The Norwegian Coastal Express

Sounds like the train in Harry Potter doesn’t it!  Hurtigruten is sometimes referred to as the Norwegian Coastal Express. They have 11 ships which cruise almost the entire length of Norway and also have some fantastic trips to the Arctic as well as the Antarctic. If you do fancy something a bit different then they could be for you.

Of course as the ships are used as a daily passenger and freight service around Norway, do not expect lush furnishings or the all singing and all dancing type of entertainment you may be used to. What you will get though is swimming pools, bars, gyms, panoramic lounges to sit in with very comfortable surroundings. Very nice cabin accommodation from suites right down to inside cabins.  Let us face it though with these type of ships and the destinations it is not about your accommodation but really all about what you see.

So, what do they offer in terms of destinations?  Personally I think as they are smaller ships they do get to visit the places most other cruise lines do not get to. From trips from Tromso to Bergen to Spitsbergen to see the polar bears, to the northern lights  and then onwards to the Antarctic. Falkland Islands, Chile, Montevideo to name a few – they really do cover destinations you might not have thought possible to see.

What I also like about the company is there care for the environment especially in the Antarctic.  They contribute to the local area too by making sure they buy locally produced food which of course includes sustainable seafood.  With all the distance they do travel they are also very active in rescue and support missions if they are needed. The last one was the rescue of 3 members of crew from the MS Polaryls, which was sinking.

You would think with all of these ships and the destinations they cover they don’t have time for anymore ships but they do! In the last few days they have launched a new ship called the MS Spitsbergen. This year the ship will concentrate on sailing along the Norwegian coast and polar expeditions whilst in 2017 she will cover Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe and Shetland Islands as well as Arctic Canada!

Why not try them out or take a look at what they offer, it will be very different but boy I think it will be amazing!