Hammerfest, Kingdom of the Polar Bears

Hammerfest Town

Hurtigruten Norwegian Cruise -Southbound Journey: Day 8: Mehamn - Kjøllefjord - Honningsvåg - Havøysund - Hammerfest - Øksfjord - Skjervøy - Tromsø. A brief call is made in Havøysund before arriving in Hammerfest at 11.15 a.m. You are now in the northernmost town in the world - Hammerfest is the first town in Norway to get electric street lights! Whilst in Hammerfest you might want to see St Michael's Church, which has a shining stained glass painting as an altar background and … [Read more...]

Kirkenes – the End of the Journey for Some

Kirkenes Reindeer Farm

Kirkenes, a Town Near the Russian Border: Day 7: Båtsfjord - Vardø - Vadsø - Kirkenes - Vardø - Båtsfjord - Berlevåg. The ship sails into Kirkenes where you will have the opportunity to go ashore. You may wish to participate in a shore excursion from Kirkenes to Storskog the Norwegian/Russian border station or you could participate in the 'Barents Safari' (15.12 to 05.05), an excursion by snowmobile. At 12.45 p.m. the ship departs Kirkenes and starts the second half of its … [Read more...]

Crossing the 71st Parallel to the North Cape

Nordkapp Road in Winter

Making it to Nordkapp or the North Cape: Day 6:  Øksfjord - Hammerfest - Havøysund - Honningsvåg - Kjøllefjord - Mehamn - Berlevåg. In Finnmark, icebergs, wind and weather have created a harsher, more dramatic landscape. You will see both abandoned fishing stations and lively fishing ports bustling with activity.Havøysund is the next port of call before arriving in Honningsvåg in the late morning. To many people the visit to North Cape, the mountain with the peculiar horn, is the … [Read more...]

Tromsø – Hunting the Northern Lights

Tromsø has Many Northernmost Claims: Tromsø is a town that can boast of many things. This capital of Arctic Norway is the gateway to the Arctic Ocean and is the largest town in the polar region of Scandinavia. Tromsø is a very important research town and at Polaria, the national centre for research and information, studies of the polar region and the Arctic are carried out, as is marine biology.  For those hunting the Northern Lights, the Northern Lights Observatory is here as … [Read more...]

Tromsø – Capital of Arctic Norway

Tromso Ishavskatendralen Cathedral

This Gateway to the Arctic is also known as the "Paris of the North": DAY 5: Stokmarknes - Sortland - Risøyhamn - Harstad - Finnsnes - Tromsø - Skjervøy. You awake to find the ship sailing between Norway's two largest islands, Hinnoya and Senja. Or perhaps, earlier still, in Harstad. Finnsnes is reached late morning, a community where the equipment factory is vital to the fishing industry. After crossing Malangen, you'll experience the route's most dynamic maelstrom, Rystraumen.At 2.30 … [Read more...]

Making it to the Arctic Circle!

Arctic Coastline

Hurtigruten Norwegian Cruise - Arctic Circle, Norway: DAY 4: Brønøysund - Sandnessjøen - Nesna - Ørnes - Bodø - Stamsund - Svolvaer. You will have passed the Arctic Circle before the whole ship is fully awake.  The ship will follow the mighty Borvasstindene Mountains before arriving into Bodo, North Norway's second largest city at 12.30 p.m.  Here you have time to go ashore and see Bodo Cathedral which dates back to 1856, with its basilica and free standing church tower. There is … [Read more...]

So What's a Trollfjord Drink?

A Hurtigruten Tradition on Crossing the Arctic Circle: We reached the Arctic Circle this morning and as we pass the entrance of the Trollfjord, it is a tradition on  a Hurtigruten cruise that you have a Trollfjord drink. Our invitation says to put on warm clothes and to be out on the deck at 23:30 and we'll have the opportunity to taste some fishcakes and to buy a Trollfjord drink!!! It's freezing and drizzling and there's not much cover on the deck. After a few minutes of waiting, our … [Read more...]

Trondheim, a Viking town and Norway’s Coronation City

Trondheim Cathedral

Hurtigruten Norwegian Cruise - Trondheim Visit, Norway: DAY 3: Trondheim - Rørvik. Arrive Trondheim at 6.00 a.m. Trondheim, Norway's third largest city, founded by Olav Tryggvasson in 977 AD, has a strong academic flavour and can boast the country's oldest school, first official theatre and one of the first national newspapers.. (B, L, D) 06:00 - We arrive in Trondheim, Norway's second oldest city. This is a major stop and we're here till noon which is good news for … [Read more...]

Visiting Alesund and Molde on our Norwegian Cruise

View of Alesund, Norway

Hurtigruten Norwegian Cruise - Alesund and Molde Visits, Norway: DAY 2:  Floro - Maloy - Torvik - Alesund - Molde - Kristiansund. Early arrival at Maloy at 06:45 The ship rounds the Cape of Stadt, Norway's westernmost point. You will pass the bird rock of Runde where 32 species of birds are present during the nesting season before arriving into Alesund at 12.00 noon where the ship will dock for approximately three hours. (B, L, D) We arrive in Maloy at 06:45 and in the … [Read more...]