Flyinby

I'll post a bit more about the trip and the excursions, but in the meantime here are some photos from the trip...probably about 1% of what I took 8^). Most of the photos I've seen of the journey show summer or spring or fall, so I thought I'd put up some from winter. The scenery in winter was beyond belief. In many ways, it beats Alaska's coastal scenery, though the Alaskan fjords such as the College fjord, Glacier Bay, and Tracy Arm are really amazing but in a different way, and I'm not sure about winter. I knew we'd return to Norway in spring/summer/fall, but after this trip I know we're going back in winter too. These aren't really a tour of the ship, more of the voyage and before and after, but it gives a general idea of the voyage in winter. https://pbase.com/roberthouse/norway23 Arrow keys on a keyboard will page through the pics, if interested. Hitting F11 in a web browser will give a fuller screen area to view.

I don't know the exact times the lounge bar was open, the latest we were up there was probably about 10:30 on northern lights nights, and I was too busy with the lights to do much but go in and warm up. They were open though, and I think I remember seeing the hours until about midnight, but I'm not positive. However, for midnight sun times, it would be really odd for them to close early. The lounge is a great place to relax, night or day, and we never had any trouble finding seats. The central area seats are up a bit higher than the ones by the window, so the view is good anywhere. There was some talk at the evening info sessions about the Polaris and Pollux, I think they're just dealing with technicalities like they had to do with the Capella after the Russian fiasco. As far as after dinner activities, there's no entertainment or such things; quite a few go up to the lounge, others may go forward on deck 6 where there are fireplaces, some did puzzles there, or read, or chatted. When the sun goes down at 5 or 6 and having got up early, by 10 or so I wasn't looking for anything to do. You can choose late mealtimes also, which will free up day hours and take up a good part of the evening. There are also ports stopped at in evenings, which I thought were interesting even if just to watch and get a few photos. I've seen the midnight sun (almost) in Alaska, which I first didn't think I'd like, but it was great on our land portion of the tour to go out at 11 at night and have it still light. Then you wake up at 2 and it's light again. And the sunsets lasted a long time, which is odd to me because the sunsets when we were in Norway in February lasted a very long time, no doubt because of the low sun angles in winter. But we were around Fairbanks and a couple of weeks before solstice, so we didn't "quite" get the full midnight sun.

What's the reason for that?

My wife and I returned from the round trip on the Capella at the end of February. It was a wonderful trip, and any apprehensions I may have had about Havila (from the few passenger experiences available) completely disappeared. I'd have gladly stayed on the ship for another round trip. The winter scenery all up the coast and into the arctic was amazing, and weather was kind to us, though we went prepared for colder weather than we experienced most of the trip.. First, the ship is absolutely beautiful. The Capella looked and smelled like it was brand-new when we boarded. Even when busy, it wasn't crowded as they've allowed a lot more space than ANY cruise ship I've been on. We were always able to find good seats in the top deck observation lounge, which was always warm and comfortable, with easy access to outside for photos or just getting out in the winter air or watching northern lights. The lower decks also, had great seating along large windows where you could always find a nice spot, and the atmosphere everywhere was quiet and relaxing. The crew members were friendly, helpful, and pretty much always willing to do whatever was needed to keep passengers happy. Many of them are from Hurtigruten, so well-experienced, and all seemed very positive about both Havila and Hurtigruten. The PA would announce whenever we were passing either a Havila or Hurtigruten ship. While passing the Castor, it was almost a contest for the most enthusiastic cheers and waves (usually the Castor won). The Hurtigruten passing was quieter, but there were ships horns and some friendly waves. It was nice to see. We booked a year ahead of time, and had a junior suite forward on deck 7. I was unsure if the balcony was going to be much of a benefit, but we really enjoyed it, using it constantly even though it was mid-winter. I loved going out to watch the activity at stops, or the beautiful scenery along the whole route. It was nice to be able to be outside at any time, but still be able to head inside to a warm and comfortable cabin. Of course upstairs in the forward lounge is great, but it was handy having the balcony also. I did see, in older reviews, some reports of shower temperature variation problems, but we had absolutely no problem with that, nor did we hear any other passengers complaining of it. Lighting in the suite could use a little work...it can be very bright if you hit the wrong button, but it was only a minor annoyance, and probably only in the suites (you turn on the bright lights in the sitting area, but the sleeping area lights go on also, but there are other lighting options). Temperature control in the cabin covered more of a range than we needed, unlike a lot of ships where full warm is barely warm enough at times. Rather than posting a long message, I'll add more in smaller bits, as I know there are a lot of people interested in the Havila trips but not a lot of feedback.

