After going to Svalbard a few years ago and seeing how gorgeous Norway is, I decided it was time to go back and maybe try and see some Northern Lights!  I figured the best way to do this is on a ship because you get to see the beautiful fjords and more opportunities to see the lights!  Let’s get into the details!  This is a unique itinerary, so if you’re confused, feel free to reach out and we can talk more in detail!

Here’s a video from my contact about why Hurtigruten is an amazing way to see the lights! She talks about a few different itineraries. We’re doing the North Cape Line.

Important Things to Understand about this trip:

So this is Hurtigruten, which means Fastest Route.  It started as a mail route up and down the coast, and has since segued into a human and car ferry service as well.  And then expanded to the more usual cruise like the Northern Cape Route.

Main Details:  Long or Short Option!

I will be putting the details below for the LONG option and I will note when the SHORT option begins/ends because they go concurrently.  (Important info:  The Long Option starts in Oslo, goes up to Tromos, and then returns back down to Oslo with different excursions offered so nothing’s really repeated). The short version goes from Oslo to Tromso or Tromso to Oslo.  The longer options affords more opportunities to see the lights and seeing the locations at different times, different excursions, and also has the “Northern Lights Guarantee.”

Here’s a video walkthrough as well.

 

DATES: 15 days.  Departure dates:  Sept 26, oct 10, Oct 24, Nov 7, Nov 21, Dec 5, and Dec 19.
PRICE per person for dual occupancy:  Prices are dynamic and can change at any time, so please confirm.  Prices for solo currently will be in blue.  There are diff room types in each category, so just putting the lowest price in each category (there are 12 diff room types, so that would be a lot of info at once.  So just the intro rate and we can go from there!  More info about rooms in accomodations section.

• Inside (No windows): $3574  (solo: $5004)
• Windows/Portholes: $4346 (solo: $6084)
• Arctic Superior:  $5995 (solo:  $8393)
• Expedition Suite: $9114 (solo:  $18,227)

DATES: 7 days

PRICE per person for dual occupancy:  Prices are dynamic and can change at any time, so please confirm.  Prices for solo currently will be in blue.  There are diff room types in each category, so just putting the lowest price in each category (there are 12 diff room types, so that would be a lot of info at once.  So just the intro rate and we can go from there!  More info about rooms in accomodations section.

• Inside (No windows): $1966 (solo: $2752)
• Windows/Portholes: $2406 (solo: $3368)
• Arctic Superior:  $3297 (solo:  $4616)
• Expedition Suite: $5045 (solo:  $10091)

SHORT OPTION Tromso to Oslo Clickable link

Inclusions

• • • • • All meals at the Flora and Arran restaurants on board. Breakfast and lunch are buffet, and dinner is sit down a la cart.
        • Coffee, soda, and tea, certain alcohols
        • Culinary demonstrations and food tastings
        • Musical entertainment with a pianist
        • Informational presentations about various Norwegian topics
        • Photo program and photo sharing app
        • Wifi
        • Suites get priority check in, welcome basket with sparkling wine, and a Norwegian wool sweater
        • 800 kr OBC if booked by April 21, 2025

Not Included

• • • • • Wine package available for purchase
        • Travel Insurance
        • Excursions unless otherwise noted
        • Luggage handling
        • Optional hikes with expedition team
        • Tips aren’t included or expected
        • Flights and transfers

Itinerary

This is the basic itinerary, but we can also add some stuff before or after for you!  Let me know if you want to come early or stay late!  This is the long version’s itinerary, and I will note when the short itinerary will join.  Note: I’m planning on adding on snorkeling with orcas!

Here’s a direct link for the long itinerary more detailed.  You’ll find more info about the excursions there as well.

Day 1 ~ Arrival Day in Oslo

Welcome to Norway. First stop: Norway’s thriving capital, Oslo.

If you have time before you board your ship for the voyage ahead, you’ll want to explore the many charms this cosmopolitan capital has to offer. Make your way to the city centre, where you can take snaps of the architecturally distinct Rådhuset town hall, Royal Palace, and Oslo Cathedral.

Once you’ve boarded your ship MS Trollfjord and you’ve settled into your cabin or suite, you’ll meet your Expedition Team. You’ll get to know each member of the team as they give lectures and organise onboard activities throughout your voyage.

Meet your fellow guests in the ship’s two-storey panorama lounge and watch as the capital’s twinkling lights fade into the distance.

Excursions for Oslo:

• Oslo Bus siteseeing

Day 2 ~ Sea Day

Spend today relaxing on board and getting a taste of our Norway’s Coastal Kitchen cuisine in the ship’s three restaurants and bar.

