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M/S Kong Harald - Midnight Sun Cruise Review


hallasm
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I have just been on a 'Midnight Sun Cruise' with M / S Kong Harald from Bodø to Kirkenes - a fantastic tour. Here is a 'Tour of the Ship' video - review with photos and more videos will follow

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I have now created a video from Bodø to Kirkenes.

 

Next step will be my review and pictures from the trip.

 

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Can't wait to see more and to read your review. We would love to hear about any excursions you took as well.

 

Thanks for posting!

 

 

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Can't wait to see more and to read your review. We would love to hear about any excursions you took as well.

 

 

Did book two excursions. Lofoten Highlights from Stamsund to Svolvær and Bird Safari from Honningsvåg at Nord Cap. I'll make both a review with pictures as well a short video.. review in progress.

 

 

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The review is getting closer - in the meantime another short video - Midnight Sun June 11 and 12 - video from 01 am with the low sun shining at the mountains and a nice view when passing Raftsund Bridge between the Lofoten Islands and Vesterålen Islands and at open sea when passing Loppehavet.

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watching your videos and enjoying them. Can't wait to read your review and our trip in October!

I'm making very slow progress with my review - I'll provide a link to my draft review to the readers of this blog. making waiting a bit shorter!

 

Link: Hurtigruten Midnight Sun Cruise Review

 

I'm still adding more text, pictures as well as videos - also correcting text since my native language is not English.

Questions are welcome and suggestions for topics to included in the review.

Please also notify me if text is not easy to understand or wording can be corrected

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I'm still adding more text, pictures as well as videos - also correcting text since my native language is not English.

Please also notify me if text is not easy to understand or wording can be corrected

Your blog is delightful. Please don't apologize for your English.....my Danish is far worse.....and your Blog is very easy to read! love it! Tak!

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From my review at this link

At 11:20 pm we entered the narrow Trollfjord and did sail through the fjord.

The narrow Trollfjord is a 2 km long sidearm of the Raftsund between Lofoten islands and Vesteralen archipelago. With its narrow entrance and steep mountain sides, the Trollfjord is really exotic and spectacular.

Trollfjord is only 100 meters wide, and widens to a maximum width of 800 meters. The steep mountains surrounding the fjord are between 600 and 1100 metres high

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Slowly making progress - I have added my review of the 'Bird safari' to Gjesvær Stappan from Honningsvåg, including the short video from the exception below.

Blog wit review at this link - few more videos from the trip to be added.

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Just mad a short video from our three nights dining in the main restaurant

Hurtigruten M/S Kong Harald - 'Torget' Main Dining Restaurant -Dinner is a three course set meal. One night a buffet dinner was served.

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I thank you for all the videos and information on your blog! I traveled from Bergen to Kirkenes in 2005 and thought at that time that I would probably never be able to go back to Norway (birthplace of my grandparents). Happily, after reading more about the wonderful experiences of you and others, I got inspired and am now planning on returning in 2019! This time I am considering doing a road trip combined with the Hurtigruten voyage....we'll see........

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I'm always glad to hear when my videos and blogs are useful. Combination of road trip and Hurtigruten is a excellent way of seeing Norway. Happy planning.

 

 

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Most Hurtigruten ships are 'working ships' and can be considered expedition ships rather than ordinary cruise ships.

In total there are more than 35 stops during the voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes - the majority of stops are only for 15 to 30 minutes - the stops in Ålesund, Tronheim, Bodø, Tromsø and Honningsvåg are more that 3 hours.

Stops are also made during night. There were some noise and vibration when docking and sometimes when loading of goods (will depend on the location of the cabin).

I just mad a 3 minutes long video from our 15 minutes stop at Skjervøy, June 11, 2017 - the stop was from 10:30 to 10:45 pm - watch the activities at the quay when unloading and loading M/S Kong Harald

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Hallasm, you do great videos - thank you. I'm still reviewing them as well as your review and comments. Your English is impressive.

We are just now starting to consider doing the Midnight Sun voyage maybe even the longest 12 day round trip but the pricing is an eye opener.

