We had the distinct pleasure of taking an expedition cruise with the Hurtigruten Cruise Line. Besides covering the places that we visited, we wanted to take some time to introduce Hurtigruten. This wonderful cruise line out of Norway specializes in parts of the world that only a few dare to go. Their most famous cruise is a 14-day cruise along the coast of Norway that runs all year long. During the months of October through March they have a Northern Lights guarantee. If you don't see the Northern Lights during this cruise, they will give you a 7-day cruise for free. Hard to beat that.
Hurtigruten Expedition Cruises designs some of the most interesting itineraries. They visit unique ports as well as some of the most popular. They put their own spin on the popular ports and bring to life areas you never even dreamed of. To keep it simple; however, just think of them as the polar experts. If you want cold, snow, ice bergs, and off the beaten path, Hurtigruten Expedition Cruises can get you there and back all while having an amazing experience.
Why Hurtigruten Expedition Cruises
Let's start with the basics, their ships. Their ships are double hulled and intended to sail through ice. If you really want to explore Antarctica, you will need a ship that can handle ice. In addition, their ships are smaller and more intimate. Their largest ship, due to be released in July 2018, carries only 650 passengers. Unlike other cruise ships built for the masses, these ships are designed for the locations they will be exploring. When on an expedition cruise, the cruise line has it's own expedition team. These are not just people who like to explore. The team consists of Geologists, Biologists, Botanists, Ornithologists, and more. They are true experts and take every opportunity to enrich your experience. One of the fun parts of being on an expedition cruise is the possibilities. The crew start each cruise with a Plan A. If all goes well, you achieve Plan A. If not, they move on to Plan B. As long as you are not married to a schedule, this is a lot of fun. Itineraries are always contingent on weather, ice, and other considerations. We had the joy of exploring the Maritime Provinces of Canada and the Gulf of St. Lawrence and we also were able to stick with Plan A. The cruise just prior to ours had to make adjustments and went with Plan B.
MS Fram
Our ship for our exploration was the MS Fram. Its maximum passenger load is 300 people. We had about 200 on our cruise. This is one of the smaller ships we have had the pleasure to sail on but it was nicely equipped with a beautiful lounge on the top floor with floor to ceiling windows, lecture and meeting rooms, and of course a beautiful dining room.
Expedition Team
This happy looking group is our expedition team. They provided lectures, entertainment, and information about each location and sites we would see along the way. If you are not a photographer, they have a ship photographer who is part of the expedition team who tags along with all of the outings and takes stunning photos. You can purchase the set at the end of the cruise. Well worth the investment if you didn't get great shots on your own.
MV Fram Tenders
Not every stop includes a dock for disembarkation. No need to worry. The expedition team and the crew of the ship have everything well under control. Getting off and on the ship is easy. You do need to be mobile but they have been known to lift wheelchair bound passengers onto a boat with the crane. The conditions have to be right but it can be done. Pictured here are some of the boats they use for exploring and tendering passengers to shore. Most hold 8-10 people at a time and they have several that shuttle back and forth continuously to enable all passengers a chance to explore ashore!
Do I Have To Be Physically Fit
The word expedition conjures up visions of lean physically fit outdoors men and women who can kill and skin a bear for breakfast. Not true. There are activities available for all abilities. The one thing you do need to be able to do is get on and off the tenders. As mentioned before, they can at times, use the ship's crane to lift an impaired passenger onto the tenders but the conditions have to be right and it is not something you should expect or count on. Activities can range from a strenuous hike to a nice stroll. From Kayaking to taking a polarcirkel (We call them tenders) around the glaciers. You will need to answer some health questions before your cruise so that they are aware of any possible issues that might arise.
We highly recommend Hurtigruten Expedition Cruises for those travelers who want to wander off the beaten path and really explore. If Antarctica, the Arctic Circle, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Svalbard are on your bucket list, you need to contact us, your premiere Boise Travel Agency and Hurtigruten Specialists! We can help you explore to your hearts content.
Phone: 208-996-3269 or Email: cal.lindsay@cruiseplanners.com
To read more about our expedition cruise with Hurtigruten and the places that we explored, click on the name of each location and you can read our blog post: Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada; Prince Edward Island, Canada; Bonaventure Island Bird Sanctuary; Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec, Canada; Bonne Bay, Newfoundland, Canada; Les Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, Canada; and Halafax, Nova Scotia, Canada. You can also check out our web pages that include beautiful pictures from each location. New York, New York; Yarmouth; Prince Edward Island; Bonaventure Island Bird Sanctuary; Havre-Saint-Pierre; Bonne Bay; Les Iles-de-la-Madeleine; and Halafax!
