Reindeer and the aurora borealis, secret fjords and
Viking history await on two adventurous voyages
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North stars
cool cruises through Norway’s wonders, from the Arctic Circle to Oslo
land where snow-crowned peaks tower over deep fjords, vast glaciers creep icily through valleys, and winter skies are painted by the northern lights dancing through the darkness.
Welcome to Norway, one of those rare places where the pictures don’t lie. It really is that beautiful.
Into this wonderland comes Hurtigruten, a Norwegian cruise company with an enviable pedigree of more than 130 years – and the undisputed expert for exploring the country’s magnificent coastline and fjords.
Its ships are intimate and informal. Guests dine on award-winning Norwegian-inspired cuisine prepared with sustainable local produce straight from the fields and fjords.
Choose one of Hurtigruten’s two Signature Voyages to travel in luxurious style on the elegant MS Trollfjord. During the winter season the North Cape Line glides along Norway’s coast, while the summer season sees the Svalbard Line journeying to the Svalbard archipelago under the midnight sun.
Both cruises are truly authentic experiences, calling at little ports and other destinations that bigger vessels can’t reach and with lots of time to explore ashore.
Meals and drinks are included; guests can upgrade to stylish suites; and everyone is invited to join the Coastal Experience Team for talks and stories about Norway’s nature, wildlife and culture.
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Nature’s masterpiece Norway’s landscapes were carved by glaciers over millions of years
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Hurtigruten’s 15-day North Cape Line cruise is a spectacular journey offering everything from majestic scenery and secret fjords to the aurora borealis – nature’s very own light show.
Departing from Oslo, travellers sail the length of the Norwegian coast and enjoy exciting adventures onshore in 13 captivating ports. You can even stand at the very edge of Europe on an excursion to the North Cape.
As this is a journey into the realm of the northern lights, there is always the likelihood of seeing them flash across the night sky.
Hurtigruten is so confident the lights will appear that it pledges to give guests a free six or seven-day Coastal Express cruise if they don’t. Here is a selection of the discoveries awaiting you…
NORTH CAPE LINE:
A NORTHERN LIGHTS PROMISE
Sitting astride the Oslofjord and surrounded by mountains, Oslo is one of the world’s most beautiful capitals. Don’t miss the Edvard Munch museum; 14th-century Akershus Fortress; Vigeland Sculpture Park with more than 200 works in bronze, granite and iron; and Holmenkollen, a hill and ski jump offering panoramic vistas of the city.
As the green shoots of spring appear and the days grow longer, MS Trollfjord sets a course towards Svalbard, an archipelago beyond the Arctic Circle where ice rules, the polar bear is king and the midnight sun is guaranteed.
This amazing premium all-inclusive 15-day cruise round trip from Bergen pairs Norway’s charming towns and stunning fjords with a sail past the dramatic cliffs of Bear Island (Bjørnøya in Norwegian) and exciting days ashore in Spitsbergen, the largest of the Svalbard islands.
Guests can go dog sledding, step ashore at one of the world’s most northerly settlements and hear tales of the settlers who made this icy world their home. For sure they’ll see hundreds of thousands of seabirds and with luck plenty of whales, polar bears and walruses too.
Keep cameras at the ready.
Whether guests want a one or two-week cruise, fancy seeing more of the Norwegian coast or prefer to stay south of the Arctic, Hurtigruten has a voyage to suit.
The 15-day Signature Voyages North Cape Line and Svalbard Line cruises invite guests to board a premium ship with all-inclusive food and beverages and award-winning cuisine, plus longer stops in ports and an enhanced coastal experience team. Both journeys can be trimmed to a week.
Save up to 20 per cent on Original Voyages and up to 15 per cent on Signature Voyages. Book by April 28, 2025 at hurtigruten.com
Journeys of
discovery
Oslo
The gateway to the gorgeous Lysefjord, Stavanger has everything from extraordinary street art – with huge murals by international names – to a virtual reality history experience at the Viking House, which includes boarding a Viking ship and experiencing a famous battle. Days here are split between exploring ashore and a sail through the Lysefjord to the Pulpit Rock, a colossal, sheer-sided plateau soaring 604m above the narrow waterway.
Stavanger
This fishing town has intriguing museums, including the Norveg, which walks visitors through 10,000 years of Norway’s coastal history from the Stone Age to the present day. Go in March for the annual Arctic cod festival, and enjoy traditional dishes such as cod, liver and roe, browse local handicrafts and see theatrical performances.
Rørvik
Inside the Arctic Circle, Alta is literally a top spot to see the northern lights. Visit the stunning Northern Lights Cathedral, a spiral of titanium climbing into the sky, with its interactive Borealis Alta exhibition. After an exhilarating dog sledding trip, relax with a drink in the bar of the Igloo Hotel – the world’s northernmost ice hotel, which is crafted afresh by artists every year.
Alta
On a peninsula where three fjords meet, Narvik packs in history and outdoor excitement. There are Second World War museums and activities including skiing, dog sledding and hiking. Take a cable car up Narvikfjellet for glorious views over the town and fjords.
Narvik
The town is on a mission to become Europe’s most environmentally friendly port. All is explained on a walking ecotour, which includes a stop at Odderøya Island, where former military barracks have been converted into artist studios hosting sustainable initiatives. Excursions also dive into Second World War history, with a visit to a German fort housing the world’s second biggest land-based cannon. Guests can also journey to the Lindesnes Lighthouse on the South Cape.
