The title, “The most beautiful voyage in the world” has been bestowed upon the Hurtigruten cruise. Among the Norwegian Coastal Cruises, the Hurtigruten cruise is considered by many as the best way to enjoy and understand Norway, the land of the midnight sun. The cruise ships take you along the coast and you can enjoy the wonderful views that the Norwegian coast has to offer. Richard With, in 1893 started the first Hurtigruten cruise and this was between Trondheim and Hammerfest. Over time the cruise started ferrying passengers from Kirkenes to Bergen and this is the route that the cruise ships still use. While traveling on the cruise you will come across fjords and ports that would not have been possible for you to see if you have travelled on a larger ship. Hurtigruten in Norwegian means fast route but now Hurtigruten is synonymous with slow travel.
Hurtigruten Cruises are wonderful when you wish to take in the seasons. You should not visit Norway just once; you should visit again and again just to take the Hurtigruten cruise in each season. In the spring the sunlight returning will make the coast alive and it is a vision that you should behold. In the summer you will understand why the country is known as the land of the midnight sun as the night will shine bright as day. You will not just enjoy the summer you will want to keep coming back for more. In the winter you will have a lot of tourists flocking to the country to experience the Northern Lights or the Aurora Borealis. This spectacular natural phenomenon occurs in the winter and you can see the lights dancing in the sky often in green, violet or pink hues.
Many people visit Norway just to view the Northern Lights but this country has a lot to offer other than the Lights. The country though small has a vast coastline. When you go on the Hurtigruten cruise you will have time to explore the inlets, the fjords, the villages etc.
The itinerary for the cruise is 6 days, 7 days and 12 days. If you reach a port at night while going, you will visit the port in daylight while returning, the itineraries are created that way, so that you do not miss out on the wonderful sights that Norway has to offer. You can even visit places that are least visited by mankind and explore them.
The Hurtigruten cruise comes with an on board Expedition team. The expedition team will provide lectures about the country, the cruise, the Northern Lights etc.
In short, a voyage on the Hurtigruten cruise is a voyage of a life time, a trip that you will never ever forget.