Pictured left to right outside the new store are: Paul Hardwick, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents Director of Retail; Emma Bailey, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents; Tutti Taylor, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents; Councillor Candy Vaughan, Mayor of Eastbourne; Trevor Ridler, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents Business Development Manager; and Shirley Waters, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents..
Picture Norway in the late 19th century – the country consists of thriving isolated coastal communities, with their burgeoning fish export industries having to navigate the beautiful but perilous coastline of inlets, islands and reefs. Travel by land is a lengthy and arduous process and a letter posted in the North takes 3 weeks to reach the South! In 1893 Hurtigruten established the first steamship service linking northern and southern Norway, transporting people, delivering goods, and sustaining the communities along the coastline. This new service gave the company its name, “hurtig ruten” meaning ‘the fast route’ and it has been running ever since.
Sailing Norway’s coast has been described as ‘The World’s Most Beautiful Voyage’ and these days Hurtigruten offer two ways to enjoy it - The Coastal Express is the famous route initiated in 1893, visiting 34 ports in 12 days, with stops ranging from 10 minutes to four hours in each port. For a more leisurely view of Norway, they now also offer all-inclusive Signature Journeys, visiting up to 14 ports with stops for several hours, to fully experience each and allow time for excursions. The are two Signature Journeys - the Svalbard Line sailing in the summer and autumn, and the North Cape Line sailing in the autumn, winter and spring. Lorna and Kelly, Branch Managers from Thorpe Travel and Worthing were lucky enough to step on board MS Trollfjord to find out just what passengers onboard a Hurtigruten Signature Journey can enjoy:
“Before I went, I had a perception that Hurtigruten would be very Norwegian in style, and perhaps a bit basic in regards to comforts and entertainment, more like a ferry style, given their company history,“ says Kelly. “I was right about the Nordic style, in the very best way! It gave a true feel of being where you are, which I loved, however I could not be more wrong about it being basic - everything was thought out in fine detail with comfort in mind.”
“MS Trollfjord reminded me of a few other small cruise ships I have sailed on,” says Lorna, “Stepping onboard I felt at home, she was small but spacious. There are lots of lovely big windows and seats that look out to sea, and although she is small, there were lots of areas to sit, relax and take in Norway’s coast - the two-tier lounge/bar has fantastic views over the bow of the ship and this is a great place for downtime with people reading, chatting, playing games or just watching the scenery. There is a lecture hall where daily presentations are held, and this is also the venue for occasional fitness sessions such as yoga in the evening. There’s a small library, shop, male and female saunas and, if the weather permits, the top deck has tables undercover and lounging chairs for warmer weather.”
“The size and nature of this ship make it different to others – it feels like everyone is there to explore, and it’s also very informal,” says Kelly. “Dress codes are very relaxed onboard, and there are no formal evenings. During the day it’s comfortable trousers such as walking trousers or jeans and warm layers on the top half - this is where packing layers are key! The weather changes so much from port to port - on our excursion standing at the quayside it was breezy, but we stopped enroute and the sun was out, so I took off my jumper, but when we were higher up on the train journey, I needed both my jumper and jacket! I wished I had packed some walking trousers or gym trousers so I could go sea kayaking - jeans are not suitable for this excursion. There is no need to pack dresses or evening wear – some guests wore the same clothes in the evening and others put a shirt/blouse on, but it’s all very low key and comfortable - very different to the other cruises I have been on, where I have dressed up every evening,” confirms Lorna.
The staff were excellent says Kelly, “Always efficient and polite, you always felt well looked after in their hands. The bar staff brought a fun element to their service! Always willing to humour you in trying out new drink combinations!” Lorna has discovered perhaps one key reason for their job satisfaction, “The staff generally only work 4 weeks at any one time so that they can then go home and have a break. They only employ Norwegian staff, in fact, Hurtigruten’s entire ethos is all about sourcing locally, whether that’s the food, the staff or the drinks.”
MS Trollfjord offers 3 onboard restaurants:
Flora - the main restaurant for buffet breakfast and lunch, and a la carte in the evenings, except on arrival day which is a buffet. Set dining times are allocated onboard between 6pm to 8.30pm and daily menus are uploaded on the app so you can see the menus, which is helpful in knowing which restaurant to choose. “Breakfast was really great,” says Kelly, “Bacon was crispy, a choice of any style eggs, fresh fruits, breads, jams and marmalades, yoghurts, porridge, and pickled herring if you want to do as the Norwegians do! Coffee, teas and juices of course, and gingers shots to wake you up!”
Brasserie Arran – this has a set menu throughout the cruise, open from lunch through to evening meal. Kelly elaborates, “They had the same menu throughout but it was so good I wanted to work my way through it! Here you can get a burger ‘n chips, or perhaps Reindeer shank or souvvas! (like a kebab!) I also love mussels and here they did them with chorizo and cheese, one of the best I have ever had.” There are no set dining times and reservations can be made. The menu is included unless you want to choose a steak which is chargeable by weight.
Rost – this is available free of charge to suite guests and, if they have availability, other guests can pay to dine here for a supplement. This restaurant doesn’t have a set menu, each day it changes depending on what they source on arrival at each port. “You can just have the food menu or add on wine, which is paired with each course,” says Lorna. Kelly was very impressed, “The atmosphere was wonderful, very intimate. The flavours in each dish were very carefully thought out, it was a sensation for all the senses!”
