The Hurtigruten

Ever since I heard of the Hurtigruten years ago, I have always wanted to take this postal/ferry working ship along the coast of Norway. I’m so glad Gary made it happen, and I was pleasantly surprised at how nice and comfortable the ship turned out to be. 

We met a fun couple the first day, well… actually the first night. We boarded the Hurtigruten at 12:30 in the morning – but it was light out so who knew?

We got into an elevator that held four people and luggage, that took us to a small foyer with locked doors so we had to take the elevator back up again. There was another couple from Norway in the elevator with us. We laughed about the elevator ride, and then, when we saw them later, we started talking and spent time together on board.

The ship made many stops, but very few for any length of time, so we only got off the boat twice for an hour each time during our three nights on board. The food buffets were fabulous, and the view from the dining area – great. Our cabin was tiny, but we were only in it to sleep.

We sailed through the fabulous Lofoten Islands, which are known as one of the most stunning areas of Norway. Majestic mountains, fjords, and fishing villages dotted the coastlines.

Our ship entered the narrow passage to the Troll Fjord and it was gorgeous. We went to end of this small fjord and turned around. Again, we were blessed with a beautiful, sunny day.

As we crossed the Arctic Circle at 66*33’ N there was a special observance. We gathered on a deck and the crew pointed out an Arctic Circle marker on a rock, to indicate the latitude/longitude, as we passed by. 

They also offered us some oil on a commemorative spoon. I didn’t quite understand what was happening, but I got in line anyways, to get the teaspoon. Later I asked what it was I swallowed on the spoon, and found out it was cod liver oil! Fisherman, and many people above the circle, used to take cod liver oil daily (and some may still) as it is a good source of Vitamin D, and it is said to bring you a good and healthy life.

The only entertainment on board was the stunning views of the Norwegian coastline…and that was all we needed. We spent many hours enjoying the scenery.

We disembarked the Nordkapp/Hurtrigruten in Trondheim, anticipating more adventures.