And the next cruise............

I am nearly all packed now ready to join Oriana in search of the Northern Lights next week. Co-incidentally I went to a presentation by Hurtigruten last week, which gave me some good tips for the Oriana Cruise.

Hurtigruten have been on my radar since I saw my first Norwegian Coastal Steamer way back in 1978.

Norwegian Coastal Steamer photographed from MV Vistafjord, 1978

Norway is a very narrow country with a huge coastline so before modern roads (and tunnels!), the only practical way to travel between settlements was by sea. This is how Hurtigruten started - carrying cargo, mail and people up and down the coast from Bergen in the south to Kirkenes in the north east. It was not long before tourists started to sue the ships as a way to explore Norway and so began their cruise programme. However, most of their voyages are not strictly cruises in the modern sense - you are still booking a cabin on a coastal ferry - but with some cruise perks thrown in. The cabin look small but very comfortable. Breakfast and lunch are open sittings, shared with ferry passengers. Dinner is a set three-course meal (with a few other options if you really don't like the offering).

In return you get to see the country the way the locals see it. As the ships sails between each town, locals will be commuting on board, children may be on their way to school and cargo will be loaded and unloaded at each stop - which range from 20 minutes to 2 hours. The ship carries on all day and night so the best voyage is both up the coast and back again since ports visited at night one way will be a daytime visit the opposite direction. A ship leaves Bergen everyday so you can get off in any port for a short stay and pick up the next ship a day or more later.

Nordlys in Geiranger Fjord, August 2013

Nowadays Hurtigruten have moved into expedition cruising as well with wonderful itineraries around the Arctic and Antarctic. So - my bucket list just keeps getting longer.

And so - back to packing! I know it will be cold but will we get to see the Northern Lights? Well Hurtigruten said that 95% of their ships had seen them this winter. Fingers crossed I will be one of the 95%!