The Cruise South

Capital of the Barents Region and Turning Point

Kirkenes is known as the capital of the Barents region and gateway to the east. The Russian border is a just few miles away. You may find it intriguing that the local road signs are written in both Norwegian and Russian. Depending on the season, there are many ways to visit the Russian frontier. Travel either by bus (all year), enjoy a riverboat safari, or join an action-packed trip on ATV/quad-bikes. Kirkenes also boasts several fascinating small museums recounting the remarkably rich history and heritage of this remote region.

Spending time in Kirkenes before your sailing provides the opportunity to take part in numerous adventurous activities into the Arctic environment. In winter and spring, you can join several activities and excursions, for example, exploring the Arctic wilderness on a snowmobile and driving over a frozen fjord. During the trip, your guides tell you about the history of the region, the extreme Arctic climate and the area´s unique wildlife. On our dog-sled adventures, huskies eagerly transport you across the frozen Arctic landscape. In summer, you can join the excursion where you catch and eat giant king crab from the Barents Sea.

Southbound and down

As the ship starts its cruise, you can first enjoy lunch followed by views of the surrounding Arctic landscape on deck or from the panorama lounge. As we depart Kirkenes, you’ve only seen half of what our voyage along the Norwegian coastline has to offer. Prepare yourself for many new experiences. The ports previously visited by night on the northbound journey are now seen by day.

In the afternoon, the ship again docks at Vardø, Norway���s easternmost port. Weather permitting, we may invite you to experience ice bathing in the Arctic Ocean. On board in spring, there is a presentation about shorebirds residing along the Nordic coastline. Heading south, we cruise along the Varanger peninsula to Båtsfjord, before reaching Berlevåg in the evening. The latter town is home to one of Norway’s most famous male choirs, consisting mainly of local fishermen.

• Want to know when the different ships are in port? See the complete sailing plan here.

Surrounded by Excitement

In the middle of the night we dock at Mehamn. During wintertime you can join an unforgettable snowmobile trip through one of Europe’s most extreme and exciting natural areas. Experience snow-clad valleys, fresh winter air, and perhaps even the mesmerizing northern lights in the clear, starry sky.

At Honningsvåg, you can join a coach excursion that features breakfast at the North Cape, and discover hidden parts of Finnmark along the way between May and October. Before arriving in Hammerfest, you may want to enjoy an ‘energy coffee’ and a short onboard introduction to nearby Melkøya – the world’s northernmost natural gas terminal. In autumn, we invite you out on deck to taste dried reindeer meat. The town of Hammerfest was founded in 1789, and over time became Norway’s polar capital, serving as a base for hunting expeditions into the High Arctic. Here you can see the UNESCO-listed Meridian Column, erected in 1854 to commemorate the first precise geographic measurement of the globe. In winter, you can also join a mini-mountain expedition to experience the Arctic outdoors and learn about local polar hero and cook, Adolf Henrik Lindstrøm.

We then continue south to Øksfjord. In winter, our crew teaches you how to tie maritime knots out on deck. After crossing open water, we make a brief stop at the old trading post of Skjervøy. In spring, we sail through the beautiful Lyngenfjord, surrounded by the snowy peaks of the Lyngen Alps, and where a local fisherman may visit and share fresh, locally caught prawns. We then dock at Tromsø, just in time to enjoy a magical midnight concert at the Arctic Cathedral. In summer, you can join a midnight excursion under the midnight sun, and explore Tromsø by sea in a RIB boat. Or, a walk around the town provides you the chance to enjoy a local brew at one of the city’s many friendly pubs.

In summer, you can also join the expedition team for small explorer boat activities to discover more of Tromsø and its surroundings. 

Lofoten, Where Nature Amazes

This morning we arrive at Harstad, where you can participate in one of Hurtigruten’s most beloved and renowned excursions: A Taste of Vesterålen. Experience history, beautiful scenery, and a selection of breathtaking sights, including Trondenes Church, one of Norway’s premier cultural heritage sites from the late Middle Ages. Those who choose to stay on board can admire views of this old church as we sail toward the Risøyrenna, a shallow, 23 ft deep channel made for Hurtigruten in the 1920s to provide an ‘inside route’ between Harstad and Sortland. Sandbanks along the Risøyrenna are visible through the clear, green water. The island groups of Lofoten and Vesterålen offer some of the most stunning scenery you see during the entire coastal cruise. The Lofoten region is renowned for its natural beauty with steep mountains, wild nature, and small, picturesque fishing villages. The daylight sailing route through the Lofoten Islands is a highlight for many of our guests.

Risøyhamn is a small village with only 200 inhabitants, and we make a short stop here to deliver passengers, groceries, and mail. As a springtime tribute to the region’s fishing heritage, our chef shows guests how to fillet the catch of the day on deck. We then continue south via Sortland to Stokmarknes, where Hurtigruten was founded more than 120 years ago. Go ashore and visit the Hurtigruten museum here. Continuing southward, it looks like we are sailing straight into a mountain wall, but we slip through an opening leading to the narrow Raftsund. This 12-mile passage between Lofoten and Vesterålen takes you through mountains soaring 3,300 ft directly out of the sea.

