Norway: The Classic Voyage South
The Real Norway – Cruise South
There are parts of Norway where cruises are the only way to cover long distances safely and reliably. Kirkenes, where this journey starts, is one of those places.
Travelling south and west along coastal Norway the cruise follows a route that has been established for over a hundred years and visits medieval towns, remote fishing villages, majestic fjords and dramatic mountainscapes. While other itineraries offer an overview of Norway this cruise navigates close to the fjords to get the best possible views and find out how the Norwegian people live.
The Voyage South is ideal for travellers looking to experience Norway the way the Norwegians do. Recommended excursions include the Midnight Sun summer concert in the Arctic Cathedral and eating a meal with indigenous Sami people in a turf hut in Hammerfest.
Day 1 -
Oslo
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Fly into the capital of Norway and relax before the voyage.
Meals included:
Breakfast
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Day 2 -
Kirkenes
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After a domestic flight from Oslo to Kirkenes, check-in to your cabin onboard the ship. From this far corner of Norway the cruise heads southward and within a few days show the gentle transition from Arctic to temperate landscapes.
Thanks to its high latitude Kirkenes experiences 65 days of continuous sunlight under the Midnight Sun between March the 17th and July the 21st.
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 3 -
Hammerfest and Tromsø
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Hammerfest claims to be the world’s most northern town and was the starting point for Bill Bryson’s journey in his book Neither Here Nor There. In the evening the ship calls at Tromsø and there is a chance to attend a concert at the Arctic Cathedral.
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 4 -
The Lofoten Islands
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.jpg "The Lofoten Islands")
The mountainous silhouette of the Lofoten Islands rises out of the sea like the teeth of a mythical sea beast. So unspoilt is this part of the world that the whole length of the region’s major road (the E10) has been designated a National Tourist Route. A meeting of the Arctic Ocean and Gulf Stream makes these waters the most fertile in Norway and attract sea eagles, puffins and two species of whale.
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 5 -
The Arctic Circle and Seven Sisters
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To showcase some of the most iconic views in Norway the cruise passes close to the Seven Sisters range and Torghatten – the pierced mountain.
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 6 -
Trondheim and Molde
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Despite several notable fires, including almost total destruction several times over during the Early Modern Period, the Viking city of Trondheim still has Norway’s most impressive collection of wooden buildings. For a chance to see the site of the grave of the patron saint of Norway this cruise offers an optional excursion to the Nidaros Cathedral.
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 7 -
Bergen
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Arrive in Bergen and prepare for the trip home. Depending on flights there may be enough time for a tour of the city.
Meals included:
Breakfast
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The Real Norway – Cruises with Hurtigruten
Before the advent of air travel the northern regions of Norway were all but inaccessible which made steady trade between the north and south impossible. Seeing a need to remedy this, the Norwegian government established a scheme called “the express route” so that residents of Norway could cruise their goods along the coast.
Today the same service exists, but rather than being cargo ships that carry passengers “the express route” is equipped with a fleet of 11 ships that carry locals and visitors along the coast.
For more information on visiting Norway and cruises in the fjords please call the number at the top of this page.
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