Kinda makes me homesick...we just returned a few weeks ago, and I'd have gladly just stayed on board for another round. Will definitely do it again. Yes, it is a beautiful ship.

If some people have a problem dealing with a straightforward requirement like "Passports must be valid for at least six months...", think how difficult it would be for everyone if they had something like: "Passports must be valid for however long the longest-requirement country on the itinerary requires, if they check passports, which in some cases they may or may not, but just call us and we will check for you to see just how long it needs to be valid and whether or not they plan to check your passport when you arrive. Of course they could change their mind and decide to check passports, but we'll gladly refund your money if you don't feel like renewing your passport at this time." Some people insist on pushing the limit. I remember that six-month requirement as being required on other cruise lines too, and it seems like good policy in general to avoid problems. Simple, straightforward, good insurance against problems, and not difficult to comply with.

If they're that casual about whether or not they get on the cruise, it's not worth worrying about. Just go ahead and check in, and if they get hung up at check-in, no need for you to wait around for them. Princess will probably go out of its way to try to help them, but If they don't make it, I'm sure you'll hear them complaining about Princess, or we'll hear about it here, about how they've been "wronged".

In addition to what Hallasm said, in winter (and I presume whenever they don't go into Geirangerfjord), an excursion is offered to take a smaller ferry through Geirangerfjord. It's a long journey (about 9 hours), but the ship is in Alesund for about 10 hours during those seasons. The ferry is comfortable, warm, windows all around and an open top deck. A couple of rangers from the Norwegian Fjord Center give information along the way, and snacks, a meal, and coffee are provided (you can purchase other things). There's also a short bus ride to Flydalsjuvet, with a photo stop, a visit to the Fjord Center, and you can hike down the waterfall trail if you like, before the return trip. Before going on this trip, I never realized how complex the Norway coast is. There are so many islands and scenic passages that I never had a thought about wishing we'd go through another fjord. Also, some of the other excursions give you great views of fjords...for example, a tour called 'taste of Vesteralen' had us crossing on a ferry...they drove the bus right on, and we went up to enjoy it with snacks and refreshments. I saw a photo from a relative who took the Hurtigruten trip in summer 2002, and cruising around the end of the fjord (not sure which one) were several very large cruise ships...I just couldn't help thinking it wasn't such a good thing, but I don't know if it's still that way in summer. At any rate, the Geirangerfjord trip was great and a highlight of the trip.

I really liked that forward area on deck 6, with the fireplaces, very relaxing, people reading, doing puzzles etc. with lots of windows. All along deck 6, back to the dining rooms, was nice, plus snacks and coffee were right there. I thought the bow of the ship would be a good place to visit often, but it was not...at least not in February, with the ship in motion. That cold wind, added to by the ship's speed, felt like it would freeze any exposed bare skin (or eyeball) within a minute, if you could stand there that long. I did go out to the front a lot up on deck 9, but had the sides or afterdeck to retreat to if the wind came up, and of course the great lounge up there that is always warm and always has a place to sit and watch the scenery with the all-around windows. I missed the first northern lights display because I didn't know about enabling the announcements on the cabin phone, and it was late at night. However, we did then have one that was as you describe, with a camera being needed to really "see" the display, and the following night the sky was "dancing for all to see". I had brought a tripod, but it seemed somewhat pointless being on a moving ship, and besides, as you mentioned, that cold wind had no mercy. Not to mention the snow/ice on the deck and I hadn't brought the YakTrax up with me. Fortunately they were bright enough that a fast lens and a second or so of exposure was enough, but I think you need to be on land to get those amazing photos we've seen. Cold and miserable as it may have been, I had to stay out there until the lights subsided.

