Lofoten Review
An old ferry ship of a bygone age well worth revisiting.
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Additional details
The first surprise was finding out the old ship was sold out leaving Bergen. What better testimony for the popularity of the MS Lofoten. There were all kinds of loyal passengers on this voyage. Retired professors among the older crowd, many middle aged couples, and some young people. A lot of Norwegians, many Germans, several British, and a few Americans. Definitely the word has spread about the Lofoten experience.
The wifi internet service was fast...and free. The food service was good considering the purpose of the ship. I was not disappointed. The only rolling seas felt on the ship was while it was out at sea from Bergen. Otherwise, mostly smooth sailing...even in the Barents Sea area. The scenery made the round trip worthwhile. Understand that this ship is an old sea ferry not a cruise ship. If you can not easily entertain yourself with the scenery and port visits than you should seek out a big cruise ship. Pay attention to the currency exchange rate before buying anything especially drinks on this ship. The taxes will seem very high for those individuals from other countries. Even without the taxes the drinks are not cheap. Know what you are paying.
I booked a 12 day round trip. I noticed that for about a week everybody enjoyed getting to know everyone else. The second half of the trip once everybody had gotten acquainted many of the passengers tended to settle in with certain small groups. It was a comfortable crowd. I thought the next time I ride a Norwegian coastal ferry I may want to make the voyage a one way with other options. Check out train service options or flights. But most likely I will do the 12 day round trip voyage again as the cost is very reasonable doing the round trip. If I find it difficult to book a cruise on the Lofoten again with less than a full boat I may try to book on the MS Vesteralen, but only if it is not sold out. It is nice to find available chairs in the lounge areas which a less than full boat will have. I used the Hurtigruten booking agent located in Seattle, USA. The agent also booked the flights and the hotel in Bergen. That was good service.
Cabin Review
You should study carefully the kind of cabin you find acceptable. Do understand that some of the cabins reflect earlier times of a ferry. My cabin was for a single passenger. The total space was very limited. The total space from wall to wall was about the size of a full size mattress! No place to hang clothing. No reading lights and no chair. Absolutely basic. One sink in the cabin and the bath and toilet down the passageway. However, that said, the bath and toilet was no real inconvenience. But if you are someone with any bathroom related issues you might want a cabin with bathroom.
My first cabin was D 249. Later when I noticed some passengers with luggage leaving the ship at one of the ports I decided to see if a bigger cabin was available. I was offered cabin 310 which had more space and a couch that could be made into a second bed. Still, only a sink. No bath. I was happy to move to the larger cabin as it made life much easier.
Check carefully what you are getting. One regular passenger told me that no one who knows the cabin numbers of the desirable cabins will divulge that information to anyone else. On this ship I can believe it. So, get as much infor as possible before choosing a cabin.