Arctic Secret Atlas Cruises

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By Heidi Sarna

QuirkyCruise covers small-ship cruising on vessels under 300 passengers, but we especially like the super small “micro cruise ships” carrying just a fraction of that.

One of those micro expedition cruise lines we love sharing with the world is Secret Atlas.

Secret Atlas is focused on offering intimate Arctic expeditions on ships carrying just 12 passengers.

We had an e-chat with co-founder Andy Marsh to learn more about Secret Atlas.

Arctic Secret Atlas Cruises 12-pax Explorer. * Photo: Florian Ledoux

SPECIAL OFFER: When booking, mention SecretAtlasQuirky2023 to take off 500 Euro (or 550 USD) from the total booking amount.

QuirkyCruise: Did you start Arctic Secret Atlas cruises because you felt the small ships in Arctic were too big?

Andy Marsh: Coming from sailing expedition backgrounds, my partner Michele D’Agostino and I have always valued travel in small groups.

Exploring in a group of 12 offers a great deal of flexibility that is lost on larger ships.

Small groups offer a much lower impact on the environment and when ashore our impact is next to none in comparison to large expedition ships that are landing 300 guests at a time at sensitive landing sites.

Two Zodiacs accommodate all guests at one time. * Photo: Florian Ledeoux

For our guests they get to see more, with more landings and Zodiac cruises per day than on a large ship. It gives us a great deal of flexibility to encounter wildlife.

If we see a polar bear, we can have all our guests in a Zodiac in 15 minutes to get a closer encounter.

This is something that is not possible on larger ships.

Spotting a polar bear with cub in Svalbard on an Arctic Secret Atlas cruise

Spotting a polar bear with cub in Svalbard. * Photo: Andy Marsh for Secret Atlas

QuirkyCruise: You mention Secret Atlas offering a more sustainable Arctic cruise, what exactly do you mean by that?

Andy Marsh: A group of 12 has a much smaller footprint than a larger ship landing groups of 200 in sensitive environments.

Our 12-passenger ships have less of an impact on the landscape and create less noise pollution.

With two Zodiacs we can make sure we do not disturb the wildlife. For companies with fleets of 10 Zodiacs out at a time, this becomes much more difficult.

We push ourselves to ensure we operate in the most sustainable way possible.

Our new ship Vikingfjord has a 95% reduction in NOX (nitrogen oxides) emissions, a first for any small ship in Svalbard.

The Origin Story of Secret Atlas & Their Arctic Cruises

QuirkyCruise: Briefly tell us about your experience and career, and how Secret Atlas came into being.

Andy Marsh: Michele and I met on a sailing expedition to East Greenland in 2018.

That is when Secret Atlas was born.

Before that, I ran a media company for many years in the UK. I was also an avid traveller and was fortunate enough to explore some really amazing remote places.

After the sailing expedition in Greenland, I was able to combine my passion with my work.

We founded Secret Atlas as a more sustainable option to travellers looking to explore the polar regions who don’t want to go on a large ship.

Secret Atlas Co-Founder Andy Marsh. * Photo: Secret Atlas

Secret Atlas Co-Founder Michele D’Agostino. * Photo: Secret Atlas

QuirkyCruise: How is business, have you rebounded from the pandemic years?

Andy Marsh: We have experienced over 100% growth in the last year and bookings have been steadily increasing.

There is a clear demand for small ships in the expedition industry, which is largely dominated by ships with over 300 guests.

Expedition micro cruises offer a totally different and richer experience than you can get with a large group.

Who goes on a Secret Atlas expedition?

UK (25%)
Europe (30%, with many from France & Germany)
USA and Canada (30%)
Australia (10%)
Rest of world (5%)

About 40% of Secret Atlas cruises are booked as private charters for families, friend groups and specialist groups.

QuirkyCruise: Do you offer cabins and pricing for solo cruisers?

Andy Marsh: Currently, Vikingfjord offers no solo supplement on cabin fares. This is because we have designed Vikingfjord to have more cabins in order to cater for solo travelers.

On our other ships there is no single supplement if guests are prepared to share a twin with lower bunks with someone of the same gender.

solo cruisers on Secret Atlas in the Arctic

It’s easy to cruise solo with Secret Atlas, there are single cabins and sharing option as well. * Photo: Secret Atlas

QuirkyCruise: What is your most popular itinerary?

Andy Marsh: Our 10-day 10-day Natural Wonders of Svalbard cruise is the most popular.

In 2024 this is a 10-day trip (in 2023 it varies between 9 and 11 days due to the schedule of the ships).

This itinerary is a great way to see the best Svalbard has to offer.

10-day Natural Wonders of Svalbard. * Map: Secret Atlas

For people looking for a shorter trip, they should consider 7-day Svalbard Encounter and for those looking for an in-depth expedition we do a 14-day Svalbard Pioneer.

