Deal

Welcome to Bergen! Your voyage begins in this beautiful city on the west coast of Norway. What began as a small village was developed by King Olav Kyree in 1070 AD and is now Norway’s second largest city. The majestic peaks that famously surround the city give Bergen its nickname, “The City of Seven Mountains”. Nestled in Bergen’s centre is Vågen Bay, the historic core of the city, and home to the UNESCO-listed Bryggen quarter made up of charming cobblestone streets and local boutique shops. Across from Bryggen, you’ll find the fish market, which cooks up fresh and delicious seafood dishes to feast on. Before you board, visit the comfortable guest lounge at the Bergen Terminal. Here, you can talk to staff about securing a spot on any optional excursions still available. Once you’ve been welcomed aboard, you’ll meet your ship’s Expedition Team, who will be your hosts and guides to the Norwegian coastline and Svalbard. Get acquainted with your shipmates and take some time to get comfortable in your new home-away-from-home. Enjoy your first meal aboard the ship, and watch the row of colourful buildings on the seafront get smaller behind you as you sail into the Norwegian Sea.

Located at the mouth of the river Rauma on the shores of the Romsdalfjord, Åndalsnes is a picturesque coastal town, home to about 2,000 people. The literal highlights of Åndalsnes are the mountains that tower over the town and which line the Romsdalen valley. Trollveggen, the Troll Wall, is one prominent cliff with a vertical drop of more than 1,000 metres, making it popular for BASE jumpers. Experience the Norwegian concept of friluftsliv – a love of the outdoors – through a variety of activities, such as hiking to a local viewpoint.  For an easier way to take in the sights, sit back for a relaxing ride on the Romsdal Gondola or travel the winding Trollstigen Pass by bus. There is also the Golden Train experience along the Rauma Railway, voted Europe’s most scenic train journey by Lonely Planet.

Træna is an archipelago that sits along the Helgeland coast at the edge of the Arctic Circle, 33 nautical miles northwest of the mainland. Made up of around 500 islands, islets, and skerries, only four are inhabited year-round. Today’s selection of activities and optional excursions takes you to the heart of the archipelago’s sights and traditions. The village will be open just for your group, including the church, Petter Dass chapel and the local museum. Alternatively, you can join a hike, take a cultural walk, or enjoy a sauna and refreshing dip in the Arctic Ocean on one of the optional excursions. Back on board, you’ll cross the Arctic Circle and continue heading north, commemorating the moment with a traditional and fun ceremony. 

Today, explore the famed Lofoten Islands. Watch for the steep mountains rising from the sea as you approach from the south in the morning. Dock in Reine, an important – and picture-perfect – fishing village since 1743. This is one of the most photographed landscapes in all of Norway, where red-painted rorbuer cling to a string of islands beneath sharp mountain ranges reflected in the waters below. Not far to the south of Reine, at the western tip of the Lofoten archipelago, you’ll find one of the best-preserved traditional fishing villages in Norway. You can visit it on an optional excursion. At the heart of this tiny village is the Norwegian Fishing Village Museum, which covers the importance and development of fishing in Lofoten over the last 250 years.

Tromsø is northern Norway’s urban Arctic hotspot, boasting impressive architecture, hip restaurants, and the world’s northernmost university. Calling into Tromsø on the way to or from Svalbard follows in the footsteps of history. Most explorers and sailors on Arctic expeditions would embark from or return to the city. You’re likely to dock here in the morning, giving you a whole day to explore this historic Arctic city and its surroundings. Take your pick from a number of optional excursions. Learn more about the culture and polar history of Tromsø on a city walk, or take a scenic bus tour. You can also visit the striking Arctic Cathedral, which has an impressively large multi-coloured stained-glass window. Or ride the Fjellheisen Cable Car up Storsteinen Mountain for exceptionally beautiful views of the city, mountains, and fjords.

Around mid-morning, you’ll arrive at Honningsvåg, the northernmost city in mainland Norway. You have several optional excursions to pick from here. These could include taking a bus, riding a quad bike to the North Cape, or a refreshing hike with your Expedition Team. Honningsvåg is also the gateway to the North Cape, the northernmost point of Europe. The plateau stands 307 metres above the sea, and is just over 1,000 miles south of the geographical North Pole. Take a moment to gaze out across the sea from a top the soaring cliffs, watching the waves crash against the rocks below. Sailing away from Honningsvåg, you’ll enjoy dramatic views of the plateau from the sea. The ship will head further into the Barents Sea, leaving mainland Norway’s coast far behind.

