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Home to stunning scenery, fascinating wildlife, a delectable food scene, and a wide range of outdoor activities, Norway’s charm is undeniable. Plus, with the world’s second-longest coastline and more fjords than anywhere else on the planet, it’s also a wonderful place for a cruise.
To dive deeper into this beautiful country and explore why it’s best explored by ship, we’ve partnered with Hurtigruten to bring you seven things to love about a Norway cruise.
With a history stretching back over 130 years and a unique emphasis on intimate, laidback, and sustainable Norwegian cruising, there’s no cruise line better equipped to help you discover the best that Norway has to offer. You can relax against the backdrop of the Norwegian fjords, spot wonderful wildlife, and enjoy exciting excursions designed to help you make the most of your surroundings.
Plus, if you dream of chasing the Northern Lights, there’s all the more reason to book with Hurtigruten. If you don’t see the lights on a cruise of 11 days or more, you can enjoy another Hurtigruten cruise free of charge.
1. You can soak up stunning views of the Norwegian fjords
Norway is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful countries in the world. From snow-capped mountains to lush green valleys and charming coastal towns, there’s much to love. But one of the main draws has to be its spectacular fjords, which stretch up much of the western coastline.
Carved into the landscape by ancient glaciers, these deep, narrow inlets boast steep, crystalline rock walls that rise from mirror-like waters. Cruising is undoubtedly one of the best ways to explore the fjords, offering unrivalled views of this beautiful region.
When you cruise with Hurtigruten, you’ll experience the fjords up close and unhurried, while in tune with nature – look out for majestic sea eagles soaring above. Sail beneath gushing waterfalls and past key landmarks like the mountain pass of Trollstigen and Jostedalsbreen, Europe’s largest glacier.
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Hurtigruten The Coastal Express*
Bergen - Kirkenes - Bergen (Roundtrip)
Norway | 12 days
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
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Hurtigruten The Svalbard Line*
Bergen - Svalbard - Bergen (Roundtrip)
Norway | 15 days | All Inclusive
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
2. Cruising beneath the Aurora Oval makes Northern Lights sightings more likely
The Northern Lights are one of the world’s most famous natural phenomena. Spectacular, moving, and utterly unique, it’s no surprise that seeing them is the world’s number one bucket list experience.
While sightings can never be 100% guaranteed, cruising can significantly increase your chances. You can travel right under the Aurora Oval – an area close to the North Pole and partly within the Arctic Circle, where sightings are particularly common. The Aurora Oval also changes shape and size based on the intensity of the solar wind, and on a cruise, you can easily move with it.
On Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express cruise, 22 of the 34 ports visited sit inside the Arctic Circle, meaning you’ll spend days journeying directly beneath the Oval. Sailing along remote stretches of coast where the sky is darker and the air is cleaner not only increases your chances of seeing the lights more than once, but you’re also likely to catch the most astonishing displays. Here, the Lights frequently fill the entire sky – horizon to horizon – with dramatic shades of red, green, pink, blue, and purple.
If you sail with Hurtigruten between 20th September and 31st March for at least 11 days and you don’t see the lights, you can enjoy another cruise free of charge.
For further reading, check out our article: Why a Northern Lights cruise belongs on every travel list.
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Hurtigruten The Coastal Express - Northern Lights*
Bergen - Kirkenes - Bergen (Roundtrip)
Norway | 12 days
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
3. You can go on exciting excursions, such as dog sledding and hiking
When you’re not relaxing on deck, one of the best things about a Norway cruise is the huge range of excursions available, which allow you to get immersed in local life.
Norwegians are known for their passion for the Great Outdoors (an enthusiasm so strong that it has its own name: friluftsliv!). And, on a Hurtigruten cruise, you’ll be accompanied by an expert Expedition Team who will help you have the most personal, unforgettable journey possible.
With a range of specialist, well-researched topics under their belt, they’ll offer unique insights on the nature, wildlife, and culture that you encounter along the way, adding an intimate and personal perspective to your cruise.
You can also choose from over 130 excursions with Hurtigruten, from in-depth lectures and excursions exploring Sami culture to dog sledding, king crab fishing, and handpicked hikes.
4. You can enjoy unique local foods – from brown cheese to cinnamon buns
If you’re passionate about food, you’ll know that trying a country’s unique cuisine is one of the most exciting parts of travel. And in Norway, you won’t be disappointed.
With a huge bounty of fresh ingredients lying along its varied coastline, local produce is a key ingredient in traditional Norwegian cuisine. In many homes and restaurants, it’s customary for locals to source their fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy from nearby farms – creating a unique air of authenticity.
While the fresh seafood is a standout – particularly king crab, salmon, and Atlantic cod (skrei) – there’s so much more to explore. Dishes here tend to be rich, hearty, and simple, often pairing high-quality meat with simple yet delicious sides. Fårikål, for example, is a slow-cooked mutton and cabbage stew voted Norway’s national dish in several polls.
Other local delicacies include brunost (a special brown cheese with particular cultural significance), kanelboller (cinnamon buns), and, of course, the fresh produce of Norway’s many fruit orchards.
Because Hurtigruten is dedicated to its concept of producing authentic local cuisine, you can enjoy the very best Norwegian food in their onboard restaurants. Sourcing fresh ingredients from the ports they sail to, Hurtigruten proudly supports 70 local farms, bakeries, and producers across Norway.
Savour the flavours of melt-in-your-mouth skrei from Vesterålen, award-winning cheeses from the Lofoten Islands, and the highest-quality craft beer from Bergen in their onboard restaurants. Overlooking the fjords as you sail, you’ll feel connected to the very places where the ingredients are sourced.
