Trollfjord Activities

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Entertainment
Terry Ward
Contributor

Entertainment & Activities

Most of the entertainment on Trollfjord's route comes in marveling at the views outside the window and during town visits and shore excursions. The glassed-in Panorama Lounge on Deck 8 is a popular place to hang out and read during daylight hours while enjoying the passing fjord views, and there's usually no problem finding an empty seat to slide into there.

The Fjord Bar on the same deck is another popular place to lounge in comfortable chairs and small sofas set around low coffee tables. Drinks are served there all day. Passengers congregate in this area for after-dinner drinks and to hear the occasional live music act (usually a duet playing piano and singing). You'll have a hard time finding a seat right after dinner finishes, but as the night wears on, people retreat to their cabins and space frees up. (You can always sidle up to the bar, too.)

The Trollhall, at the front of the ship on Deck 9, is a nice place to steal away and read, but the nearby Polar Bar is only open for beverage service when the ship is really full, which is usually during the summer months.

In the evenings, a live two-piece band (most often a singer and pianist) plays in the Fjord Bar several times a week after dinner. Lectures about Arctic fauna and the northern lights are sometimes held in the Panorama Lounge and also in the small Amfi Theater Valhall on Deck 5. Lectures and seminars related to Norway's culture, history and nature are occasionally staged here and free for guests to attend. What you won't find on the Trollfjord are organized games like bingo, karaoke and the like.

Shore excursions through local operators can be booked onboard and include transport to offsite venues. Options might include a traditional Viking dinner, a snowmobiling trip in search of the northern lights, dog-sledding, ice-fishing for king crab or architectural tours. All tours are well organized and offered by Norwegian operators on the ground, so you're sure to be getting the best local knowledge.

Public Rooms

You enter the ship via the gangway on Deck 4. There you'll find the reception nook with a crewmember or two always on duty to answer any questions and provide laundry tokens and Internet passwords. Down the hall is a self-service laundry area with a few high-volume washers and driers and soap available for purchase.

Sundries like toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant and the like are available for purchase at the souvenir shop on Deck 5. Other items available include postcards and literature related to Norway and the coastal voyage, as well as Norwegian sweaters from Dale and Devold, hats, mittens, scarves, outdoor wear with Hurtigruten's logo, trolls and glass art pieces from the Hadeland glass factory.

Near the expedition booking desk on Deck 8, a small Internet area offers a few computer stations for passengers to use for free. At busy times, you may have to wait for one to become available. You can get a password for the ship's wireless Internet connection from the reception desk, and the Wi-Fi is available throughout most of the ship -- but not inside the cabins.

A small library is also located on Deck 8, and it's well-stocked with books relevant to Norway's coastal history and flora and fauna. You can read onsite or check out books to take back to your room.

Spa & Fitness

Trollfjord does not have a spa, but the ship's predominantly European passengers take advantage of the modern sauna facilities on Deck 9, with dry saunas separated into separate areas for men and women. While the German passengers tend to go in the nude, as is the custom in Deutschland, it's completely acceptable and more standard procedure to wear a bathing suit in the sauna. (Just don't be surprised if not everyone, forgive the pun, follows suit.) There are shower facilities there, too. A small fitness room next to the sauna is outfitted with a treadmill, stationary bicycle and weight-lifting equipment.

When the weather is fine, the spacious sun decks on Deck 9 fill with sun-seekers lounging on chaise lounges and soaking up rays. A Jacuzzi tub there is open to the skies. There is no pool on the ship. The wraparound promenade on Deck 6 is a good spot for a walk (or a rather repetitive jog).

For Kids

With no baby-sitting services or dedicated kids facilities onboard, Trollfjord is not a family-targeted ship. That said, plenty of families with young children cruise from port to port, and it's not even uncommon to see families with a young child or two onboard for the longer sailings. In port, there's usually an activity on offer that older kids will like, such as wildlife excursions to view sea eagles, snowmobiling and dog-sledding. Cabins with extra berths on Decks 6 and 7 are good for families, as they have two bunk beds and a sofa bed in a single room and can sleep up to five people. While the ship's menu does not specifically have children's food, the galley is open to requests for special foods for young passengers. The buffet usually has items that kids will enjoy, too, like cheesy pastas and breaded fish.

Activities & Entertainment

  • Enrichment Activitites
  • Espolin Johnson Lounge
  • Fitness Room
  • Fjord Hall
  • Hot Tub (2)
  • Library
  • Nightly Music
  • Onboard Lectures
  • Panorama Lounge
  • Sauna
  • * May require additional fees

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