When you think of cruising you often think of sunshine and poolside cocktails but in the era of cruise travel there are so many options for different destinations and experiences all over the world. Havila Voyages, are a world leading sustainable cruise line traversing the Norwegian coastline from Bergen, visiting 38 ports north and south bound.
Travelling by ship along the Norwegian coast allows you to reach some of the most remote locations and see some of the most pristine landscapes in the world. With Havila Voyages passengers can choose to undertake the entire round voyage from Bergen (12 days) or can select from a range of alternate options, Voyage North, Voyage South or short 2-5 days voyages in either direction. The ship docks in some ports during the day, and passengers can disembark for a few hours to experience the city on an organised excursion or independently. In other ports there is only a short stop with limited time to walk on the dock, and we sail past a number of ports at night while you are sleeping.
We joined the 8-day Trondheim return voyage in the winter season and here is how it went.
NORTHBOUND
DAY 1 – Trondheim
Checking in for the Havilia Voyages cruise begins early in the morning so it was useful to stay overnight prior to departure. I have an extremely comfortable stay at the Hotel Brittania, the oldest hotel in the city. The Britannia, operating since 1870, has 224 rooms offering a 5-star experience. The breakfast buffet is the most expansive, elegant breakfast one can imagine. The Trondheim Port is just a convenient short taxi from the hotel. The check in process is quick and my guest lanyard was granted which is needed to get on and off the ship – do not lose it!
Entering my Seaview Superior cabin there is efficient use of space – a large wardrobe, comfortable double bed, a sofa banquette sitting area by the sizeable sea view window, a desk, tea and coffee facilities, TV and ensuite bathroom with shower, sink, toilet and plenty of hanging space.
On the ship, the Havila Polaris, there are 6 decks accessible to voyage passengers, deck 4 and 5 are the majority of the guest cabins, deck 6 is the place for nourishment all the restaurants are here, Hildring (fine dining), Havrand Restaurant (a la carte) and Havly Café. On this floor there is also the gift shop, conference centre and open air bow view point. Deck 7 and 8 has more guest suites and also outdoor viewing decks and the sauna and jacuzzi. Deck 9 is the top deck and home to the Havblikk Bar and Lounge with the spectacular panorama viewing deck. There is plenty of seating spaces dotted around the ship with amazing views to enjoy throughout the voyage. After settling into the cabin it was perfect timing to make my way to the top and deck as we set sail and bid farewell to Trondheim.
Dinner is served in the al la carte Havrand Restaurant (dining is included on most packages) and as we sail north into the evening I settle into the cabin, while the gentle movement of the sea rocks me to sleep.
DAY 2 – Ornes, Bodo, Stamsund
Just in time for breakfast we officially crossed into the Arctic Circle in the morning darkness and the ship’s captain uses the search lights to illuminate the monument that sits at a latitude of approximately 66° 33′ north of the equator.
After breakfast we stop at Ornes, a beautiful city on the coast. No time to disembark here just a transit stop to drop off and pick up passengers and cargo. We set sail again and the Norse god of the North Sea, Nord, welcomes us to the Artic region. The ships crew baptised any willing passengers with some icy arctic water down the back of the neck. The deck bar was open for a chance to toast the arrival into the Arctic. The majority of the day was spent exploring the decks, a stop in the town of Bodo with time to take a walk (albeit very wet and windy) and delicious three course lunch. The excursion of the day was an evening Feast with the Vikings in Stamsund, where passengers enjoy a traditional meal in a viking hall complete with music, singing and plenty of mead. Returning to the ship by bus in time for a night cap at the bar and the nightly wait to see if the northern lights appear.
DAY 3 – Tromso
Wild and rugged wintery scenery filled the day along with the showing of a documentary in the conference room about the phenomena that is the northern lights, which we were hoping to see along our voyage. There were a few short stops, and guests are welcome to wander the dock at these transit stops. The main stop on today’s itinerary is Tromso, the arctic capital and largest city of Northern Norway with almost 80,000 residents.
My most anticipated excursion was just a bus ride away from Tromso Harbour, the opportunity to visit the local indigenous people, the Sami, and learn about their culture and meet their reindeer herd. The experience began in the traditional lavvu, a tent like home with an informative introduction to Sami life and discussion all about the reindeer. Then it was time to meet the reindeer. The antlers are a tangled pointy hazard but the animals are so gentle and sweet. After feeding the hungry reindeers and snapping some photos we took a short sleigh ride around the farm. There was no sign of Santa but it was a special experience to glide along the snow and ice under the steam of the strong reindeer. After the ride it was inside to warm up with hot chocolate, reindeer stew (eek!) and home baked cookies. We headed back into the lavvu to learn a little about the Sami language and modern life. It was time to head back to the ship and continue sailing north. Tonight was the first glimpse at the breathtaking northern lights which appeared mid dinner service. The view from the front deck was spectacular – the dancing green and red light among the clouds. What a wonderful highlight and according to the ship staff this was just the warm up act.
DAY 4 – Honningsvag
After a hearty buffet breakfast of eggs, cold cuts, pastries, fruit and tea it was time to hit the outdoor decks on a crisp, clear day. The most spectacular day of scenic sailing as we head toward Nordkapp (North Cape) the most northerly point in Europe. Taking the excursion bus from the ship was a picturesque ride across the northern cape plateau with icy lakes and snow drifts. Upon arrival, while there is still some light, passengers make a b-line toward the lookout and monument that indicates the most northern point of Europe. The 307-metre-high cliff, steeply sloping directly down into the Barents Sea, has for centuries been a point of reference for seafarers. There is a large visitor centre, café and gift store on site – a warm escape from the bitter wind of the lookout.
Returning back to the ship a complimentary refreshment was waiting in the warmth of the bar – traditional fish soup and delicious apple cake. The afternoon of sailing was a little bumpy and the perfect time for some downtime contributing to the communal ship jigsaw puzzle. A special treat for dinner tonight a King Crab Banquet in Hildring Fine Dining Restaurant. The King Crab is found along Norway’s coast and is available all year round. The white crab meat is sweet in taste and can be served hot and cold and added into numerous dishes.
DAY 5 – Kirkenes, Mehamn
We continued to travel further north to the small town of Kirkenes, positioned extremely close to the Finnish and Russian borders. An exciting excursion on the itinerary today, dog sledding in the snow and a visit to the snow hotel. As we arrived in the port it was snowing, really snowing, which was beautiful we took the short bus ride to the Snow Hotel and could hear the excited sled dogs waiting for us. Two-by-two people were loaded onto the dog sled with the sled guide and the excited pups barked and jumped ready to set off. The dogs attentatively followed the simple instructions from the sled guide and we wooshed through the snowy landscape. It was quite a smooth ride and took about 20 minutes. We returned back to the kennels welcomed by a chorus of howls from the dogs whose turn it was next. After the sled ride we headed inside for a hot wine by the fire and then it was time to head back to the ship.
An excellent dinner in the Havrand Restaurant this evening and the day was not over there was one more excursion for the day. A late-night snow mobile tour under the northern sky it was off to the cabin for a nap before the next adventure took place.
This was the complete northbound leg of the voyage already so much adventure only in the first 5 days. There is so much more to come, to follow on for the rest of the adventure on the southbound voyage see part 2.
If you have questions of comments regarding arctic cruising we would love to hear from you, leave your comments below or join us on social media @possandruby on Instagram and Facebook.
Note: We were hosted by Havila Voyages on the this Arctic Cruise.
