Just returned from a 11 day Northern Lights voyage along the Norwegian coast to Kirkenes and back to Bergen - and it was mind blowing. I've returned relaxed, pampered and looking to book another cruise - with Hurtigurten. Never will I grace Royal Caribbean, or Princess again No casinos, no spas, no entertainment crews - it was education, relaxing and no hard sell. Cabins were basic, clean and well thought out, Bathrooms small and efficient. Staff were incredibly professional and charming Its a working ship, and the dress code was refreshingly casual..no dressing up for dinner. We loved every minute of it and the food was amazing. Fresh, locally sourced, not a french fry, burger, hot dog, pizza or hot dog in site. Excursions were expensive, but worth every penny - and no more expensive than the private ones which you can arrange independently Yes, alcohol is expensive, but this is Norway, and the prices on the ship were cheaper than the mid range hotels in Bergen. Embarkment and disembarkation were incredibly fast - we were in our hotel in less than an hour of leaving our deck - straight into a taxi. Tips - bring a kettle if you don't buy the premium package - learn how to use your camera for photographing the northern lights ( we had 6 nights of this spectacular) - bring a pair of slippers, good books, knitting/craft/watercolours - something to do when you are sailing along do at least 3 expeditions ( we did dog sledging, the ice hotel and the marble mines. All were incredible) Ignore the moaning minnie reviews. There are hundreds of thousand of people who have done this voyage. final words, don't hesitate book it! Read Less

I choosed it because it is the easiest way from bergen to the lofoten. I heard about hurtigruten in german TV and liked it. But it was much better than i ever expected. I will absolutely do it again and take all the tour north and back south. I really appreciated the work of the expedition team. They do a great job and i can absolutely recommend vitising every workshop, excusion and presentation we had on board. please check it out. you will never forget it. You can't get this point of view when you are traveling alone in norway like i do. It is expensive, yes. But i am on my own in norway, traveling alone and on the ship it felt like going on a trip with my classmates. At first i was alone, but with every excursion we had and with every meal i met more and more people and when i was leaving the ship some people huged me and stand outside on the ship and waved me. it feld so nice and it was so easy to get in contact with new people. Read Less

About 5 years ago I went on the same cruise in January up the coast of Norway all the way to the Russian border, everything gleamring in the snow. It was so beautiful that I wanted to see it in the summer, and wasn’t disappointed. Totally different but stunning all the same. The Hurtigruten Line is very well organised. Joining the cruise in Bergen and disembarkation at the end is done with military precision. The facilities on board are a delight and the food is a dream. Both breakfast and lunch are buffet style but I defy anyone to be unable to find suitable food wherever in the world you come from. Dinner was a set menu with allocated tables. The service staff are quick and efficient and friendly. I can only report on my own cabin experience but I was more than happy. I was fortunate to have an upgrade from inside to outside cabin with a window. I suspect it was because it was my second voyage with Hurtigruten Cruise line. The cabin was well equipped but I did take a little travel kettle, tea and coffee and dried milk. I like a cup of tea as soon as I rise in the morning. The excursions are numerous and, again, well organised. As for entertainment it’s not like the big cruise ships by any means, there are regular lectures about everything Norwegian, from wildlife, oil production, myths and legends, fishing etc. These lectures are entertaining and well presented. There’s the Crossing the Artic Circle ceremony attended by King Neptune, which, if you dare to participate, ends with you having a jug full of cold water and ice cubes tipped down the back of your neck, so beware. The one thing I will say is that Norway is a very expensive country to visit. You have to be prepared for high prices for anything on board over and above the full board costs already paid for. Having said that it is a wonderful experience. Read Less

I always wanted to go on this cruise and finally booked it as there was no surcharge for a single cabin. In the beginning, I was a bit disappointed as the weather was rather cloudy and rainy with limited visibility. Fortunately, the weather changed on day 3 and the trip became one of the best I ever did. Great landscape, nice excursions (Northern Cape, Husky sleigh tour and midnight concert in Trondheim), a variety of people to spend time with, very interesting presentations on various aspects of Norway and first-class delicious food! I appreciated the easy-going atmosphere (no fashion shows at diner). Food was delicious and deserves 5 stars. The cabin was as expected, not too big, but with everything you need. My cabin was with restricted view, means there was a rescue boat in front of the window. I made an excursion to the Northern cape, a Husky adventure in Kirkenes where we also visited the Snow Hotel and the Midnight concert in Trondheim. Organisation was good and I enjoyed them all. There is lots more on offer, however they are all quite expensive for Non-Norwegians. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I particularly liked the expedition team as they were giving regular presentations on various subjects on Norway - very informative and interesting. Overall, it was an impressive experience with Hurtigruten and I will most probably go again to experience a different time of the year. Read Less

