A CRUISE to see the magnificent polar bears of the Svalbard archipelago would really be a holiday to tell the grandchildren about.

Especially because at this rate by the time I have grandchildren the beautiful white bears could be wiped off the planet.

I can picture the scene: “Mommy, granddad is talking nonsense again, he reckons that he went to see white bears in the middle of the sea.”

And knowing my luck my daughter wouldn’t be bothered to explain there was a land mass before the polar caps melted and happily let the kids think gramps is doo-lally.

I suppose it’s a bit like when my granddad told me his granddad had been one of the last men to see a Dodo alive, apparentely they tasted great char grilled.

So the fact that adventure tour specialists Exodus are giving tourists the chance to shoot (photograph) polar bears on a cruise is something really special. Tourists will be able to travel far beyond the Arctic Circle and experience a voyage beyond the Artic Circle that guarantees a once-in-a-lifetime experience by encountering the mighty polar bear.

An Exodus spokesman said: “Spitzbergen has 24 hours daylight and it is put to good use to maximise the potential rewards of close marine encounters with polar bears, foxes and walrus.”

Exodus’ new 2010 -2012 Polar Expeditions brochure includes journeys to Spitzbergen and the Arctic Circle as well as Antarctica.

Exodus’ Paul Goldstein, an expert guide, wildlife photographer and polar enthusiast, hosts a number of the expeditions and is no stranger to the beauty and wilderness of the Polar Regions: He said: “Exodus offers once-in-a-lifetime polar expeditions.

“The Polar Regions are perhaps the last pristine wildernesses left on the planet but your experience of them depends entirely on the ship chosen to take you there. Choose Exodus and you chose the best.”

Exodus has more than 35 years of experience and now has a huge range of adventure and active holidays to seven continents with places as diverse as Kilimanjaro, Machu Picchu, the Ice Hotel and Antarctica.

Spitzbergen Explorer: 12 days (11 days ship-only) from £4,139 including flights. Next departure dates are 16 June and 26 June 2011. Exclusive departures with photographic specialists are on 16 June and 16 July 2011.

To book, call Exodus on 0845 863 9601 or visit www.exodus.co.uk.