Hi Nancy, the entire trip lasted through most of February, but now it seems short. It was a great trip, and other than missing the dog, I easily could have stayed for another round trip and extra time in Norway. I've been meaning to write a short "quick takes from" post about it, but am catching up on tasks, slowed down some by the 11-hour flight with a 9-hour time change... You can make changes in the orders as far as leaving something off or getting a roll instead of toast; I didn't try changing the scrambled eggs though...all 3 of the hotels we used before the ship had the same scrambled eggs, so I just figured that's how they do it and never tried asking them to cook them longer. They might be happy to do it though, I just didn't try it and they really weren't bad, just a bit softer than we're used to. Mayonnaise or dressing though, no problem, just ask for it to be left off...I don't eat mayonnaise so can report that most of the time you won't even have to ask, as they don't seem to use mayo on everything like in the US. I remember a food preferences/allergies form on the website, you could probably declare an allergy to something...in fact, I think I did put mayonnaise in that list 8^). I enjoyed having the Gold package for the various coffees, drinks, and sparkling water, as well as the snack bar when we didn't want to go to the dining room, or missed the time. But I really didn't use it much in the dining room, except for the sparkling water with dinner. Though, as I mentioned, I'm a somewhat picky eater, I always found something that sounded OK, and often when I picked a starter or main course I was suspicious of, it was good. One of the talks given in the conference room each day mentioned about the food process on board and how/why, and the speaker (a former Hurtigruten employee) said they were able to cut food waste (either 80 or 90) percent by the dining room procedure and also not having a buffett. Each day there was a talk, 45 minutes to an hour, by Harold (he and Marie, former Hurtigruteners, handled such things and the excursions) covering upcoming destinations, northern lights info, local culture, information about the ship and Havila, and interesting stories. Usually about 5:15 PM, very entertaining, informative and a daily highlight. They have 22 days on. 22 off, so I don't know who handles it when they're off, but Harold was fun to listen to and nobody left in the middle. Don't want to make this too long or I won't get to the "quick takes from" post, but I abandoned the idea of getting off at every port on the first day. The ship is uncrowded and relaxing to be on, and I decided I'd get off when I felt like it 8^). Did get pictures of most or all of the port stops though. Gary

We sat on the left side both directions, and regardless of which side you're on, there will be things you'll want to see on the other side. When we left Oslo, there were empty seats on the other side and I went back and forth a few times, until someone moved in, but I think the general consensus is the left from Oslo. When we re-boarded from Flamsbana at Myrdal, someone with seats on the right was using our reserved seats on the left...no big deal but I guess they saw better photos on our side, and it looked like they'd been there a while.

I found enough variety in the menus, despite being a somewhat picky eater, to keep me well-fed, in fact more so than I wanted at times. I like some fish, such as halibut and sole, but not interested in salmon or trout. Tried the skrei, and found it "OK", but didn't go back for more later, it was rather tough. The menu is certainly nothing like you'd get on a large cruise ship...Princess etc., even not considering the buffet, but I thought it was comparable to our recent Viking river trip...perhaps a bit more limited and "fishy". But there are a couple of everyday choices, one being a "sailor's steak" which is good, I think the other is vegetarian. There was pasta on some nights. You choose a starter, a main dish, and a dessert at the start of the meal. Starters and some main dishes (usually 4 daily choices in 3-day increments) had mysterious names to me, but I tried several starters (reluctantly) and they were either good or pretty good. Desserts were good...good cheesecake and other items, but not a lot of different choices. And then of course there was the cafe... The Cafe is not just waffles. Very good hamburgers with fries, hotdogs, toasties, a special of the day, along with pastries and various snacks, desserts and drinks. The Gold package came with our junior suite, so I didn't worry about just wanting a hamburger for late lunch and spoiling my dinner 8^). So, if the dining room doesn't have what you want, the cafe has some basics that may please you. Coffee is good with different choices. Breakfast was a a bit repetitive, despite the 3-day rotation, but always had oatmeal or porridge, scrambled eggs (semi-runny though), hard or soft boiled eggs, yogurt with granola, toast and breads, meats, cheeses, salmon, and probably other stuff I'm forgetting, but it was adequate. No out of season fruits such as melon, which was disappointing considering all our hotels had plentiful and tasty fruit at breakfast. They did have berries. And limited whole grain breads, despite again, the hotels in Norway having great homemade whole grain breads ready for slicing. The Gold breakfast menu added eggs benedict, range fed eggs cooked to order, and more, but I didn't use that much. I think the menus could use some work, but I didn't go on the trip for the food, but I did find some new things that were good, and never went hungry, and there was always the cafe...8^)

