First time Cruising. Will I be bored on a winter Hurtigruten?

[Pattrickk]

Hi all!

 

Due to Corona our plans for our first cruise has changed dramatically. Me and my wife are planning to have a child in 2022 and sadly our central american cruise was cancelled this year and we dont have time to fit it in next year until late 2021/early 2022, but we don't want the risks associated with Zika!

 

But our interest has been sparked for a winter cruise seeing the Fjords - we'd love to see the northern lights, explore a bit of Norway, go dog sledding and have a little adventure whilst soaking in beautiful nature and wildlife. I just can't seem to find much in explaining what a trip on Hurtigurten during the winter would look like! We would most likely want to go december 2021/ January 2022 for 7 or 8 days but are concerned we will grow bored of sitting on the ship watching picturesque seens float by with little to do. The itinerarys seem to indicate VERY short stops as many ports which says to me there would be no time for any sort of excursion or adventure. 

 

Would this trip really just be on board watching things pass or is there more to it, if anyone can point me in the direction of a blog/video/review that has any insight I would really appreciate it! any opinions or suggestions would be greatly welcome :)

 

Thanks!

 

Pattrickk 

[hallasm]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

You can get a feeling of ‘life onboard’ by reading my review from January Last year and view some of my videos.

One longer stop each day - will recommend north bound from Bergen to Kirkenes.

Fly into Oslo and take the train to Bergen with a possible detour to Flåm from Myrdal , cruising the Aurlandsfjord, and Nærøyfjord.

Also spend at least One Day In Bergen.

At the cruise each day lectures onboard - and you’ll spend time with fellow cruisers. Dogsledding in Tromsø and a visit to North Cape.

You can plan to spend another day in Kirkenes and visit the Snow hotel or even stay at the hotel (if build this year) - also a nice snowmobile and king crab Safari.

Make sure to dress properly - very cold during night (polar night inside the Arctic circle). Please Ask all your questions - important to get it right.

Edited July 21, 2020 by hallasm

[ighten]

Think of it as an adventure --- As hallasm says read some reports and blogs/vlogs..

 

Remember there's the opportunity to have longer shore trips (if booked through Hurt) and rejoin the ship further down the route that day (all organized by Hurt ) or instead of the coastal ships  book an expedition cruise (when you work out whats included they are not bad value at all)

 

Do different things - dog sledding as you mention etc

[Pattrickk]

Hi Hallasm,

 

Absolutely brilliant review and video - thank you some much. I often wonder why google and youtube don't offer up such pages! Your itinerary is very similar to what we have eyed up with One night stay at Bergen to begin. I'm really glad to know that there are excursions to take part in and long stops are daily, that should keep us occupied atleast! The lectures seem like a real highlight. Would you recommend this kind of experience for first time Cruisers? We certainly aren't put off by cold weather, atleast with preperation we can fight it off (as opposed to when it is too hot!)

 

Additionally, I know you mentioned win being about 150NOK what was the cost like for things like tea, coffee, orange juice or just water whilst on board?

 

-Would you say we would be best just holding off on this kind of trip until we can fit it in during the warmer months or was the scenery still as beautiful and awe-inspiring without "normal" or copious day light (the pictures look great but its so hard to make the call being at home looking a a monitor!)

 

-When you mentioned a day of breakfast, lunch, dinner, reading and knitting is there comfortable places around the ship to lounge or was this mostly just the restaurant and then back in your room as I'm not sure we will have the budget for a Suite but if we could spend a lot of time in our room we would certainly stretch for it!

 

-Do you remember how much the excursions cost when you went, just for budgeting.

 

-What is on and off boarding like? I notice in the day schedules it says you can go for a walk in the port but the stop is only 45 minutes long!

 

Thank you so much for the informative blog and sorry for the questions : )Really appreciate your help!

[hallasm]

17 minutes ago, Pattrickk said:

Would you recommend this kind of experience for first time Cruisers?

Sure - different from ‘ordinary’ cruises - I have done 30+ cruises - Hurtigruten voyage is different but a great experience. 

17 minutes ago, Pattrickk said:

what was the cost like for things like tea, coffee, orange juice or just water

Wine by glass - water included for meals. Depending on booking coffee and tea included - you can drink tap water. 

