About Schooner Opal

Schooner Opal

Welcome on board Opal. Inside out this authentic vessel provides fantastic facilities for exploration in style.

The wooden hot tub

The wooden onboard hot tub makes all adventurous trips on Opal even better! Located at the back of the boat, the hot tub offers absolutely amazing and unique experience for guests. Soaking in the hot tub is always one of the highlights during amazing trips on the boat. Imagine sitting in the warm and cozy tub while watching whales in Húsavík, gliding along majestic icebergs in Greenland under the northern lights or sailing on a frosty spring day in Svalbard on a week-long ski expedition. There is nothing like relaxing in hot water after a long day. Are you ready to dip in?

The hammock

Hammock adds instant bliss to your journey onboard Opal! Whether you are looking for a place to feel more relaxed, breathe in the ocean air, gaze at the stars, read a book or to listen to the repetitive sound of waves breaking. The hammock is a place to be! 

Extra tip from the crew – hammock is a great way to relax in the sunshine as the ocean gently rocks you to sleep.

The kitchen

The smell of freshly baked bread and brewed coffee wakes you up every morning. We love to cook and all meals onboard are prepared to perfection by our own arctic chef. By using local ingredients prepared in a traditional way we bring you a taste of the local Arctic cuisine. Sailing in the high latitudes gives us the opportunity to catch your fish for dinner! Also, we always keep our eyes open to find fresh herbs during our hikes around the coast. We strive to cook sustainably when it comes to the overall approach of bringing food on the boat and how we take care of it. 

The fully equipped kitchen is laid out in an efficient typical style with longitudinal units and overhead cabinets. You can observe magic happening in the kitchen just while warming up by the fireplace in the cosy wooden salon. Of course, your sous-chef skills are always welcomed too! Opal’s chef is usually the most popular crew member onboard. 

All food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) is also provided in vegan or vegetarian versions. Knowing your food allergies and special requests is very much appreciated before we embark on the journey. Our goal is always to minimize food waste and plastic packaging.

The cabins

Onboard Opal, we have six twin cabins available for our passengers plus crew cabins. The classic romantic bunks are very comfortable and each bunk has its own set of bed linen and towels. It is likely that the cabins are smaller than you may be used to, but this is all part of living onboard an expedition sailing ship!

There are three bathrooms onboard and two showers. All facilities are very authentic and will give you the feeling of a real adventure. Opal nicely fits 12 passengers, plus her crew for overnight tours.

The saloon

When it gets cooler on a deck and everyone wants to be inside, you will always find your cosy spot in the saloon. We can seat 16 people at a time, so there’s more than enough room for the whole group.

The saloon is also the perfect place for gatherings and educational presentations as it’s equipped with a projector, a sound system, and a library full of exploration books.

The fireplace

Yes, this is not a misspelling. There is actually a fireplace in the saloon. How wonderful it is to sit by the fireplace while enjoying your meal with a glass of wine! It is very, very, very lovely, to say the least.