Hurtigruten ferries are an iconic institution in Norway, and we chose it expecting an authentic Norwegian experience rather than a classic cruise. What we got was a very pleasant surprise. Firstly, we would recommend booking a suite if you are going to be on the boat for the whole round trip Bergen to Bergen (12 days). We travelled on the Finnmarken, and the suite was very large, with a private verandah and was better than more expensive suites we booked on Crystal Symphony. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of suites, and many of the ships don't offer them, so these are in high demand.

I can think of no other way of seeing this much of Norway in this period of time, the scenery is every bit as good as anybody has said, and whilst we were very lucky to get great weather, the different scenery offered by the weather changes is also majestic and worth seeing. The ship calls at many ports every day, large and small, and anybody who is remotely interested in shipping will be enthralled by the skill of the crew in getting these large ships into the tight ports, under bridges, between rocks/islands/small boats, all to a strict timetable. Meeting other Hurtigruten ferries on a daily basis was also a lovely nautical experience.

The meals were very good indeed, featuring Norwegian specialties and the freshest salmon you will every eat in the entire world. I had read multiple complaints about the need to purchase water/wine packages. I would strongly recommend buying every package available for people staying on the ship: the cost of everything in Norway is exorbitant, and I think the prices charged for the packages are very reasonable in this context. See this is an opportunity to NOT purchase the package to help reduce the price of getting on the ship for those willing to forgo alcohol with their food. Read more