Veteran travel journalist, Jeremy Bourke, redefines the term 'express' with a leisurely journey in Norway's spectacular fjords.
Hurtigruten’s feted Coastal Express itinerary, in which ships of this venerable Norwegian line ply a string of western coastal communities, has always seemed a misnomer because for an express it makes a lot of stops. It’s a mail and milk run in effect, disgorging goods and sometimes passengers at these isolated communities among the fjords. However, mostly the people are along for the ride on this spectacular coastline, the longest in Europe.
With the port stays sometimes being no longer than 10 minutes, there’s little opportunity to get among the people and places. So Hurtigruten has reworked the Coastal Express plus the run to its other great destination, Svalbard, into a new, elevated range of Signature voyages which now includes all-inclusive drinks packages.
The ship still makes port calls but fewer of them, and this allows for up to six or seven hours on the ground, sometimes in tiny places such as the fishing villages of Traena and Reine, the latter sporting a most photogenic harbour, with triangular mountains rising above a cluster of traditional fisherfolk’s cottages in red or yellow. Or you explore Tromso, sitting well inside the Arctic Circle, a modern city of 85,000 people that nevertheless remains in touch with the culture of the Vikings and the indigenous northern Sami people.
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| The village of Reine on the Lofoten Islands (supplied) |
Then, on its Svalbard Line range of sailings, it’s two nights across the Barents Sea to the northernmost populated archipelago in the world, a place of stark physical beauty and unique wildlife.
On the Svalbard Line, which can be taken either north-bound or south over seven nights, or combined as a two-week round trip, Hurtigruten is now using the recently refurbished MS Trollfjord, a compact ship of 16,140 tonnes that carries 500 passengers. Built in 2002, it doesn’t provide the roomy, balconied layout of more modern cruise liners, and those cabins with portholes – a good percentage of passengers have “inside” cabins, with no view at all – are cosy at best, although cleverly configured to make the most of the space. The handful of suites, at the rear of the higher passenger decks, do get balconies as well as their own restaurant, Rost, where all meals are taken. Other guests can book to dine at Rost for a modest extra fee. Otherwise everything else is there in the all-inclusive fare, which provides truly inspiring Norwegian cuisine in the two main restaurants, a wide selection of international wines, and excellent beers from breweries along the coast, plus aquavit, Norway’s bracing potato-based spirit.
There’s no pool or spa treatments, just a fitness room and a pair of segregated saunas, and Trollfjord has also retained two classic features missing from many modern cruisers: a library stocked with books in various languages – on board, all menus, announcements and history presentations are in Norwegian, English, German and French – and a full-circuit promenade deck.
The excursion crew also hosts regular Points of Interest, explaining geographical features seen from all sides of the ship, because for the most part Trollfjord sails within the protection of the coastal islands. They’ll also share some of the ancient legends associated with these mountains and fjords, such as the stirring tale of the Troll king, his seven daughters and the “mountain with the hole”, a story that spreads across several sailing days.
After farewelling Nordkapp – North Cape, the northernmost point of continental Europe – Trollfjord spends what turns out to be 40 foggy and rainy hours crossing the Barents Sea to Svalbard, docking at the archipelago’s only proper town Longyearbyen. It’s a lively place for a settlement this far north (78˚) and there’s only one main rule, besides dressing for the usually chilly weather: never walk beyond the polar bear signs that mark the limits of Longyearbyen’s safe zone.
Jeremy Bourke travelled as a guest of Hurtigruten. His story on his voyage on MS Trollfjord will appear in Travel+Luxury in the Weekend Australian.
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