We have just returned from a South to North trip. Some of the experiences were great, the ship was comfortable and the crew friendly but we will not be going again in the late spring for the wildlife as we'd originally intended. From the UK everything is very, very expensive. More than we'd anticipated. £10 for a lager, £40+ for a run of the mill Pinot Grigio, £80-£100 for a 2 hour sightseeing tour, etc. And many of the excursions are a rip off because either they are too time limited due to the ships schedule or take place in the dark. Eg, at Trondheim our guided bus tour of the town (including a viewpoint lookout) was in the dark. It could have been run an hour later. At Saltstraumen, the tide was hardly running, so no 'maelstrom', and worst of all the 'Sailing in the Polar Night' aka 'Silent Whale Watching' (they changed the title as there were no whales), supposedly under an electric engine and maybe sail, is a farce. The captain confirmed they never raised the sail on that trip, most of the time we were under noisy diesel power, no whales are the norm this year as the herring have gone further north, and, of course, after the first half hour it was in the dark so the wonderful scenery we were told of was invisible. When the excursion sheet says the trip is say 3.5 hours for the dog sledding, you have to allow for time getting to and from the venue by coach and kitting up, safety talk and making a fuss of the dogs so this only a half to three quarter hour actually out. I didn't do this trip as I have mobility problems and thought it would be too long. It wasn't. Mobility wise on the ship there is a lift between floors, the outside doors have automatic button opening and there are shallow stairs with a rail and then a ramp for embarkation. Do as much homework as you possibly can before you go. There are maps provided for each port where there is time ashore and if you are of average fitness I would recommend using these and on-line information and doing your own excursion. Many did and saw so much more than we did on the organised trips. Read Less

We choose this cruise due to its itinerary and it being a working ship. The experience is therefore different, there are several stops every day and it's an interesting way to get to know more about the local culture. We thoroughly enjoyed this trip, visiting so many different cities and seeing the Northern Lights on the last day. The crew was excellent, very professional and friendly. The food was outstanding, even very thoughtful for the evening meals. This was our first cruise and for that we have enjoyed it very much. Our cruise was one way from Bergen to Kirkenes. This included New Year's Eve on the boat, which again was thought well through to provide entertainment and the right atmosphere on boat. There are plenty of excursions to choose from, which we recommend that you do some of these, they are well planned and give a good insight. The Point of Interest Activities on the outside Deck are definitely worthwhile. The only word of warning is to choose your cabin wisely. We just booked a basic Polar Outside and were on Deck 3. Although it says the MS Nordkapp has been refurbished in 2016, so it's overall in excellent and modern conditions, the same doesn't apply for Deck 3. Our cabin was still old school. Read Less

I have often thought about a Norwegian cruise, how pretty it would be. Friends went in September and I was completely smitten by their photographs and their experience. I perused Hurtigruten's web site and booked a date covering both Christmas and New Year, and a class of cabin in my price range. I was not disappointed in my choice. The service on board was excellent from all members of staff. The MS Nordlys has the bonus of an on-board Expedition Team so as well as the Hurtigruten excursions, there were also walks or hikes with the Expedition Team, generally where the tours didn't go. On board there was a daily talk by the Expedition Team on topics such as The Sami People, Polar Expeditions, Folklore and Fairytales, along with general information about the next port of call and things to see and do. I didn't think the excursions were particularly good value for money but that could be because nothing in Norway is cheap. They were, however, very good. Those I went on were, with the exception of a nature and history walk with the on-board Expedition Team, Hurtigruten excursions. Sadly there is only time to do one excursion or expedition at stops en route so if doing both the northbound and southbound voyages its good to read the timings thoroughly before booking anything in case you miss out. For example, if you go dog-sledding in Tromso on the northbound voyage then you miss the city tour because on the southbound journey the stop at Tromso only has a midnight concert. So take the city tour northbound and do the dog sledding at Kirkenes! I didn't find it necessary to pre-book any excursions, they were all bookable on board but perhaps they get more booked out during different seasons. On the dates I travelled (25 December-5th January) the age range of Coastal Voyage passengers was mixed - one or two children, under 30's, over 30's and on to middle aged and older. Some travellers had a physical disability but they were all looked after whenever they needed help. Some locations were difficult for disembarking but their needs were well catered for, including using the car loading bay when the passenger ramp was too steep for them. Don't be deterred if you're disabled! Mealtimes are open seating with the exception of most dinners where you are allocated a dining time and a table at the outset of your Voyage. Most single travellers were put together, generally in groups of same language speakers - English, German etc spread out among the different sittings. Further down this review you will see that I have said I've done 2-5 cruises: my first was moving to Australia in 1971, the second and third were from Australia to New Zealand and from New Zealand to the UK. These were on large impersonal cruise liners. The Hurtigruten Coastal Voyage is not only an experience for travellers but is a working ferry for local people wanting to get from place to place easily and there is no comparison between the first 3 'cruises' and that which I have just taken with Hurtigruten. Without doubt the Hurtigruten Coastal Voyage is the most memorable and the most enjoyable for me - its casual and fun without too many frills, smart casual for dinner rather than stuffy "dress for dinner" or "dine with the captain". If you want posh, then you may find another company suits you better. I will definitely book more trips with Hurtigruten in the future and will definitely revisit the coastal voyage during another season. Read Less

