A complete Hurtigruten noob with questions!

[talljules1]

Hi all

 

We love Norway, but we've never done a cruise with Hurtigruten. We've done the more touristy ones with Celebrity, NCL and MSC (as per signature). I'd love to go further north.

 

I can cope if answers to the following questions is "no", but wonder:

 

1. Does Hurtigruten offer drinks/beverage packages? (I'm guessing no?)

2. What is there to do on board? (We generally eschew on board entertainment but wonder what there is to do in the evenings?)

3. Is vaping/smoking allowed on board (we don't mind having to go outside, of course)

4. Generally speaking, on the cruises that take you up into the arctic, how much time do you get in ports (and is it the case as in places like Geiranger, Flam, Alesund, Molde, etc) that you can get off and wander on your own?

5. What is the food like? (We eat almost anything, but I am gluten free out of necessity, and I loathe beetroot. Pretty much everything else is OK)

6. We can easily deal with layers, but do we need cold weather gear, or is it provided?

7. In general, what is the experience/atmosphere like on board?

8. We like to meet people on our trips. Will we feel isolated as English speakers?

 

Any other hints/tips much appreciated. We'd likely be looking to book the largest room we could get. I get that these are smaller ships.

[hallasm]

Hurtigruten is two different operation - Hurtigruten Coastal voyages which is a public transport along the Norwegian Coast - total 11 nights from Bergen to Kirkenes and back - 34 port stop at each leg - one longer stop of 2 to 3 hours every day.. This is the ‘classic voyage’

Fixed time table with departure every day together with Havila. They also offer some more expedition type express voyages.

The other part of the company is Hurtigruten Expedition - Arctic and Antarctic expeditions and more.

1 hour ago, talljules1 said:

Does Hurtigruten offer drinks/beverage packages? (I'm guessing no?)

No - they do offer a vine package - wine is expensive in Norway

1 hour ago, talljules1 said:

What is there to do on board? (We generally eschew on board entertainment but wonder what there is to do in the evenings?)

They do offer lectures and excursions - no entertainment or music.

1 hour ago, talljules1 said:

Is vaping/smoking allowed on board (we don't mind having to go outside, of course)

Believe outside

1 hour ago, talljules1 said:

Generally speaking, on the cruises that take you up into the arctic, how much time do you get in ports (and is it the case as in places like Geiranger, Flam, Alesund, Molde, etc) that you can get off and wander on your own?

You need to study their timetable - I’ll link later - do not visit Flåm - omly short stop on Geiranger. 
 

1 hour ago, talljules1 said:

What is the food like? (We eat almost anything, but I am gluten free out of necessity, and I loathe beetroot. Pretty much everything else is OK)

Excellent - FreshRoom Food onboard every day - lokal ingrediens from ports of Call.

1 hour ago, talljules1 said:

We can easily deal with layers, but do we need cold weather gear, or is it provided?

very much depend on time of the year

1 hour ago, talljules1 said:

In general, what is the experience/atmosphere like on board?

Very relaxed - good atmosphere 

1 hour ago, talljules1 said:

We like to meet people on our trips. Will we feel isolated as English speakers?

 

Everyone in Norway speak English - many English speaking as well as German and French

 

I’ll post some links later

[hallasm]

Here links to the 

Hurtigruten Northbound - Day by Day Timetables

Hurtigruten Southbound - Day by Day Timetables

 

As mentioned some departures are operated by Havila Voyages - same sailing schedule.

 

link to Hurtigruten Excursions  - you have to select the voyage - the Classic Roundtrip is the 11 nights Bergen to Kirkenes and back - you can also do this trip Northbound or Southbound.

Due to the relatively short port stops you cannot organize your own excursions - some does start and end in different ports. You can of cause get off in the ports with stops longer than 15 minutes and wander on your own . 

 

You can find more answers and practical information here.

[grayjay]

Most questions have already been answered but I can offer some extra ideas:

Havila offers several beverage packages, non-alcoholic and alcoholic, coffee package. If you're in a suite or order the Havila Gold package, some drinks are included. Coffee and tea is included of you do the round trips, as far as I know. Anything alcoholic is very expensive as in all of Norway - that goes for both Hurtigruten and Havila.

If you aim for longer port stops - be aware that on the coastal journey which is often very near to the beautiful scenery there are only a few longer stops, in many of the smaller ports it's only 15 minutes or half an hour. Or book excursions, but they are expensive.

