The 12 best cruises in Norway – and which one is right for you
It’s got the looks, it has the drama and, at 63,000 miles long, Norway has the second longest coastline in the world. From December’s glittering snowscapes to summer’s spectral midnight sun, the country is a year-round scenic sensation and its inlets, fjords, islands and coastal settlements are perfect for cruising.
A cruise will get you a long way in Norway – 2,500 nautical miles if you choose to sail from Bergen and around the top of Scandinavia to Kirkenes. The northern lights belt hits Norway above the Lofoten islands and follows the coast up to the North Cape (Nordkapp) – the landmark, northernmost point of mainland Europe. Beyond, halfway between Europe and the North Pole, lies the starkly beautiful Svalbard archipelago where expedition vessels enter the realm of the polar bear.
Free from light pollution the skies at sea are an inky canvas for the wispish greens and shimmering reddish purples of the Aurora Borealis. As the Arctic summer unfolds itineraries turn to family fun. The Norwegian coast is accessible from ports in the UK, making it ideal for those budgeting for a family holiday.
Meals on board, entertainment and talks from astronomers, historians, and photography and wildlife experts are part of the holiday. Smaller ships also often include excursions, from guided hikes and ice fishing to kayaking and wildlife safaris.
The west coast towns of Alesund and Bergen are gateways to the fjords, with Geirangerfjord, Sognefjord and Lysefjord included on many of the shorter cruise itineraries. Meanwhile a longer voyage to Tromso, Honningsvag or Kirkenes will visit many of the most famous fjords, weaving through the islands and islets of the magical Lofotens and giving a flavour of life in the salt-soaked fishing villages and Arctic cities that dot this stupendous coastline.
So what’s it to be? Winter’s dancing skies, summer’s emerald fjords or pack ice and puffins in Svalbard? Here we reveal some of Norway’s choicest cruises.
Norway top to toe
Hurtigruten, the line that began offering a transport, cargo and mail service for remote coastal communities along Norway’s scenic coast, now has several expedition ships, some with on-board science and research centres.
To mark its 130th year, Hurtigruten has launched the North Cape Express; the first sailing will depart from Oslo – the country’s southernmost city and capital. The voyage crosses the Arctic Circle and finishes in Honningsvåg, the gateway to the North Cape.
Among the 13 ports of call are Lødingen – a village used on one of the line’s earlier coastal routes – and the historic town of Stokmarknes in the Vesterålen archipelago. It was here, in 1893, that Hurtigruten’s 2,500 nautical mile Coastal Express route was founded by shipping pioneer Richard With. On the waterfront, the 1956-built MS Finnmarken has been restored and encased in glass – a “ship in a bottle” that tells the story of The Coastal Express.
How to do it: A 14-night North Cape Express cruise with Hurtigruten (020 3603 7112) on MS Trollfjord from Bergen to Oslo costs from £2,028pp; departures Oct–Apr. No single supplement for solo travellers.
Svalbard under sail
The three-masted schooner S/V Rembrandt Van Rijn was born in 1747 as a herring lugger. Next summer the refurbished sailing vessel will skirt glaciers and slide past pack ice in the pristine wilderness of Svalbard. Cruising at an average speed of 6.5 knots, there’s a good chance of spotting polar bears, minke whales, Atlantic walrus and birds including the Svalbard rock ptarmigan and little auk.
Other highlights include a cruise in the Forlandsundet Strait, a walk to the seabird cliff at Alkhornet and a visit to the former mining town of Ny Ålesund. Now a polar research station, Ny Ålesund was the starting point for Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen’s intrepid expeditions to the North Pole.
How to do it: An eight-day North Spitsbergen Voyage Longyearbyen roundtrip with Regent (0117 453 8299) costs from £2,960pp; departs May 15 and 22, 2024. The Van Rijn carries 12 crew and 33 passengers in mostly twin cabins.
Have a whale of a time
This itinerary on the sturdy icebreaker M/V Quest is packed with interest and includes a journey on the Arctic Train (Ofot Line) from the hiking hub of Narvik to Camp Tamok. There are whale-watching excursions, a husky safari and on-board talks and photography workshops hosted by the expedition team.
Two nights are spent in Tromso, a riverside city known for its snug cafés, restaurant scene and startling Arctic Cathedral (Tromsdalen Church) inspired by the angular shapes of ice. In the evenings, with luck, there’ll be the chance to put photography tips into action under colourful skies.