The Hurtigruten ships carry freight and passengers daily between many little towns along the coast of Norway. I travelled northbound, from Bergen to Kirkenes in winter and it was a beautiful trip. The days got shorter and shorter until the last day only had one hour of shimmering daylight. The whole coast was snowy white but the water doesn't freeze due to the warm gulf stream. The weather was really quiet and so was the sea. Due to it being cloudy I only saw a little bit of Northern Lights, twice. But I really loved standing out on the deck in the dark, looking for the lights. (and the meteorshower was also a great sight!) MS Lofoten is a beautiful old ship and I really loved being on board. There's always something to do or see so no chance to get bored. Daily programs are available at the reception and they follow it almost to the minute! The trip is full-board and all the meals were excellent, with lots of fresh salmon prepared in all sorts of manners, and local specialities like herring and cheeses. Also fresh breads and fresh fruits at breakfast. You can order wine per glass. Prices are quite high but similar to those on land. This is due to Norwegian taxes and not because the company is overpricing. Shared showers are kept clean and the water is always warm. The tapwater is drinkable and it tasted good and fresh. An extra bonus are the meetings with the tourleader. They are adding extra value because you get a lot of information about all things concerning the voyage such as the ship, the fleet, the weather system and the preparing of local foods. So if you hear an anouncement about something happening in the bar or on the flightdeck you should definately join! Books in different languages can be found in both panoramalounges, in a big wooden box or in a crate. Wifi worked fine most of the time. You can get off the ship and have a look in the villages as long as you're back onboard 10 minutes before departure. At many times the streets were covered in ice so don't forget to pack icegrips to put under your shoes. Read Less

I chose this cruise to experience the Arctic, see the Northern Lights and re-visit some Norwegian Fjords in the winter. My expectations were exceeded in most respects especially that of the ship. The NL were special and spectacular albeit not as colourful as the marketing suggests. Wonderful to witness and experience first hand on many nights of the trip. My cabin (321) was blissfully quiet and comfortable. Spotlessly clean with an efficient en suite shower/toilet ensuring hot showers, delicious cold drinking water on tap and restful sleep. The gentle hitting of the waves on the bow below my cabin ensured that I felt being at sea. I had thought I'd need a balcony suite to ensure getting fresh air, however my cabin air-conditioning was perfectly adjustable and the air not so dry as to cause chest problems. The balcony suites forward on Deck 6 are spacious with a large picture window and a glass door to a large balcony. Very much worth the upgrade on board if they are available! A key contributor to my wonderful experience was the blissful absence of the usual cruise ship noise, entertainment and loud music in public areas. We were allowed to savour the spectacular scenery in genteel quietness. Lounge conversations were mostly hushed as fellow passengers respected the glorious environment we were privileged to observe from the several comfortable lounges and spacious decks. Announcements were kept to essentials and cleverly one could opt out of hearing them in one's cabin. While food is not my focus on such trips, the breakfast and lunch buffets catered for a wide range of tastes and preference and there were numerous tasty options including an impressive dessert buffet with unusual (local) options. Dinner was a three course meal with superb food beautifully presented and explained in a multilingual menu. If the day's dishes did not appeal the restaurant manager was happy to arrange options if given some advance notice. Dishes reflected the local specialities as we progressed from region to region and thus I was delighted to enjoy local food while sailing. Embarkation and disembarkation were efficient and stress free especially made easy at the Bergen Hurtigruten Terminal. The staff were pleasant and helpful but not intrusive. The dining room staff were very friendly. One of the waiters, Jan, was great fun and thus further enhanced dinner meals' enjoyment. As the wifi on board was always superb, streaming music and movies as well as doing internet searches for information, not to mention using Whatsapp, FaceTime, Facebook etc I was fully able to entertain myself when not viewing the spectacular scenery from the comfortable, quietly subdued lounges or from the spacious decks. The heated outdoor pool is delightful as are the two Jacuzzis and were used by hardier passengers than I who balked at emerging from them into sub zero temperatures. Experiencing this truly "working" ship with elements of a luxury ferry while enjoying all the above benefits was a very special treat for me. I thoroughly recommend it to those travellers who seek true sea board life without the cruise ship focus on being a floating resort. The journey to/from Bergen and Kirkenes is a memorable one made even more so by travelling on the Finnmarken. Read Less

