Hurtigruten vs “normal” cruise lines?

[CruiseMark]

For those of you who have cruised on Hurtigruten or Havila to Norway, what made you choose that type of cruise vs a “normal” cruise line such as P&O or Fred  Olsen?

 

There seem to be pluses and minuses for each, and I’m wondering what swayed you?

 

Thanks.

[hallasm]

A really good question.  I have been on 30+ cruises - Ocean as well as rivers.
I chose voyages (not cruises) with Hurtigruten primarily because of the time and itinerary.  My primary objectives were the midnight sun in June and the northern lights in January - I combined the trips with stays in Bergen and Kirkenes.  
Also interesting with a working ship many short stops of 15 minutes are part of the ‘entertainment’ onboard. 
The food on board is excellent - daily local and fresh ingredients from the daily ports of call. There is no or very little entertainment but daily lectures about the areas passed.
The route goes close to the coast and between small islands - a very nice nature experience. During summer navigating Trollfjord.
34 port stops between Bergen and Kirkenes, but with a longer daily stop, excursions are possible.
I have only taken the northbound or partial route (live an hour's flight from Bergen) - for me the 12 days is too much of the same - many will prefer the 12 days return - same ports of call but port stops during night northbound will become stops at day time southbound.

Example of a 15 minutes stop and Trollfjord sailing.

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by hallasm

[CruiseMark]

Thank you so much for your perspective, @hallasm

[Flyinby]

I was curious about northern lights and ran across Hurtigruten's coastal express route.  It sounded interesting, with all the stops at smaller towns...something different than a normal "cruise".  I don't remember how I also ran across Havila's site, it might have been here on the forum or a search, but after inquiring here and getting some good info from Hallasm and others, it sounded better and better.  Havila sounded more exciting...a new line with new ships and what seemed like a good attitude to environmental issues etc.

 

I had recently booked a Viking River grand European cruise for May 2022, and when looking at the prices for Havila's cabins, it seemed like a great bargain.  I had looked at some of Hurtigruten's cabins, but must have looked on the older ships, because the basic rooms looked more like a train compartment; plus they had few balconies, and I've always been partial to balconies. (Though for Norway in mid-winter, it seemed silly, but as it turned out I used the balcony a LOT, way more than I use it on any "normal" cruise.  Anyway, so I booked a nice cabin on the Capella, almost a year ahead of departure, with the most flexible option in case I wanted to cancel later.

 

It got more exciting as I learned about the Oslo-Bergen train, and I added a couple of days in each city along with overnight in Flam.  It was no longer a "cruise", the Havila voyage being an integral part of it but not all of it.

 

The short stops were great, me being an avid photographer, to where we left the curtains open at night so I could wake up (if I felt like it) and check out the stops (from the lights...most stops were so quiet they were easy to miss).  On the "longer" short stops it was fun to get out, bundle up, slip on some YakTrax and take a short walk around town.  Most long stops had some interesting excursions, and we took a lot of them.

 

Weaving among the islands and passing so many towns was fascinating also, really no need to get off the ship unless one felt like it.  The northern lights were great on a few nights, though taking photos from a ship is not ideal, due to the longer exposures needed for the best photos of them.  Crossing into the arctic was exciting, and seeing the scenery change was interesting and kept me busy.  The ship was relaxing, no parties to speak of, no big shows or traditional 'cruise' activities.  Talks each day were fun and informative.

 

The weather was warmer than I expected, though the wind was colder.  The "small" towns were larger (and cleaner) than I expected.  Norwegians in general were friendlier than I expected.  The ship was nicer, warmer, more roomy than I expected.  The crew was nicer and more helpful than I expected on this type of voyage.  Oslo folks walked faster than I expected.  Norway's trains are really nice.  Havila's ship was great.  Norwegian was harder to understand than I expected, but a lot of shipboard conversation was in German, which is easier for me.  And nearly everyone spoke English.

 

I really don't consider the trip a "cruise", but more a winter visit to Norway, with a coastal voyage up into the arctic and back.  Nothing against full-on normal cruises, I like them fine, both river and ocean, but I like variety, and this was more of a hands-on trip since we designed it from scratch.  In retrospect, I'd have added another day in Oslo (3 nights) at the beginning and another day in Bergen at the end (2 nights), but I'll have to save that for next time 8^).

[CruiseMark]

Thank you so much, @Flyinby for such a detailed report. It’s tremendously helpful!

[oakridger]

As an ocean cruise lover I was going to chime in about why I chose the coastal voyage this time but @Flyinby nicely summed up what I was going to write!  I also have two grandparents that came to the US from Norway in the late 1800s so I am interested in the history and culture of Norway for that reason.  I will also be traveling by train, inland ferry and maybe by rental car while I'm there so the Havila part of it is the anchor for more exploration.  

 

I'm happy that Norway has introduced some competition for Hurtigruten which can only improve the passenger experience on both lines.  I loved my Hurtigruten bare bones trip in 2005 and am so looking forward to a "fancied up" version on Havila next year!  

 

~Nancy

[Maggie North]

Such great posts and comments; looking into Hurtigruten and sounds so refreshing! 

[hallasm]

18 minutes ago, Maggie North said:

looking into Hurtigruten and sounds so refreshing!

Totally agree - you just have to be aware that there are two different companies.

Hurtigruten Expedition offers with expedition cruises - especially the Arctic and Antarctic but also the Galapagos as well as UK Islands and Norway Coast from Dover.
Then there is Hurtigruten Express, which has two different offers - the original coastal route, which is a 'working ship' on a regular route along Norway's west coast with daily departures with fixed schedule from Bergen to Kirkenes (operated in collaboration with Havila) - and then Svalbard Express and North Cape Express from Bergen and Oslo.
Can seem a little confusing with the quite different offers. All ships are smaller and very different. 
In my view the original coastal voyage is the most interesting offering.