17 minutes ago, Pattrickk said:

is there comfortable places around the ship to lounge

Yes. Depending on the ship - but we used lounges or the cafe area. 

17 minutes ago, Pattrickk said:

we could spend a lot of time in our room we would certainly stretch for it!

Many cabins are small - despite the suite at our last voyage we spend most time in public areas. 

17 minutes ago, Pattrickk said:

Do you remember how much the excursions cost when you went, just for budgeting

I’ll provide a link to excursions w/prices  later today - not cheap. You can purchase discounted excursions once onboard - but dogsledding will probably be sold out  

17 minutes ago, Pattrickk said:

What is on and off boarding like?

In ports? Just walk off/on ship. Most ports close to center of the city. 

17 minutes ago, Pattrickk said:

sorry for the questions

Happy to help - I have during many years got valuable information at this board. Hope I got answered all your questions. 
I’ll post link to excursions later today. 

Edited July 21, 2020 by hallasm

[hallasm]

some additional information

Link to excursions - price in Euro - prices are last year - might be a bit higher.

Arrival and departure information

Some more detailed information

Just for your information - prices at the Norwegian site are sometimes more favourable - terms and conditions might be different..

Ships and cabins are very different - have a close look at ship info and deck plans before booking

 

[hallasm]

1 hour ago, ighten said:

or instead of the coastal ships  book an expedition cruise

Yes, also a possibility - MS Trollfjord is starting 12 days (11 nights) expedition cruises from January 8, 2021 - longer port stops than the classic coastal voyage.

Edited July 21, 2020 by hallasm

[Pattrickk]

Thats all brilliant! Thank you so much for your insight and resources. You've helped massively on our way to making a decision! Now to see what the Mrs wants and get booking 🙂

[grayjay]

I'd also recommend taking a look at the Hurtigruten voyages on refurbished ships "Otto Sverdrup" out of Hamburg or " MS Maud" out of Dover. These voyages are a bit longer, I think 12 days or so, but offer more time in the ports visited and as far as I know, many excursions are included, for example the one to the North Cape. Most of the cabins are still as tiny in size as before the refurbishment, but there's lots of public space to enjoy.

We splurged on a mini-suite though, a year ago on "Richard With" and were very happy with the quiet time in our spacious surroundings and the views out of the large windows if the weather was inclement. Unfortunately enough, we didn't see a single speck of the Northern Lights even if it was March and statistically a good month. We chose it because of the longer days of daylight - many love the Polar nights in December or January. You can choose! Hurtigruten's website gives you pictures of the different ships, their decks and cabins and public spaces.

Enjoy the time of planning!

[donaldsc]

Don't know where you live and whether you can get to Vancouver BC and when you hope to get pregnant but Hurtigrutin is doing 4 absolutely wonderful sounding cruises to Alaska next summer - 2 northbound and 2 southbound on their new ship the Roald Amundsen.  They go to places that no other AK cruises that I can find go to.  How many of your friends will be able to say that they have been to Dutch Harbor, St. Paul AK, St. Matthew Island or Nome? 

 

The only possible problem aside from the timing is that it is a bit expensive at about 10K per person but it is 18 days and it includes a charter flight from Nome to Vancouver and one night in a Vancouver hotel.  We are booked on the July 31 cruise and are really hoping that it will go.

 

DON

 

https://www.hurtigruten.com/destinations/alaska/alaska-and-british-columbia-inside-passage-bears-and-aleutian-islands-northbound/#

 

Day 1  Vancouver, Canada

Day 2  At Sea

Day 3  Misty Fjords National Monument

Day 4  Wrangell, Alaska

Day 5  Sitka, Alaska

Day 6  Icy Bay

Day 7  At Sea

Day 8  Kodiak, Alaska

Day 9  Geographic Harbor / Kukak Bay / Kinak Bay

Day 10  Chignik

Day 11  Unga Village, Alaska

Day 12  Dutch Harbor / Unalaska

Day 13  At Sea

Day 14  St. Paul, Alaska

Day 15  St. Matthew Island, Alaska

Day 16  At sea

Day 17  Nome, Alaska

Day 18  Vancouver

.