MC Lofoten, a boat from 1964, gives the romanticisme to a beautiful and relax trip by Norway coast. Was a trip from Bergen to Kirkenes, the idea going in October was to try enjoying northern lights, and the main wish was to pass artic line and the visit of North Cape. Really we were lucky having 6 sunny days, with 6 nights northern lights, what can I ask more? The food was one of the tops on the trip. Much choice for breakfast and lunch buffet, every day vegan choice was really appreciated. Dinner was served, and selected regarding the places we were passing by. I would have like the possibility for the choice at list fish or meat, and more vegetables at night, anyway was delicious what they offered. Really looking forwards to organize a next trip with Hurtigruten company. They have a big vacation choice. Maybe this time will look for midnight sun experience. Read Less

We love the service, the food, and the ship. The crew are just very effective, very courteous and very pleasant. Martha, the Services Manager is excellent. She is so helpful. Food was great. All the cooks, service folks and the managers are very accommodating. We had a great time. The shows were great, very entertaining. The program manager, Aarean, is great. Port Talk is very helpful. He was doing a great job. Internet was slow. Need some improvement. The included excursion could have a little more "substance". The ship, Viking Star, is beautiful, state of the art. We enjoyed the pool, the sauna, the steam room very much. The Nordic room was too cold for us. The room was spacious. Bath room is very roomy and very clean. Mohumad kept the room and the bath room very clean. He was doing a great job. Overall, we love it. We have booked 2017 already. Read Less

A dream came true. One of the best holiday experiences. Exillent service and food onboard. Ship is overall clean and in good condition. Panorama salon is nice to be in during bad weather and evenings. There is a very nice and friendly atmosphere on board. Breathtaking views as you sail by. We were on two excursions by rib boats, Saltströmen and crabfishing, both worth to go on. Trondheim and Tromsö is nice to go ashore. In Trondheim you should visit the cathedral with a guide provided. In Tromsö is a very nice Arctic museum and a modern church. Unfortunately we were not able to attend a concert but think there is a fantastic acoustic in the church. We saw whales and northern light although not so strong. A special praise to the restaurant. Nice table settings, excellent service and fantastic food, 2 kg:s + in one week!! Would have appreciated some evening entertainment, live music etc. Don't wait, go NOW. Read Less

Zuiderdam I sailed from Bergen to NYC.Sailing through Hermine the captain made the correct call missing Nova Scotia and head for NYC. I enjoyed the city for a full day.Hop on hop off for$64.00 with ferry. It appeared as though they are short staffed rarely extra staff was called in when it got super busy.I was disappointed in finding out the ship had no self serve laundry.$30.00 abag or $110.00 unlimited.Very hard working staff and friendly. I was surprised to hear the ship ran out of 4 or 5 different beers.The onboard entertainment could be better and a longer show to boot.The milk cartons were the worse you had to punch a straw through the top, good luck trying to open it to pour.I suggested to the cruise line to offer extended days in certain ports.1 day in Reykavik was not enough I hate to rush to see as much as I can.They decided to fix some area on the lido area interrupting seating.I feel the whole needs reconfigurating.not enough seating at prime time.The casual smart dining menu is similar a lot if the times.So if you want to sit for an hour and a half or two it,s up to you.I also don't know why they only offer happy hour in just 2 locals.I heard they are going to dry dock the ship in the near future. Read Less

The MS Lofoten is now 50 years old and maintains a small hotel feel, with none of the trappings of a large cruise ship. The passengers are a mix of singles and couples doing either the northbound trip, southbound trip and circular trip from Bergen to Kirkenes to Bergen. Staff on board are very friendly and the food is amazing. However if you are not adventurous with your food then try a larger ship as this has a set dinner menu (all fantastic quality). As a smaller ship, this doesn't have stabilsers so again if you are prone to sea sickness then go on a larger ship. It was not a big problem on our trip. Don't think of your MS Lofoten holiday as a holiday, think of it more as the adventure you always promised yourself Read Less