You’ll have time to simply watch Norway’s spectacular southern coast glide by. Take it all in from the expansive Observation Deck, from the comfort of your ship’s two-storey lounge and bar, or from the panoramic sauna.

As well as the views, this stretch of coast is home to history and stories. Find out more about Norway’s coast and the voyage ahead in the lectures, presentations, and onboard activities planned for today.

Day 3 ~ Stavanger

Today, you’ll wake to views of the beautiful Lysefjord. The 26-mile-long (42-km-long) fjord is home to one of Norway’s most famous sights: Preikestolen (The Pulpit Rock pictured above), which towers almost two thousand feet (604 meters) above the fjord’s shimmering waters.

Kjerag mountain, at the end of the fjord, reaches even higher. Along the way, watch for mountain goats, waterfalls, and the famous Kjeragbolten, a glacial boulder wedged high up in a crevasse.

You’ll spend the rest of the day in Stavanger, a colorful waterside city with an international ambience and a lively cultural scene. Discover the architectural relics of Gamle (Old) Stavanger, which includes Northern Europe’s best-preserved collection of wooden houses, and Norway’s oldest cathedral, dating from the 12th century.

You can also visit the Norwegian Petroleum Museum, browse the local boutique shops, or simply enjoy a drink on the waterfront.

Excursions for Stavanger

• On the trail of the Vikings
• Walking Tour of Old Town Stavanger

Day 4 ~ Ålesund

After breakfast on the ship, we’ll dock at a town on a small peninsula surrounded by beautiful mountains and islands.

Many of the buildings here, from the bright colours to the rounded spires, were inspired by the Art Nouveau style, which was popular in the early 1900s. You can get impressive photos of the archipelago from the nearby Mount Aksla viewpoint.

You can also visit the Atlantic Sea Park, Norway’s first marine science centre. 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.

Join an optional excursion to explore Ålesund on foot or by bus, as your guide reveals the town’s surprising secrets to you.

Excursions for Ålesund

• Ålesund on foot
• Saga Islands bus tour to Alnes

Day 5 ~ Nov 14 Rørvik

The cosy fishing port of Rørvik in the picturesque Vikna archipelago may look small but it has a huge history that is told through both the landscape and the town’s collection of museums.

Here, you can join an optional excursion and time travel through the last 10,000 years and get a glimpse of the future, thanks to the Ice Age-carved landscape, carefully preserved 19th-century living rooms, and the ingenuity of Norwegian salmon production – each preserved and explained in three excellent museums.

In the afternoon, we’ll continue sailing north through the Vikna archipelago made up of 6,000 islands, islets and reefs. The local gardens bloom with plum and apple blossoms in the spring, even at 65°N, thanks to the maritime climate.

As we sail through the night, we’ll leave the Helgeland coast behind us as we cross the Arctic Circle.

Excursions for Rørvik

• Travel Through Time in Coastal Rorvik
• Naeroya: The Island of the gods

Day 6 ~ Lofoten Islands Svolvær, Stokmarknes

On the penultimate day of your voyage, we explore Lofoten. As soon as you see the towering peaks with fishing villages clinging to their sides, you’ll understand why this island chain is 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 to enjoy. You can also admire views of the Svolvær Goat, a nearby mountain named for resembling 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 a couple of hours in Stokmarknes. It was here that the Original Coastal Express was founded in 1893 by shipping pioneer Richard With. On the waterfront, you’ll find our 1956 ship MS Finnmarken, encased in the Hurtigruten Museum’s glass building like a ship in a bottle.

Excursions for Svolvær, Stokmarknes

• Lofoten Scenery and Henningsvaer
• Fishing
• Kayaking
• Sea Eagle Adventure

Day 7 ~ Tromsø (Short version starts/ends here)

We sail into Tromsø mid-morning. This urban city 350 km north of the Arctic Circle is a great place to disembark. It buzzes with life, with everything from trendy restaurants and cafés to boutique shops selling local crafts and produce, and even high fashion. If you can, give yourself time to explore Tromsø before you go home.

You’ve sailed on The North Cape Line, getting to know Norway’s coastal cities and villages all the way from its capital to deep inside the Arctic Circle. 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 once or several times.

We hope you’ll cherish each of the memories of The North Cape Line that you’ll take home with you. Come sail with us again soon, on another iconic voyage of our spectacular home: the Norwegian coast.

Excursions for Tromsø

• Arctic capital tour
• E-bike
• Cross country skiing
• dog sledding

Day 8 ~ Honningsvåg

Excursions for Honningsvåg

• Most northern city
• 4 wheeler tour
• King Crab
• Ice Fishing

Day 9 ~ Alta

At 70 degrees north, this town is far above the Arctic Circle. The area is known for particularly good Northern Lights visibility, so keep your camera ready.