All our Svalbard cruises arrive and depart from Longyearbyen (international flights come via Oslo, Norway).

“Every voyage we undertake to Svalbard involves an element of exploration. A part of our Svalbard experience is to have a few days with no set itinerary. Under the guidance of our expedition leader, we will work with the weather and sea ice conditions to show you the best that the north-west coast has to offer. Over three days we will cruise around the coast with regular shore landings to visit different natural and historical sites including glaciers, do wilderness hikes and spend some time enjoying the raw nature of the Arctic.” — Secret Atlas website

We are also launching an East Greenland expedition in 2024 on Vikingfjord, which you can see here.

The beauty of exploring the Arctic. * Photo: Secret Atlas

QuirkyCruise: We love the idea of your photography cruises. How many do you offer and when?

Andy Marsh: On all of our Arctic cruises we have an expedition leader and an assistant expedition leader, so that’s one guide for every six guests. On our photo cruises we have an additional photography guide, thus we have one guide for every four guests.

Our photography cruise itineraries are similar to non-photography cruises. The difference is there’s a world-class photographer on board with an expertise in Svalbard, who will offer optional workshops and feedback sessions for those interested to learn new skills or improve their techniques.

This gives our travelers a great experience and lots of flexibility when exploring the field.

We offer six photography departures per year.

These are aimed at anyone from professionals looking to develop their portfolio to keen amateurs. The main difference with these voyages is that they also have a photography guide and the expedition is geared around getting those perfect shots.

Our photo tour with Florian Ledoux has been really successful

You can find out more about him HERE.

Florian Ledoux sharing photography tips on an Arctic Secret Atlas Cruises

Florian Ledoux sharing photography tips with guests in Svalbard. * Photo: David Gonzalez

QuirkyCruise: What are the pros and cons of cruising at different times during the Arctic season?

Andy Marsh: There is never a better time to visit the Arctic as all the seasons offer something unique.

The cruise season in the Arctic is from late April through the end of September.

Early in the season in April and May, there is lots of sea ice and frozen landscapes. The routes we take are shorter and it offers the perfect time for our photography expeditions.

June to August is great for wildlife and for exploring the further parts of Svalbard under the midnight sun.

September offers gorgeous light as the long sunrises and sunsets return.

Wildlife spotting around Svalbard includes walruses. * Photo: Florian Ledoux

The Secret Atlas Fleet & Onboard Experience

Quirky Cruise: Share some details about your Arctic fleet. How many 12-pax ships do you have in the Arctic each season?

Andy Marsh: We usually run two ships in the Arctic each season.

In 2023 we have three in the Arctic:

Explorer — a former Danish Maritime Authority polar vessel converted into a high-end very comfortable expedition yacht
Freya
Kinfish — both Freya and Kinfish offer a good standard and are our entry level ships, both with ensuite cabins and cozy lounges

Meanwhile, in 2024, we’ll offer two ships in the Arctic:

Vikingfjord — Secret Atlas’s brand new flagship
Explorer

We also offer occasional one-off private expeditions on some of the other ships, which you can see on our fleet over page, here. About 40% of our business is private charters.

The Explorer cruising in ice. * Photo: Secret Atlas

QuirkyCruise: Please share some details about cabins, dining and amenities.

Andy Marsh: Our voyages are expedition style with high levels of comfort.

Traditionally small expedition vessels didn’t offer very good quality accommodations and interiors, and this is something we changed from the outset.

Fleetwide, all cabins are new with en-suite cabins above deck.

In July 2023 we launch Vikingfjord, which offers our highest level of comfort across our 12-passenger ships and has been designed around the guest experience. It will be our flagship.

Rendering of the brand new Vikingfjord that debuts in July 2023. * Rendering: Secret Atlas

It has nine en-suite cabins all above deck with windows (including solo cabins with no single supplement charges), a large guest lounge at the stern with panoramic views, and a second guest lounge in the bridge. There is a sauna and hot tub on deck, which adds to the guest experience.

Most importantly Vikingfjord has an ice-strengthened 1B hull which makes her perfect for exploring Arctic waters and the pack ice. You can learn more HERE.

It’s at huge benefit that our guests are travelling in a like-minded group of 12 — that is a vast different from the larger ships in terms of the experience.

Quirky Cruise: What’s a typical dinner like?

Andy Marsh: A typical dish could be a reindeer stew with fresh vegetables

Our food on our expedition ships is always high quality and our chef prepares three meals a day with locally sourced ingredients in a Scandinavian style with dietary requirements catered to.

Quirky Cruise: What’s included in rates for Arctic expeditions?

Andy Marsh: From the moment you step onboard everything is included: