Hurtigruten

We have recently returned from a Coastal trip. We did the whole return from and to Bergen. It was on my husbands bucket list and our first ever experience of being on a ship (other than a ferry to France). I wanted to post because I was uncertain about some things before going and hope to be of help to others. We chose an outside Polar cabin on deck 5. For location it was great and central to everything going on. Having the walking deck outside was an irritation sometimes but there is reflective glass so if you don't have the lights on it isn't easy to see in from outside. For us the ease of access to other facilities was well worth it. The bathroom was slightly larger than a ferry bathroom and had a wonderful heated floor. This meant it was dry and damp clothes/towels dried quickly. Liquid soap, shampoo and conditioner are provided and good quality as well as being environmentally friendly. We opted to only have our towels changed a couple of times, which gave a charity donation. I found the storage much better than expected as we had plenty of space. There was a wardrobe and 6 shelves. We were also able to store cases under the bed. Good lighting options at bedside and overhead as well as temperature control. We booked just a few excursions due to price in Norway, but had at least one opportunity every day to get off the ship and walk around the town. A highlight was the celebrations on independence day, 17 May, where we took part in a local parade. The staff were all very helpful (inevitably some more so) but we were told very clearly that they are paid good wages and don't need tips. We'd heard various tales of the cost of alcohol on board. It is expensive, as in all of Norway where the tax increases with the alcohol content. You can't drink your own alcohol in a public space, but in your room is fine. We took gin from duty free and bought tonic in a supermarket The food was excellent and fresh. My only complaint is that we both put on weight trying different things. Dinner we were allocated a table for a 3 course meal. Some dinners were also buffet because of the schedule. Breakfast and lunch were buffets. The only thing I missed was a cup of tea in my room as we didn't have tea making facilities so had to wait for breakfast. A fascinating trip. The lectures were entertaining and brought real insight into the culture and life in Norway. There was just one apprentice who was not very good. We had points of interest talks on the deck and much flag waving at other ships or communities as we passed

This year I had my fifth voyage with Hurtigruten, and the second on one of their Expedition cruises (HX) which now operates as a separate entity. Expedition cruises tend to be on smaller ships which can access areas off the beaten track. Included is a team of specialist guides and there are plenty of opportunities to go on shore to explore, and watch wildlife, subject to the weather. Safety is a priority, each landing is thoroughly recced and you are provided with all the equipment that might be needed in any situation. Included activities are hiking, canoeing (subject to availability), and various citizen science projects. Other things included are wi-fi, wine, beer, soft drinks at meals, and tea and coffee. Third party excursions may be available at an additional cost. 2024's expedition to the British Isles went as planned, however in 2022 the one advertised as Circumnavigating the Realm of the Polar Bear did not. Ice prevented us from circumnavigating the Svalbard archipelago and we didn't see any polar bears. To be told at the end of the cruise that it was too early in the year for polar bears and August would be better because there would be less ice, was not that helpful. So you need to ask yourself how disappointed you would be if you didn't see a polar bear (for example) or follow a specific itinerary. I think it would be helpful if the likelihood was added alongside the usual caveat of not guaranteeing sightings of specific wild life. In comparison the costal voyages follow a set schedule along the Norwegian coast which is less weather dependent. Apart from one fjord, all disembarkations are at a port where you encounter every day Norwegian life. Some stops are too short to get off the ship, whilst at others you have a couple of hours or half a day. At longer stops there are optional activities. Both types of holiday are scenic from beginning to end. Meals are excellent as the food is freshly cooked and there is plenty of choice. I would like Hurtigruten Expeditions (HX) to maintain consistency on the quality of its cabins. On my holiday to Svalbard on MS Spitzbergen my cabin was bright, modern and comfortable but on this years expedition with MS Maud my cabin looked tired, gloomy, and was incredibly noisy. Also the restaurant service can be variable, the buffet format seems to works best.

Cruise itself was fine for the price. Due to bad weather outside the company's control, we had to stop our tour short. This meant missing connections, not getting to our final destination, not experiencing things. On the boat, the company promised us that we would be compensated. However, no compensation was forthcoming. Over email, the company has confirmed a proportionate refund is coming, however have failed to state when or what amount. After over a month of chasing the company to understand what refunds would be provided, and speaking to multiple customer service agents - we are still in the dark. Writing this review is my last resort, seemingly no other way to get through to you guys to resolve the matter!

It's a coastal journey, not into deep fjords other than Trollfjord, lots of islands instead then mountains north of the Arctic Circle. On the Nordnorge, the food was excellent, the staff very friendly and helpful, the excursions were expensive but worthwhile and the information about Norway was brilliant.

Avoid. Our Astronomy cruise was cancelled and we were moved to another, but we were totally misled as to what the changes would be, even lied to on one critical change. No apology, no attempt to assist during the trip. Terrible management, IT systems, information, app, website well below par. Last 2 days we felt like a inconvenience, treated to repeats of previous workshops, promotional videos to entice other trips, crew training exercises, totally boring. Only good point the restaurant/bar staff were very good.

Excellent customer service. Staff very helpful on the phone, in advance and during the trip. Amazing Norwegian coastal scenery. Comfortable cabins. The boat was great. Excursions were pricey but excellent and worth it for the opportunities they offered. Will go again. Can't wait!

Do Not Go with this company!! The excursions and drink prices are an absolute rip off!! The cruise itself is expensive and you expect to pay a little more for wine on a cruise but the cheapest bottle was £56!!!!!! This was not fine wine but bottles you can buy in Tesco for less than £10!!! Beer also about £11 for a 330ml bottle. Ridiculous!! An example of an excursion price was a trip to Nordkapp, the most Northerly point of Europe. We travelled by coach for about 40 mins to the Cape which is free to enter then back to rejoin the ship by coach. 4 and a half hour trip cost £230 each!!!!!! The weather was appalling in Sept which isn’t their fault of course but we couldn’t even look forward to a nice meal and drink in the evening or a worthwhile trip the following day! Undoubtedly the worst holiday we have ever been on and the worst value for money! You can do far better for a lot less money with other companies. This was the Northbound and Southbound coastal experience.

The only good thing on our cruise around Svalbard was the food. The worst thing, which everybody goes for, was the wildlife. We had good views of the walrus and a humpback whale, but everything else were like dots on the landscape. Unless you had a very large lens on your camera you would see nothing. We saw two polar bears, one arctic fox, one seal and several reindeer all from distance. The only birds we got close to were the ones flying around the ship. The birds on the cliffs we were not even aloud close enough for me to see even through my 500mm lens. If you like to observe wildlife this is not a trip for you. I was very disappointed with this cruise and for the money paid it was an extreme letdown. I know you are not guaranteed to see wildlife, but even when they knew wildlife was about you were not allowed close enough to see them properly. For views of wildlife please go anywhere else but here.