Hurtigruten Coastal Express
Expedition Cruising
This is not a cruise in the traditional sense — it is a working coastal route that happens to carry tourists alongside locals and cargo. That is exactly what makes it special. The northbound leg gives you daylight views of the big-ticket scenery; the southbound reveals everything you missed at night. Do the full 12-day round trip if you possibly can.
The Hurtigruten Coastal Express is one of the world’s most iconic sea voyages — a working mail and passenger route that has connected the remote communities of Norway’s western and northern coastline since 1893. The full round trip covers 2,500 nautical miles over 12 days, calling at 34 ports between Bergen in the south and Kirkenes near the Russian border, with each port visited twice — once heading north and once heading south. It is part scheduled transport service, part scenic cruise, and entirely unlike anything else at sea.
Seven ships operate the route year-round, ranging from the recently refurbished MS Vesteralen (the smallest and most classic in the fleet) to larger, modernised vessels like MS Trollfjord and MS Kong Harald. None are glamorous cruise ships in the conventional sense — they carry cargo, pick up local passengers for short hops between ports, and maintain a working-vessel character that is central to the experience. Onboard facilities are comfortable but straightforward: a main restaurant serving included breakfast, lunch, and dinner; lounges with panoramic windows; and cabins that range from compact inside rooms to suites with private balconies.
The route’s appeal lies entirely in what unfolds outside the windows. Northbound from Bergen, the ship threads through the Geirangerfjord (summer sailings) or Hjorundfjord (spring and autumn), crosses the Arctic Circle near a small globe marker on a rocky islet, weaves through the Lofoten Islands at sunset, and pushes on to Tromso, Hammerfest, and the North Cape. In winter, the dark skies above the Arctic Circle provide prime conditions for Northern Lights viewing — Hurtigruten even offers a free 6-7 day voyage if the aurora fails to appear on sailings of 11 days or more.
The Coastal Express suits travellers who are more interested in the destination than the ship, who enjoy watching life at each small port unfold from the deck, and who do not need a spa, casino, or formal dinner to feel they are on holiday. It is a deeply Norwegian experience — unhurried, understated, and rooted in 130 years of maritime tradition that has carried kings, fishermen, and curious visitors along the same spectacular coastline.
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