Hurtigruten cruise reviews 2026–2027: is the Norwegian coastal voyage worth it?

Hurtigruten at a glance

Hurtigruten sails the Norwegian coast between Bergen and Kirkenes, a route it has served since 1893. The first ship, Vesteraalen, left Trondheim on July 2, 1893, under the company’s founder Richard With. The route still carries cargo and local passengers alongside travelers, which explains most of what reviewers like and dislike about it.

Company

Hurtigruten AS, based in Oslo, Norway

Fleet

10 ships: 7 on the Original Coastal Express and 3 on Signature voyages (from summer 2026)

Price tier

Premium for a ferry-style voyage. The Signature voyages cost more and include drinks

Main route

Bergen–Kirkenes–Bergen, 12 days, 34 ports

Signature routes

Svalbard Line (Bergen–Longyearbyen) in summer, North Cape Line (from Oslo) from autumn to spring

Included on Original fares

Full board on full and half voyages. Tea, coffee and Wi-Fi on the Select fare

Included on Signature fares

All meals and unlimited select drinks

Not included

Drinks on Original voyages, excursions, flights and transfers

Hurtigruten and HX are now different companies

Hurtigruten’s expedition cruises to Antarctica, Greenland and the Galápagos are not part of Hurtigruten any more. The expedition business was split off as HX Hurtigruten Expeditions, and the sale was completed in February 2025. HX sails ships such as Fram, Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen. Older Hurtigruten cruise reviews often mix the two. This page covers Hurtigruten’s Norwegian coastal voyages only. For polar cruises, see our Antarctica and Arctic expedition cruise guide.

Hurtigruten ships

The seven Original ships date from 1983 to 1997. The three Signature ships were built in 2002 and 2003 and are larger. Four Hurtigruten ships have battery-hybrid power.

• MS TrollfjordSignature, 2002, 16,140 GTThe first Signature ship. Sails the Svalbard Line in summer and the North Cape Line from Oslo the rest of the year.
• MS MidnatsolSignature from summer 2026, 2003, 16,151 GTUpgraded and moved into the Signature fleet in 2026. Sails the Svalbard Line with Trollfjord. It sailed as MS Maud from 2021 to 2024.
• MS FinnmarkenSignature, 2002, 15,690 GT, battery-hybridCalled MS Otto Sverdrup until 2025. Hurtigruten has said it sails the North Cape Line from Hamburg in winter.
• MS VesterålenOriginal, 1983, 6,261 GTThe oldest and smallest ship. Back on the Bergen–Kirkenes round trip full time from spring 2026, after new engines in 2019.
• MS Kong Harald and MS Richard WithOriginal, 1993, battery-hybridTwo of three ships built to the same 121.8-meter design in the early 1990s, sailing the Coastal Express.
• MS NordlysOriginal, 1994, battery-hybridThe third ship of that design, on the Bergen–Kirkenes round trip.
• MS Polarlys, MS Nordkapp and MS NordnorgeOriginal, 1996–1997The newest Original ships, each refitted between 2022 and 2024.

Build years, tonnage and refit dates come from the fleet table on Wikipedia. Ship roles come from Hurtigruten’s May 2025 press release and its route pages in October 2026.

Hurtigruten is not the only line on this route. Since 2021 Havila Kystruten has run four of the eleven ships on the same Bergen–Kirkenes contract, and the two companies sail on alternate days.

Is Hurtigruten worth it?

Hurtigruten is worth it for travelers who want scenery, small Arctic towns and the northern lights, and who are happy with a lounge and a lecture instead of a show. It is a poor fit for anyone who wants a resort ship. Most mixed Hurtigruten cruise reviews come from people who booked the Coastal Express expecting a cruise.

Three things shape most reviews:

• It is a working route. The Coastal Express is a public sea route carrying passengers and cargo. Hurtigruten says stops last from ten minutes to four hours, so you see many towns from the deck and only a few on foot.
• The ships are older and simpler. The Original ships date from 1983 to 1997. They have a lounge and bar, a sauna, a fitness room, an outdoor deck and a lecture hall. There are no theaters, casinos or kids’ clubs.
• The coast is the point. The route runs past the fjords, the Lofoten Islands and the Arctic coast to Kirkenes near the Russian border, and you see it in every season.

Original vs Signature: which Hurtigruten voyage should you book?

Book the Original Coastal Express if you want the full 34-port route at the lowest fare and don’t mind paying for drinks. Book a Signature voyage if you want fewer, longer stops, all meals and unlimited select drinks included, and a cruise that feels less like a ferry. Signature also covers Svalbard, which the Coastal Express doesn’t reach.

