Christie Malry

Have a great time - I'm on the next voyage of the Nordnorge leaving on 6th April.

Thanks, I've booked flights now. I'm in the north of England with Manchester as my nearest big airport. On the way out I'm on a direct flight from Manchester to Bergen, on the way home I will stay and extra night and then fly back via Oslo. I decided not to risk the flight on the same day as getting back to Bergen. Now busy researching the different stops and trying to learn some Norwegian on Duolingo!

After a lot of research and dithering I think I'm ready to book a trip on the Hurtigruten MS Nordnorge for next April, doing the round trip from Bergen to Kirkenes and back. The decision to go with Hurtigruten rather than Havila comes down to price and precise dates; as a solo traveler the price for an interior cabin is pretty much identical, but if I want a window Havila is substantially more expensive. So here are some random questions I have: 1) I've come to the conclusion that trying catching a plane home at 17.40 on the day the ship arrives in Bergen at 14.45 is probably a bad plan, and I should stay an extra night in Bergen. Is that sensible or am I being overly cautious? 2) Obviously weather can vary a lot, but what might I expect in the first half of April? Will there still be snow and ice on the ground in the more northerly towns? 3) If I book for next year there's a possibility I will be away when the general election is held back home in the UK. If this did happen, is BBC News available on the cabin TVs, or is the wifi good enough for streaming? I know some people would like the idea of avoiding it, but I love elections! 4) Do you really only get a kettle in an arctic superior or above room? If so how much is my tea habit going to cost over two weeks?

I asked Havila, but they wouldn't confirm how long the solo traveler offer would last for. So I think the best thing to do for now is hold my powder dry and wait until I can perhaps get a discount for next year nearer the time. Or perhaps I'll delay until 2026 when a company called Bergen Cruise Liine plans to re-start ferries from Newcastle (though I am sceptical this will actually happen.) I have looked at whether it is at all plausible to get to Bergen from the UK without flying, and while it is possible it would be quite an undertaking with either a lot of train journeys, or three consecutive overnight ferries.

I'm looking at going in April 2024. If I wanted to travel in the next hundred days I could get a cheaper fare, or a seaview cabin for roughly the price of an interior. On the Havila website it says of this 50% off solo offer "*This offer is valid for selected departures 100 days ahead from the current date, and continously applies to all future cruise departures that fall within the next 100-day period." That suggests to me that there is always a chance of a bargain within 100 days, but of course any particular sailing might be booked up already or nor included. I guess it's a way of filling cabins that might otherwise be empty. Of course there's also no guarantee that the offer will still exist next year. Maybe I'll email and ask. But I might be reading it wrong and it might only apply in 2023. Time to email and ask for clarification.

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions. I'm torn - it seems Hurtigruten has the history and heritage and the older vessels might have more charm, but the brand new Havila ships look very comfortable and the focus on lowering emissions with hybrid systems is very interesting. I'm looking at maybe April 2024, and prices for an interior cabin for one both are very similar. But it seems the smart thing to might be to wait until 100 days and use the Havila solo 50% off offer, assuming it continues, and I could get a cabin with a window, which I imagine would be nice for getting a glimpse of the ports visited at 3am.

Researching a cruise trip to Norway has led me into a deep rabbit hole over the last few weeks. I was about to book a P&O cruise through the fjords, which has the advantage of not needing to fly, but then I looked at the Hurtigruten coastal express, and I think that's actually what I'm after. Small ships, lots of scenery, lots of ports (albeit with short stops) actual Norwegian food and talks about culture. As a solo traveler it seems some ships are cheaper than others as they have one-person cabins. The cheapest seems to be the MS Vesterålen, the oldest and smallest, and MS Polarlys. Assuming I'd be in an inside cabin I'm interested in places to sit, read and see the sights, inside and outside, as well as the lectures offered. Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks, I do realise no port is guaranteed. The place I particularly want to visit is Skjolden, where there's a wooden house by the lake built by the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein; he came there periodically to escape and be able to think amid what he called the 'quiet seriousness' of the landscape. The house was actually moved into the village for a while after he died but has now been restored and put back in its original location. I'd love to visit it (Wittgenstein is one my heroes and his philosophy has definitely had a huge impact in how I understand the world) but it wouldn't ruin the trip if it didn't happen. In fact it would give me an excuse to go to Norway another time!

Thanks very much for the replies. So if I go for a standard balcony cabin do you any advice on the best location on Aurora.

I'm looking to book a cruise next year to Norway, and there's a particular port I'd like to visit. I've never booked a cruise before and I'm a little confused by how opaque the whole pricing structure seems to be. I'm a solo traveler and I've decided I really want a balcony, because when I am tired of being with other people, which will happen, I want a quiet, private space to drink tea, read a book and watch the scenery. It turns out that a Single Balcony is actually about £20 more expensive than a Standard Balcony. So clearly the standard is a better deal. But if I want to select my own cabin I have to pay a whopping £530 extra for Select vs Early Saver. This gets me parking worth £210 (but with cheaper options available) and onboard credit of £125. So therefore nearly £200 to pick a cabin and have a bit more flexibility around dining times. Is this just a rip-off or am I missing something? So I thought if I go for Early Saver a Standard Balcony could be in lots of different places and I'd be disappointed to get one with a poor view. But with Single Balcony there are only a few on the ship all in the same place, so no risk of getting one that's worse than others, so the Select fare is pointless. But then I found out the Single cabins have steel-framed balconies where you only get a view when standing up, which kind of ruins my lazing with a book watching the sea fantasy. Does anyone have any experience of exactly what they are like? Should I just suck up the extra money for Select so I don't have to worry? I know compared to many people I'm very fortunate, but a holiday like this is a big outlay for me (I'm more used to camping than cruising!) and I want to enjoy it as much as possible. Thank you!