We chose this cruise primarily for the astronomy tour and because we wanted to travel during the fall to have some daylight and pretty colors. We also wanted to rent a car and explore Norway on our own in low season but before the onset of winter. Half of our trip was on the ship and the other half was on our own. We would definitely say that the ship part of the voyage was by far the best value and a true vacation but we are glad to have done both because we feel like we really got to know Norway pretty well after spending a month there.

We would highly recommend the astronomy package. The tour leaders, John & Inger, made a fabulous team. They provided much more than promised, such as guided walks on shore, entertaining stories, information about Norway and its people, and they spent lots of time with us out on desk answering our questions about the stars and the northern lights. It provided a nice social atmosphere as well. We really enjoyed getting to know the other participants in the astronomy group and looked forward to our gatherings.

The boat is lovely, very tastefully decorated, and for us, it had just the right atmosphere with the right blend of activities and down time so we could enjoy simply being there. The crew was so friendly with a great sense of humor. We took several of the excursions and enjoyed all of them. They seemed expensive at the time but compared to what we spent while on our own doing mainly hikes, we appreciated the value of our excursions on board the ship. We used the hot tub several times and also the sauna. It was pleasant to sit outside and enjoy the view, especially when the weather wasn't particularly good and the deck was devoid of other travelers. We spent a lot of time out on deck but the public areas were also very pleasant. They were never crowded, despite the fact that the ship was full. My husband took a lot of transatlantic trips as a child and said this tour was more like that than the glitzy carnival type atmosphere that so many other ships aspire to. Everyone we met on board said it was the perfect size and the perfect atmosphere for them. Read more