Coastal Winter Cruise – from North to South

Welcome to Oslo

Welcome to Oslo! Upon arrival at Oslo Gardermoen Airport, make your way to your centrally located hotel. Read our guide on how to travel to your hotel from the airport.

Your first evening in the Norwegian capital is yours to explore at your own pace. The hotel's central location places you within easy reach of restaurants and cafés throughout the city center.

Rest well – tomorrow's journey takes you across the Arctic Circle to Kirkenes and the beginning of your winter adventure.

Highlights

Welcome to the borderlands

A morning flight takes you across the Arctic Circle to Kirkenes, a small town near Norway's border with Russia on the Barents Sea. Upon arrival, transfer to Snow Resort Kirkenes for an extraordinary overnight stay in a room crafted entirely from ice and snow.

This evening's Arctic adventure features dog sledding through frozen wilderness. A team of huskies pulls your sled across snow-covered landscapes under the Arctic night sky – keep your eyes on the horizon for Northern Lights dancing overhead.

Dinner tonight is served at Låven Restaurant, known for its creative use of fresh local ingredients and cozy ambiance offering an authentic taste of Arctic cuisine. Your Snowhotel accommodation includes a warm thermal sleeping bag and a demonstration to ensure a comfortable night's sleep amid the ice. Before retiring, visit the on-site reindeer, husky, and puppy farm to meet the animals and learn about their role in Arctic culture. The hotel sauna provides a welcome contrast to the frosty surroundings.

A day on the Arctic sea

After breakfast at the Snowhotel, transfer to the harbor to board your coastal cruise ship. The vessel departs Kirkenes and heads toward Vardø, Norway's easternmost town, tracing the Varanger Peninsula where bare headlands and wide skies replace the sheltered fjords further south.

As evening falls, the ship calls at Båtsfjord before continuing to Berlevåg. All meals are included aboard. Your cabin becomes home for the next five nights as you sail south along Norway's winter coastline.

The journey from Kirkenes to Bergen covers approximately 1,250 nautical miles, with the ship calling at ports large and small along the way.

Along the Arctic coast to Tromsø

Dawn finds the ship gliding south toward Hammerfest, the shoreline lit in pale Arctic colors. You slip through Sørøysund and into Øksfjord, where dark cliffs rise straight from still, cold water.

Out on the Lopphavet, the sea opens wide – long swells, clear air, and a horizon that seems to breathe. Near Skjervøy, the waters calm and the route winds past islets, bird cliffs, and bright houses tucked into sheltered coves.

By late evening, Tromsø comes into view – bridges lit, mountains in silhouette. If the sky is clear, you may see the aurora lift and ripple over the city, a quiet show to end the day.

Exploring Vesterålen and the Lofoten Islands

Morning brings the "A Taste of Vesterålen" shore excursion – a scenic journey through the Vesterålen archipelago featuring a visit to a medieval church that stands as testament to Norway's deep-rooted heritage. After exploring Vesterålen, rejoin the ship in Sortland for the continuation south.

The ship sails toward the Lofoten Islands, where rugged mountain peaks rise directly from the sea and fishing villages cluster beneath slopes that seem impossibly steep. This archipelago has sustained fishing communities for over a thousand years, with stockfish drying on wooden racks visible from the ship.

By evening, arrive in Svolvær, the capital of the Lofoten Islands. The distinctive Lofoten Wall – a continuous chain of peaks stretching across the horizon – creates one of Norway's most dramatic coastal profiles. The ship docks for several hours, giving you time to walk through town before departing for the journey south.

Journey along the Helgeland Coast

An early morning call at the village of Ørnes marks the beginning of your passage along the Helgeland coast. The ship makes brief stops at Sandnessjøen and Brønnøysund – each offering glimpses of local coastal life and welcoming communities that depend on the sea.

The Helgeland coast showcases remarkable mountain formations rising majestically from the water. The Seven Sisters mountain range presents seven distinct peaks in a row, while Torghatten features a natural hole carved through the mountain by ancient ice and water.

During today's sailing, you cross the Arctic Circle – the invisible line marking the edge of the midnight sun and polar night zones. From here south, winter days grow gradually longer as you leave the deep Arctic behind.

Exploring the historical Trondheim

The ship arrives in Trondheim, Norway's ancient capital and one of its most historic cities. After breakfast aboard, step ashore for a guided two-hour city sightseeing tour.

The tour highlights Nidaros Cathedral – the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world and Norway's national sanctuary. This Gothic masterpiece features intricate stone carvings, a magnificent rose window, and serves as the final resting place of Saint Olav, Norway's patron saint. The cathedral has been a pilgrimage destination since the Middle Ages.

Trondheim's old town features wooden buildings, the Nidelva River flowing through the center, and Kristiansten Fortress overlooking the city. After the guided tour, return to the ship for lunch as it continues south along the coast toward Bergen.

Arriving in Bergen

The ship arrives in Bergen during the afternoon. Disembark and check into your centrally located hotel, placing you in the heart of this vibrant coastal city.

Bergen sits surrounded by seven mountains, with the UNESCO-listed Bryggen wharf featuring colorful wooden buildings that once housed medieval merchants. The Fløibanen funicular climbs Mount Fløyen in about eight minutes, offering panoramic views across the city, harbor, and surrounding islands.

The Bergen Aquarium presents an opportunity to meet diverse sea creatures, from local fish species to more exotic animals. Your evening is free to explore Bergen's restaurants and waterfront at your own pace.

Tour ends after breakfast the next day.