Your voyage starts in Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city and a gateway to the fjords. Founded in 1070 A.D., Bergen boasts architecture influenced by the prosperous 14th-century German trading organization, the Hanseatic League. You’ll also meet your ship’s Coastal Experience Team, who will be your guides as we sail Norway’s coastline. They’ll organize lectures, onboard activities, and optional hikes.
Ålesund is renowned for its beautiful Art Nouveau architecture and Atlanterhavsparken, one of northern Europe’s largest saltwater aquariums. If you’re traveling with us in spring or winter, you’ll have most of the day to explore this picturesque town. The last port of the day is Molde. In summer, there might just enough daylight to see the amazing view of the 222 mountain peaks across the fjord, called the ‘Molde Panorama’.
This section of the voyage brings us to the Trøndelag region of Norway, marked by crumpled hills, fields dotted with farmsteads, and low-lying coastal settlements.  Nearby, the old city bridge Gamle Bybro sits over Nid River, marking the entrance to the old Hanseatic district of Bakklandet. The neighborhood’s colorful wooden wharves, which are propped up on stilts by the river’s edge, now house a variety of restaurants. Up from Bakklandet is Kristiansten Fort, which has beautiful panoramic views of the city and fjord.
We cross the Arctic Circle early in the morning, beginning your Arctic tour of Norway. We mark the moment with a traditional ceremony that’s sure to wake you up. At 10 a.m., we’ll dock in Ørnes, near Norway’s second-largest glacier, Svartisen. The pier here is popular for the ‘Love Bench’, where sweethearts declare their lasting romance with a padlock.
We dock in Harstad just after 7 a.m. Feel free to have a peaceful early morning stroll around town. Along the waterfront you’ll find Polaria, a centre exhibiting environmental research in the Arctic with a small aquarium. Pop in to one of the many shops and restaurants in the city center, including Mack Brewery and the Ølhallen pub, a favorite local watering hole. There are also cafés offering delicious cinnamon buns where baristas create innovative coffee-foam art. Across the fjord from where the ship docks, check out the iconic Arctic Cathedral, with its beautiful stained-glass mosaic.
The ship reaches the town of Hammerfest on the island of Kvaløya early in the morning. In the summer, herds of reindeer migrate to the island by the thousands. In the mid-morning, we’ll arrive at Honningsvåg, the portal to the North Cape, where a globe monument marks the top of continental Europe. An optional excursion will take you to North Cape from Honningsvåg by bus, passing herds of reindeer on the way, depending on the season.
The area around Vadsø is one of the most scenic and popular birdwatching spots in the Arctic, lying directly under the migration path of birds flying from east to west. Watch for hooded crows and sea eagles. Kirkenes is just a few miles from the edge of Norway’s territory. This is where your Norwegian coastal cruise ends and you’ll have traveled further east than St. Petersburg and Istanbul. We look forward to seeing you again, maybe for the Classic Voyage South next time!