We did this tour on our recently-completed trip, and really enjoyed it. I hesitated to book it after seeing pictures of some of the fjords in fall, rather drab and brown, at least in the photos. But with the snow, frozen waterfalls, etc. the scenery was really great. The ferry boat is warm and comfortable, with padded seats, not crowded together, windows all around, and a snack bar with free coffee and food/drinks to buy. The top deck is open for those ready for it in winter (mostly photographers, and good clothing with face covering is absolutely necessary when the winds come up). 2 rangers led the tour, very nice folks and did a good job of explaining things and keeping us fed. After getting to Geiranger, there's a bus ride to Flydalsjuvet (with photo stop) and a video and tour of the Norwegian Fjord Center. You can then (optional, but worth it) walk down the waterfall path to meet the bus below. Ferry trip back with snacks. It's a long tour, you won't have a lot of time to do much else in Alesund, despite the 10-hour winter stop. It's about 8 1/2 hours, so the price is understandable, and I thought reasonable. It was a great first-day tour to get the voyage started, very memorable. Price listed was NOK 3229. Pics were late in the day on the return trip.

Yes, we went Oslo-Myrdal-Flam, then the next day Flam-Myrdal-Bergen. After the coastal voyage, we went the full Bergen-Oslo trip. Very scenic and comfortable ride. The standard section looked to be a bit busy and noisier at times (our trips were on weekends), but the plus section was quiet and had less traffic, if that matters to you. We didn't take the Atlantic road excursion. On the way up we had other plans, and on the way back it was late in the day, the last night, and didn't sound appealing. Two friends who took it said it was scenic, and the marble mines were interesting, though the food included (soup) wasn't all that wonderful. The exciting breaking waves over the highway only happen at certain times, and this wasn't one of them, but the scenery was nice during the daylight part of the trip.

It sounds like you've already gotten some good advice on this. We just returned from the Havila round trip (with a few days before and after in Oslo and Bergen) and did seven of the Havila-sponsored excursions. All were good to excellent considering the time limitations, and the peace of mind in knowing that you won't miss the ship or your times not matching up due to delays is well worth any extra cost. Plus, the ship announces the upcoming tour in time for you to prepare, handles the refund it it's cancelled, and will not leave you behind if the tour is late. We had only one of the tours cancelled, and Havila immediately offered us an alternative, which turned out to be really excellent, so we didn't have to stress out looking for a replacement or figure out our walking alternatives. Another example is, on the 'Best of Vesteralen' tour, the ship coordinates with the buses to be returning on the bridge as the ship goes under, with the passengers etc. out on deck cheering and waving...not a huge deal but everyone liked it, and it wouldn't happen on a private tour. Yet another is that they arrange languages in the way that works out best...some tours with multiple buses will have one bus German, one English, instead of having to use both translations on the tour. These are not usually big crowds on the tours, so don't picture it as were a tour later in the year with many tours and crowds everywhere. Another thing to consider is the feasibility of walking yourself depends a lot on the stop and the time, so do your homework carefully if you plan that. It's fun to get off and walk to look around, even in the snow and for a shorter stop, but many of the ports are too far away from anything but industrial buildings and offices...so get maps and know where and at which ports you want to walk rather than take the tour, at least if you want to see more than random things you run across. If walks are a good idea, the tours director will often give advice on which ways to walk and what you can see, so be sure to go to the daily briefings. I think you get a lot for the little you'd save booking private tours, especially if you're not already familiar with the ports.