Today, you’ll arrive at the Svalbard archipelago and make your way up to Spitsbergen, the largest of the three main islands. Magnificent brown and green mountains rise and ripple up from the High Arctic tundra while rivers of snow-melt trickle through the valley plains, glistening under the summer sun. Take a moment to just be here, now, in Svalbard. You’re at a latitude more than 78°N and under 1320 kilometres from the North Pole itself. The air of this Arctic desert is fresh and pure, and temperatures in summer average between zero and eight degrees Celsius thanks to a warm northern branch of the Gulf Stream. In early afternoon, find Longyearbyen nestled on the banks of Isfjord. A former coal mining colony, it is the biggest settlement in Svalbard and a hub for adventure travellers, as well as scientists and engineers attached to local research projects, like the famous Global Seed Vault. Spend some time strolling around the town, admiring its collection of galleries, pubs, restaurants, brewery, and the notable North Pole Expedition Museum. You’ll also have optional excursions to pick from that bring you into the awe-inspiring landscapes surrounding Longyearbyen. Explore by e-bike, open boat, or on a wagon pulled by dogs. You could go on a fossil hike, or have a wilderness experience at Camp Barentz. And if you’ve ever wanted to try dog sledding without snow, this is your chance.

At the tip of Brøgger peninsula, on one of Kongsfjord’s shores, is Ny-Ålesund. Like Longyearbyen, it began as a coal mine but became host to scientific stations from the mid 20th century. During the summer, there are over a hundred researchers based in the town, representing 20 glaciology and climate institutes from more than 10 countries. Wander around what is one of the northernmost settlements in the world, drop in at the local museum and souvenir shop, or send a far-flung postcard back to friends and family from the small post office. If you weren’t up in time to enjoy the impressive views of Kongsfjord on the way to Ny-Ålesund, make sure you’re on deck as you leave. It’s one of the largest fjords in the area, with an entrance guarded by two colossal creaking glaciers that regularly deposit ice into the fjord. This stretch is also a good place to look out for walrus basking on the shores and for many different species of migrating birds, including puffins, king eiders, pink-footed geese, and guillemots. Arctic fox and Svalbard reindeer can sometimes be spotted on land while the white beluga whale has been known to surface in the waters here too. If we’re very lucky, you might even see a polar bear prowling the coast for bearded and ringed seals.

After a day at sea, you’ll arrive back to mainland Norway. Your first stop of the day is Tromsø, to drop off any cargo from Svalbard and pick up cargo bound for ports to the south, before you continue south to Senja. The island is one of the country’s largest, and northern Norway’s fast-rising star destination, as you’d expect for a place ranked among CNN’s top ten most beautiful islands in the world. Often proudly described by locals as a ‘mini Norway’, Senja has a concentration of diverse landscapes that mirror different parts of the Norwegian coast, from the sandy beaches, turquoise waters and lofty mountains of its northern coast to the rocky coastline and pine forests of southern Senja and Ånderdalen National Park. You’ll find rolling hills and birch forests to the east. Disembark in the charming fishing village of Torsken and explore by bus, e-bike, on foot, or take to the fjords on a wildlife safari on one of the optional excursions.

Start the day with a few hours in Stokmarknes, a historic town that’s also the birthplace of Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express. It’s a fitting place for the Hurtigruten Museum, where you are immersed in the atmosphere of a different era on our retired 1956 ship, MS Finnmarken, proudly encased in glass on the waterfront. After Stokmarknes, you’ll sail via Raftsundet and Trollfjord to Lofoten. The rest of the day is all about exploring this breathtaking archipelago. Hailed as one of the most spectacular areas in all of Norway, you’ll understand why as you see its jagged green cliffs rise dramatically out of the ocean, climbing high into the sky like giant teeth. The beating heart of the archipelago is the town of Svolvær where your ship will be based. There are shops and restaurants to enjoy, and the hours can be spent exploring and getting to know the town yourself. To experience the mountains, islands, and villages around Svolvær, choose from a variety of handpicked top Lofoten excursions. You can go fishing, kayaking, or sit back and enjoy the incredible scenery on foot or on a bus tour.

From the Lofoten Islands, you’ll head south across the open sea and the Arctic Circle. Soak up the ocean views from the deck or simply soak in the hot tub. You’ll catch sight of the beautiful Norwegian coast again about an hour before you arrive in Bessaker, a small village in Trøndelag county. You’ll spend the afternoon at Bessaker. Home to just 200 residents, it’s known for its excellent fishing opportunities and the surrounding waters boast plenty of skrei, coalfish and pollock. The annual fishing festival, held on the third weekend of July since 1979, attracts thousands of visitors. Explore Bessaker and its impressive natural surroundings at your own pace – you can expect live music, a warm welcome in the museum and tasty coffee and cake in the local pub and cafe to be waiting for you – or opt to join a hike, go on a bus tour to a local organic farm, sail on a nostalgic cutter fishing boat, or enjoy a guided e-bike tour.

The ship will make a brief stop in the town of Ålesund, known for its Art Nouveau architecture and picturesque position on a peninsula below Mount Aksla. If you’re joining the overland excursion to Hjørundfjord and Sæbø, this is where you disembark, or you can explore the town on foot. Near to Ålesund, cutting through the peaks of the Sunnmøre Alps, some 1,700 metres high, is magnificent Hjørundfjord. Its picture-perfect position embedded in the Sunnmøre Alps means it is the area’s hidden gem and a secret from most other ships. On the banks of one of Hjørundfjord’s branches is the idyllic village of Sæbø. It’s a beautiful spot to enjoy at your own pace – but don’t miss the free concert in the church. You can see more of the area on an optional guided walk through the beautiful scenery of the Urke Valley.