Afternoon tea is also included, served in the 1893 bar. Lorna did her best to fully immerse in the Norwegian culinary experience, “Onboard I tried reindeer, halibut, bone marrow, baby goat and veal. All of which were very nice - a few items that I tried I wouldn’t be in a rush to try again, but this is all part of the authentic Norwegian experience!”
The cruise is all inclusive, with some drinks included and others with a supplement. “I loved the Norwegian cider,” says Lorna, “the flavour changed daily with raspberry and pear as well as traditional apple.” Kelly was rather more experimental when it came to her drinks, “The barmen were so great they would happily experiment with making cocktails with you – we made our signature drink which we called The Dave!”
“Entertainment is very low key onboard – with music in the lounge, or perhaps a quiz or food presentation - some guests stay up, but many go back to their cabins after dinner, ready for the following day’s activities,” explains Lorna. “There is a daily briefing, run by the coastal experience team, who help you plan trips and tell you what is on offer in each port of call. They go over photos from the day before, the word of the day in Norwegian, and any information about the upcoming sailing and the next day’s port of call. It’s really great to attend these as it gives you lots of information, but if you do miss it they add them to the in-room TV, so you can catch up later.”
On her itinerary, Lorna stopped at Reine, Traena, Tromso and Andalsnes, “At Andalsnes I joined the Golden Train excursion. The views were amazing – mountains either side, waterfalls and tunnels with spectacular scenery. Other excursions were available such as sea kayaking, an arctic dip with sauna, and gondola trips. There was loads of choice, but as the towns are very close to the port, you can take a wander and explore independently very easily. I would love to explore Tromso in more depth another time, there were beautiful streets to wander with cafes and shops, and the Arctic Cathedral could be seen across the sea, but sadly we had to catch our flight this time.”
Kelly’s trip called at Tromso, Senja, Harstadd, Alesund, Saebo, Bronnoysund, Molde, Finnsnes and Bergen, “I thoroughly enjoyed Harstadd, it was a lovely 20-30 minute walk which was very scenic along to a church and war memorial. It was free to enter, they also had a Nordic museum. We stopped for coffee before taking another very pretty coastal walk back to the port.”
You can set an alert on your cabin phone for when the northern lights are visible, Kelly did not get to see them, but Lorna did, “We were so very lucky to see the Northern Lights on our last evening – a truly amazing experience.”
With Coastal Express sailings every 2 days, along the coast you will pass other Hurtigruten ships, “One morning it was planned that our ship would sail past another ship, so the crew handed out flags and we all gathered at the bow of the ship. The captains each sounded their horns, and to see both ships sail by each other, with the horns blasting and so many flags and sailors out on deck was magical,” says Lorna. She also ‘enjoyed’ another Norwegian tradition, “When crossing the Arctic Circle, the ship has a tradition of putting ice down your back and giving you a shot. I did take part – not only was it ice, but a load of melted ice-cold water too! An experience I feel I have ticked off and don’t need to do again!”
Both Lorna stayed in an Arctic Superior Outside cabin on Deck 4, “I had a lovely window, and the room featured small wardrobes, a minibar, dressing table, and bathroom with a shower, hairdryer and a heated floor. When I stepped in the bathroom and realised the floor was heated, I did think it was a bit bizarre, but after I took an arctic dip and had wet clothes, I realised what a good idea this is as my swimming costume dried very quickly, as would any wet boots or layers from the changeable weather conditions. The cabin had a mixture of USB, type C and European charge points and a TV.” Kelly stayed in a Superior Ocean View Cabin, “The cabin was luxurious, and the pillows were some of the best I have slept on! The window was a great size and let in lovely light. We did a ship tour and saw inside cabins and suites. Both were just as comfortably decorated, the difference is size, with separate seating area to sleeping area and outside balcony for the suites. “
Lorna offers a tip based on her own experience, which meant a close shave getting to the ship on time from the airport, “My top tip would be to book a local hotel the night before the ship sails – it makes for a seamless start to your holiday, and I’d also arrange a taxi from the hotel to port – the bus makes several stops and if it’s full then the next could be up to an hour’s wait.”
“Hurtigruten as an operator is well-suited to both couples, friends and solo travellers,” says Lorna, “The average age is 45+, and although there were younger couples, most of them were travelling with parents or grandparents, and there were no children onboard. The ship caters for occasional wheelchair users, as they have a stair lift for getting on and off the ship, but it’s not ideal for a full-time wheelchair use due to the ship’s corridors, with only a few assisted doors.”
Summing up her trip, Kelly says “I disembarked Hurtigruten’s Trollfjord with a very wholesome feeling because of their focus on sustainability. It was a unique experience to see some of the most scenic landscape in the world, in a very comfortable and relaxing way. The sense of adventure on Hurtigruten is fantastic, and you really feel part of something special, with how the crew involve you in their Nordic lifestyle.”
Lorna has a similarly glowing conclusion, “I have sold Hurtigruten for many years and to finally say I have sailed with them myself is so special. There really is nothing like them sailing the coast of Norway. Other operators are normally bigger ships, and it’s all about facilities the ships have to offer and less about the destination. Hurtigruten is the other way round. Cruising with Hurtigruten is all about what you are seeing outside and keeping it authentic to Norway. Being able to visit traditional ports of call that no other cruise ship does makes it special and the team onboard are so knowledgeable of their country. They really want to showcase Norway, and I will always remember my trip - in the words of Hurtigruten – ‘what a beautiful voyage.
You can find Lorna at Thorpe Travel and Kelly at or Worthing branch
If you would like to book a trip to Norway please contact your local branch