Glad you got in to the English version, I remember the cabin choice situation from before, but I think it had already picked the one I wanted. They were quicker with emails back then, I hope they get that remedied since calling is kind of inconvenient. I think a majority of their passengers are European, so it's not so much of an issue with time differences. June 2024 does seem like a long time, but so did booking this current one back in Feb. 2022, and being early has its advantages. In fact, I have a May 2024 Viking river cruise scheduled from several months ago...that way I can get a cabin I want, instead of what's left over, or an inside bottom-deck cabin next to the anchor chain 8^). Off to Oslo in the AM...

That's odd, I tried https://www.havilavoyages.com/ (make sure 'EN' is selected up at the top, with the British flag symbol) and if you click on the 'detail' of the voyage you want (make sure the 'EN' is still there), and then 'book' it should stay in English. You can use the login link at top to create an account if you want, maybe that will make a difference, but at that point it stays in English for me, through choosing the voyage and the cabin etc. Maybe try using a different web browser than you tried...sometimes they remember what once was chosen, and just keep going back to that. Or try using your phone, if you haven't, or a different computer if you don't have a second browser. I haven't had that happen so I'm just guessing at what I'd try.

Thanks, we're excited too! we fly out Wednesday the 8th from San Luis Obispo to Oslo. 2 nights in Oslo, then the train to Flam for one night, then train to Bergen for 2 nights before boarding the Capella on the 14th. I got a kick out of this, I was searching for some info and this came up: https://www.allertravel.com/arne-og-carlos-knitting-under-the-aurora-borealis Turns out they're on the same ship, same time...so if we find out we didn't bring enough warm clothes, we can just ask them to knit us up some extra stuff 8^). The ship looks great, with the nice front lounge with windows all around, so there's a refuge with a view if it gets too cold outside. We'll hope for some clear or semi-clear nights, and if we get it have some good chances to see the aurora, but we'll be fine either way. The temperatures really don't look too bad, even in Kirkenes, but depending on the wind I suppose. I'm bringing a pair of shorts, just in case...8^). I'll be sure to report back, to give a California perspective on the trip and Havila. Did you ever decide on your booking?

Thanks, Grayjay for the hurtigforum suggestion, I had never heard of it, but there's lots of good information and reviews with photos. The site does offer English as an alternative, but that doesn't make the forum posts in English, only the web page itself. Though I speak some German, I keep running into words I don't know, but I tried Google translate, and it does a pretty decent job of translating the entire pages. There are some limitations, but not bad. I kept wondering why they kept referring to "mountains" as though it were a location (as in "I went from Mountains to Oslo...") until I thought about it...Bergen, German for mountains...no wonder 8^). And, you do have to switch back to the original German to view the photos, or follow links, but that's not so bad, and the members there are definitely well-experienced on the route and also with Havila. Thanks again.

Thanks for the info on your recent experience. Regarding the cafe, do you just go to the cafe instead of your regular table, or do you just order it from your table and they bring it? I'd heard of someone who said they brought it to them from the cafe, which would be handy. I did see some menus online, and, being a somewhat picky eater, would be likely to be saying "I'll just have a cheeseburger" now and then...I like some seafood but oddly enough, not the items considered the most desirable to some... salmon, trout, lobster, oysters, roe, etc. Too bad about the lack fruit for breakfast, but I guess it is Norway and fresh fruit might be more difficult in mid-winter. Did they have Oatmeal, Meusli, granola, or anything similar offered at breakfast? I've heard of the shower temperature issues, but not the 'almost scalding'. Will be sure to leave a quick exit just in case, and I still have enough hair to work for a temporary emergency block of a hot or cold surge 8^). We've booked seven excursions, hopefully none get cancelled, but there's a lot more offered than I'd have thought in late winter in Norway. I can understand the prices being higher than more conventional cruise stops/times, given the smaller number of potential participants. But averaging it in with the cost of the voyage, which I think is quite a bargain even if booking a suite, it seems pretty reasonable. Thanks for your report!

