The Classic Round Voyage
Norway’s heritage and the sea are inseparable
and throughout this voyage we see how both have shaped modern
daily life.
Special
Offer Price from £895 per person on a half board
basis, on selected dates in October, November and December.
Plus
no single supplement on selected dates
The twelve-day, full round voyage navigates
northbound to Kirkenes (seven days), before turning south
to sail back to Bergen.
Ports visited by night on the northbound voyage
are seen by day on the southbound journey, ensuring that all
passengers get to know the very best of the dramatic and interesting
Norwegian coastline. Of the 34 ports of call the main ones
are listed in the below itinerary.
We would
be happy to advise on and/or book low-cost or Scandanavian
Airlines flights for you. UK airports include London Heathrow,
Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow Prestwick, London
Stansted, Aberdeen or Edinburgh.
Please call us for details
or click
here to see who flies where.
NEW: take a virtual cruise along the Norwegian Coast using the special Google Earth tours we have created
View
the Ships - A brief description
of the ships in our Norwegian fleet.
Click
here to view the Sailing Schedules
Click here to view prices
|
| DAY 1 |
Bergen –
the gateway to the fjords – is where our amazing
journey begins with an early evening departure.
Settle into the gentle rhythm of life on board as the
ship glides along the unspoilt coast. Relax and enjoy
the stunning scenery. Sample the delicious cuisine for
which Norway is renowned in the comfortable but informal
dining room or make new friends in the bar.
Share experiences with fellow passengers from the world
over as well as local people travelling between ports,
or simply wonder at the views from the panorama lounge
as we look |
| DAY 2 |
A perfect start to our second
day is an early arrival at enchanting Ålesund,
which is situated across several islands at the entrance
to Geirangerfjord.
On departures between 15th April and 14th September the
ship will sail into the magnificent Geirangerfjord where tumbling waterfalls, rugged cliffs and majestic
mountains are mirrored in the deep still water.
GEIRANGERFJORD
Between 15 April and 14 September, we voyage into the
famous Geirangerfjord, recently established as an UNESCO
World Heritage Site. Here we have the opportunity to join
excursions ashore and weave through hair-pin bends to
overlook one of the world’s longest fjords.
Waterfalls cascade down the cliffs that rise 1400m above
the Norwegian Sea, into some 500m of water below. This
is truly a mountain lover’s delight.
ÅLESUND
After it was destroyed by fire in 1904, this pretty little
town was rebuilt in the fashionable Art Nouveau style
of the era. So much of Ålesund is surrounded by
water, and the very town itself appears to be floating
serenely alongside our vessel.
Visit the viewing point at Mount Aksla for fantastic views
of the town. Smoked wild salmon is a delicious local speciality. |
| DAY 3 |
Continuing north, Trondheim is today’s highlight. Standing proud against the
natural backdrop, its colourful history is refl ected
in handsome civic architecture.
Excursions include the medieval Nidaros Cathedral or the
enthralling Ringve Music Museum. While we sleep the ship
plies its trade along the coast and enters the land of
the midnight sun.
TRONDHEIM
This attractive city was Norway’s first capital,
between 997 and 1380, it was here that the new kings of
old Norway received their ceremonial blessing. Rebuilt
in the 17th century, this cosmopolitan city boasts wide
streets lined with brightly coloured houses and gabled
warehouses. The magnificent Nidaros Cathedral is one of
the main attractions.
Click here for details of further attractions.
Our Norwegian Explorer tours overnight
in Trondheim. |
| DAY 4 |
In the early hours we experience the thrill
of crossing the Arctic Circle as the voyage continues
to Bodø. With its back to a magnifi
cent mountain landscape, the present town rose from its
ruins after 1945.
BODØ
Like many towns in northern Norway Bodø was completely
rebuilt after the war. It is a very modern town with a
buzzing commercial centre. The Norwegian Aviation Museum
is one of the most popular museums and off the coast is
Saltstraumen, the world’s strongest maelstrom or
‘whirling stream’.
The glorious Lofoten Islands is where the day draws to
a close with a stop at the capital, Svolvær. The
intriguing Magic Ice gallery of ‘art below zero’
is on the quayside and the stylish little town is just
a few minutes away. |
| DAY 5 |
A relaxing morning at sea precedes our
arrival in Tromsø - the capital
of the Arctic- where the midnight sun is visible from
the end of May until the last week in July.
The simple interior of the Arctic Cathedral gives prominence
to a triangular stained-glass window filling an entire
wall. The Polar Museum and the Polaria centre explore
Arctic life over the centuries and are complemented by
modern shops and cafes just minutes from our cabins.
TROMSØ
Tromsø has been the starting point for many polar
expeditions. A university town, blessed with a girdle
of peaks reminiscent of Switzerland, Tromsø is
one of the most pleasant of coastal towns . Our Coastal Adventure and Whale Safari tour spends
additional time in Tromsø. |
| DAY 6 |
After an early call at Hammerfest we arrive in Honningsvåg our doorway
to the wonders of the spectacular North Cape, mainland
Europe’s northernmost point.
