because, if Queer Eye has taught me anything, it’s to love a pop of color).
For the fellas, Justin has several of these base layers.
3. Mid-layer top (x4)
You’ll definitely want to bring along several sweaters, sweatshirts, or zip-ups that you can either wear out on expeditions or on the ship itself.
Patagonia zip-ups are a classic—here are some for men and here are some for women.
4. T-shirts (x4)
Justin wears one of these shirts every single day (no, seriously—they’re super soft!). And I have several of these, which are SO flattering, and can be dressed up a bit for dinner or just be used for lounging around the ship.
5. Base layer bottoms (x3)
You probably won’t have to wear a base layer bottom for every outing, like on warmer days or if you’re doing something more physical, like hiking. Still, there were definitely PLENTY of times where we were super happy to have them, like when we were just standing on the observation deck for hours at a time, watching polar bears.
Women can get away with just having fleece-lined yoga pants, like these ones that I love, and I’d suggest that men get some of these to wear under your normal pants.
6. Pants (x4)
Just make sure they’re loose enough to be comfortable while you’re wearing a base layer underneath.
Justin has a couple pairs of these pants, which can be used for hiking or to wear out to dinner, whereas I generally stuck with wearing yoga pants (yup, I usually rocked a fleece-lined pair of yoga pants under my normal yoga pants—high fashion stuff here).
7. Rain pants
Given that most excursions on your Svalbard cruise will either be Zodiac cruises, where water from the Arctic Ocean will splash on you or wet landings, where you’ll have to briefly wade from the bow of the Zodiac onto whatever beach you’ve landed on, you NEED to have waterproof pants from a safety perspective.
If you don’t pack them yourself, you will likely be required to purchase some on your ship’s onboard gift shop (for likely an absurd amount of money) or not be allowed to join in excursions.
We visited in July, which is the warmest month in Svalbard, and felt like rainpants were the right choice to balance waterproofness and temperature control (here are options for men and women). If you’re visiting during one of the cooler months, like May, you might want to consider, instead, bringing thicker snow pants (his and hers) for increased warmth.
8. One nicer outfit (optional)
This may depend on which operator you sail with, but most cruise lines have a few events, like Captain’s dinners at the beginning and end of your cruise, where most passengers opt to get a bit dressier (nothing crazy—think a button-down shirt for men and a nicer sweater for women).
Just be sure to check whether your cruise line has a dress code. We went with Aurora Expeditions, which gloriously has no dress code, whereas some operators, like Ponant or Silverseas, have a dress code (for example, Silverseas doesn’t let you wear jeans in public spaces after 6 PM!)—so pack accordingly!
9. Waterproof Gloves
11. Beanie
10. Buff
12. Baseball hat
During our Svalbard cruise, there were a few expeditions where we went hiking that I got WAY too hot to wear a beanie and the sun, reflecting off the nearby snow and ice, was extremely bright. Having a baseball hat on hand for these kinds of outings definitely comes in handy!
13. Swimsuit
To use in your ship’s sauna or hot tub or, arguably more importantly, for the POLAR PLUNGE!
14. Slip-on shoes
Most operators provide complimentary muck boot rentals that you use for any Zodiac cruises or landings. But please be sure to double check if your ship offers these—a handful of companies require you to bring your own!
Assuming that your cruise provides muck boot rentals, you really only need one pair of sneakers or other comfortable shoes that easily slip on and off for embarkation and disembarkation day, as well as around the ship.
If your ship has an onboard hot tub or pool and you’re as much of a hot tub lover as I am, you might also want to consider packing along sandals to wear, so you don’t have to rock that awkward sneakers and swimsuit look as you walk from your cabin.
I only brought my Blundstones and Teva hiking sandals and actually wore my Tevas about 99% of the time we were onboard.
15. Pajamas
16. Underwear (x10)
17, Bras (x3)
For the ladies, obviously
18. Socks (x10)
I’d recommend packing a thicker pair of socks, like this option for men and this option for women, both for warmth and to provide some extra cushion against the rigid walls of the muck boots.
I wound up usually wearing two pairs of my normal hiking socks, which worked fine, but I definitely would have preferred to just have some nicer, warmer ones instead.
Tech Gear
1. Camera
If you have a nicer camera (like a mirrorless camera), I’d strongly recommend bringing it with you for this trip as Svalbard is an absolute photographer’s dream, with some of the most dramatic landscapes we’ve ever seen, epic glaciers, and incredible wildlife. We each brought our Sony a7iii and are so happy that we did—we captured some of our best photos EVER while in Svalbard.
Bringing your nice camera may seem obvious, but we actually met a few passengers on our cruise that just brought their cell phones, as they assumed that would be sufficient for photography.
