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Looking at Norway on the map, you could imagine that Thor took his hammer to it, splintering the elongated coastline into bits.
In fact, its 63,962 miles, incorporating 50,000 islands and 1,190 fjords, was created by Ice Age glaciers, making it the second-longest coastline in the world (after Canada) which means, unsurprisingly, that Norway is a country that has a storied nautical heritage, from the Vikings to polar explorers.
Since 1893, ships have plied the route up and down Norway’s coastal towns and villages, many of which lack road access, some even to this day. Called the Hurtigruten (“express route”), ships operated a bus-like timetable delivering goods, mail, cargo and people along 34 ports from Bergen to Kirkenes, 2,500 nautical miles further north.
In the 1960s a network of planes began replacing the transport needs, and at the same time the ships began seeing an uptick of passengers just there for the ride — little wonder, since the scenery along this pristine coastline is nothing less than spectacular.
As the needs changed, so did the operations. In 2006, the Hurtigruten Group launched, offering a combination cargo and cruise line, and currently has 16 ships in its fleet. It enjoyed a monopoly until 2020, when a new kid on the block, Havila Voyages, was granted a license to ply the route.
It wasn’t exactly plain sailing — the pandemic caused ship delivery delays and a shutdown of tourism — but Havila Voyages is finally enjoying its first real season of sailing, and it’s worth the wait.
Havila runs a fleet of four identical, 640-berth, brand new, eco-friendly hybrid ships, running on gas and battery, with a pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030. Not only are the ships smooth, comfortable and quiet, its cleanliness means the Havila fleet is also granted the privilege of navigating Norway’s protected fjords, such as the Instagram favorite Trollfjord, where the mountains and waterfalls seem to close in around the ship as you cruise the narrow channel.
Your options along this route are endless. Take a two-day trip (from $170), or do the whole 11 nights, from one end to the other (from $1,530), getting your certificate for crossing the Arctic Circle as you do.
Some tourists (and locals) use the ship as a ferry — I had visions of backpackers drying their socks on radiators, thankfully not the case — and there’s sometimes as little as 20 minutes between stops. So, if you hop off for a cruise excursion (think, every winter sport, dog or reindeer sledding, sea eagle watching, city explorations, a stop off at the Russian border, even feasting with Vikings) you might be driven back to meet the ship further along the route.
You can even stop off for a few nights in a traditional Norwegian fisherman’s cottage. The week-long Lofoten Hop-on/Hop-off Journey includes an interlude for two or three nights in an authentic rorbu, complete with seasonal adventures curated by travel partner Up Norway (prices from $7,201).
Purely as a cruise experience, Havila Voyages doesn’t disappoint. Cabins are modern, sleek and comfortable, and the ship boasts all the usual trimmings — bars, restaurants, a shop, a small kids area, a hot tub on deck (perfect for Northern Lights viewing) and, since we’re in Scandi land, a sauna.
What you won’t find is karaoke, bingo or any entertainment (other than some jigsaw puzzles.) Who needs it when there is so much natural beauty to soak up from the panoramic windows? And there’s one other cruise staple you won’t find — the congealing hot plate hell of the all-you-can-eat buffet.
Lunch and breakfast is a curated menu of small plates; choose as many and as much as you want, brought to your table. Dinner is a choice of entrees, with sides served family style. At all meals, a portion of the menu remains the same throughout the voyage, with other daily changing offerings reflecting the area you are currently sailing in, sourced directly from the region.
Renowned Norwegian chef Gunnar Hvarnes is behind this food concept.
“I want to show Norwegian food and drink from its best side,” he said. Traditional recipes are used, like fenalår (dried and salted lamb leg), cured deer and smoked salmon.
“We must highlight the good Norwegian ingredients in a simple way, and then we must serve food at different levels, from the simple but good and crispy waffle in the cafe, to the finest reindeer fillet in the fine dining restaurant,” he said.
Not only is this a delicious way to explore Norwegian cuisine, it’s also another boost to the environmental pledge. Getting rid of the buffet means just 58 grams of food waste per passenger per cruise night — 75% less than normal, and reducing the amount of food waste by about 65 tons per year, according to Lasse Vangstein, Havila Voyages’ chief communications and sustainability officer.
“Sustainability is the core of our business, from reducing our emissions, to creating value and jobs along the coast of Norway, to how we handle our food concept,” he said. “With exemption from some fruits and spices not grown in Norway, all our food products on board are sourced and produced in Norway, mainly along the coast we operate every day. Our founding father, chairman of the board, and majority owner, Per Sævik, has stated that ‘We are sailing in the world heritage. So should the generations to come’.”
Havila Voyages sails that heritage route year-round — summer will bring you 24-hour daylight and midnight sun picnics; winter brings snowy sports and the Northern Lights. Official announcements from the bridge will alert you to any aurora borealis sightings (for those who hate a wake-up call, you won’t hear this in your cabin unless you activate the phone setting to do so.)
There’s even a Northern Lights promise for passengers who have booked the round trip from Bergen between Oct. 1 and March 31. If lights are a no show, you’ll get a 6- or 7-day trip completely free.
Even if they don’t appear, you can rest assured that you’ll witness jaw dropping beauty around every craggy bend, from the world heritage area of Geiranger to the stunning archipelago of Lofoten. Prepare to be enchanted by cities like Tromsø, with its cable car that takes you up the mountain to see the twinkling lights of the city below, or Trondheim, surrounded by water, with its majestic Nidaros cathedral.
Rest assured that with all the culture, clean food, clear air and serenity, you’ll fall in love with Norway.