How to do it: A seven-night Northern Lights Arctic Fjord Whale Watching Cruise with Husky Safari holiday through Aurora Zone (01670; 785012) costs from £4,150pp; departs February 22 and March 12 2024. Includes activities and two hotel nights in Tromso. MV Quest carries five zodiacs and has 26 en-suite cabins.
Family fun
With ex-UK cruise departures that dovetail with school holidays, a modern, family friendly ship with four pools, 30 places to drink and eat, babysitting services and superb kids clubs, P&O Cruises’ newest ship, Iona, makes light work of multi-generational cruising. Choose from seven, 12 or 16-night durations with generous departure dates. Sailing from Southampton to Stavanger, the itinerary includes Nordfjord, Alesund and Olden, and cruises several of the scenic fjords.
Excursions include a RIB ride in Alesund Harbour, an aerial tramway ride, a hike to the iconic Pulpit Rock for panoramic views of Lysefjord and a bike ride along the scenic North Sea Cycle Route, taking in the lakes, beaches and mountains around Stavanger.
How to do it: A seven-night Norwegian Fjords holiday roundtrip from Southampton with P&O Cruises (0344 338 8003) costs from £799pp; departs March–October and December.
Explore in style
Ponant’s stylish “explorer yachts” pay homage to French explorers, and it’s the Arctic explorer Joseph René Bellot who gives his name to the eponymous Le Bellot. Each of the 92 rooms has a balcony and there is a pool with a counter-current and an underwater lounge with windows and a sound system to capture subterranean acoustics.
This itinerary includes a full day in Reine in the Lofoten islands and a sail along Bjørnøya (Bear Island) in the Barents Sea. According to Greenpeace, Bear Island has the biggest seabird colony in the northern hemisphere. In Hammerfest, 600 miles north of the Arctic Circle, there is an opportunity to explore the Unesco-listed Struve Geodetic Arc, a chain of 34 survey triangulations that stretch from Norway to the Black Sea.
How to do it: An 11-night Nordic Discoveries and Traditions cruise with Mundy Adventures (020 7399 7630) costs from £9,292pp; departs March 10, 2024. Includes two nights at an airport hotel in Paris.
Something sweet
Master chocolatier Mark Tilling and experts from conservation charity ORCA will join separate Magic of the Northern Lights departures on Saga’s all-balcony ship, Spirit of Adventure, next spring. The cruise is a roundtrip from Portsmouth and visits Bergen, the fjord village of Flam, Tromso, Alta and Alesund. To increase the chances of seeing the Northern Lights, the itinerary features an extended stay in Alta, with an evening excursion to a fire-lit camp on the outskirts of the town.
Tilling will reveal tricks of the trade at a patisserie demonstration and chocolate-making classes. As you cruise, ORCA’S volunteer marine mammal surveyors, armed with binoculars, will be on deck looking for whales, dolphins and seabirds whilst offering passengers an insight into the migratory patterns of bird and marine wildlife.
How to do it: A 15-night Magic of the Northern Lights cruise with Saga (0808 239 3408) costs from £4,349pp; departs March 2, 2024 with ORCA. Join Mark Tilling on the March 19 departure; from £3,999pp. Both include three excursions, tips, unlimited drinks and either a private or shared transfer to the port.
A winning combination
Summer brings the opportunity for more adventurous itineraries, including a two-country trip from Viking which sails from Norway to Iceland via Svalbard, Longyearbyen and the Jan Mayen Islands. These remote landscapes can be explored on foot, or by zodiac or kayak. Just outside Longyearbyen, at Fuglefjella (“bird mountain”), there is a RIB (rigid inflatable) safari to see nesting seabirds.
These include colonies of little auk, puffin, guillemot, Arctic tern, edier and kittiwakes. Once across the Norwegian Sea, Viking Mars, which sails with a resident historian onboard, meets land at ĺsafjördur on Iceland’s dramatic west coast, before dropping anchor in Reykjavik.
Viking’s Nordic roots can be felt across the ship – on the menus warm, in the warm earthy décor with nods to the natural environment and in the Norwegian-inspired spa.
