drengen

In the new licence period (from 2021), Hurtigruten is shared by two companies, Hurtigruten AS and Havila. In practise, this means that Hurtigruten AS will have four ships that is not restricted to the Hurtigruten coastal schedule; meaning they are free to cruise the coast as they like. Time will show.

http://maritimt.com/nb/maritimt-magasin/todelt-hurtigrute-konsesjon

No, embarking the ship isn't optimal, however the reward when you wake up the next morning is great. Southbound from Trondheim the first part of the leg to Kristiansund isn't the most interesting, but a day trip there is feasible. Trondheim-Bergen is 27 hrs iirc, and from right north of Krisiansund it goes trough magnificent landscape.

I would fly to Bodø in the afternoon, take a look at the town, and embark on Hurtigruten when it arrives 02:30. The Helgeland coast the following day is the most iconic part of the entire cruise, imo.

Subsidiary, Fly to Evenes 11:55, take the bus to Svolvær, arrival 2000, departure Hurtigruten 2030. A bit more stressful, it will be the same ship.

In the autumn the air is generally clearer than during summer, so you have a better view of distant formations.

Speaking of northern areas, the most common coastal tree vegetation is birch and rowan, and none of them have the readish color spectrum of ie maples. An there's pine, who stay green. I don't know what you're expecting?

Wind conditions also is an important factor. An early autumn storm can rip of leaves that otherwise would have stayed on the branches for another fortnight.

I'm Norwegian, and I'm used to think of Hurtigruten as public transport. It still is, but with more emphasis on cruise experiences the later decades.

Still, the port calls are as they used to be - with uneven distances and port times along the coast.