An Honest Review of the Hurtigruten Coastal Express Cruise

Pre-and post-cruise stays: Hurtigurten has many pre-and post transportation options available for their guests to get from their hotel to the cruise ship as well as from the cruise ship to the airport. You are well taken care of by the staff.

Essentials to bring: Warm clothes, layers, binoculars, a rain jacket and good walking shoes.

The ship: Unlike most traditional cruises, there was no entertainment on board besides the beautiful fjords we sailed past and through. You could attend lectures by the excursions team, dine at the main restaurant, which is included in full-board fare or opt to pay extra for one of the two specialty restaurants. There is no traditional spa, theater or really any entertainment options.

Entertainment and activities: I would not recommend taking a child on this type of cruise for longer than two to three days.

Port calls: Throughout the time you are on the ship, you'll port at nearly 50 different ports during the day and night times Keep in mind that some of these you'll get off in one and back on in another. Since Norway is a coastal country, there is not much to do in these towns for such a short period of time, so decide which excursions are worth the price and which are not. Either way, you can always get off the boat on your own and stroll along the beautiful towns you port in. The ones you have actual time in are:

• Bergen: Get on the boat, get acquainted and have first dinner on board

• Alesund: Depends on the season, often offers geirranger fjord excursion

• Trondheim: Cycling tour of the town

• Bodo: My husband was feeling lazy, but these excursions looked very impressive

• Stammsund-Slovear: Loften goat farm

• Harstad: Walk around in the morning

• Tromso: E-biking tour of the town

• Honningsvåg: Walked around the town

• Kirkenes: The king crab experience was absolutely worth it. It was the most amazing crab i have ever had and such a unique experience

• Hammerfest: I found a little place to do a Norwegian cold plunge! The water was so cold!

• Tromso: Midnight concert in an old cathedral

• Brønnøysund: We were too tried to get up that early in the morning

• Trondheim: walked around town. We biked early in the week

Despite the cost, this cruise was amazing. I would have only done the northbound rather than the whole roundtrip to save on cost, but it was a week and a half of absolutely breathtaking views and experiences in a place I had never been before, nor would I have had any idea of who to explore Norway on my own.

The food was the highlight of this cruise. I knew it was supposed to be amazing, but I was blown out of the water. Every meal was absolutely divine. It felt like we were eating at a five-star restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner every single day. The absolute freshest fruit, fish, breads, everything. I would recommend this ship and itinerary simply for the food. Everything was locally sourced or grown, and I could not possibly rave more about the high quality of the food every single day.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Norway. In need of further inspiration? Check out Kelsey Casey’s guide, Outdoor Exploration in Norway: Lofoten, Bergen, Flam & Oslo.