We woke up early on Tuesday morning. The Camper Stop at Kirkenes Harbour isn’t the most conducive place for a good night’s sleep and we were slightly apprehensive about the boarding onto our ship at Kirkenes.
There’s a policy of no Motorhomes and campervans with kitchens incorporating gas appliances must be removed. When we booked, the company agreed the weight and dimensions of our Campervan were OK and that so long as we removed the gas bottle we would be granted safe passage onto the boat.
However, pre-trip research revealed that several VW Califorinia travellers had been refused boarding, even with pre bookings.
The cost of the ferry for our Campervan was something like £250 – which is a bargain for a 6 day crossing of around 1300 miles. The associated cabin and meals for Moe and I were nearer £5k.
That’s because this is no ordinary ferry.
This is the original Norwegian mailboat ferry, one of which every day sets sail from Bergen in South West Norway to Kirkenes on the Russian border. And back again.
Our trip on the Hurtigruten Nordkapp would be that Southbound route from Kirkenes all the way to Bergen. Assuming we were allowed to board.
Which we were. There’s a small car deck for around 50 cars which is accessible via a tiny lift. Nellie fitted fine, with the wing mirrors tucked in. The Loadmaster and the guys on the car deck were very helpful and we picked up our bags and headed to reception check-in.
Boarding the vehicle was by the left hand small cargo door and lift.
The sailing information is below. Click on an image to see it in full resolution.
The Hurtigruten is one of those “bucket-list” trips on a par with the Orient Express. Here’s some history about the Norwegian mailboat.
Hurtigruten, originally established in 1893 as a vital mail and cargo carrier, continues to operate its iconic Coastal Express along the Norwegian coast. Running daily between Bergen and Kirkenes, the fleet stops at 34 ports acting as a working lifeline for local communities while offering scenic passenger voyages.
The classic voyage takes 12 days round-trip, though you can book shorter, custom point-to-point journeys. Because the ships serve both tourists and local commuters, passengers get a unique look at authentic everyday coastal life, far beyond what typical sightseeing cruises offer.
As we are traversing the final stretch of water to Bergen, we are happy to report that this ferry journey has exceeded our expectations. The double room was comfortable with a nice view from the port hole.
The sales agent was helpful in identifying the best room within our budget for location, coastal facing and with unobstructed views from the cabin.
The food was superb. Drinks were expensive but not prohibitive at around £11 for a pint and similar for a glass of house wine. Buffet for breakfast and lunch with waiter service in the evening.
The highlight of the culinary calendar was the four course farewell meal. Now, whilst I’m always likely to be first in line, Moe and I never are. On this occasion we had thought that the dinner was free seating so we arrived early and happened to be first in the queue.
Moe marched into the restaurant, first time first, to be greeted by a guard of honour from the Captain, officers and restaurant team, each of them greeting us personally. The look on Moes face was exquisite.
The pictures below are from the four-course farewell dinner…
The excursions were well organised but expensive. We went on two – a midnight concert in the cathedral at Trondheim and the Lofiten Island tour. We would do these again…
In Hammerfest we made our way to a viewpoint on the mountain and it turns out this was a similar route to the Mountain Hike excursion so with a bit of research, you can find your own things to do.
Typically, when a stop was 30 minutes or longer and during the day we would head ashore. Some of our other trips are shown in pictures below.
Midnight concert in Tromso.
Passage through the Trollfjorden. The weather was good which allowed the Captain of MS Nordkapp to navigate through this narrow fjord.
The 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) long fjord cuts into the island of Austvågøya and flows out into the Raftsundet strait. The fjord has a narrow entrance and steep-sided mountains surrounding it. The name is derived from troll, a figure from Norse mythology.
The fjord is a popular tourist attraction due to the beauty of its natural setting. It is only accessible by boat or by a nearby 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) hike over very rugged terrain. The Hurtigruten’s ships on the route between Bergen and Kirkenes detour into Trollfjorden. It is also popular with other cruise lines.
The Lofoten Island tour took us along the Lofoten peninsula, stopping at the pretty fishing village of Henningsvaer and a lovely viewpoint. The Lofoten islands have become a major tourist honey-pot destination.
Of course there was the moment to cross the Arctic Circle southbound.
Stopover at Bronnoysund.
An early morning in Trondheim.
And the afternoon brief halt in Kristiansund.
Passing MS Vesteralen
