Hurtigruten questions

[bobbisailsolo]

I'm sure these have been asked before, but I would like some current input.

1. Travel agent or book direct? Are there advantages to one over the other?

2. Best month for the Northern lights. I know there is no guarantee, but is one month preferable to the others?

3. All things equal, best winter month for travel in terms of weather.

3. Which ships have the best panoramic lounges?

4. Book now for early 2015, or wait?

5. Fly to Bergen with an extra day or two, or to Oslo for a day, then take the train to Bergen...any idea of the cost of the train? Someone mentioned they bought a pretrip Oslo package from Hurtigruten?

 

Any thoughts on this greatly appreciated.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SarniaLo]

I have travelled 4 times with Hurtigruten including 3 in winter. Here are some answers on your questions (based solely on my own experience so hopefully others will add more).

 

1. I have always booked directly from Hurtigruten (there is a French branch) and had zero problems. The first time I bought the whole trip (ship + flights + hotels) from them but their flight packages are very expensive. Now I just get the ship tickets and do my own travel arrangements. A travel agent could help you with that to have a best overall price (and travel insurance?).

 

2. I have been travelling over the Christmas holidays (2010), in early February (2013) and in early March (2012). I was lucky to see the Northern Lights on all of these trips, although the most spectacular displays were during my latest trips (Feb), but I think this is more due to chance than to a more favorable month. In theory the Aurora should be more intense around the equinox (March or September) but in practice it is nearly impossible to predict.

 

3. Again, weather is unpredictible. This year there was nearly no snow at all during all the winter months (but quite unusual). On average there is more rain/snowfall in October/November than Feb/March, but milder temperatures. What you can predict is the duration of the daylight, so you can factor that in your choice. In December/January you have the Polar Night above the Arctic Circle. I found out that it doesn't actually mean that there is a 24/24 night, the sun is below the horizon but close and it still gives beautiful lights (like a lasting sunrise/sunset) but only for about 4/6 hours a day. As you get closer to late winter the days are longer so you can enjoy more of the scenery. If I was to go again in winter I would choose probably February or early March. You can also look at the moon phases and try to avoid full moon periods, but this is not an absolute priority. A strong aurora display will be seen even with a full moon.

 

All this being said, Northern Lights sightings are very impredictible and I think it's best to consider them as the cherry on the cake of a very nice trip, so you can have a good time even if you don't see them.

 

3bis. All ships except MS Lofoten have good panorama lounges. MS Vesteraalen has a lounge in the midst of the ship with glass walls and glass ceiling (but she's not a ship I would recommend for a first trip with Hurtigruten because of an awkward layout). All the other ships have panorama lounges at the bow with floor to ceiling glass panels on three sides. MS Midnatsol and MS Trollfjord have two-storeys panorama lounge (not sure what you actually see from the second storey though). I travelled on the MS Polarlys and was very happy with the lounge.

 

4.You can probably wait a little bit but not too much. Winter trips are becoming increasingly popular and trips fill up rather quickly, but since there is a departure each day it still leaves a bit of wiggle room.

 

5. Bergen is a nice place to visit but I think Oslo is also worth a day or two. For my two latest trips we flew into Oslo and then took the train from Oslo to Bergen. The train ride is amazing (if the weather is nice), it goes through spectacular mountain landscapes. If you take your tickets in advance they can be cheap, as low as 249NOK=$40 (Minipris tickets : https://www.nsb.no/en/our-tickets/minipris ). Take the train that leaves Oslo around 8am, to be in the mountains around noon when there is still light.

 

Hope this helps. If you want you can look at my travelblog, for my latest trip in February 2013 it starts here (text is both in French and English):

http://voyageterremer.blogspot.fr/2013/02/trois-petits-tours-et-sen-reviennent.html

This trip was for me everything I expected from a winter trip with Hurtigruten and more.

 

Also the trip in March 2012:

http://voyageterremer.blogspot.fr/2012/03/oslo-bergen-en-train-pour-changer.html

(with another view at the Oslo-Bergen train at the beginning and visit in Oslo at the end)

 

And the trip at Christmas 2010:

http://voyageterremer.blogspot.com/2010/12/bergen.html

(text here is only in French, sorry, but the pictures can give you an idea of the reality of the "Polar Night" in the North).

[bobbisailsolo]

Great info! Good point about moon phases. I wouldn't have thought of that! I see several of the March dates around the full moon are already sold out!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BORDER REIVER]

We booked with a travel agent that was recommended by Hurtigruten & they had reps in attendance at a Hurtigruten presentation. They weren't particularly helpful or knowledgeable about the product. Next time, we'll either book direct or through an agent that has a lot of experience in Hurtigruten trips. Any future flights we'll probably book ourselves, although I recently got an offer from Hurtigruten for a flight/hotel package to Buenos Aries (for Antarctica), that was very competitive indeed, compared with the likes of KLM & B.A.