On an optional excursion, you can find out more about day-today life in Alta, see prehistoric rock art and visit the Northern Lights Cathedral, which has an exhibition showing how Alta became the epicenter for 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. You can try this on wheels if you’re here when there’s no snow on the ground! The snow and climate of Alta also create the perfect conditions to build and maintain the Igloo Hotel. Located on the banks of river Alta and made from 250 tons of ice, this is the world’s northernmost ice hotel, decorated with ice sculptures and wall carvings.

Alternatively, join your Expedition Team on a hike to Mount Komsa. The views are mesmerizing.

Excursions for Alta

• Dog sledding
• Igloo hotel
• Northern lights cathedral and rock art

Day 10 ~ Narvik

Narvik was originally developed as a year-round, ice-free port for the nearby iron ore mines. Nowadays, it’s known for its World War II heritage and as a gateway to active pursuits such as skiing, dog sledding and hiking.

On optional excursions, you can dive into Narvik’s intriguing past at the Narvik War Museum, where the town’s World War II history comes to life with engaging exhibits and narratives.

For a journey through the heart of the region, hop aboard the Arctic Train and travel along the iconic Ofoten Railway, treating yourself to panoramic views of majestic mountains. For panoramic views of Narvik from above, ride the cable car to the top of Narvikfjellet.

Narvik sits on a peninsula where three beautiful fjords meet. It was originally developed as a year-round, ice-free port for the nearby iron ore mines. Nowadays, it’s known for its World War II heritage and as a gateway to active pursuits such as skiing, dog sledding, and hiking.

Get to know Narvik’s past at the Narvik War Museum complete with engaging exhibits that bring to life the town’s strategic importance during World War II.

For an impressive panorama of Narvik, the best thing to do is ride the cable car up Narvikfjellet. At the top, you’ll be treated to astounding views of the town and the three surrounding fjords.

Excursions for Narvik

• Wonders of Wildlife
• Sami Cultural encounter with reindeer
• snowshoe trek
• dogsled

Day 11 ~ Cruising

After Narvik, we head south along the enchanting Norwegian coast. You’ll be in awe of  windswept islands, sheltered bays, and some of the most beautiful fjords in the world. It’s also inhabited by a wide range of wildlife, such as majestic Sea Eagles.

When we started sailing north of the Trøndelag region in 1893, much was still unknown about the coastline. But, over the years, we’ve become experts in these waters. Today, we are among the few with the maritime knowledge and skill to take you through the many skerries, islets and hidden fjords that characterize this stretch of coast.

Day 12 ~ Åndalsnes

Excursions for Åndalsnes

• Town walk and gondola

Day 13 ~ Bergen

Excursions for Bergen

• Town walk

Day 15 ~ Oslo

 

Room Types

Inside Cabin

Our Polar inside cabins are mostly on the middle or upper decks and all have bathrooms with shower/WC. All of the cabins have separate beds. The cabins all have individual specifications.

Polar Outside

Our Polar Outside cabins are mostly on the middle or lower decks and they all have bathrooms with a shower/toilet. All of the cabins have separate beds, one of which is a sofa bed, or upper and lower berths. All cabins have individual specifications.

Arctic Superior

Relaxation and comfort are the hallmarks of our Arctic Superior cabins. Situated on the upper, middle, and lower decks, they all have bathrooms with a shower/toilet. The cabins also have a TV and kettle with complimentary tea and coffee, as well as a mini bar. Most cabins have separate beds, with one doubling as a sofa. A very limited number have double beds. All cabins have individual specifications.

Expedition Suite

The Ship MS Trollfjord

You can find more info about the ship here!

Food

All food is included at the main restaurant, Flora and Arran.

But there is a paid fine dining at Rost.

Deposit

The deposit is 10% of the total, so that will vary depending on room type and final pay is due 90 days before departure.  If you cancel before final payment, you are entitled to a 75% refund. 60-89 days is 50%, 30-59 is 25% and 30 days is 0%.

Payments

After deposit, the payments are up to you! You can wait until full payment is due, or you can chunk it. Very flexible. Payments are collected by Hurtigruten and remain with them, so again your money is safe!

Flights

International flights aren’t included, but happy to help you find a good flight price.  I do have access to a vendor with discounted business class flights which occassionally has a good deal.  But either way, I can help you book or find flights as needed.  A quick search from Atlanta is showing about $600 on Delta which is looking good!

 

Interested?

Email me and let me know!

[email protected] if you have any questions!