Viking Magazine - January 2013 - 14

... continued from p. 12
For visitors, including Boston-based
travel writer Julie Hatfi eld, the opportunity
to interact with locals onboard
is unique. " I really enjoyed being on
a nearly 100 percent Norwegianstaffed
cruise ship, with real, everyday
Norwegians going about their lives up
and down the coast of Norway, rather
than on a larger party cruise, " she said.
" I met Norwegians on this cruise who
were on the ship going from hospital
visits and work-related commutes,
which is a completely different type of
cruise traveler than on the larger vacation
cruise ships in other parts of the
world, " Hatfi eld continued.
Mark Stuczynski of Cruise Norway,
a New York company that has been
specializing in cruises to Norway and
arctic regions for 15 years, points out another difference between Hurtigruten trips
and larger cruise lines that also sail the fjords. " It's the only cruise that calls at so
many ports during either a 7-day or 12-day cruise, " he says. " You're traveling deep
within the ports and you're calling at small towns and hamlets that larger cruise lines
[don't visit]. " Larger ships, he points out, often stop at four or fi ve ports along the
fjords during a given week, compared to Hurtigruten's 34 ports of call.
EXCURSIONS GIVE HURTIGRUTEN PASSENGERS
INSIGHT INTO ALL THINGS NORWEGIAN
In addition to stopping at so many ports, Hurtigruten offers a range of year-round
excursions that take best advantage of Norway's legendary fjords, rich wildlife and
unique culture. Options vary depending upon the route (heading north or south) and
season. In winter, when guests have an especially good chance to see the Northern
Lights, optional off-ship excursions include snowmobiling, dog sledding and a midnight
concert in Tromsø's Arctic Cathedral, to name just a few. Spring and summer
voyages bring tremendous opportunities for guests to see nesting seabirds via RIB
(rubber infl atable boat) tours, or try sea kayaking and glacier hiking. And throughout
the year, guests can participate in guided sightseeing tours of the ports-including
Ålesund, Trondheim and Tromsø-and various cultural tours such as a Viking feast
in Lofoten, a trip to the Russian border, and an introduction to Sami culture.
Whether passengers board the Hurtigruten for one of their classic 6-, 7-,
11- or 12-day voyages, or just jump on for a port-to-port cruise, there is no
match for the authentic experience of traveling aboard this slice of Norwegian
history and culture.
L
ike everything else about Hurtigruten, dining aboard the ships is a uniquely
Norwegian experience. The chefs take advantage of local fl avors and
traditions, offering passengers a literal taste of the seascapes they are quietly
slipping through. From deliciously salty clipfi sh bohlinos in Ålesund to aquavitcured
reindeer steaks in Hammerfest and juicy king crabs at the North Cape,
each meal is a sumptuous exploration of Norwegian fl avors and traditions.
Though there are buffets of Norwegian standards-including pickled
fi sh, brown cheese, and cured meats-for breakfast and lunch, most of
the dinners are elegant three-course affairs featuring the freshest, local
ingredients from the sea and the forest.
14 VIKING JANUARY 2013
sonsofnorway.com
PHOTOGRAPHY (CLOCKWISE) WERNER ANDERSON, TRYM IVAR BERGSMO, YANN BOUGARAN

http://www.sonsofnorway.com

Viking Magazine - January 2013

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