 

I have questions, if you are willing to answer:

Which level did you do - basic, select, or platinum and why choose that level?

Also, I see you had Artic Superior cabin. Would you choose the same category if you would ever do the cruise again?

We read somewhere that a beer was $14 - so we're assuming all extra cost food and drinks run around that level? (Like bakery and ice cream area). Or maybe you didn't pay any attention to the extra cost items.

 

Thanks for any answers or input about this.

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Happy to answer all questions if possible.

I did choose select - wifi included and more flexibility for dinner reservations, I would definitely choose same category again - the cabin was OK - did not spend a lot of time in the cabin anyway - nice bed and two good chairs . Wine beer by glass was round NOK 75 to 125 - water included for meals - restaurant offerings excellent - good food. Pay attention to location of cabin, however I think most Artic Superior cabin locations were OK - avoid midship board side (left side) - I did have a aft left which was fine - do expect noise when docking by night.

Coffee/tee was included in select - not speciality coffee which was NOK 40 to 50. Cake NOK 25 to 40 - did not notice price on ice cream. Please just add any other questions, happy to help.

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Happy to answer all questions if possible.

I did choose select - wifi included and more flexibility for dinner reservations, I would definitely choose same category again - the cabin was OK - did not spend a lot of time in the cabin anyway - nice bed and two good chairs . Wine beer by glass was round NOK 75 to 125 - water included for meals - restaurant offerings excellent - good food. Pay attention to location of cabin, however I think most Artic Superior cabin locations were OK - avoid midship board side (left side) - I did have a aft left which was fine - do expect noise when docking by night.

Coffee/tee was included in select - not speciality coffee which was NOK 40 to 50. Cake NOK 25 to 40 - did not notice price on ice cream. Please just add any other questions, happy to help.

 

Thanks for the answers and the tips about cabin location. Also that water was included with meals because someone else on these boards said you had to pay for water (unless it means if you chose basic level that it doesn't include water with meals).

Was Wifi just in select area on ship or was it also in cabins?

 

Thanks for all your help.

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Here are the differences between the three different levels Basic, Select and Platinum:

 

1. Basic has full board dining included but seating and table will be allocated once on board. Choice of cabin category, but cabin will be assigned at check-in.

 

2. Select is full board dinner and choice of preferred dining time, cabin category and cabin number. Wi-fi and tea /coffee package included.

 

3. Platinum is full board dinner with a la carte dining (separate restaurant) when you want, drinks package included with dinner. Two shore excursions included (from 1 April 2018).

Airport transfers to and from the ship are included in Bergen, Trondheim and Kirkenes.

 

 

 

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Here are the differences between the three different levels Basic, Select and Platinum:

 

1. Basic has full board dining included but seating and table will be allocated once on board. Choice of cabin category, but cabin will be assigned at check-in.

 

2. Select is full board dinner and choice of preferred dining time, cabin category and cabin number. Wi-fi and tea /coffee package included.

 

3. Platinum is full board dinner with a la carte dining (separate restaurant) when you want, drinks package included with dinner. Two shore excursions included (from 1 April 2018).

Airport transfers to and from the ship are included in Bergen, Trondheim and Kirkenes.

 

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Last we checked, that "Platinum" package was *very* expensive.

One could purchase those dinners as an "upsell" for a reasonable additional amount, and only choose the evenings one wanted. Drinks...? Depends how much one drinks. (We prefer to choose bottles, and I don't think that was included, although we did see a few nicer labels on the list, which was a pleasant surprise.)

 

Mainly, it seems that "Platinum", for a large extra charge, then "allows" one to pay yet *more* for a few special excursions.

 

Our TA asked the Hurtigruten rep why anyone would spend all that unless they were desperate for a specific restricted excursion, and the rep replied that he had never heard of anyone taking the Platinum level.

To be fair, I do think it was relatively new then, but am not sure about that.

 

It didn't make sense to us.

Maybe there's more to it than that?

 

(Ah, just noticed it doesn't start until April, 2018. Has that changed recently? Thanks.)

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