The North Cape Express: Full Voyage | Oslo to Bergen

Welcome to Norway! First stop: Norway’s thriving capital, Oslo. Your hotel is located in the heart of the city. Spend the rest of the day or evening at your leisure.

You’ll probably want to explore the many charms the cosmopolitan capital has to offer. Make your way to the city center and snap some photos of singular architecture at Rådhuset town hall, the Royal Palace, and Oslo Cathedral.

You can find popular eateries at Aker Brygge at the waterfront, along with the imposing Akershus Fortress and the gleaming new buildings around Bjørvika. The latter is where you’ll find modern attractions like the Oslo Opera House and the landmark new Edvard Munch Museum. As you’d expect, it hosts the world’s largest collection of works by the iconic Norwegian artist.

If there’s enough daylight left, you could even jump on the metro from Central station. A short 20-minute ride is all it takes to bring you to the edge of a tranquil alpine forest overlooking the city.

After breakfast at your hotel, we’ll take a tour to two of Oslo’s main attractions. Vigeland Sculpture Park is located at the center of splendid Frogner Park. The park features more than 200 visually striking sculptures in bronze, granite, and cast iron, created by prolific Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland.

Further north from Vigeland, just outside of Oslo, is Holmenkollen Ski Jump. You won’t be doing any jumping yourself, but the impressive building enjoys panoramic views over the city, lakes, and fjord. Beneath the ski jump is also the world’s oldest ski museum, featuring 2,500 pairs of skis and 4,000 years of skiing history.

The tour will end at the pier, where your ship, MS Trollfjord, is waiting to depart by early evening. Once we’ve welcomed you aboard and you’ve settled into your cabin or suite, you’ll meet your Coastal Experience Team. You’ll get to know each member of the team as they give lectures and organize onboard activities throughout your cruise.

Meet your fellow guests in the ship’s two-story panorama lounge and mark the moment we make history by sailing from Oslo for the first time. Watch as the capital’s twinkling lights fade into the distance and admire the scenery and various points of interests along Oslofjord.

Located on the southern tip of the country, Kristiansand is Norway’s fifth-largest city. We aim to be at port from mid-morning to early evening, giving you plenty of time to explore.

As you walk around Kristiansand, you might notice that the city is built on a uniform grid plan, with several straight roads running from the harbor all the way through the city. These roads are lined with architecture from different eras – evidence of the extensive rebuilding the city underwent after major fires in the 18th and 19th centuries and an attack during World War II.

Kristiansand is on a mission to become the most sustainable port in Europe. Find out more about this admirable goal on an optional excursion that includes a visit to Odderøya Island. Here, you can see beautiful views of the ocean and city and visit 18th-century military barracks that have been transformed into creative artist studios running several sustainable initiatives.

Kristiansand’s 20th-century military past is the focus of an optional excursion to Batterie Vara. Originally built as a German fort in World War II, it features the world’s second-largest cannon ever mounted on land.

Another optional excursion takes you to the working Lindesnes Lighthouse, which marks Norway’s southernmost point. See the beacon that has been guiding seafarers to safety on dark nights since the early 20th century and learn about the site’s long history, which goes all the way back to 1656.

As we sail past the southern tip of Norway, we’ll begin heading north along the west coast. Just past Stavanger, we’ll reach Haugesund, the ‘Home of the Viking Kings’.

The nickname is inspired by sites such as St. Olav’s Church, built in 1250 by King Håkon Hå. We also have Haraldshaugen, a national monument reputed to be the first king’s burial site. Step back in time to the Viking Age at Nordvegen History Centre, which features exhibitions presented by a fictional Harald Fairhair himself.

After a short stop in Haugesund, you’ll rejoin the ship for some scenic cruising in Hardangerfjord. At 111 miles long, it is the second longest fjord in the country, and fifth longest in the world.

This stunning waterway is one of Norway’s finest. Mountain scenery is everywhere you look, with white peaks towering over the fjord and reflecting off the shimmering water below.

The region is famous for its apples, used for jams, juice, and award-winning cider, which one food writer described as ‘Nordic champagne’.

After a hearty breakfast on the ship, we’ll dock mid-morning at a town that spreads out across a string of islands. With almost an entire day to explore, you’ll have plenty of time to see everything Ålesund has to offer.

As we approach the shore, you might notice the distinctive architecture. Every detail of the buildings, from the bright colors to the rounded spires, were inspired by the Art Nouveau style, which was popular in the early 1900s. Almost the entire town received a makeover in the style when it was rebuilt after a major fire in 1904.

As you leave the waterfront, you’ll enter a fairy-tale town, filled with narrow streets lined with unique houses. If you don’t fill up your camera’s memory card with this, snap some impressive photos of the archipelago from the nearby Mount Aksla viewpoint. The 418 steps leading there might look intimidating, but the views are well worth the effort.

You can also visit the Atlantic Sea Park, Norway’s first marine science center. This is one of Northern Europe’s largest saltwater aquariums, providing a home to seals, otters, and crabs, as well as many other kinds of marine life. You can even see Humboldt Penguins here, a species otherwise absent north of the equator.