We sailed with Hurtigruten in late Feb / early March & saw the Aurora only twice (in one night) & the weather was nowhere near as cold as it can be at that time of year (only minus 12c at Kirkenes). Here in the UK, there were excellent displays of the Aurora as early as August last year, so I guess that you could see the lights pretty well anytime between August and April if it's dark enough.

We never used the panoramic lounge as it was always crowded when at sea during daylight. People like to "reserve" their seats too. We always found good seats elsewhere, but spent much of our time outside on deck, either watching the scenery aro taking part in activities.

We booked very early (6 months) and still had no choice over cabin number according to the TA, yet only a month before we sailed Hurtigruten were advertising "pay for one, 2nd passenger sails free". Didn't look into the details though.

Bergen is lovely but you could probably see all the best parts in a day, so maybe drop in on Oslo first.

Edited June 13, 2014 by BORDER REIVER

[digitl]

I'm sure these have been asked before, but I would like some current input.

1. Travel agent or book direct? Are there advantages to one over the other?

 

Travel agent. We have an excellent travel agent who knows Hurtigruten well and who can offer good prices. There is no advantage, that I know of, in going direct.

 

Whichever you choose, check out finding your own flights. Hurtigruten are usually very expensive (+100% on occasions).

 

2. Best month for the Northern lights. I know there is no guarantee, but is one month preferable to the others?

We have travelled in March and October and seen them both times. But it's up to the weather and solar activity. I would avoid deep winter with its reduced hours of daylight if you value a decent view of the landscape and also avoid the summer months when the sun doesn't set...!

 

3. All things equal, best winter month for travel in terms of weather.

 

I can't help you there, but a look at the figures on Wunderground might be helpful.

 

3. Which ships have the best panoramic lounges?

 

We've only used the large ships and the panoramic lounges on them are very good. However, I spent most of my time outside on deck.

 

4. Book now for early 2015, or wait?

 

Book now and get the cabin you want on the sailing you want. Wait until later when there may, or may not, be a reduction. We have always booked ahead.

 

5. Fly to Bergen with an extra day or two, or to Oslo for a day, then take the train to Bergen...any idea of the cost of the train? Someone mentioned they bought a pretrip Oslo package from Hurtigruten?

 

I would arrive in Bergen a day early to avoid problems arising out of delayed flights and then allow an additional day (or two depending on when your flight arrives). Two half days and a full day were enough for us to see what we wanted to see.

 

We haven't used the train but, again, check out prices as Hurtigruten's tours are expensive.

[bobbisailsolo]

Interesting folks say they are out on deck rather than in the lounge. Isn't it awfully cold in March?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[digitl]

It's only cold if you're wearing the wrong clothes...

[SarniaLo]

I also spend most of my time outside ;). digitl is right, with the right clothes it's perfectly manageable.

It's not "that" cold actually in Norway in winter on the coast, because of the Gulf Stream (the same one that prevents the sea from freezing) so it's often around 0°C (around 30F) or slightly above (except in the far North and particularly Kirkenes where it can be much colder). And the wind will give you an impression of cold, so be sure to have a good windproof layer. You don't really need specific, technical clothings, but plenty of layers will do the trick.

During daylight there is almost always something to see, and at night when the sky is clear it's fun looking out for the Northern Lights. You can't see them that well from inside, and they can come and go quite quickly. Dress up appropriately, find a wind-sheltered spot, bring a hot beverage, and just look at the sky and wait and hope. For me these are very magical moments (highly rewarding if the Lights do come out!).

[digitl]

I also spend most of my time outside

 

It's the only way!

 

The experience from inside a cosy lounge is nothing like that from outside on deck with nothing between yourself and the landscape but fresh air.

[RSF Cruiser]

If you have the time, I'd also recommend taking the train between Bergen and Oslo. The scenery was magnificent, and Oslo has many interesting things to do. We started in Oslo, took the train 8:00 AM-ish train to Bergen the day before our cruise started. That gave us some time to sightsee after the train ride and the day of the cruise. We left Norway from Oslo, so we had the day we arrived back in Bergen to do some more sightseeing, and then we took the overnight train back to Oslo - we got a sleeper compartment, and then transferred trains in downtown Oslo for the airport. I forget how much the train rides were, but you can check it out on their website: https://www.nsb.no/en/frontpage

 

We booked early directly with Hurtigruten so we could get the cabins we wanted.

[janetcbl]

We have traveled a number of times with Hurtigruten and always book directly with them, often more than a year in advance to get the cabin we want (in all seasons except winter we enjoy having a balcony). The train trip from Oslo to Bergen is an experience in itself, regardless of the season. Depending on your credit card, this can be booked directly with nsb.no (there is an English translation on the website). A few days in Oslo and/or Bergen is well worth doing. We do not enjoy cruises , but love our time with Hurtigruten.