Hurtigruten 12 day ferry trip in mid / late December

[bots33]

Hi all

Looking at booking a 12 day cruise from Bergen to Kirkenes and back in mid / late December - main aim is to see the northern lights.

 

Anyone done this trip and can comment on the sea conditions, weather, food and what to do on board (given it will be dark most of the time). Any suggestions on excursion/ walks to do on the (limited) time available onshore,particulary given there will be little light available?

 

Any tips on what to take / where to go / what to do on board very much appreciated. Thanks in advance for any responses.

[RSF Cruiser]

My daughter and I are doing the same trip Dec 2012 on the Midnatsol. We made a matrix with sunrise, sunset, and sun position at noon for all of the ports. From what I can understand, although the sun will not get above the horizon when we are above the Arctic Circle, the sun is only a degree or two below the horizon, so there will still be some light as in dawn and and just after sunset. I don't remember the web site where we got the information, but probably any weather web site will have it.

 

There are several cruisecritic reviews of the Hurtigruten ships - will give you an idea of what others have experienced.

[SarniaLo]

I have done the round trip (Bergen/Kirkenes/Bergen) on board the MS Polarlys during last Chrismas holidays.

 

As RSF Cruiser said, even above the Arctic circle where the sun doesn't come above the horizon there is still a lot of light during a few hours (if the weather is clear), and you can see almost as good as in daylight from around 10am to 2pm. The lights can be quite dramatic, imagine 2/3 hours of sunrise leading directly to 2/3 hours of sunset, and the reflection of the lights and colors on the snowy landscape is breathtaking.

 

As soon as the night comes (and provided, again, that the weather is clear) you can see the Northern lights. I was very surprised the first time we saw the Northern Lights at 5 in the afternoon, somehow I figured they would only be seen in the evening, but they are there (more or less intense) all the time. We were incredibly lucky to see them for five nights in a row. We ended up spending a lot of time on the outside decks, either during the day or at night.

 

We didn't take any excursion except the North Cape. Some fellow travellers have done the dog sledging in Tromso and the snow hotel in Kirkenes and were very happy with it. In most of the town you can walk on your own, usually the stops are short except Alesund, Trondheim and Tromso.

 

I had brought three books because I was worried I might get bored a bit during the long evenings, but the time we didn't spend outside was spend eating, walking in the towns during the stops, and some time on the computer every night sorting out my daily provision of pictures and updating my blog. In the end, I read only 10 pages of the first book and didn't get bored one minute.

 

The weather was cold but bearable. We had mostly around 0-5° centigrades, but it was much colder in Kirkenes (which I expected) and in Trondheim (which I didn't), around -15°C. Bring layers of clothes and be sure to maintain your extremities warm (hands, feet, and head/ears/nose). We had good wind conditions except a storm in the Barents Sea but the ships are really well stabilized and I couldn't tell from inside that it was so bad.

 

You can check my pictures on my blog (I apologize the text is in French only, but you can google-translate it, as RSF Cruiser has already done I believe ;) or just look at the pictures. It starts here, and then click on "message plus récent" at the bottom of the page).

 

I'll be happy to answer any other question you have. We were so enthusiastic about this trip (our second on Hurtigruten's Coastal Express) that we are going back next March. It is supposed to be a great year for Northern Lights!

[RSF Cruiser]

SarniaLo - yes, I used google translate to convert your French to English. I also wanted to let you know I went back to your blog the other day and saw your pictures from Spitsbergen - looks like another great trip in Norway.

 

I'm sure the time will fly by, but December 2012 for our Norway trip sure seems like a long way off.

[zogrand]

There isn't much entertainment supplied by the ship. We returned from the round trip on Sept. 15 and just completed a review. I'm enclosing the link. In the evening there was music in the lounge on deck 7. Otherwise, entertainment consists of watching the scenery that is available, watching CNN on TV's in the public areas, reading, playing cards/games, eating, drinking, or sleeping. If you're not on a tour, you can still get off the boat and look around. Just be sure to listen for the boat whistle so you won't miss the boat. They won't wait for you!! I'm not sure what tours are available in the winter, but you can find them on the Hurtigruten web site. There is a tour desk on the ship but your experience will depend on the tour director. I wasn't impressed with the one on our ship, but we were with Vantage so we didn't depend on ship tours. I thought it was a wonderful trip and can imagine that every season will have it's own unique advantages. Seas were very calm during our trip, but I think this too can vary from cruise to cruise.

Have a wonderful time!! I'd be more than willing to answer any questions.

Carol

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=90705

[Skipskatta]

I'm not sure what tours are available in the winter, but you can find them on the Hurtigruten web site.

 

You can find the excursions here: http://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/norway/excursions/Northbound-2011/

[amazonlady]

This is a good sharing of information, thank you. We are on the Midnatsol round trip from 25 november, is there wi fi access on the Midnatsol, do you pay?

[janetcbl]

We were on the sister ship, Trollfjord, and there is wifi in the suite cabins (M categorys). There are public computers available (and wifi I believe) which is free and very slow!

