This story is about a journey which started in Oslo, Norway, continued by rail to Bergen, then sailed from there past the Arctic Circle to Kirkenes, and returned to Bergen. It was a 12-night Norwegian Coastal Classic Voyage on Hurtigruten Vesteralen that began in late February several years ago. Living in the Chicago area, my husband and I have been asked why we would go to Norway on a cruise in winter. The answer is quite simple actually - we were on a hunt for Northern Lights before they disappeared until the next solar cycle. I had seen them during my youth, but my husband had never seen them.
The journey began with an overnight flight to Oslo, Norway where we stayed for one night at the Clarion Royal Christiania Oslo hotel. After a fabulous breakfast buffet, we took a short walk from our hotel, and soon we were inside Oslo Central Railway Station. The European rail system is a very reliable way to travel. Train 61 arrived at the station on time, and we made our way to car 7, stowed our suitcases, and found our reserved seats.
Winter in Norway brings lots of snow in the mountains. We got our first glimpses at the beautiful scenery we'd be experiencing throughout the rest of our adventure. From our vantage point we captured pictures of the train as it wound its way through the mountains. Colorful houses peeked through the snow as we sped past. Snow-capped mountains reflected in calm lake waters. The train ride was an optional add-on to our cruise. We are so happy that we included it in our itinerary.
When we arrived at Bergen Central Railway Station, we were greeted by our driver who took us to our waiting ship. After checking in and completing the safety briefing, we unpacked our bags in our cabin. We purposely chose an older ship in the fleet. This gave us the opportunity to experience the Norwegian coastline in a very unique way. The cabin accommodation was minimal but the entire experience from the staff, excursions, to food exceeded our expectations.
Along the way, in each direction, our ship stopped at 34 coastal communities, big and small, day and night. We docked in villages and towns for 10 to 45 minutes and in cities for a few hours. The ports visited at night on the northbound voyage were seen during the day when traveling southbound. There were many opportunities to take optional excursions along the way. Some of the highlights included visiting the Atlantic Sea Park in Alesund, Trondheim and the Nidaros Cathedral, the border between Norway and Russia, and Hammerfest -World's Northernmost Town. Our favorite excursion was Husky Sledding in Tromso where our musher answered all our questions as we were led by a team of gorgeous huskies through the snow-capped countryside.
On a Hurtigruten Classic Coastal Voyage through Norway, food is an integral part of the entire experience. In each port, there was an opportunity to replenish the ship's pantries from local fisherman, farmers, and other suppliers' fresh food supplies. Utilizing the season’s best ingredients, chefs created either three-course dinners or lavish buffets. Seafood often dominated the menu, accompanied by fresh vegetables, and delicately flavored sauces. Each dinner ended with traditional desserts, like homemade cakes, puddings, berries, or sorbet. Breakfast and lunch were served buffet style.
An invisible line sweeps across Sweden, Finland, Russia, Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Iceland – a line that also splits Norway in two. Hurtigruten celebrates ‘Crossing the line’ to the land of the Midnight Sun or the Northern Lights with a special ceremony. Certificates were awarded to those that completed the ceremony which included baptism with ice water.
Now that we crossed the Arctic Circle, we were on high alert for Northern Lights sighting. Shortly after dinner, while relaxing in the lounge to music from some local artists, the captain announced he had spotted Northern Lights. The lounge emptied and we all went up on deck to experience these lights dancing across the night sky. We watched in amazement for a couple hours until they faded away. Later that night we had another announcement, this time while we were sleeping. At first there was hesitation about getting out of a warm bed, but then the realization that this was what we came for took over and back on deck with camera and tripod we went. In all, we had three Northern Lights sightings with the final one being so intense BBC news broadcast a story about it. What an amazing light show we'd had during our voyage.
Norway is a destination that I have traveled to many times and during different seasons. There is no bad time to visit Norway. The best way to see Norway is by a cruise ship. During the winter you’ll see the splendid scenery I’ve described here. In the summertime, you’ll see amazing waterfalls as your ship sails through the fjords. Call me to plan an unforgettable trip to Norway.