The skipper was very good at taking us where the larger cruise ships could not go - this meant we had a unique experience with a small group of like minded people.  He was particularly good at manoeuvring the boat into tight spots where we were able to get great views of the wildlife and awesome glaciers.  An essential element of any trip like this is to have expert guidance to enable you to get the most from the experience. Our guide, Robin was excellent and his knowledge of the wildlife and history is extensive.

The food was outstanding, from the comprehensive breakfast choices to lunches of soup and a hot dish to the 3 course evening meal - all served with a smile by chef !"

S & Y Ward.

"Too many WOW! factors to mention - seeing a mother polar bear and her two cubs being pursued by a male and watching her outwit him by leaving the cubs on a snow patch, doubling back, retracing her steps to collect the cubs and then swimming near the boat with them. He tracked her every step but she did escape to safety! Seeing fin whales and, later on, a humpback whale (not often seen near Svalbard) who entertained us with about ten minutes of tail splashing! Totally unexpected. Watching guillemot chicks launch themselves from the cliffs and gliding to the sea - and the gulls and foxes waiting for the unfortunate ones who don't make it. Seeing fresh bear tracks! The last night dinner and celebration - what a surprise. 

It far exceeded our expectations. All information provided re the holiday was clear and answers promptly given to any queries raised. There was something for everyone in this holiday. A mixed bunch of people who became friends by sharing our knowledge and experiences re sailing, photography, plants, birds, animals - we all learnt so much. Dan, our guide, knew the answers to all our questions (or had a book on him to refer to!), he gave us detailed insights to the history and geology of the area and lots more. The crew of the Noorderlicht were helpful, friendly and totally competent with regard to the sailing of the ship and dealing with us. Anna, the cook, was excellent! Being vegetarian, I was amazed at the variety of delicious meals she produced for me - just how did she do it? We wanted to bring her home with us. Fantastic! Brilliant!"

Julie Davis

"It was a magical adventure overall. Excellent food, brilliant crew & guide, Great companionship ...and a wonderful location aboard a most glorious vessel. It was 10/10 and I would recommend it to anyone."

Keith Brignell, Around Spitsbergen Sailing Voyage

"I think that everyday on the Noorderlicht has been a memorable one! We saw such wonderful landscapes and animals. In particular I remember our 2 landings in the Recherchefjord. The night before it snowed and the scenery was just breathtaking. We walked for about 20 minutes to reach the glacier that was lying in front of us and behind some low hills we suddenly discovered a huge lagoon that was collecting some incredible pieces of ice from the glacier. And then our 4th (yes 4th) polar bear appeared. She lazily walked along the shore, looked at us and then elegantly went into the water to swim towards the glacier. An experience to recommend and to re-experience".

Annamaria Cozza

"This was the Arctic in winter. All the childhood stories of polar exploration and endeavour came alive. The magic of the voyage was personified not only by the vessel and her crew by also by the passengers onboard. You get to meet and talk to all sorts. And you learn something. You are well fed and well engaged by everything that goes on. The standard of cooking is excellent. You leave the ship by Zodiac dinghy extremely well fortified and with a sense of anticipation. Nothing though prepares you for the menacing majesty of the terrain that you land on. It's more than what you see in the pictures because it is now so extremely real. This is not your land. You are not the rightful inhabitants.

Go and see it for yourself. Fjords and glaciers, black icy water and the wind whistling, the green haze of the Northern lights as it dances over the inky black skies. The reality of what you experience transcends the myths. You will fulfil some of your dreams here. You will have some respect for those you travel with but most of all you will have respect for the sheer pristine beauty of the mountains, glaciers and seas and seek to protect it ... I have wanted to take part in an adventure like this for all my life. Come onboard!"

Nigel Dewar Gibb and Louise Roberts, South Spitsbergen Sailing Voyage


"This was one of the best trips I have ever done."

Malcolm Blake, North Spitsbergen Sailing Voyage


"Our expedition was the most marvellous, exciting and wonderful adventure of our lives.  It was the trip of a lifetime for us.  My life-long ambition of seeing the Aurora was fulfilled in spades!  The scenery, the scale, the silence and stillness was overwhelming - truly awesome.

Your advice to take extra picture cards was pertinent - we took about 800 pictures between us (and I cannot bear to delete one of them). Our guide was absolutely wonderful - his expert knowledge of the area added enormously to our pleasure. We learned sooo much from him.  The crew were also wonderful, always accommodating our questions, requests and ready to help at all times.

We definitely would return to that most amazing part of our planet ... and finally, thank you so much for all the advice, help and hints and tips you gave us, and you readiness to answer all our questions. We could not have asked for a better briefing. Aqua-Firma is firmly in our 'favourites' and I am sure you will hear from us again."

Margot Leach, South Spitsbergen Sailing Voyage


"We had a fantastic holiday - it was a great experience and the boat and crew were all first-rate and worked hard to ensure we all enjoyed ourselves."

Francis Branfield, North Spitsbergen Sailing Voyage


"The boat and the crew were fantastic and we had a great time. We saw a lot of fabulous wildlife including spending a lot of time spotting glaciers, seals and walrus from land and the ship."

Samantha Ross, Around Spitsbergen Sailing Voyage


"It was a fantastic trip which we all enjoyed immensely - a great group, I think we all got on rather well!"

Richard Escott, Around Spitsbergen Sailing Voyage


"The area was truly another world.  The ship was fine and more or less what we expected having done a different sailing ship trip before. The crew were excellent."

John Goodspeed, Around Spitsbergen Sailing Voyage