Hurtigruten’s MS Trollfjord REVIEW “North Cape Express”
We sailed on Hurtigruten’s MS Trollfjord “North Cape Express” voyage from December 31, 2023 through January 13, 2024. The ship holds 500 passengers, but we were lucky and had only 250 on our voyage; the passengers were from 16 different countries, including Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, Brasil, and the U.S.. The ship was spotlessly clean and perfectly designed, with intimate open spaces, and a fantastic two-deck lounge in the front of the ship with floor-to-ceiling windows. The food was excellent with a good variety, and there were clearly marked gluten-free and vegan options at all meals. While the cabins were on the small side, they functioned well for our needs, since the scenery was spectacular and the only time we were in the cabin was to sleep and change clothes.
Despite it being dark most of the day (above the Arctic Circle, the sun never rises above the horizon from November 21 through January 21), there were plenty of things to do in each port, and the darkness seemed to make things seem much more peaceful and calm.
Since we were near, or above, the Arctic Circle for the entire cruise, the outside temperature was extremely cold, and it was downright frigid when the Arctic wind blew. Hats, gloves/mittens, hand warmers, neck gaiters, thermal underwear or fleece-lined pants, and a wind/waterproof parka at this time of year are a must! The roads and sidewalks were usually snow and ice packed, so wearing coils or spikes on our shoes was an absolute necessity.
The daily lectures on board the ship were very informative, and the service was fantastic. We were fortunate to see the Northern Lights/Aurora Borealis four times! The service was outstanding, and we had an amazing time. We would absolutely sail on Hurtigruten again.
If you would like to see photos of this trip, as well as others, please join my Facebook page “Explore More with Sue “. Thank you. 
Пікірлер: 9
Thanks great video, much appreciated.
@ExploreMoreWithSue
Ай бұрын
@Rampiesat Thank you for your comment!
Thank you! You have been extremely helpful! I’m taking Trollfjord next May for the one way tour from Longbearyen to Bergen. Your video really helped me prepare for my trip. I’m really excited for this! I took Hurtigruten to the Hebrides and it was the best cruise I’ve ever taken! Great stops and excursions. My friends were upset about no body lotion or Kleenex provided but every thing else you said was totally true! Great food, great staff and a memorable experience. Thank you!
@ExploreMoreWithSue
Ай бұрын
@amycarr7045 Thank you so much for your kind comments. I'm glad you found my videos to be helpful. Our cruise on the Trollfjord was one of the best we've ever had. Your cruise will definitely be warmer and there will be more daylight, ;0) I'm sure it will be a great trip. I am so happy you were able to visit the Hebrides. I haven't been there yet, but it's on my list. I'm glad you found the crew, the food and the overall experience to be so positive. At least it's easy to pick up tissues and lotion in one of the ports. :0) I hope you enjoy your cruise on the Trollfjord as much as we did.
Great video and some helpful tips from your experience. We've just booked the Bergen to Oslo Cruise in February 2025. It sounds like you did the same cruise and enjoyed it. There appears to be loads of opportunity to spend time in different locations, did you take loads of Norwegian Kronor or could you use contactless payment? If it's not too intrusive, what kind of cabin did you have?
@ExploreMoreWithSue
Ай бұрын
@anonymouspdg6121 Thank you for your comments. We did the same cruise you will be doing in February. We arrived in Bergen two days before the cruise departed so that we could spend some time there. Taking the cable car to the top of the mountain was definitely a highlight. (If you do that, make sure you take coils/spikes for your shoes because there were some very icy parts at the top.) There is lots of time to spend in almost all of the ports. We enjoyed walking around the villages and meeting some of the locals. We visited a lot of yarn shops. ;0) We went on a few hikes, and even took part in a 5K race (we walked while everyone else ran) in Tromso. There are some excellent museums in several ports (some of them are small and not very well marked, so you have to search for them). The Hurtigruten museum is right next to the dock in Stokmarknes and is not to be missed. (Allow more time here than you think you'll need.;0).) I have posted photos and descriptions of many of the ports on my Explore More With Sue Facebook page, in case you'd like more details. We actually didn't use any Norwegian Kronor as credit cards are accepted everywhere. It made it very simple. We had cabin 631, which technically is "obstructed view"...but it was not completely obstructed (many are fully obstructed by a lifeboat) and we could see things out of the window. Cabin 622 is the same. Since our cruise was during early January, we knew we weren't going to get much daylight and we wouldn't be able to see much out of the window anyway. Plus, we were only in our cabin to sleep, shower and change clothes. We were extremely happy with the cabin, and we got a bit of a price break because it was "obstructed view". Deck 6 has a walkway all the way around the ship, so all of the cabins on that deck are next to the walkway (so...people walking around can see in if it's dark outside and the lights are on inside the cabin, if the curtains aren't closed; during the day, the windows reflect so it's not as easy to see in). I hope you have a great time on your cruise! Please feel free to ask any additional questions here or you can email me at exploremorewithsue@gmail.com.
@anonymouspdg6121
Ай бұрын
so good of you to reply and with really useful information! We didn’t fancy deck 6 and the walking route so decided on deck 4 which although lower down isn’t much different, apart from a lower vantage point but as you mentioned, it’s going to be restricted daylight and we probably won’t be in the cabin much. So many things to experience and enjoy! Thanks again for your video and information.
@ExploreMoreWithSue
Ай бұрын
@@anonymouspdg6121 You made a great choice by picking Deck 4. It's a relatively small ship, so everything is very convenient. You'll be close to the free laundry room ;0) (Laundry detergent isn't free, and it's rather expensive at the guest services desk (plus there is a really strong smell) so I would suggest picking up a small amount in Bergen if you think you will be doing laundry.) Thank you again for your kind review. P.S. If you are on Facebook, I posted details and photos of many of the ports we visited on my Explore More with Sue page (I have a private and a public group).
@jonnor6883
18 күн бұрын
@@anonymouspdg6121 a small tip about Norway. You don't need cash. Norway is more or less a cash free society. Been like this for 20 years. Just need your card and you will be fine