Optional activities may include a fjord tour of either Geirangerfjord or Hjørundfjord. If weather allows, kayaking may also be an option. Imagine gliding across the surface of the fjord and skimming your hand over the pristine water as marine life swims in the depths below.

Surrounded by islands and water, Brønnøysund sits on a narrow peninsula that juts out from the mainland. Around 5,000 people live in this small town, many in colorful houses against a backdrop of gentle slopes and dramatic mountain peaks.

Enjoy the bustling atmosphere of the harbor and stroll along Havnegata. Drop into one of the pubs for a snack, or treat yourself to a meal in a local restaurant. Wander the visitors’ marina, or visit a neo-Gothic stone church built in 1870.

As we sail, look out for the Vega archipelago, a cluster of some 6,500 islands, skerries, and islets. There’s a UNESCO World Heritage Centre on the island of Gardsøy which showcases how highly prized eider down is harvested from the local eider ducks by providing little huts for them to build their nests in. 

On an island south of Brønnøysund, you’ll find Torghatten mountain, recognizable by a natural tunnel that runs through the center. According to local lore, the hole is the result of a troll who fired an arrow at a young woman who rejected his advances. As the Troll King threw his hat to protect her, the sun began to rise, turning the hat to stone with a hole in the middle from the arrow.

On an optional excursion, you can hike an hour up to the hole in the mountain. Peer through the tunnel and enjoy the view of the surrounding islands.

We’ll continue sailing north in the afternoon, leaving the Helgeland coast behind as we cross the Arctic Circle around midnight.

Today, we explore Lofoten, a striking group of islands that rise out of the Norwegian Sea. As soon as you see the towering peaks around you with fishing villages clinging to their sides, you’ll understand why this island chain is so often praised as one of Norway’s most stunning locations.

We’ll dock in the town of Svolvær mid-morning. Located on the island of Austvågøya in the heart of Lofoten, Svolvær is the biggest town of the archipelago, humming with shops, restaurants, galleries, and cafés. You can also admire views of the Svolvær Goat, a nearby mountain that resembles a goat and its horns.

A variety of optional excursions are available from Svolvær, including winter fishing, paddling along the coastline in a kayak, or embarking on a bus tour to learn more about Lofoten’s history.

We can’t visit the area without spending some time in Stokmarknes. This historic town is part of Vesterålen, an archipelago just northeast of Lofoten. For us, this place is particularly special. Shipping pioneer Richard With founded the Original Coastal Express here in 1893.

The Coastal Express soon became a lifeline for Norway’s remote coastal communities. Fittingly, our legacy has been immortalized in the place where it all began. Standing on the waterfront, you’ll find our 1956 ship MS Finnmarken, encased in a glass building like a ship in a bottle.

This is Hurtigrutemuseet, the museum that chronicles our history as Norway’s leading expedition cruise line. On a guided tour, you can explore the retired vessel and experience the atmosphere of a bygone era.

Today, you can explore the Arctic Capital. Often called the ‘gateway to the Arctic’, Tromsø is Norway’s northernmost university city and the ideal place to enjoy winter activities like dogsledding and snowshoeing.

Sitting approximately 217 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Tromsø experiences polar night for just over a month in the winter, which gives you a great chance of seeing the Northern Lights.

This urban center is buzzing with life, with everything from trendy restaurants and cafés to boutique shops selling local crafts and produce. You can even find some high fashion. MS Trollfjord will be in port here for 10 hours, giving you plenty of time to join optional excursions and explore the city yourself.

The activities on offer include a guided tour of the Polar Museum, which chronicles the city’s legacy of Arctic hunting and trade. For live animals, head to the Polaria center. This aquarium is home to many different Arctic marine species, including seals.

Across the water from Polaria, you’ll find the Arctic Cathedral, whose striking design and impressive stained-glass window stands out in the cityscape. There may also be opportunity to visit some of Tromsø’s surrounding fjords and possibly the rugged island of Senja.

Arriving early in the morning, you’ll have a full day in Honningsvåg. Honningsvåg is the northernmost city on the mainland, and its landscape is distinctive, with barely any trees or bushes. This far north, winters are long and the snowfall is high, so prepare for fantastic winter scenery and activities.

Feel the snow crunching under your snowshoes as you hike across the plains. You may even be able to try your hand at ice fishing, a beloved winter tradition in the far north. Taste the local delicacy, king crab, which is caught in the waters around Honningsvåg and served year-round. Admire local art in the Once Upon a Dream art gallery, and don’t miss the Honningsvåg Church. This is the oldest building in the area, dating back to 1885.

The highlight of any trip to Honningsvåg is a visit to the North Cape. This is one of the northernmost points of mainland Europe. Since we’re visiting in winter, we can go there by snowmobile. It’s an unmatched experience to stand near the northern edge of Norway and look out over the Barents Sea under the polar night sky. Add the Northern Lights to the sky above and the moment will be unforgettable.