Unfortunately, that’s generally not the case—most Arctic wildlife is smaller, like foxes or puffins, and often quite far away (Svalbard has rigorous viewing regulations to protect tourists and its wildlife, including minimum distances ). So, a regular ol’ iPhone just won’t do this incredible place justice!
2. Lenses
A nice camera won’t do much without a lens. I’d suggest bringing a wide angle for landscape photography and a zoom lens, ideally with a range of at least 400-600mm (and even better if you have a teleconverter).
We brought our Sigma 100-400mm lens on our Svalbard cruise and REALLY wished we had something longer—in fact, after our Svalbard trip, we ran out and bought a Sigma 60-600mm lens!
Not to beat a dead horse, but most wildlife sightings will be quite far away—for example, while on a Zodiac, you are required to view polar bears from at least 350 meters away, which is the equivalent of over three football fields. So, if you want usable photos and videos, a long lens should be one of the first things in your suitcase.
3. Tripod
For photography while you’re onboard.
4. Insta360
If you make any kind of short-form video for social media or just want cool footage for yourself, I’d strongly recommend getting an Insta360 with an invisible stick.
You can use it to get insane-looking time-lapses of your ship smashing through pack ice, shots of you as you’re polar plunging, and drone-like footage while you’re on Zodiacs!
5. Cell phone
6. Charging cables
7. Universal travel adapter
Some cruise ships may come equipped with European-style outlets, so if you’re from North America, you’ll need an adapter to charge your electronics. We’ve had this one for years and LOVE it.
Toiletries
1. Seasickness medication
When we visited Svalbard, the sea was generally quite chill, but you might get unlucky with some gnarly waves. Most cruises have sea sickness medication on hand at the reception desk or in the doctor’s office, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!
2. Sunscreen
If you don’t use sunscreen before expeditions, you might burn from the sun reflecting off the water, ice, and snow.
3. Lip balm
Most of Northern Svalbard is actually a polar desert with very low humidity. We definitely got some hardcore chapped lips here, and we’re glad we had some with us.
4. Hand sanitizer
I love cruises, but they are cesspools of germs. Sanitize early and often.
5. Toothbrush and toothpaste
6. Deodorant
7. Any medications you might need
Miscellaneous
1. Dry bag
If you have any expensive electronics that you plan on taking on expeditions with you, bringing along a dry bag is a good idea, in case you encounter lots of waves or splashing while you’re in a Zodiac or if you get caught in the rain.
We actually lucked out during our Svalbard cruise and really only encountered one misty day out of the 14 days that we were out exploring, so we didn’t use the dry bag that much on this particular expedition. However, we have been on other expedition cruises where we’ve encountered a LOT more rain while we were on excursions and were super happy to have an extra waterproof layer to protect our electronics.
2. Binoculars
I didn’t bring binoculars with me on this cruise and felt like an IDIOT—there were so many times they would’ve come in handy to spot wildlife. Once I got back home, I immediately ordered a pair to bring on our next expedition cruise.
3. Packable backpack
These are great for bringing along for landings, where you can store extra clothing layers, your camera, and anything else you might need.
4. Sleepmask
The Midnight Sun is REAL, y’all, and most cabins don’t do a perfect job of blocking out the light, which can really mess up your sleep cycle (on top of jet lag).
5. Sunglasses
6. Passport and any visas (if needed)
7. Credit card
You’ll be required to leave a card on file for any charges to your cabins, like specialty drinks or spa services.
Svalbard packing list
Want a packing list without all of my explanatory text in between (I can be something of a yapper)?
Here you go!
Clothes
- Puffer jacket
- Base layer tops (x4)
- Mid-layer tops (x4)
- T-shirts (x4)
- Base layer bottoms (x3)
- Pants (x4)
- Rainpants or snowpants
- One nicer outfit (optional)
- Waterproof gloves
- Buff
- Beanie
- Baseball hat
- Swimsuit
- Slip-on shoes
- Pajamas
- Underwear (x10)
- Bras (x3), for wome
- Socks (x10)
Tech Gear
- Camera
- Lenses (especially a zoom lens—the longer, the better!)
- Tripod
- Insta360 and stick
- Cell phone
- Charging cables
- Universal travel adapter
Toiletries
- Seasickness medication
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm
- Hand sanitizer
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Any medications you might need
Miscellaneous
- Dry bag
- Binoculars
- Packable backpack
- Sleepmask
- Sunglasses
- Passport
- Credit card
What you don’t need to pack for Svalbard
1. Drone
Recreational drone usage is prohibited in Svalbard, so just leave it at home.
2. Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash
3. Towels
4. Trekking poles
Most expedition cruises will have trekking poles available for landings if you need them.
There you have it—everything you need to bring with you to have the most epic time on your Svalbard cruise and what you can leave at home. Do you have any questions about our Svalbard packing list or visiting this incredible corner of the planet? Let us know in the comments below!
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