Expect the Unexpected
A cruise along Norway’s coastline is truly an awesome experience. But what can you actually expect when sailing on a Hurtigruten cruise in coastal Norway?
Published“On one occasion, the northern lights began around 7 pm and didn’t stop until 6 am. I went to bed at 3 am, half frozen and very happy.”
– Ann Aves
Understandably, many of our guests have great expectations when they decide to book a Hurtigruten cruise. The postcard pictures tell stories of steep mountains, deep fjords, and the magical northern lights. Can Norway really be that beautiful, you might wonder? We let some of our guests speak for themselves.
Nine adventurers from seven different countries explain what they expected from a Hurtigruten cruise and what actually turned out to be their Hurtigruten cruise highlights.
Name: Connie Koppel
From: Denmark
Traveled with: My husband and my mother
“In July 2015, I traveled with Hurtigruten from Kirkenes to Bergen, which sparked my interest in doing the roundtrip. On the second time around, I expected to see even more ports and towns, and participate in more excursions along the way. The absolute highlight of my latest trip was seeing the northern lights on a total of six nights! But I also really enjoyed the friendly staff and delicious food.”
Name: Debbie D.
From: Seattle
Traveled with: My husband
“I hadn’t heard that much about Hurtigruten in advance, so my expectations were not that specific. What surprised me the most was the authenticity. I love the fact that when you arrive at each port, there are not a million people peddling souvenirs or trying to give you a ride to some touristy spot. Instead, we were stopping to see the real life and history of Norway.”
Name: Viktorina Rodionova
From: Russia
Traveled: Alone
“I have traveled in Norway by car and bus before, and have seen the beautiful fjords while hiking. This time, I wanted to see the landscape from the ocean. As a photographer, I am interested in different points of view and foreshortenings. What I enjoyed most was spending the evening alone out on the deserted deck, taking in the views of darkness slowly descending upon snowy mountaintops.”
Name: Yann Charles M. Bougaran
From: France
Traveled with: My wife
“Frankly, my expectations were low. I’m not a cruise type of person, and not fond of being stuck on a boat. Surprisingly, my worries about being stuck on a cruise totally vanished as soon as I boarded the ship. This was due to the staff onboard, I felt like a part of the ‘family’. If I must pick one single highlight, I would say the view from deck during the whole trip. Always surprising. Norway is a beautiful country!”
Name: Robert De Trani
From: Italy
Traveled with: My girlfriend and our 10-month old daughter
“We were really excited, but also a bit worried about how it would be spending so many days on a ship with a small child. It turned out to be very relaxing! The thing I will always remember is the Trollfjord. To experience the ship making a full turn in such small fjord is something you would never think possible! Hopefully, we can go again with our kids in the future, so that we can share these great experiences together, when they are old enough to remember them.”
Name: Tay Al-Taie
From: Iraq
Traveled with: Alone
“I kind of expected the journey to feel quite long, and that I might be a bit bored since I was traveling all by myself. But it turned out great! Crossing the Arctic Circle was really exciting, but I would have to say that the main highlight of this trip was sitting in the outside hot tub on MS Midnatsol, enjoying the view of snowy mountains. I would love another trip with Hurtigruten, especially during summer so that I can witness the midnight sun.”
Name: Ann Aves
From: Scotland
Traveled with: Six times alone, once with a friend and twice with my father.
“I expected to see Norway ‘off the beaten track’, as the ships visit small towns and places that other cruise lines miss. I have actually ended up traveling with Hurtigruten nine times now! After so many great trips, there are so many highlights. But if I were to pick one, I would have to say seeing the northern lights. On one occasion, the northern lights began around 7 pm and didn’t stop until 6 am. I went to bed at 3 am, half frozen and very happy.”
Name: Bert S.
From: Oregon
Traveled with: My daughter
“I had visited Norway before so I expected to see beautiful fjords and lovely small towns, as well as excellent harbors. I was pleasantly surprised by the smooth sailing, the mild temperatures in October, and the comfortable accommodations. The fact that I could spend hours watching the never-ending beauty from the panorama lounge. And of course, seeing the northern lights three nights in a row!”
Name: Dean C.
From: San Francisco
Traveled with: Alone
“I expected to see extreme natural beauty and to learn about the coast of Norway. What really surprised me on board was the exceptional food. Great variety and quality, and everything so fresh. In my opinion, this is the best food I’ve had on any cruise line.”