HONNINGSVÅG & THE NORTH CAPE
Honningsvåg is the largest fishing village in Finnmark
and was completely rebuilt after the last war. It is the
nearest port of call to the North Cape and from here it
is possible to take an excursion to Nordkapp at 71o north. |
| DAY 7 |
The vistas become more dramatic as the
ship approaches the finale of the northbound voyage at Kirkenes from where the emotive border
with Russia a few miles away may be visited. Here the
ship bids farewell to passengers travelling northbound
only, and welcomes those joining for the southbound voyage.
KIRKENES
Kirkenes, turning point of our Coastal Voyage, has fewer
than 10,000 inhabitants – but its airport handles
around 100,000 passengers a year. Just 6 miles from the
Russian border, the town was razed to the ground in 1944.
The deep fjord in which the harbour lies limits the effect
of the Gulf Stream, and in winter it can begin to ice
over. Mining, saw mills, and catering for the Russian
fishing fleet all help to keep this vibrant little town
alive and kicking, despite its remote location.
|
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|
Check
availability of this cruise
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to the Classic Cruise Index page
|
| DAY 7 |
Departing from Kirkenes and returning southward the ship hugs the coast as it
visits the remote settlements it continues to serve more
than a century after the Hurtigruten was created to provide
a vital link with the rest of country, giving us the opportunity
to see Norway as the Norwegians see it. |
| DAY 8 |
Hammerfest,
the world’s most northerly town boldly claims to
be the first in Europe to have electric street lighting.
Starting point of Bill Bryson’s journey described
in Neither Here Nor There, this is the first major call.
Continuing south, our night stop at Tromsø offers the opportunity to enjoy the midnight sun summer
concert in the Arctic Cathedral.
HAMMERFEST
Hammerfest, the world’s most northerly town, is
at the same latitude as northern Siberia, but largely
ice free thanks to the Gulf Stream. The fur trade and
international trade with neighbouring Russia brought prosperity,
as did the growing fish processing industry.
Its strategic position made it the ideal base for Germany’s
fleet during World War II. Visit the amusingly named Polar
Bear Club for a taste of Arctic natural history. |
| DAY 9 |
The memorable sights of the Lofoten Islands will stay with us forever
as the ship meanders gently through this stunning network
of inlets and isles. It is possible to explore inland
here by opting for the overland excursion from Harstad
and rejoining the ship in Sortland.
HARSTAD
Originally a flourishing centre of the herring trade,
Harstad has moved into the shipbuilding industry with
equal gusto. Fertile farmland to the east supplies raw
materials for the dairy and meat processing industries,
whilst to the west, the offshore harvest of oil from the
ocean bed has meant continued prosperity for this lively
port town, which plays plays host to 5,000 vessels a year. |
DAY 9
(cont) |
STOKMARKNES
Stokmarknes is the celebrated birthplace of Hurtigruten
and the interesting museum explores its illustrious history.
The original MS Finnmarken, dating back to the 1950s,
rests in dry dock here and it is even possible to go on
board to roam her decks and cabins.
Moving on – subject to local conditions –
we hope to make a detour into spectacular Trollfjord.
Highlight of the voyage for many, this was the site of
a famous battle between local fishermen and wealthy ship
owners in 1890, the sheer sides of the cliffs seem close
enough to touch. This remarkable day is completed with
an evening return to Svolvær and
a farewell to the islands at Stamsund.
THE LOFOTEN & VESTERÅLEN ISLANDS
These beautiful, mountainous island chains, rising to
1,000 metres in places, are some of the oldest in the
world, fjorded during the Ice Age. Many of the fisherman’s
cabins are built on stilts along the waterfront in the
small settlements here. Tiny islands like Røst
are home to nesting seabirds such as puffins, guillemots,
kittiwakes, eider ducks, cormorants and sea eagles. Legends
of the Lofoten Islands Tour, which spends more time here. |
DAY 10
|
There is more excitement as the ship crosses
the Arctic Circle. We sail past the famed
peaks of the dancing Seven Sisters mountain range, folklore
merges with the facts of nature - look out for Torghatten,
which still bears the hole made by Hestmannen’s
arrow in one of Norway’s popular legends. The award-winning
new museum at Rørvik celebrates the important part
the sea has played in defining today’s Norway. |
| DAY 11 |
We have an early arrival in Trondheim,
where the Norwegian Explorer passengers leave the ship
to follow their own itinerary. The voyage continues out
of the Trondheimsfjord past Hitra Island to make brief
calls at Kristiansund and Molde before the midnight call
at Ålesund and a last night at
sea.
MOLDE Molde, famed for
its fabulous gardens and also known as the ‘City
of Roses’. A thriving coastal town set in magnifi
cent scenery, and surrounded by 87 snow-capped mountains.
The town is host to an international jazz festival in
August, and the older parts are filled with charming wooden
buildings. |
| DAY 12 |
The landscape becomes increasingly lush
as the journey weaves through the islets and beautiful Bergen comes into view again. Before
long it’s time to say good-bye to the ship and ‘på
gjensyn’ (‘until we meet again’) to
friends, fellow passengers and our crew. |
The price includes |
| • |
11 night Classic Round
Voyage in cabin grade of your choice, inc full board |
| • |
One night in Bergen
in centrally located
3 or 4 star hotel (depending on cabin grade) inc
breakfast |
| • |
Transfers (excluding
airport transfers) |
| • |
Not included: International flights
between UK
and Bergen, airport transfers, luggage handling,
excursions, travel insurance |
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