The cape is marked with a famous globe monument, which demands a selfie or two… or five. When you’re ready, head inside North Cape Hall to warm up. Learn about life in the High Arctic through a short film and a variety of exhibits.

Having reached the northernmost point of our cruise, we’ll turn around and head south as we sail away in the evening.

Alta is one of the bigger coastal towns we visit, with a population of over 10,000 people. A particularly famous part of the town is Alta River, one of Norway’s best salmon rivers. Large salmon are regularly caught here, with some weighing up to 53 lb. You won’t regret trying fresh, grilled salmon at one of the local restaurants.

At 70 degrees north, this town is still far above the Arctic Circle. The area is known for particularly good Northern Lights visibility, so keep your camera ready. If the skies are clear and the conditions are right, you should be able to snap some amazing shots of the lights dancing above.

You can learn more about this incredible natural light show on a guided tour of the town. The Northern Lights Cathedral even has an exhibition showing how Alta became the epicenter of ground-breaking research of the aurora borealis between the 19th and 20th centuries.

Increased snowfall in the winter allows for some truly authentic Arctic excursions, like dogsledding. The snow and climate of Alta also creates the perfect conditions to build and maintain the Igloo Hotel, located on the banks of river Alta.

You can tour the world’s northernmost ice hotel, built out of snow and ice every winter and carved with different artistic themes by local sculptors. Head to the hotel’s ice bar, decorated with handcrafted ice sculptures. Order a drink in an ice glass – no ice cubes needed.

Lødingen is a village and administrative center on the southwestern shore of Hinnøya, with a population of under 2,000. Our ships used to visit this port on one of our earlier coastal routes. Returning here is a kind of like a homecoming for us.

We’ll dock at around midday, using Lødingen as a base for a few hours to explore more of Hinnøya island, Norway’s largest island south of Svalbard. Wander the streets near the port and admire the traditional red fishing huts, or rorbuer, that line the shore. As you walk, you’ll likely notice the calm atmosphere of village life.

The highlight of this visit is definitely the breathtaking fjords and mountains that have made the Norwegian coast so famous. Gullesfjord branches off of Andfjord and cuts into the north side of Hinnøya, bordered by pristine mountain ranges. The area is popular with campers, who stay on the campsite or in cabins and fish for cod in the fjord during winter.

One optional excursion is a boat safari that brings you closer to the fjord. Challenge yourself with a hike in the mountains for the reward of majestic panoramas of the surrounding land and sea.

Continuing south, we’ll leave the land of the polar night as we cross the Arctic Circle in the early hours of the morning.

The Vikna archipelago is a chain of around 6,000 islands, islets, and skerries. The largest of the chain, Inner-Vikna, is our next stop. We aim to dock at the port town of Rørvik around midday and stay there for a few hours.

The town and its surrounding areas have a long history, with burial mounds that date back to ancient times. Rørvik’s museums document the area’s maritime, particularly the Norwegian Coastal Museum.

Similarly, at the SalmoNor visitor’s center, you can take a tour of a modern salmon farm and find out more about the Norwegian aquaculture industry that supplies the world with tasty Nordic salmon.

Another major export is cod, and the town even has an annual Cod Festival in March. Cod is especially common in the waters of the archipelago during winter. Why not indulge in some fresh cod cakes?

Return to the ship in the late afternoon for your second-to-last evening on board. Enjoy the ship’s facilities, such as the soothing panoramic sauna, or warm yourself up with some local aquavit in the top-deck bar.

To round off our journey, we’ll visit Molde, the capital and commercial center of Romsdalen, sitting on the southern coast of the Romsdal Peninsula. We’ve stopped at this port many times on our Coastal Express route, but this time we’ll be making a much longer stop. You’ll have all the time you need to enjoy the town.

Your Coastal Experience Team will organize optional activities to enhance your experience in Molde. Accessible nearby on an optional excursion is the Atlantic Road, an icon of the Norwegian coast that often features in Hollywood movies.

If the weather is favorable and time permits, join us on an optional hike up to Varden viewpoint for the best panoramic views of the area. Gaze down at the town from a height of 1,319 feet above sea level and admire the 222 snowy peaks that can be seen across Moldefjord.

If you prefer to stay closer to the ground, pop into the Romsdal Museum, one of Norway’s largest folk museums. It’s only ten minutes from the town center.

Back on the ship, we’ll end our cruise on a high note with a farewell dinner. Take this chance to swap stories and show photos to your fellow travelers one last time.

From south to north and back down, reflect on your journey as you we approach Bergen, our last port of the cruise, in the early morning. Say goodbye to the crew and disembark the ship. This marks the end of your travels with us.

This marks the end of your trip on the North Cape Express, exploring Norway’s coastal cities and villages all the way to the top of the European continent. During the journey, you’ll have experienced Norway’s varied climate, seen majestic mountains and fjords, and maybe gazed up in awe at the Northern Lights.

We hope that you’ll cherish each of the memories that you take home from your cruise on the North Cape Express. Sail with us again soon on another iconic cruise through our spectacular home: the Norwegian coast.