After you wake up in your hotel, enjoy some time in the early morning to further explore Bergen before your transfer arrives at the hotel to bring you to our comfortable guest lounge at the Bergen Terminal.

Bergen has been the starting point for many Norwegian Coastal Express cruises for generations, and the stylish guest lounge here is exclusive for our guests. Sample finger-food from our Norway’s Coastal Kitchen or talk to staff about securing a spot on any optional excursions still available.

Once we’ve welcomed you aboard, talk to your ship’s Coastal Experience team, who will be your hosts and guides to the Norwegian coast and Svalbard. Meet your shipmates and take some time to settle in to your new home-away-from-home.

Enjoy your first meal aboard the ship, and watch the row of colorful buildings on the seafront get smaller behind you as you sail into the Norwegian Sea.

We’ll sail along the coast of the Helgeland region in the morning. When you see islands rising out of the water in the distance, you’ll know we’re almost at our next destination.

Træna is an archipelago that sits 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 of which are inhabited year-round), Træna is a quiet municipality, with birdlife thriving on the mostly uninhabited isles.

Though small, this archipelago has a long history. Archeological finds indicate that the islands have been inhabited since the Stone Age. Some of these ancient relics have been found in a cave on the island of Sanna, which is now used as a venue for an annual music festival.

Spend the afternoon in one of Norway’s oldest fishing communities. Weather permitting, you may be able to enjoy activities like hiking and biking, or even island-hopping.

With a large population of sea eagles, birdwatching is another activity you won’t want to miss. For a truly authentic experience, step into the age-old shoes of a Norwegian fisherman and cast a line under the summer sun.

When it’s time to leave in the evening, take some time to rest and unwind on board. We’ll cross the Arctic Circle as we continue heading north, commemorating the moment with a little Norwegian ceremony.

Tromsø is Northern Norway’s urban Arctic hotspot, boasting impressive architecture, hip restaurants, and the world’s northernmost university. Rich in polar history, it makes for a natural stopping point before we go farther north into the High Arctic.

This modern city has a long legacy, with artifacts found that date back to the Ice Age. The city grew in importance after being declared a kjøpstad, or ‘market town’ in 1794, despite only being home to 80 people. It became a center of Arctic hunting in the mid-1800s. By the end of the 19th century, Tromsø was an established Arctic trade center.

We aim 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 go see seals at the Polaria center, one of the world’s northernmost aquariums. Here, you can see various species of Arctic marine life up close.

There may also be an option to visit the striking Arctic Cathedral, which has an enormous and colorful stained-glass window. Storsteinen Mountain Towers over Tromsø and the Fjellheisen Cable Car takes you up for exceptionally beautiful views of the city, mountains, and fjords.

The southernmost island of the Svalbard archipelago, Bjørnøya, sits just past the halfway point between mainland Norway and Spitsbergen. We’ll be viewing this inaccessible land from the ship in the afternoon, so think of this as the prologue to your Svalbard adventure.

Upon seeing the island, you might notice the lack of trees—there are hardly even bushes. Very little grows here, with the land partly being covered only by a layer of moss and lichen. Whatever grows here is fertilized by the abundant birdlife that nests on the sea cliffs. Get your camera ready to capture little auks, puffins, black-legged kittiwakes, and northern fulmars flying over dramatic cliff tops and steep slopes, alongside many other seabird species.

Contrary to its name, which means ‘Bear Island’, the only native mammals are Arctic foxes. The island was named after a polar bear was spotted swimming in the waters nearby, but this is an unlikely sight this far south.

Aboard the ship, learn about Bjørnøya’s history through polar history lectures. You might find out about the historic expeditions that led to its discovery and the subsequent claims that various countries have attempted to make over the island. Discover the strategic importance of this unreachable sanctuary, and the role Bjørnøya played in World War II.

Sailing on from Bjørnøya, unwind in MS Trollfjord’s sauna, fitness room, or outdoor hot tubs. There will also be a photography workshop today to get your camera eye and lens in focus to capture the wildlife and wilderness awaiting us in Svalbard.

We’ve arrived back to mainland Norway and our first stop of the day is Tromsø. The ship will drop off cargo from Svalbard and pick up cargo bound for ports to the south.

Calling back into Tromsø after reaching Svalbard follows in the footsteps of history. Most explorers and sailors returning from their Arctic expeditions would stop back in the city. The fashion and food they found there seemed so stylish and refined compared to the stark frontier towns that they nicknamed Tromsø ‘the Paris of the North’. Maybe you’ll have a similar impression?

From Tromsø, the ship will continue south to the fairytale island of Senja, one of Norway’s largest islands. You’ll be able to embark on optional excursions in Tromsø that will then meet up with the ship in Senja. We recommend the scenic tour that traverses the island of Kvaløya leading to a ferry ride to Senja, before a rendezvous with the ship on the island’s west side.

Senja is an increasingly popular destination in Northern Norway, as you’d expect for a place ranked among CNN’s top ten most beautiful islands in the world. Locals proudly describe it as ‘mini Norway’. The island seems to have a concentration of landscapes inspired by different parts of the Norwegian coast.

You’ll have a range of optional excursions in Senja, showing you the best the island has to offer. These could be hikes to distinctive peaks for enviable views, fishing trips, or kayaking on the waters of a tranquil fjord.

The ship continues south and reaches the midpoint of the Norwegian coast. This is the Helgeland Coast, a well-known stretch full of distinctive mountains that have inspired charming myths and local folklore.

We will base the ship in the town of Brønnøysund, which features a lovely marina and a Neo-Gothic stone church from 1870. Spend time exploring the town or join an optional excursion like kayaking, cycling, or an RIB cruise.

One highlight of the area is visiting the Vega archipelago, a cluster of some 6,500 islands, skerries, and islets. There’s a UNESCO world heritage center 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.

Further along from Brønnøysund is the unique Torghatten Mountain. The first thing you’ll notice about Torghatten is the hole that pierces right through its center. Legend has it that a spurned troll fired an arrow at his would-be lover after she rejected him, and Torghatten Mountain is the fossilized hat of a Troll King who attempted to block the arrow.

At an easy pace, it takes about an hour to reach the hole in Torghatten on an optional excursion. The panoramic view of the trees and islands stretching out before you is well worth it.

We arrive back in Bergen in the morning. It’s time to disembark the ship, but not before saying fond farewells to your fellow passengers and the crew of MS Trollfjord, who made your Svalbard Express journey so comfortable.

You won’t soon forget the slices of paradise you’ve seen along the Norwegian coast as part of this iconic cruise. If you’ve taken in optional excursions, you will have photos of you kayaking, hiking, fishing, or cycling in some of the most beautiful scenery you’ve ever seen.

We know that your fond memories of the North Cape, Helgeland, Lofoten, Senja, Hjørundfjord, crossing the Arctic Circle, Tromsø, Bjørnøya, Longyearbyen, and Ny-Ålesund will make your friends and family green with envy.

This is the Svalbard Express. We hope to see you back on the Norwegian coast with us soon.