How to do it: A 15-day Iceland and Norway’s Arctic Explorer cruise with Viking (0800 298 97 00) costs from £6,390pp; departs May 25, 2024. Includes tips, Wi-Fi, and an excursion in each port.
See the stars
If you like to gaze at the heavens, Havila has introduced a number of astrology sailings for 2024. Join John Zarnecki, a distinguished English space scientist and former President of the Royal Astronomical Society, to feed your inner conspiracy theorist with talks on spacecraft, cosmic creatures and the potential for life on other planets (departs March 2).
Alternatively, Ian Ridpath, Editor of the Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy, will join two departures (February 1 and October 30) to talk about the Northern Lights, Comets, the Stars and the Apollo space missions.
How to do it: An eleven-day Astronomy Adventure with Havila (03455 280 026) roundtrip from Bergen to Kirkenes costs from £1,058pp; excludes flights.
A solstice sailing
A well-timed sailing from Southampton with Princess Cruises dovetails with the summer solstice on June 21. Emerald Princess will make nine ports of call including Tromso, Svolvaer (for the Lofoten Islands), and Honningsvag, the gateway to the North Cape. Excursions are varied and plentiful.
Brave the 11 hairpin bends of the Trollstigen Highway (“trolls highway”) to see a waterfall that gushes down the Gudbrand Gorge, travel by boat to the Stappen Islands for birdwatching, hike the face of Briksdal Glacier, or ride one of the world’s steepest aerial trams, the Loen Skylift. On her return journey, Emerald Princess makes a bonus port of call at Edinburgh, before docking in Southampton.
How to do it: A 16-day Land of the Midnight Sun and Summer Solstice cruise with Princess Cruises (0344 338 8663) costs from £1,521pp; departs June 17, 2024.
Live the dream
Disney cruises from Southampton to Norway sell out quickly so don’t delay if you’ve got next summer in your sights. With its impressive water parks, life-sized “characters” and clubs for kids, tweens and teens, boredom isn’t an option.
During a cruise to Stavanger, Alesund, Olden and Haugesund, younger sailors can hurtle down Norway’s longest bobsleigh track and learn how to make chocolate at Freia’s Chocolate Factory. Meanwhile, adults can soak up the seaport panoramas from Mount Aksla, take in the pristine scenery at Briksdal Glacier and visit cosy cafés in Haugesand and Alesund. Back on board, there are character breakfasts, treatments at the Senses Spa, adult-exclusive activities and themed deck parties for all.
How to do it: A seven-night Northern Europe and Norwegian Fjords Cruise with Disney (0800 171 2317) costs from £8,048 based on two adults and two children; departs August 5, 2024.
Click bait
Wildlife sets the agenda on this expert-led photography expedition around the islands of Tromso. Days are spent cruising the fjords on the sturdy, 12-passenger MS Stockholm, and heading out on zodiac expeditions with wildlife photographer Sean Weekly. Budding photographers have a good chance of seeing pods of orca and humpback whales, white-tailed eagles and flocks of Common and King eider. In the evenings, Weekly will run informal workshops and share tips for capturing the dazzling greens and violet-reds of the elusive Aurora Borealis.
How to do it: A five-night Fjords, Orca and Aurora Photography Expedition with Wildlife Worldwide (01962 302086) costs from £4,995pp; departs November 8, 2024. Includes most meals, transfers and guided activities; excludes flights
Queen of the fjords
Cunard’s hotly anticipated new ship, Queen Anne, makes her debut in May and will head to Norway in June as part of her maiden sailing season. The fourth ship in the legendary fleet will have a full-sized paddle court, a spa with nine treatment rooms, a top-deck wellness studio with a dedicated café, and a pavilion with a pool and retractable glass roof where passengers can slide from sunbed to gelateria, or settle in for a film at night.
The Sky Bar is the perfect spot in which to unwind and enjoy views of plunging cliffs and glassy fjords. The itinerary includes scenic cruising in Aurlandsfjord, Sognefjord, Innvikfjorden and Nordfjord and visits to Bergen, the fjord village of Flam, and Haugesund (known as the home of the Viking kings). There’s a generous allocation of cabins for solo travellers, and singles are well looked after with hosted drinks, meals and excursions.
How to do it: A nine-night Norwegian Fjords cruise with Cunard (0344 338 8641) on Queen Anne costs from £1,299pp; departs Southampton June 23, 2024.
*Prices include flights unless stated
