For those of you who have read my previous blog telling you of my impending visit to the Arctic Circle in search of the elusive Northern Lights, http://goo.gl/BwwkDI
I am thrilled to report back that yes! I have seen the lights! not once, twice, but 3 times! I feel so privileged and humbled to have witnessed such a cosmic display of celestial dancing. Nature at this best!
The first time was in a small town called Batsfjord, where the most amazing light show took place! We were waiting for the right conditions, no light pollution, a clear night, and on the 2nd night of the cruise, having just docked, the clouds parted, and the lights appeared! Firstly just a small green streak, then it became sharper and bigger, and the full spectrum of colours appeared before us! Greens, Blues, Pinks, Violet – We couldn’t believe our eyes, and were completely mesmerised! I knew I wouldn’t be able to capture the moment in the basic camera phone I had brought with me, but I wanted to see the lights with my own eyes and heart, and I am so glad I did. It was like the angels had come down from heaven to perform a celestial dance just for us! I won’t lie, I cried with the emotion of it all!
I had booked a Hurtigruten Arctic Highlights cruise, which included a pre and post cruise stay in Tromso, and 3 nights travelling further north within the Arctic Circle for the best chance to see the lights.
Here’s me with the Captain – Happy Chappie don’t you think?
(ps: that coffee costs £4!)
Never having travelled with Hurtigruten before I was curious to see what they were like. The ship was the MS Trollfjord, built in 2002 and holds 822 passengers and I must say embarking couldn’t have been easier. We just walked up the steps into Reception, where we were given a very warm welcome by the staff, who gave us our cruise cards and directed us to our cabin. We were on board, and unpacked within 15 minutes! Amazing! Very well organised!
The ship has a bright and airy feel with a beautifully decorated Atrium in the centre. There are 2 main areas for dining, the main restaurant, with floor to ceiling windows, and also the Cafe Lounge, where hot/cold snacks are served together with tea, coffee & hot chocolate. The food served was very good, varied, fresh, and beautifully cooked.
On 2 out of the 3 nights we spent on board, Dinner was served by the waiters & waitresses. Which is where they let themselves down I’m afraid. We waited 40 minutes on average for each course, which is far too long.
Not enough staff to cater for all the guests. Also the portion sizes were rather on the small side. I don’t eat much, but even I was left ‘wanting’ after the 3 courses. They should have stuck with the Buffet option, which was fantastic. Lots of choice, and most importantly, you could get your food straight away, and go back for seconds!
We had an Inside Cabin, which was basic but more than adequate for our needs. Although we had 2 single beds in an L shape which was a bit different to the usual layout! Plenty of wardrobe space for a short cruise, although I think you would struggle on a 12 night duration. TV’s were provided in the room, with an information channel and Bow Cam.
We spent a lot of our time in the Panorama Lounge situated at the front of the ship with floor to ceiling windows over 2 floors to ensure we wouldn’t miss sight of the Lights. Its a nice place to sit and relax, read, and pass the time away taking in the beautiful scenery. I would suggest you take books, knitting, cards, as there’s very little to do on board when you’re not looking skyward!
Our favourite hang out though was the Polar Bar & Jacuzzi on Deck 9! Every day we’d pop up to the Sauna to sit and look at the amazing views of the snow topped mountains, then dash out on deck to the Hot Tub! Glorious! We’d sit soaking in the nice hot bubbles, in the snow! Incredible experience! Highly recommended! Although the dash back to the Sauna with just a towel was a bit of a challenge, and not for the faint hearted!
The ship makes various stops along the route, usually only for around 15 minutes, while it delivers and collects provisions, and the odd passenger, as it also doubles as a ferry service, vital for the more isolated islands. We also stopped in Honnisvag to visit the North Cape, 71 Degrees north, Hammerfest & Kirkenes – more details in my next blog, and more about the fantastic Northern Lights!