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Hurtigruten Sail and Rail Norway*
Oslo - Trondheim - Bergen - Oslo (Roundtrip)
Norway | 5 days
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
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Oslo-Kirkenes-Bergen-Oslo (Southbound)
Norway | 10 days
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
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Hurtigruten Discover Norway with Summer Snowhotel Stay *
Oslo-Kirkenes-Bergen-Oslo (Southbound)
Norway | 10 days
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
5. You might spot whales, sea eagles, and reindeer
Another reason to love a Norway cruise is that it’s a fantastic way to spot amazing wildlife. With tall mountains that sit beside icy waters, Norway’s diverse terrain is home to a wide range of wonderful creatures – many of which are rare to see elsewhere in the wild.
In many ways, you could think of a Norway cruise as a safari through one of nature’s most unique and diverse habitats. As you sail, keep your eyes peeled for marine life like seals, porpoises, dolphins, orcas, and minke, fin, and humpback whales emerging for a breath of crisp Arctic air. Or, book a kayak safari or whale-watching tour to get even closer.
Norway is also a birdwatcher’s paradise, with frequent sightings of gulls, puffins, sheathbills, pelicans, and white-tailed eagles – Norway’s largest bird of prey. Plus, during your time on land – depending on the cruise route – you might have opportunities to spot reindeer, Arctic fox, and the elusive lynx, who live among the pretty flora and fauna that decorate the landscape.
Having spent years exploring Norway’s unique coast, Hurtigruten’s Expedition Team will be on hand to share engaging insights into the wildlife you encounter, too.
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Helsinki - Oslo (Southbound)
Norway & Finland | 14 days
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
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Oslo - Helsinki (Northbound)
Norway & Finland | 14 days
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
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Helsinki - Rovaniemi - Honningsvåg - Oslo (Southbound)
Norway & Finland | 14 days
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
6. You can uncover charming hidden gems
While sailing through fjords and chasing the Northern Lights are reasons enough to visit Norway, they aren’t all that await you here. This dramatically varied country is full of hidden gems waiting to be discovered – and cruising is a great way to explore them.
Since their first sailing in 1893, Hurtigruten has been trusted by customers to take them to the intimate, hidden gems of Norway’s coast. Passing secret fjords, hidden hamlets, and majestic waterfalls as you cross the Arctic Circle, you’ll drop anchor in some of Norway’s most charming towns and villages.
Kayak along the winding canals of beautiful Ålesund; explore ‘Norway’s Notre Dame’ in Trondheim; ride cable cars to the top of Storsteinen Mountain in Tromsø; or tour a modern salmon farm and learn about the region’s 10,000-year history in Rørvik.
To learn more, check out our guide to 10 hidden gems to discover in Norway.
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Hurtigruten Sail and Rail Norway*
Oslo - Trondheim - Bergen - Oslo (Roundtrip)
Norway | 5 days
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
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Hurtigruten West Fjords to the Arctic Capital*
Bergen - Ålesund - Trondheim - Bodø - Tromsø (Northbound)
Norway | 5 days
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
7. You can journey to remote islands for a deeper connection with nature
Instead of staying in one destination, cruising allows you to explore more of Norway in one go – including its vast collection of islands.
When it comes to natural beauty, few places can rival the Lofoten Islands, located high in the Arctic Circle and popular for their wild, untamed feel. Most people who come here seek connection with the Great Outdoors: hiking up rugged cliffs toward panoramic viewpoints, kayaking past iconic red fishing huts, and wandering beautiful beaches. However, when docking in the town of Svolvær, there are plenty of opportunities to connect with the local culture and vibrant arts scene.
If you’d prefer an even more remote, expedition-style experience, then the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard isn’t one to miss. Located between mainland Norway and the North Pole, Svalbard is known for its raw, rugged landscapes, where blue seas and barren tundras sit beside towering mountains and never-ending glaciers. Svalbard is home to an abundance of wildlife, and if you’re lucky, you might see polar bears and reindeer wandering on land, or seals swimming close to the shore.
On Hurtigruten’s iconic Svalbard Line voyage, you’ll journey deep into the Arctic Circle, uncovering the best that this mesmerising region has to offer. Docking at the former coal-mining town of Longyearbyen, you can cosy up in pubs, restaurants, or breweries; browse the fascinating collection of museums and galleries; or head deeper into the surroundings by boat or e-bike. Dog-sledding, fossil hikes, and wilderness experiences are also available for thrill-seekers.
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Hurtigruten Lofoten to the Norwegian Border*
Svolvær - Tromsø - Honningsvåg - Kirkenes (Northbound)
Norway | 4 days
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
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Hurtigruten The Svalbard Line - South*
Longyearbyen - Bergen (Southbound)
Norway | 8 days | All Inclusive
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
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Longyearbyen - Bergen (Southbound)
Norway | 13 days | All Inclusive
Save up to £700 per cabin, plus £500 onboard credit on select voyages. Ends June 30th.
Experience Norway under the Northern Lights.
Includes taxes and fees
Final thoughts…
With shimmering blue fjords, charming coastal towns, stunning natural phenomena, and wondrous wildlife, it comes to cruise destinations, it’s difficult to top Norway.
Plus, on a Hurtigruten cruise, everything is in place to help you enjoy the very best this wonderful country has to offer. You can enjoy authentic local cuisine in onboard restaurants, connect with the Great Outdoors through exciting excursions, and travel to some of Norway’s best-kept secrets.
If your dream is to see the Northern Lights, there’s all the more reason to book with Hurtigruten. If you don’t see the lights on a cruise of 11 days or more, you can enjoy another Hurtigruten cruise free of charge.