[BeardedGuy]

We were on the Nordkapp (Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen) from October 14-25 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Food was quite good, and the weather was generally clear (overcast but no rain) and chilly but bearable. I was generally comfortable with a sweater and waterproof jacket outside, but found it necessary to wear a hat and gloves most occasions. We took two excursions - North Cape and Taste of Vesterhallen - both excellent but expensive. The Northern Lights were visible on about three nights although I only got good photographs on one occasion. (I found that taking flash and auto focus off gave me pretty good results, however, a tripod would have certainly helped.) The staff was uniformly helpful and knowledgable, and all in all, I would certainly recommend the trip.

[Skipskatta]

The Northern Lights were visible on about three nights although I only got good photographs on one occasion. (I found that taking flash and auto focus off gave me pretty good results, however, a tripod would have certainly helped.)

 

Taking photographs of the northern lights can be tricky. Here are some tips: http://goscandinavia.about.com/od/knowledgesafety/ht/photographnorth.htm

[SwissMyst]

Keep in mind the Northern Lights follow the magnetic pole rather than the geographic North Pole when you decide where and when you will have your best viewing opportunities. Additionally they follow the 11 year sun-spot cycle and peak and ebb in their intensity greatly. I think we are now a few years past the peak time, but best to check for this. http://fairbanks-alaska.com/northern-lights-alaska.htm

 

Do some research on the best places and times first before you commit to this trip just to see the Northern Lights. Fairbanks, Alaska is the prime research spot for the Northern Lights in the US. Contact them for more detailed information. Plus the magnetic pole shifts so best viewing spots can change over time.

[SarniaLo]

I think we are now a few years past the peak time, but best to check for this. http://fairbanks-alaska.com/northern-lights-alaska.htm

Actually, I have heard from several (reliable) sources that this coming winter is supposed to be very good for northern lights (for instance NASA has predicted record activity in 2012). I do hope they are right! ;)

[Skipskatta]

On this page you can get a Northern lights forecast: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/3

[Golfister]

Anyone back from this trip and can give a bit of a review? We're thinking of booking for next winter.

Thanks:)

[SarniaLo]

Anyone back from this trip and can give a bit of a review? We're thinking of booking for next winter.

Thanks:)

You already have many testimonies on this discussion (including mine from a trip in December 2010), which give a lot of information. If you have any specific questions I'll be happy to answer.

[Skipskatta]

Maybe these reviews can help? http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/hurtigruten-cruises/cl/

[bluemug]

Hi all

Looking at booking a 12 day cruise from Bergen to Kirkenes and back in mid / late December - main aim is to see the northern lights.

 

Anyone done this trip and can comment on the sea conditions, weather, food and what to do on board (given it will be dark most of the time). Any suggestions on excursion/ walks to do on the (limited) time available onshore,particulary given there will be little light available?

 

Any tips on what to take / where to go / what to do on board very much appreciated. Thanks in advance for any responses.

Hi Bots33

My wife and myself are aboard Kong harald in december. Having been on Nordlys last may we found that dog-sledding is a must do and north cape (because its there). The music museum in Trondheim is a treat. Warning....the prices on board are really high. Two shots, two hot chocolats and two potato crisps £32. Take your own from duty free at airport.

See you on the ice

Dave and Sue :)

[squarevanman]

In Copenhagen at moment having finished my round voyage on Monday aboard the Lofoten. Out of the 11 nights on board we saw the Northern Lights for 6. Could not have wished for a better trip. Sunshine, Snow Storm and Hurricane force wind (came off the mainland so hardly felt it) encountered during the run. Even had some musical entertainment when a group of 50 Norwegian fire fighters with friends and family boarded at Trondheim. They had a 3 piece group with them and played a couple of sessions in the bar. They also invited the other passengers to visit the fire museum at Kristiansund with them. Took the offer up and was transported by fire engine.

Looking forward to next years schedule being published to get back on board the MS Lofoten.

 

Agree that prices are high if one compares them to other countries but they are the same as Norwegian prices on land.

[SarniaLo]

In Copenhagen at moment having finished my round voyage on Monday aboard the Lofoten. Out of the 11 nights on board we saw the Northern Lights for 6. Could not have wished for a better trip. Sunshine, Snow Storm and Hurricane force wind (came off the mainland so hardly felt it) encountered during the run.

I'm going for a round trip on the MS Lofoten in a month, I hope that I have as much luck with the Northern Lights!

How is the ship handling the rough weather? I already sailed with her in April 2006 but we didn't have strong wind/sea, and I know she doesn't have stabilizers as the newer ships have.

[squarevanman]

I'm going for a round trip on the MS Lofoten in a month, I hope that I have as much luck with the Northern Lights!

How is the ship handling the rough weather? I already sailed with her in April 2006 but we didn't have strong wind/sea, and I know she doesn't have stabilizers as the newer ships have.

 

She handled very well but we were lucky as the wind was from the mainland. When we got off she was heading to Denmark for her annual check up and deep clean so she should be ready for you. The ship has a friendly atmosphere and as we only had 33 north and 36 south (Till Trondheim) we got to know each other fairly well. A group of us were taking it in turns to be "light watch" as a couple of times they appeared behind the ship. I hope you have a fantastic time on her and manage to get good sightings of the lights. Forgot in my OP we also were treated to Sea Eagles, 2 Dolphins and a few Whales whilst most of the passengers were on the taste of vestrallen excursion.