Nordkapp Review

Amazing Way to See Norway and Northern Lights for Photographers

Review for Norwegian Fjords Cruise on Nordkapp
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sgphoto
First Time Cruiser • Age 60s

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Sail Date: Sep 2017

We chose MS Nordkapp because of the many popular reviews and the ship size. We had an outer Polar berth and were worried that we wouldn't get a good view out, but the porthole was unobstructed and allowed us to see the coast whenever we were in the room. It was a wonderful trip with incredible food (a great introduction to Norwegian food--although we were not thrilled with the cod tongue which we understand is a favorite in Norway!). There was plenty of room to "spread out", with multiple areas of comfortable seating, but we found the "beach towel" phenomena to be alive and well for the favorite indoor lounge chairs at the front of the ship. Many were claimed early and throughout the day, there were multiple chairs "taken" by people at lunch, dinner, smoke break etc. That was something we had experienced at beach resorts, but were disappointed that the management didn't enforce the "rules". We found other areas to relax, particularly on the outdoor protected 7th deck which allowed us to get up and take photos frequently. Most of the wait staff were very friendly, but the excursion team of Toona, Elizabeth and Marie were outstanding, full of smiles and willingness to talk and answer questions.

As photographers, we were eager to take photos of the different ports, even if the ship was only scheduled for 30 minutes. We naively thought the ship would come into port "right at the center of town with picturesque buildings" and that we would have great opportunities. In reality, they came into port in the industrial sections to unload goods, and it was sometimes a several block hike to get to good photographic opportunities. We learned to be in line to get off the boat quickly and to make the best use of our time.

Before we left, we called Hurtigruten about whether we, as photographers, would find the trip most photogenic from Bergen to Kirkenes (pronounced Cheerkinknees) or from Kirkenes to Bergen. The young man we spoke with encouraged us to start at "the top" and go south because the most beautiful part of the trip in his opinion was Vesterlen and Loften, which were seen in the daytime on the southern journey. We were very thankful for that recommendation since other passengers on the round trip told us they didn't see the coast at that location because they passed through it during the night. We saw very few sunsets and sunrises, but the scenery is so beautiful, even in overcast conditions.

Cabin Review

Cabin polar outer

This was one of the lower priced cabins, but it had everything we needed. There was a mild urine odor in the shower room which was promptly fixed by a plumber's tool and the odor immediately stopped. Lighting in the cabin was wonderful for reading while my husband slept. Bunks were very comfortable and warm. The porthole was unobstructed which was a blessing!

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