Which season are you aiming at? Summer of course has the longest and sometimes ( not always, can be very cool even in July!) warmest days. September to April you have the chance of seeing the Northern lights. September and part of October you'll have the fall colours. We always cover every eventuality by taking clothes in "onion style " including rain gear, waterproof shoes etc.

Geiranger is not included in the winter months.

In some port stops like Alesund, Tromso, Trondheim, you'll have a few hours to explore but always watch for the time, as the ship won't wait for you.

All in all we love the coastal journeys. We'll try out Havila for the first time this fall as the ships are more modern and the cabins have more space.

[talljules1]

Thanks all! That's super! At the moment haven't settled on a season. As we've cruised Norway on larger ships, that's always been May-September. We've seen the Northern Lights before, but if I can persuade my OH, a Sept-Apr trip might be a winner. I"m sure we'd both be fine with short stops at ports (we don't always get off now at ports!) and we're good at making our own entertainment - we never bother with ship entertainment, preferring to chat to other passengers.

 

Yup, we know alcohol (and everything else, really) is expensive in Norway, that's why we'd like a beverage package if possible. We'd be looking at a suite.

Sounds like there is lots more for me to look into. I hadn't got very far with H's website, but I will persevere!

[grayjay]

Happy hunting! I always love finding out about a new trip and the chance to explore the world. We have done a mini-suite on Hurtigruten's "Richard With"  ( no balcony though) which we found spacious and quiet. Water, tea and coffee all around the ship was included and we had coffee and tea packets in our room as well. We chose a suite because the regular rooms on the Hurtigruten ships tend to be tiny - many are not disturbed by this , though!

Food was excellent, even though some we met on the ship have complained about the portions. We felt fine, though and didn't miss anything. Sometimes they offer a splendid buffet at mealtimes, something which Havila doesn't do - everything is served at the table. But you can order as much as you want.

Same on the Havila ships - those being new they offer more space in the cabins, even the cheaper categories. If you click through their homepage you can find quite a lot of pictures and descriptions and about their beverage packages as well. Unfortunately they don't offer as much as cruise lines do, you pay for every drink you order, even at a reduced rate, though.

On Havila we chose a junior suite as well because you then have a balcony and some more extras to enjoy.

[Hezu]

21 hours ago, grayjay said:

Most questions have already been answered but I can offer some extra ideas:

Havila offers several beverage packages, non-alcoholic and alcoholic, coffee package. If you're in a suite or order the Havila Gold package, some drinks are included. Coffee and tea is included of you do the round trips, as far as I know. Anything alcoholic is very expensive as in all of Norway - that goes for both Hurtigruten and Havila.

Not all of Norway, there is one special exception: Svalbard. Given its special status goods sold there include no VAT and thus alcohol prices are significantly cheaper there than elsewhere in Norway. On the other hand, given the remoteness of this archipelago, most fresh food items do cost more in Svalbard as there is high transportation costs.

And Hurtigruten does offer also cruises around Svalbard, but obviously these are more of the expedition variety than the classic coastal cruises.

[Gretchendz]

On 1/29/2023 at 10:12 AM, hallasm said:

Hurtigruten is two different operation - Hurtigruten Coastal voyages which is a public transport along the Norwegian Coast - total 11 nights from Bergen to Kirkenes and back - 34 port stop at each leg - one longer stop of 2 to 3 hours every day.. This is the ‘classic voyage’

Fixed time table with departure every day together with Havila. They also offer some more expedition type express voyages.

The other part of the company is Hurtigruten Expedition - Arctic and Antarctic expeditions and more.

 

 

This still true but it worth noting that the Coastal Voyages part of the operation  is offering two new voyages starting this year that will make longer stops and be more typical cruise.  In summer it will be the Svalbard Express.  In the winter the North Cape Express.  Both will be on the Trollfjord which is being renovated this spring.

[GeezerCouple]

On 2/8/2023 at 5:58 PM, Gretchendz said:

 

This still true but it worth noting that the Coastal Voyages part of the operation  is offering two new voyages starting this year that will make longer stops and be more typical cruise.  In summer it will be the Svalbard Express.  In the winter the North Cape Express.  Both will be on the Trollfjord which is being renovated this spring.

 

 

Oh... so good to know!
We were on the Trollfjord, and have such good memories.

 

We'll look into these!

🙂

GC