Explore Norway’s winter fjords onboard the 88-metre expedition yacht Arctic

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Welcome to Yacht Charter Market, the weekly newsletter dedicated to the world of yacht charter.

In today’s newsletter:

• Top story: Exploring Norway onboard Arctic with Ahoy Club

• YachtEye: Get Ready for 2026 with YachtEye’s Latest Upgrades

• Charter Updates: Cecil Wright New Central Agency Announced for Sanlorenzo’s Moka, Hill Robinson announced as Central Agent for 54.16-metre Seagull II

TOP STORY

Explore Norway’s winter fjords onboard the 88-metre expedition yacht Arctic with Ahoy Club

Carved deep into Norway’s western coastline, the fjords offer one of the most serene cruising grounds in northern Europe. For those considering a charter over the coming months, Norway offers remarkable opportunities to experience the season at its most authentic, with the mountains gathering their first coat of snow, the anchorages falling silent and the region taking on a rare stillness.

Several fjords, including Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord are UNESCO World Heritage sites, providing not only awe-inspiring scenery, but also a connection to landscapes carefully preserved for their cultural and natural importance. To experience these landscapes at their most atmospheric, you need a yacht built for the elements, with the range, capability and warmth to explore in comfort: a yacht the likes of the 87.58-metre Arctic. 

Cruising Norway in early winter

Arctic’s recent voyage to Norway showcased exactly why this season and the months ahead are among the most rewarding times to explore Norway by sea. The days brought calm fjords, quiet mornings and the occasional flurry of snow drifting across the water. Against this backdrop, Arctic’s purposeful profile, a legacy of her former life as a North Sea salvage tug, felt entirely in keeping with the dramatic surroundings.

During her charter to the region, guests enjoyed an itinerary shaped by both the destination and the yacht’s extensive equipment. This included a five kilometre hike through forested trails, a 5-6 kilometre kayak beneath waterfalls, a shoreline fire to warm up with local whisky and Norwegian brown cheese, as well as coffee brewed from water collected directly from the falls. Experiences ranged from paddleboarding between cliffs, to visiting the Viking Village located in Gudvangen, with Jet Skiing and tender excursions offering a different perspective of the fjords.

From salvage tug to explorer

Originally launched in 1969, Arctic has undergone a series of significant refits throughout her life, each modernising her systems while preserving the character of her steel build. Her 2013 and 2015 upgrades introduced a stern platform, beach house, new bridge, engine control room and galley, while her most recent 2025 transformation delivered extensive steelwork, new crew areas and a redesigned beach house and swim platform. Today, she stands as a fully modernised expedition yacht with a heritage that has carried her to some of the world’s most remote regions, including a Guinness World Record-setting voyage to the Bay of Whales in the Ross Sea, Antarctica.

Captain Paul Crierie, who joined the vessel in 2010 and became captain in 2017, describes her best: “There are no egos here, just a close-knit crew who love what they do.” With a combined service time exceeding 300 years, Arctic’s team forms the foundation of her reputation, offering a level of warmth, familiarity and seamless service that guests remark on again and again.

Life onboard

Despite her rugged exterior, stepping onboard Arctic feels remarkably homely. Her interiors are designed for long-range, cold-weather cruising, offering inviting social spaces alongside a cinema, wellness suite, gym and a Jacuzzi heated to 40°C, which proves to be a particular highlight for guests after days spent exploring in the crisp winter air. She carries seven tenders, seven Jet Skis and an extensive expedition setup, with capacity to support helicopter operations for guests seeking the broadest possible range.

Her accommodation for 12 guests across seven suites blends comfort with practicality, making her well suited to families and groups looking to share an active holiday together. Whether cruising through Norway, navigating ice fields or voyaging off-grid, Arctic offers both the capability and the warmth to sustain extended adventures.

A charter rooted in destination

While Arctic is a standout explorer yacht, winter in Norway remains the true lead story. This is a destination defined by immersion rather than glamour, perfect for guests who prefer quiet anchorages, dramatic scenery and meaningful time spent outdoors. Arctic’s design and equipment simply allow you to experience all of it with ease, supported by a crew deeply familiar with high-latitude cruising.

For those seeking something more adventurous, Norway and its neighbouring regions offer world-class winter excursions accessible directly from the yacht. Guests can fly inland for heli-skiing over Swedish mountain ranges, experience winter surfing breaks along exposed northern coastlines, explore hidden ice caves with expert guides, or venture into Lapland for jet-accessed experiences including reindeer encounters, snowmobiling and aurora-focused activities. These add-on expeditions complement the yacht’s capabilities and open up a breadth of options for charterers seeking an active, variety-filled programme, or those with children who are looking to create a magical seasonal experience.

Arctic is currently available for charter with Ahoy Club, whose global team manages her programme across Australia, Asia, the South Pacific and Europe. For guests considering a winter expedition or looking to discover Norway’s fjords in their most atmospheric season, enquiries can be directed through their experienced charter specialists.-

Yacht Charter Market: Powered by YachtEye

Get Ready for 2026 with YachtEye’s Latest Upgrades

YachtEye is closing out the year with a series of exciting improvements.

With fully redesigned iPad and TV interfaces, our latest upgrades make it simpler than ever to present the information your guests need most. Many of these changes are based directly on feedback from our users, helping us create a more intuitive and engaging experience.

Recent highlights include:

• Fully updated Home Screen

• Scrolling widgets that give guests easy access to key information

• A dedicated space for a safety video

• A revamped TV experience with more control for crew

If you’ve been considering adding YachtEye to your charter experience, now’s the perfect time to get everything in place before the end of the year. Our team can walk you through the latest features and help get you set up for 2026.

Want a quick overview or a demo? Get in touch at www.yachteye.com.

CHARTER UPDATES

Cecil Wright New Central Agency Announced for Sanlorenzo’s Moka

Cecil Wright has announced that the 42.2-metre Sanlorenzo explorer yacht, Moka is now officially joining their global charter fleet. Launched in 2015 with exterior and interior design by the acclaimed Francesco Paszkowski, Moka benefitted from an extensive refit in 2021.

Hill Robinson Announced as Central Agent for 54.16-metre Seagull II

Built in the 1950s off Italian blueprints drawn up in the 1930s, Seagull II is today a very modern charter vessel. Having undergone a comprehensive refit in 2004, and again in 2025, she is a beloved classic along the Adriatic coast. The old-world motor yacht often hosts royalty and celebrities alike: the Danish royal family has been spotted on board, as has Bono.