Ms Finnmarken 22nd Feb 2017

I started a roll call for the 22nd Feb and there has been no one else who is travelling on this voyage joined in so I thought I would try on this general H page.

It would be interesting to see if the few cruises before this one manage to see the Northern lights.

I have posted a few questions on a thread of the 2nd of Feb so I thought I had better start one for this cruise.

Hope we have other joining this trip.

Hello, I'm afraid I'm not on your cruise, I have another year to wait until mine - 20th Feb 2018! However I will be interested to hear all about it so hope you will post a full review afterwards. Hope you find some people on the same cruise - maybe others just don't look at this website! I'm sure you won't be the only one onboard! :) A lady has recently written a good review on Tripadvisor under "Northern Lights", she doesn't actually mention which ship she was on but I sent her a P M and it was the Finnmarken. She advised me that the most important things to take are good snow boots, ice grips, and poles, as it gets very slippery!

Pollypops

Thanks for that, tickets have arrived, if you want to reserve dogsledding book it now! We were to late booking this trip a few months ago and they are fully booked. We tried private companies but they are booked too. We are advised to try for cancellations once on the ship. Snowmobile and a couple of others are now booked. We are having lunch today with friends that are going with us so we will have fun whatever.

The main reason for going is to see those "lights" I will keep you posted.

Hi Blue Skies

I don't think we'll be doing the dog sledding as I have a bad back and neck, not sure it would do me any good! I want to do the North Cape excursion and the Snow Hotel. I've read a lot of reviews and most people seem to have a great time, just a few who don't enjoy it. A friend of mine has just been on a P&O cruise to Norway and unfortunately didn't see the lights, she said there was one night when they saw something that looked like bonfire smoke but on people's cameras (good cameras) it showed some red and green. Someone else posted who is still up there and two nights ago they had a brilliant show. It is all down to luck, same as weather. Look forward to hearing from you on your return.

http://www.***********/cruise-ship-webcams/hurtigruten/ms-finnmarken.php

Pollypops,

I just found this live webcam site with the camera on the bow or change camera to port side on the Finnmarken. This is getting us excited for our trip on the 23 Feb. We are watching with interest the current weather, conditions and scenery. I think we will follow the same itinerary. If you scroll down you can also click on its present position.

I am not sure which ship you are on next year, but the choice of ships is yours to view, hope this helps.

Thanks very much. I hope you have a fantastic trip, I will be watching you on that webcam! Please get in touch when you return and let me know how it went, plus any photos. xx

Hello Blue Skies, are you back? Hope you had a great trip. I've been following the P&O ship Oriana on Facebook, people have been posting amazing northern lights pictures over the last 2 weeks. Do let me know how you got on.

Hi Pollypops

We had a great trip and saw the lights nearly every night once we were inside the Artic Circle probably for six nights, sometimes weak sometimes strong always green but one night coloured and they were dancing all round the sky.

We had rough seas in two hour bursts but never longer on the way north, the return was like a millpond all the way back to Bergen in blue skies with the most beautiful snowy scenery.

The Finnmarken works like clockwork they totally have it sussed.

The first night is a buffet we went to find our allocated table for the rest of the trip in the evenings which was right by the entrance door. We managed to change this to one right by the stern window which was amazing especially in port with all the city lights shining if we were docked, that area is away from the hustle and bustle of the serving area and more relaxed. Go straight away the first night if you want to change table.

The food was great with lots of fish, reindeer, and other choices.

The wait staff are like a family and very attentive.

The wine package was a no no at £46 per bottle and £520 for a wine package for 11 days. We managed in other ways in the cabin!

There were good information talks in the mornings on tours and talks and films on the Northern lights.

My pictures on the northern lights are weak but there are plenty I have found that are just like what we saw so I have used those for my album.

The cabin 324 was small, the bed was very comfy there was plenty of storage and the bathroom compact and quite adequate.

The cabins on the promenade deck all had to keep their curtains closed most of the time for privacy, deck 5 I think.

The ship was kept very warm.

The dog sledding was amazing with a long waiting list and very little chance of getting on , I snagged a place but the other three in my party did not and went snowmobiling instead which they enjoyed.

I am not sure how to post pictures but I will try.

Hope you enjoy your trip as much as we did.

Hello

It sounds as if you had a wonderful trip! I hope we are as lucky next year. Thank you for all the information. Just one question, I believe I've read that you can book excursions ahead of the voyage, do you know how we would do this? It would be good to book early to make sure we don't miss out. Oh, and was the dog sledding very bumpy - thinking of my bad back!

I am so looking forward to going, but I mustn't wish the time away as I have three other holidays (just one week each) to look forward to this year. I have just put my snow boots and thick coat up in the loft, so will now forget about it for a while and hopefully enjoy some sunshine this summer. Then when winter comes I will start again thinking about Norway!

Once again, thanks for all your help.

Thank you Blue Skies. We are set to board M/S Spitsbergen Kirkenes to Bergen soon. You give me hope of seeing the Northern Lights on our voyage. Looking forward to seeing your photos.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Kirkenes is the place to go husky sledging, we fed reindeer and also looked round the ice hotel before the coach took us back to the ship. It was quite bumpy over the terrain smoother as we sledged on the frozen fiord, all quite magical. The temperature was -7 but with no wind and sunshine it was fab. There are two pers. on a sled with a driver and 8 huskies.

We booked direct with Hurtigruten so booked the husky trip in advance with them although when we decided which trips we wanted to do there was only one place left on the husky, I took it in the hope that once we arrived on the ship a place would open up for my husband, this didn't happen. He went snowmobile, two pers to a snowmobile then changed over half way to change driver, on reflection he would definitely preferred the husky as he said that was very bumpy and shakey as they went on the fiord in rutted tracks only, and were told not to deviate, they were in convoy.

I suggest trying to book your tours with who you initially booked your trip with, it all goes on your invoice. If your TA can't do it ring Hurtigruten direct.

Good luck and have a great trip.

Ps My photos will not download, the files are to big, sorry.

Blue Skies - prior to boarding the ship we will spend two nights at the Ice Hotel in Sweden and will do a snow mobIle with northern lights one night and a dog sled excursion during the day. We are also staying at the Snow hotel in Kirkenes the night before boarding. The only pre booked excursion with Hurtigruten is the Magnificent Marble Mine. Do you have any suggestions for other excursions on the south bound voyage?

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I'm not sure if the times on your ship will coincide with the times on ours , the midnight concert in the cathedral in Tromso is very worthwhile. One trip that we regretted not doing and everyone on it raved about it was the trip from Harstad to Sortland called A taste of Vesteralen.The weather was fabulous which made a big difference, they got off in one port missed out two ports then reembarked .

The trips cost about £5 more booking while on the ship rather than booking in advance with your TA. You may want to wait to judge the weather!