The North Cape Line

Welcome to Norway. First stop: Norway’s thriving capital, Oslo. If you have time before you board your ship for the voyage ahead, you’ll want to explore the many charms this cosmopolitan capital has to offer. Make your way to the city centre, where you can take snaps of the architecturally distinct Rådhuset town hall, Royal Palace, and Oslo Cathedral. As afternoon turns towards evening, board your ship. Once we’ve welcomed you and you’ve settled into your cabin or suite, you’ll meet your Expedition Team. You’ll get to know each member of the team as they give lectures and organise onboard activities throughout your voyage. Meet your fellow guests in the ship’s two-storey panorama lounge and watch as the capital’s twinkling lights fade into the distance.

This is your chance to settle into your cabin, get a taste of Norway’s coastal cuisine in the ship’s three restaurants and bar, and start to get to know your fellow passengers. You’ll have time to simply watch Norway’s spectacular southern coast glide by. Take it all in from the expansive Observation Deck, from the comfort of your ship’s two-storey lounge and bar, or as you sweat it out in the panoramic sauna. As well as the views, this stretch of coast is home to more than its fair share of enthralling stories. Find out more about Norway’s coast and the voyage ahead in the lectures, presentations, and onboard activities planned for today.

Today, you’ll spend much of the day in Stavanger, a colourful waterside city with an international ambience and a lively cultural scene. Discover the architectural relics of Gamle (Old) Stavanger, which includes Northern Europe’s best-preserved collection of wooden houses, and Norway’s oldest cathedral, dating from the 12th century. You can also visit the Norwegian Petroleum Museum, pop into a local boutique shop, or simply enjoy a beer on the waterfront. Optional excursions are also available, such as a guided city walk, as well as a Viking-themed bus tour.

After breakfast on the ship, we’ll dock at Ålesund, a town that spreads out across a string of islands. Many of the buildings here, from the bright colours to the rounded spires, were inspired by the Art Nouveau style, which was popular in the early 1900s. You can get impressive photos of the archipelago from the nearby Mount Aksla viewpoint. You can also visit the Atlantic Sea Park, Norway’s first marine science centre. This is one of Northern Europe’s largest saltwater aquariums, providing a home to seals, otters, and crabs, as well as many other kinds of marine life. You can even see Humboldt Penguins here, a species otherwise absent north of the equator. Join an optional excursion to explore Ålesund on foot, or explore the surrounding picturesque islands by bus, and visit a striking lighthouse next to a beautiful beach.

The cosy fishing port of Rørvik in the picturesque Vikna archipelago may look small but it has a huge history that is told through both the landscape and the town’s collection of museums. Here, you can join an optional excursion and time travel through the last 10,000 years and get a glimpse of the future, thanks to the Ice Age-carved landscape, carefully preserved 19th-century living rooms, and the ingenuity of Norwegian salmon production – each preserved and explained in three excellent museums. In the afternoon, we’ll continue sailing north through the Vikna archipelago made up of 6,000 islands, islets and reefs. As we sail through the night, we’ll leave the Helgeland coast behind us as we cross the Arctic Circle.

Today, we explore Lofoten. As soon as you see the towering peaks with fishing villages scattered around their bases, you’ll understand why this island chain is praised as one of Norway’s most stunning locations. We’ll dock in the town of Svolvær in the morning. Located on the island of Austvågøya in the heart of Lofoten, Svolvær is the biggest town of the archipelago, with many shops, restaurants, galleries, and cafés to enjoy. You can also admire views of the Svolvær Goat, a nearby rock formation named for resembling a horned goat. A variety of optional excursions are available from Svolvær, including winter fishing, paddling along the coastline in a kayak, or embarking on a bus tour to learn more about Lofoten’s history. We can’t visit the area without spending a few hours in Stokmarknes. It was here that the Coastal Express was founded in 1893 by shipping pioneer, Richard With. On the waterfront, you’ll find our 1956 ship MS Finnmarken, encased in the Hurtigruten Museum’s glass building like a ship in a bottle.

This city, 217 miles north of the Arctic Circle, is buzzing with life, with everything from trendy restaurants and cafés to boutique shops selling local crafts and produce. Our ship will be in port most of the day, giving you plenty of time to join optional excursions and explore the city yourself. You can visit the Polar Museum, which chronicles the city’s legacy of Arctic hunting and trade. Head to the Polaria centre, an aquarium home to a variety of Arctic marine species, including seals. Across the water from Polaria, you’ll find the Arctic Cathedral, standing out in the cityscape due to its striking design and impressive stained-glass window. Tromsø is the place to tick off some of those bucket-list experiences. Optional excursions include dog sledding, - on snow if there’s enough on the ground, otherwise on wheels if it’s earlier in the season - or exploring this remarkable Arctic city on a bus tour.

Arriving early in the morning, you’ll have a full day to explore Honningsvåg and its dramatic Arctic surroundings. Set on the island of Magerøya, this small fishing town is surrounded by rugged landscapes, with colourful houses clustered around its busy harbour. For many people, an unmissable highlight here is a trip to the North Cape, which is available as an optional excursion. Rising more than 300 metres above the Barents Sea, this great plateau offers far-reaching views across the ocean and a memorable sense of standing at the very edge of Europe. Another must is to sample king crab. This delicacy is abundant in the waters around Honningsvåg, and it’s served throughout the year. If you want to try it traditional-style, we offer an excursion that combines sampling locally-caught and prepared king crab with a tour to the North Cape, giving you two iconic experiences in one trip. Having reached the northernmost port on our voyage, we’ll turn south in the evening and begin the next stage of our journey along Norway’s coast.

