Barkentine Antigua

From Research Vessel to Polar Tall Ship

The Antigua began her life in 1957 as a Norwegian research vessel – ice-strengthened, purpose-built for work in demanding northern waters. That practical heritage makes her an ideal tall ship for the High Arctic, and today she combines her scientific build quality with a three-masted barquentine rig and the capacity to carry 30 guests into some of the most spectacular wilderness on the planet.

Her ice-strengthened hull is not a selling point – it is a prerequisite. In Spitsbergen waters, it is what allows the Antigua to be where larger, less capable vessels cannot go.

The Arctic as It Should Be Seen

Sailing with the Antigua to Spitsbergen means arriving by sea in the tradition of the expeditions that first mapped these waters. Polar bears on pack ice, walrus colonies on remote beaches, glaciers calving into still fjords – these encounters happen at close range aboard a small vessel that can approach quietly and wait as long as needed.

The 30-guest capacity is large enough for a social voyage and small enough for Zodiac landings and personalised expedition programmes. Shore parties are led by experienced expedition guides who combine safety management with genuine enthusiasm for the polar environment.

Life Aboard the Antigua

Cabins provide comfortable private space designed for extended ocean voyages. The saloon is well appointed and spacious enough to serve as both a dining room and a lecture space – evening presentations on Arctic history, wildlife, and geography are a regular feature of the voyage programme.

Meals aboard are generous and well prepared, taken together at shared tables. The shared rhythm of the voyage – early mornings on deck watching the Arctic light, long days ashore or at anchor, evenings in the saloon – creates the kind of group cohesion that guests remember long after disembarkation.

Voyages to the High Arctic

The Antigua sails Spitsbergen and the wider Svalbard archipelago, with itineraries that vary according to ice conditions and the interests of the group. No two voyages follow exactly the same route – the Arctic does not accommodate fixed plans – and the flexibility of a small vessel with an experienced crew is one of the Antigua’s greatest assets.