Kristiansand
SVALBARD LINE:
INTO THE ARCTIC
In the pretty Lofoten Islands, this fishing village, almost 300 years old, is a picture with its distinctive rorbu (red fishing huts) clinging to the water’s edge and snow-capped mountains overhead. Look out for cod drying on racks and learn about this important industry at the fishing museum.
Reine
Famed for the striking Arctic Cathedral, its jagged shape inspired by icebergs and glaciers, Tromsø delivers on history. The Polar Museum features exhibitions dedicated to Norwegian explorers Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen; and a guided woodland hike takes you to Tønsviking medieval homestead, where you’ll learn about Viking life.
Tromsø
The largest settlement on Svalbard, Longyearbyen has fascinating museums about Arctic exploration, sightseeing by e-bike and a wilderness camp where visitors can meet husky dogs and learn about polar bears.
Longyearbyen
A former coal mining colony and the starting point for Roald Amundsen’s North Pole expeditions, Ny-Ålesund hosts more than 100 scientific researchers during the summer. It’s also the world’s northernmost permanent settlement. Among the wildlife you might see are arctic foxes, walruses and – with luck – a polar bear on the hunt. And be ready on deck for the sailaway to admire the two massive glaciers at the Kongsfjord’s entrance.
Ny-Ålesund
The Norwegian Coastal Express, Hurtigruten’s original route, was founded here – so where better to locate a museum about the company. It opened in 2021 on Hurtigruten’s 1956 vessel MS Finnmarken, which sits on the town’s waterfront encased in glass and full of memorabilia about the operator.
Stokmarknes
Frozen world The Ice Hotel offers a chilled experience like no other
Fresh air Sublime hiking around Åndalsnes; cocktails on board MS Trollfjord; ice fishing
Furry transport Dog sledding is a great way to go cross-country
Two’s company Svalbard reindeer roam on the slopes as the ship glides by
Poised for thought Take in the full majesty on deck
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Worth pining for
The fjords of Norway will keep calling you back
Oslo
Sitting astride the Oslofjord and surrounded by mountains, Oslo is one of the world’s most beautiful capitals. Don’t miss the Edvard Munch museum; 14th-century Akershus Fortress; Vigeland Sculpture Park, with more than 200 works in bronze, granite and iron; and Holmenkollen, a hill and ski jump offering panoramic vistas of the city.
Stavanger
The gateway to the gorgeous Lysefjord, Stavanger has everything from extraordinary street art – with huge murals by international names – to a virtual reality history experience at the Viking House, which includes boarding a Viking ship and experiencing a famous battle… Days here are split between exploring ashore and a sail through the Lysefjord to the Pulpit Rock, a colossal, sheer-sided plateau soaring 604m above the narrow waterway.
Rørvik
This fishing town has intriguing museums, including the Norveg, which walks visitors through 10,000 years of Norway’s coastal history from the Stone Age to the present day. Go in March for the annual Arctic cod festival, and enjoy traditional dishes such as cod, liver and roe, browse local handicrafts, and see theatrical performances.
Oslo
Sitting astride the Oslofjord and surrounded by mountains, Oslo is one of the world’s most beautiful capitals. Don’t miss the Edvard Munch museum; 14th-century Akershus Fortress; Vigeland Sculpture Park, with more than 200 works in bronze, granite and iron; and Holmenkollen, a hill and ski jump offering panoramic vistas of the city.
Stavanger
The gateway to the gorgeous Lysefjord, Stavanger has everything from extraordinary street art – with huge murals by international names – to a virtual reality history experience at the Viking House, which includes boarding a Viking ship and experiencing a famous battle… Days here are split between exploring ashore and a sail through the Lysefjord to the Pulpit Rock, a colossal, sheer-sided plateau soaring 604m above the narrow waterway.
Rørvik
This fishing town has intriguing museums, including the Norveg, which walks visitors through 10,000 years of Norway’s coastal history from the Stone Age to the present day. Go in March for the annual Arctic cod festival, and enjoy traditional dishes such as cod, liver and roe, browse local handicrafts, and see theatrical performances.
Tromsø
Famed for the striking Arctic Cathedral, its jagged shape inspired by icebergs and glaciers, Tromsø delivers on history: the Polar Museum features exhibitions dedicated to Norwegian explorers Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen; and a guided woodland hike takes you to Tønsviking medieval homestead, where you’ll learn about Viking life.
Longyearbyen
The largest settlement on Svalbard, Longyearbyen has fascinating museums about Arctic exploration, sightseeing by e-bike and a wilderness camp where visitors can meet husky dogs and learn about polar bears.
land where snow-crowned peaks tower over deep fjords, vast glaciers creep icily through valleys, and winter skies are painted by the northern lights dancing through the darkness.
Welcome to Norway, one of those rare places where the pictures don’t lie. It really is that beautiful.
Into this wonderland comes Hurtigruten, a Norwegian cruise company with an enviable pedigree of more than 130 years – and the undisputed expert for exploring the country’s magnificent coastline and fjords.
Its ships are intimate and informal. And guests dine on award-winning Norwegian-inspired cuisine prepared with sustainable local produce straight from the fields and fjords.
Choose one of Hurtigruten’s two Signature Voyages to travel in luxurious style on the elegant MS Trollfjord. During the winter season the North Cape Line glides along Norway’s coast, while the summer season sees the Svalbard Line journeying to the Svalbard archipelago under the midnight sun.
Both cruises are truly authentic experiences, calling at little ports and other destinations that bigger vessels can’t reach and with lots of time to explore ashore.
Meals and drinks are included; guests can upgrade to stylish suites; and everyone is invited to join the coastal experience team for talks and stories about Norway’s nature, wildlife and culture.
Two’s company Svalbard reindeer roam on the slopes as the ship glides along
