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Hurtigruten coastal voyage - top tips?

11 replies

feralcat19 · 13/01/2026 17:52

Just booked a 12-day trip with them for November 2026 and am VERY excited! What top tips do you have for:
a) packing
b) getting the most out of the experience?

we’ve booked some excursions but is it easy to do your own thing in some of the ports?

we don’t want to come home wishing we’d known to bring X or Y with us or what was pointless to pack.

OP posts:
cobrakaieaglefang · 13/01/2026 18:00

Crossing into the Arctic circle is a competition, guess the time...get it correct and you win a prize..🙈😉😂😂🪣🧊

cobrakaieaglefang · 13/01/2026 18:05

Husky mushing is brilliant..

feralcat19 · 13/01/2026 18:36

cobrakaieaglefang · 13/01/2026 18:05

Husky mushing is brilliant..

We’ve booked that!!!

OP posts:
HundredMilesAnHour · 13/01/2026 18:40

Take some ear plugs as some cabins can hear a bit of noise during night stops when cargo is loaded/unloaded.

You’ll need ice grips for your shoes at some stops but they sell them onboard in the shop.

Most importantly, have a fabulous time!

Many years ago (when I was a student), my Norwegian boyfriend spent a summer working onboard the Hurtigruten (Polarlys) as an officer and asked me to join him (I could stay in his cabin with him for free). Unfortunately I had to work in a summer job in the UK (in an accountancy firm) as I needed the money and to this day I still feel like I missed out on a fabulous opportunity to travel up and down the Norwegian coast for free for a few months. Gutted.😫

lostarc · 14/01/2026 05:52

I hope you don’t mind me joining your thread OP. I am currently researching Hurtigruten at the moment so keen to get some ideas and tips too.

bigbadbernard · 14/01/2026 07:06

My mum went but the ship got norovirus. She stayed in her cabin the whole time, miserable but not ill.

YodasHairyButt · 14/01/2026 07:11

It’s a brilliant trip. You do spend a lot of time on the ship, so books etc to keep you occupied. Ice spikes are a must. You don’t get very long in the ports so you need to be very organised if you want to do your own excursions. Sea sickness tablets are also a must, it can get pretty rough outside of the fjords.

unsync · 14/01/2026 07:11

Get the lanyard for your room card and keep it around your neck. It makes getting on and off the ship a lot easier when you are all bundled up.

In Alesund you get the whole day in winter as they can't go in the fjord. Book a taxi (there's a Norwegian taxi app) to pick you up from the terminal and spend at least half the day at the Atlantic Sea Park -
https://en.atlanterhavsparken.no/

Do the Tromso tour with the Arctic Cathedral and Cable car.

In Kirkenes, be ready as soon as the ship docks. There's a little wooden cabin on the right as you get off, they sell the most fabulous Russian dolls and souvenirs. Just after there, hang a right through the industrial estate, it's a short cut into the town.

Be prepared to do a lot of walking. Sturdy waterproof boots, with thermal boots and yak traks will be fine. Practice with the yak traks as you need to remove them when you go into buildings. You only need one other pair of shoes for onboard, I just take Uggs.

There's a packing list on the Hurtigruten website. Get thermals from Landsend. Have a windproof coat and trousers. Take woolly hats including one for the hot tub (also sliders, the deck gets icy and your feet will thank you). It can be a bit nippy in the bar by the big windows, take a small fleecy blanket for your legs. Go to the lectures and the on deck stuff. Get the sheet on camera settings. If you can, take a small tripod for your camera, it's much easier for photographing the Northern Lights. Take a book or two.

I've done it a few times now, it's a really enjoyable and calming holiday. Life on board has a rythym, enjoy it.

Atlanterhavsparken Aquarium

Atlanterhavsparken is one of Northern Europe's largest and most unique saltwater aquariums. In 2021, we also established Norway's first science center with a marine profile. A visit with us gives young and old a real, engaging and educational experienc...

https://en.atlanterhavsparken.no

Cyclistmumgrandma · 14/01/2026 07:29

Yak tracks for your shoes, yes, definitely, but I would advise buying them before you go. They will be available on the ship, but they will be expensive! They will be much cheaper in an outdoor shop like Mountain Warehouse or even from Amazon.

lostarc · 16/01/2026 16:13

OP if you search for Lorraine Kelly on C5 she started a programme last night on this ship.

Edited its c4.

oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 16/01/2026 18:27

Take everything you might need - Norway is extremely expensive.

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