At 70 degrees north, this town is far above the Arctic Circle. The area is known for particularly good Northern Lights visibility, so keep your camera ready. On an optional excursion, you can find out more about day-today life in Alta, see prehistoric rock art and visit the Northern Lights Cathedral, which has an exhibition showing how Alta became the epicentre for ground-breaking research of the Aurora Borealis between the 19th and 20th centuries. Winter snowfall opens up opportunities for some truly Arctic adventures, including dogsledding. Set off behind a team of energetic huskies and experience the landscape in a way that has deep roots in the north. And if there’s no snow during your visit, you won’t necessarily miss out — specially designed wheeled carts allow the dogs to run along forest tracks, making this popular experience possible in the milder conditions of early winter. The cold winters of Alta also create the perfect conditions for the Igloo Hotel, which is rebuilt every year. Located on the banks of river Alta, it’s made from 250 tonnes of ice and filled with sculptures and carvings. It is, in fact, is the world's northernmost ice hotel. But if you’re visiting early in the season and the hotel isn’t yet complete, we have a fascinating optional excursion allowing you to see the artists and sculptors at work as it is painstakingly constructed.

Narvik sits on a peninsula surrounded by fjords and mountains, deep inside the Arctic Circle. The town grew around its year-round, ice-free harbour, developed to export iron ore brought by rail from the mines of northern Sweden. Today, its dramatic setting makes Narvik a gateway to some of the remarkable landscapes and wildlife of northern Norway. For sweeping views, ride the cable car up Narvikfjellet, where mountains rise around the waters of the Ofotfjord below. You can also explore farther afield on an optional excursion. Join the Arctic Train for a journey along the historic Ofoten Railway, climbing high above Rombak fjord towards the Swedish border. Built more than a century ago, the line passes through rugged mountain scenery and remote stations including Katterat and Bjørnfjell. Alternatively, visit Polar Park, the world’s northernmost wildlife park. Accompanied by an expert guide, you can learn about Arctic wildlife and see animals including wolves, bears, lynx, wolverines, reindeer, moose and Arctic foxes.

After Narvik, we head south along the enchanting Norwegian coast. You’ll be in awe of windswept islands, sheltered bays, and passing by some of the most beautiful fjords in the world. It’s also inhabited by a wide range of wildlife, such as majestic sea eagles. When we started sailing north of the Trøndelag region in 1893, much was still unknown about the coastline. But, over the years, we’ve become experts in these waters. Today, we are among the few with the maritime knowledge and skill to take you through the many skerries, islets and hidden fjords that characterise this stretch of coast

After docking in the town centre in the morning, you have the chance to explore Åndalsnes, a picturesque coastal town located along Isfjord at the end of Romsdalsfjord. The literal highlights of Åndalsnes are the mountains that tower over the town. They are the reason the town has become Norway’s go-to destination for hikers, climbers, skiers, and more. The Troll Wall, a 1,000-m vertical cliff along the Romsdalen valley also attracts adrenaline seekers the world over. Take in the sights with a city walk and a relaxing ride on the Romsdal Gondola which takes you to the top of Nesaksla Mountain, 708 metres above sea level. There, enjoy a 360-degree view of the mighty Romsdalshorn, Åndalsnes town centre below, and the Rauma river. For those who love train rides, don’t miss the opportunity to join an excursion riding the Golden Train, which has been called “the most scenic railway journey in Europe” by Lonely Planet.

Surrounded by seven mountains and the sea, the old capital of Bergen is one of Norway’s most picturesque and historic cities, as well as being its second largest. Stroll through the UNESCO-listed Bryggen district and discover its colourful wooden wharfs dating back to the 14th century. Bergen’s famous fish market is worth a visit, too. It promises to be a feast for the senses with the sights, sounds, and smells of bountiful, fresh seafood which can be cooked there and then for you. One of the best-known attractions in Bergen is the Fløibanen funicular, which brings you to the top of Mount Fløyen. The summit has a wonderful view over the city, the nearby fjord, and the other surrounding peaks. Another option is to join an excursion by cable car to Mount Ulriken, the tallest of the city’s seven mountains. On this tour you’ll also get to visit Fantoft stave church, a beautiful replica of the 12th century Viking church which stood nearby.

We spend the last afternoon of our voyage in Kristiansand, Norway’s fifth-largest city, sitting along the southern tip of the country, Kristiansand is on a mission to become the most sustainable port in Europe. Find out more about this admirable quest on an optional excursion that includes a visit to Odderøya Island. Or delve into Kristiansand’s 20th-century military past on an optional excursion to Batterie Vara. Originally built as a German fort in World War II, it features the world’s second largest cannon ever to be mounted on land. Back on the ship, we end our voyage on a high note with a farewell dinner. Take this opportunity to trade photo highlights and experiences with your fellow travellers one last time.

From the south to the north, and back to the south, reflect on your journey as you watch our return to our first – and now last – port of the voyage, Oslo, in the early morning. Say your goodbyes to the crew and disembark the ship, marking the end of your travels with us. You’ve sailed on The North Cape Line, getting to know Norway’s coastal cities and villages all the way to the top of the European continent. During the journey, you’ll have experienced Norway’s varied climate, seen majestic mountains and fjords, and maybe gazed up in awe at the Northern Lights once or several times. We hope you’ll cherish each of the memories you’ll take home with you. Come sail with us again soon, on another iconic voyage of our spectacular home: the Norwegian coast.