Then we reach the spectacular Trollfjord, only one mile long, 330 ft wide, and surrounded by majestic mountains. If weather and time permit, the captain will make a detour into the fjord. Steep cliffs hug the ship’s sides, and the dramatic landscape conjures images of an imaginary land of trolls. The Trollfjord is also the realm of the sea eagle. Should you choose to take the optional sea eagle safari to see these magnificent birds up close, you will be transferred to a smaller vessel before we reach the Trollfjord. Then the Hurtigruten ship turns around in the narrow fjord, a magnificent sight! The sea eagle safari begins in earnest after leaving the Trollfjord, passing through narrow channels flanked by steep mountains where the birds dwell and can be viewed. These beautiful, rare birds of prey circle the boat a few times before we toss fish into the sea for them to snatch and devour. Be sure to take along your camera! 

Reaching Svolvær, you can choose from several excursion options. Join our Lofoten Islands tour to learn more about the archipelago’s fishing communities, beautiful scenery, and local art. You can also join a horseback ride and experience a sunset trot through powdery white sand on a beach along the Norwegian Sea. If you want more of an adrenaline rush, join one of our high-octane excursions by RIB boat. Lofoten is known for its excellent fishing, and in winter and spring you can join a fishing trip to try your luck at catching cod. If you prefer dry land, a guided fishing village walk provides insight into local history and culture.  From Svolvær, we continue to Stamsund, where we see the majestic peaks of the huge Lofoten Wall. We leave Lofoten during the evening and set course for the mainland.

The Seven Sisters

Crossing the Arctic Circle at 66°33’ N is an important rite of passage. Today we celebrate the event out on deck with a taste of Arctic tradition – a spoonful of cod liver oil! Sailing along the Helgeland coast, we pass hundreds of islets, fertile farmland, and steep granite walls rich in local lore. On deck you can see the strange mountain Torghatten (rising 850 ft above sea level), famous for its distinctive hole right through the middle. The hole is 525 ft long, 115 ft high, and 65 ft wide, and was created during the Ice Age.

Another highlight is sailing past the Seven Sisters mountain range. All seven peaks are between 2,800 and 3,600 ft high, and it is easy to understand how these ‘ladies’ led to an ancient myth. The story goes that there were seven troll sisters, the daughters of King Sulis, who kept them under strict control. One night, when the king fell into a deep sleep, the seven maidens slipped out. Vågekallen, who was eager for a wife, was lying in wait. He pursued the sisters, who fled southward down the coast. Several other trolls joined the chase to either capture or rescue the maidens. When night turned to morning, the troll sisters and their pursuers were petrified, as the sun turns all trolls to stone. They became the rocks and mountains that make the Helgeland coastline one of the most beautiful places on Earth. 

Next we make a short stop at Nesna, an idyllic old trading post, before moving on to Sandnessjøen. The UNESCO World Heritage site of the Vega Islands is nearby Sandnessjøen and can be visited on an optional excursion during summer. This unique cultural landscape consists of dozens of islands. The UNESCO designation was awarded due to the unique interaction between the eider duck and the island population. Learn how the fishermen and farmers have cultivated a centuries-old symbiotic relationship with the ducks, and how this relationship continues to contribute to the livelihood of the community who harvests the eiderdown and makes down-filled duvets.

As we arrive in Brønnøysund, you can join an excursion to visit to the Norwegian Aquaculture Center near Brønnøysund from April through October, and enjoy an informative tour and a taste of fresh salmon.

In Cod We Trust

Today provides another opportunity to explore the city of Trondheim. Back on board, the ship heads out into the majestic Trondheimsfjord, which is 105 miles long and up to 16 miles wide. Like all other Norwegian fjords, it is deep, plunging to 1,900 ft.

As we sail along the coast, you realize the importance of fishing to Norwegian coastal communities. Kristiansund’s location has steadily provided the town with abundant opportunities in the fishing, shipbuilding, and oil industries. Kristiansund is today regarded as Norway’s ‘dried cod capital’, because of its longtime export of the salted, dried fish. Here you can join an excursion to the renowned Atlantic Road, one of Norway’s most visited tourist destinations. It is five miles long, includes a total of eight bridges, and is surrounded by picturesque landscapes and open sea.

Another interesting excursion is to the Bergtatt marble mine, which includes going inside a mountain, sailing across an illuminated subterranean lake, and enjoying a meal in the mine’s ‘grand hall’. 

Those choosing to stay on board at Kristiansund will experience the ship crossing open sea on our way to Molde, known as Norway’s ‘City of Roses’. Along the way you see the steep, gray, pointed peaks of the Romsdal Alps.

Final Chapter of the Fairy Tale

During the night, the ship calls at Ålesund, Torvik, and Måløy, as the world’s most beautiful cruise draws to a close. Before we dock in Bergen, there are still some nautical miles of fascinating scenery ahead, including the picturesque Nordfjord below the enormous Jostedal Glacier. Here the fjord widens to the east and stretches 56 miles inland to Loen and Olden. The rugged coastal areas are a striking contrast to the inner fjord regions, where the wind is gentler and less rain falls. Fertile fruit orchards and glacial fingers stretch toward glistening lakes and gushing rapids. This landscape has its own distinctive charm and you are encouraged to experience it. In the morning, we call at Florø, a modern coastal seaport that is also the region’s oldest town and Norway’s westernmost community. Despite constant changes, the city of Florø has maintained its special features.

A few nautical miles south of Florø, we navigate the mouth of the mighty Sognefjord and admire superb views of this magnificent island-studded coastline along the way. Finally, you disembark in Bergen, taking with you memories of a unique journey filled with unforgettable experiences and interactions with local people, diverse wildlife, and stunning nature.

If you want to see more of Norway, we highly recommend our Land Adventures to experience more Norwegian cuisine, culture, and scenery. 

Read more about our Land Adventures here