The Original Coastal Express

The classic trip is the 12-day round trip from Bergen to Kirkenes and back. You can also sail one way, Bergen to Kirkenes or Kirkenes to Bergen, or port to port. There are two fares:

• Basic: full board at set meal times. You pick a cabin category, and the cabin number is assigned at check-in. Wi-Fi is available once you register for Hurtigruten’s 1893 Ambassador loyalty program.
• Select: everything in Basic, plus your choice of cabin number and dining time, free tea and coffee, and Wi-Fi. Expedition Suites can only be booked on this fare.

Full board applies only on full and half voyages. Port-to-port travelers pay for meals. You can add specialty dining and a wine package with dinner.

The Svalbard Line

The Svalbard Line sails from Bergen to Longyearbyen in Svalbard from May to September. Hurtigruten sells it as a 15-day round trip or as 8-day one-way voyages, on MS Trollfjord and MS Midnatsol. All meals and unlimited select drinks are included, and a six-person Expedition Team gives talks on board. Since 2025 only ships with 200 passengers or fewer may enter Svalbard’s protected areas. Both Signature ships are larger than that, so this is a voyage to Longyearbyen, not an expedition into the national parks.

The North Cape Line

The North Cape Line sails from Oslo to Honningsvåg, the port for the North Cape, and back in 15 days with 13 stops. Hurtigruten’s US site also lists shorter one-way trips between Oslo and Tromsø and a Christmas voyage from Oslo to Copenhagen in December 2027. Meals and unlimited select drinks are included. Stavanger, Alta and Narvik get several hours each.

When to sail Hurtigruten

• September to March: dark nights for the northern lights. Hurtigruten’s Northern Lights Promise covers voyages of 11 days or more that depart between September 20 and March 31.
• Mid-May to late July: the midnight sun in northern Norway, and the Svalbard Line season. Our July 2027 cruise guide lists the last midnight-sun dates by place.
• All year: the Coastal Express sails every day of the year, so you can choose dates by price and light.

For big-ship Norwegian fjord cruises from Southampton, Amsterdam or Copenhagen instead, see our Northern Europe and Norway cruise guide.

How Hurtigruten compares

• Against big ships in Norway: lines such as Celebrity, Princess and Norwegian sail 7- to 12-night fjord round trips in summer. They have more to do on board, but they visit a few big fjords, not the whole coast, and they leave in winter.
• Against small luxury ships: Viking and the lines in our luxury and small-ship ranking include more in the fare and have newer ships, at a higher price.
• Against expedition ships: for landings in Svalbard’s protected areas or in Greenland, you need a ship of 200 guests or fewer. See our expedition cruise guide.

Hurtigruten prices

Our monthly price snapshot covers sailings sold on CruiseBound, and Hurtigruten isn’t one of them, so this page shows no from-price. Hurtigruten lists its own fares in US dollars. Three checks help:

• Compare Basic and Select. Select adds cabin choice, dining time, tea, coffee and Wi-Fi, which matter on a 12-day trip.
• Count the drinks. On Original voyages every drink except tea and coffee costs extra. On Signature voyages select drinks are included, so the gap in fare is smaller than it looks.
• Add the flights. Every voyage starts in Norway (or Hamburg for some North Cape sailings), so price a flight to Bergen or Oslo and a hotel night.

Hurtigruten cruise reviews FAQ

Is a Hurtigruten cruise worth it?

Yes, if you want to see the length of the Norwegian coast and the northern lights, and you don’t need entertainment on board. Travelers who want shows, pools and long days ashore usually do better on a big ship’s fjords cruise.

How long is the Hurtigruten coastal voyage?

The classic round trip from Bergen to Kirkenes and back takes 12 days and calls at 34 ports. You can also sail one way in either direction, or book port to port.

Are drinks included on Hurtigruten?

On the Original Coastal Express, no. The Select fare includes tea and coffee, and other drinks cost extra. Signature voyages on the Svalbard and North Cape lines include all meals and unlimited select drinks.

Is Hurtigruten the same as HX Hurtigruten Expeditions?

No. They were one group until the expedition business was split off and sold, with the sale completed in February 2025. Hurtigruten sails the Norwegian coast. HX sails expedition ships to Antarctica, Greenland and other polar regions.

What is the difference between Hurtigruten and Havila?

Both sail the same Bergen–Kirkenes route under contract with the Norwegian government, on alternate days. Hurtigruten runs seven Original ships on it. Havila Kystruten runs four ships that entered service from 2021.