I would suggest you "reboot". Drop the whole issue and forget it. THEN, figure out your most important questions...write them down, keep it to the few important ones, and stick to the script when you call. Try to call at a time when they're less likely to be swamped, maybe early weekdays for example. Don't even mention that you called before. Be polite, don't be demanding, and don't ramble on and on with endless questions or "what if's". If they can't answer something (like, for example, "will I be able to get a 5:30 dining reservation for 7 if I book this cruise?"), don't get mad, just accept that they can't do everything and move on. I imagine you'll get much better results. Or, book your cruise online, put on courtesy hold. Then call them, remembering they are human and they are busy, and discuss any issues or questions before you make your deposit. Then, if you're not happy, just don't make the deposit and look elsewhere.

I booked myself, but since you haven't gotten a reply...I saw a post on TripAdvisor about someone from CO who booked through an agent (I think it was the same person who posted here about the cancellation). However, I don't see anything on Havila's site about a special access for agents, and the website has been a work in progress, though I think they're doing a good job on it as it gains more features. One difficulty is the time difference...from their contact info, their customer service is open our (Pacific US) time weekdays from midnight to 8 AM, Saturday from 1AM-6AM, probably not when most travel agents are at work 8^). Their contact page shows no 800 or US numbers, so you have to use the Norway number +47-7000-7070. Email does work but one time it took a few days for me, other times it was quick. They were always polite and helpful. I booked back in Feb. 2021 from the website, chose the slightly-more-expensive changeable/refundable option, and the deposit was very reasonable, and payment wasn't due until about a month ago, so I had no problems with booking online. BUT, I'm doing all the planning and legwork on this trip so it's a lot more work than using an agent, but kind of fun to discover all the ins and outs. If your agent can't get in, maybe it would work that you made the reservation then turned it over to them for the rest (?) Lykke til!

Sorry to hear that; I heard the Polaris was delayed and they had canceled its first 4 scheduled voyages, back in December but it seems odd that your agent didn't get notification, especially if the booking was paid or he'd been in contact with them. Could the email have been missed or diverted to spam? They're saying now that they expect it to be ready go into service Feb. 11, but if they don't have it yet I wouldn't hold my breath unless they have the ship and it's started operation. Hope you're able to work out the Hurtigruten situation so your trip can still work out, even if it's a day later. If you learn any more, let us know.

Now you've done it. The seed is planted, and there may be no way to avoid it. Looking at the schedule, I think I could do the "lite" version, of getting off at least once in every port, even with the shorter February days, at least long enough to get a few photos. Not necessarily every stop, but at least once in each port. The earliest I'd have to be off would be 5:45AM, (on the last day of the trip), and the latest I'd have to be dressed for ten degrees (maybe) and off-ship would be 10PM, at least if the schedule holds, and only on maybe 3-4 of the days. That sounds do-able, and I'm not sure I'll be able to avoid it now. I'm hoping the northern lights coincide with some late-night stops. The best photos need maybe 10-15 seconds of exposure on a tripod, and a moving ship doesn't work well for that. There are workarounds, which I'll use when on the ship if northern lights appear, but I'd happily get up at 1AM if we were stopped and were treated to a display. So I may have to sleep with one eye open...8^). At least on the nights when the possibility is good.

Yes, the lack of a buffet concerns me, but I'm glad to hear you didn't find it much of an issue. Come to think of it, a couple of river cruises we did had no buffets, and I quickly got used to it. I appreciate the comment about leaving the ship at even very short stops. I'm always taking photos, and now that you mention it, I'm sure there would be some interesting sights near the ship...just as long as we don't get distracted and left behind...8^).