12 days / 11 nights
Bergen • Alta • Bergen
VOYAGE FARES 2010 (PDF document will open in new window)
If you would like to celebrate the dawn of 2011 in style, why not join this unique New Year departure.
27 December 2010 - 7 January 2011
The MS Trollfjord, one of the newest of the Hurtigruten ships will depart Bergen on 27th December and travel to Tromsø where you greet the New Year after a festive dinner, before continuing to Honningsvåg, the gateway to the North cape. Join an exclusive excursion to this windswept outpost and send postcards, take pictures and watch an amazing 180° film about this area of Northern Norway.
The ship will then turn into the Altafjord and sail all the way to Alta, a port not normally visited by Hurtigruten ships. Alta offers excursion opportunities such as dog sledging and snow mobiling and it is home to the Alta Museum displaying UNESCO listed rock carvings which are over 6000 years old.
You stay overnight and depart early the following morning towards Hammerfest and continue southbound back to Bergen.
Day 1 :
The cultural city of Bergen, the gateway to the fjords, is where your amazing journey begins with an evening departure. Relax and enjoy the stunning scenery. Sample the delicious cuisine for which Norway is renowned in the comfortable but informal dining room or make new friends in the bar. Share experiences with fellow passengers from the world over as well as meeting local people travelling between ports, or simply wonder at the views from the panorama lounge as you look forward to the next port of call.
Day 2 :
Early arrival at the enchanting Art Nouveau town of Ålesund, which is situated across several islands at the entrance to Geirangerfjord. On departures between 15 April and 14 September the ship will sail into the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Site of Geirangerfjord, where tumbling waterfalls, rugged cliffs and majestic mountains are mirrored in the deep still water. Here you have the opportunity to join excursions ashore and weave through hairpin bends to overlook one of the world's longest fjords.
Day 3 :
The medieval city of Trondheim is today's highlight. Standing proud against the natural backdrop, its colourful history is reflected in handsome civic architecture. Excursions include the medieval Nidaros Cathedral or the enthralling Ringve Music Museum.
Day 4 :
In the early hours you experience the thrill of crossing the Arctic Circle as the voyage continues to the modern town of Bodø, from where you can join a Sea Eagle safari and witness the world's strongest maelstrom or 'whirling stream' at Saltstraumen. The Lofoten Islands are where the day draws to a close with a stop at the capital, Svolvær. The intriguing Magic Ice gallery of 'art below zero' is on the quay side and the stylish little town is just a few minutes away.
Day 5 :
Arrive in Tromsø in the afternoon, optional excursions including dog sledging are available during your stay. In the evening a special New Years dinner will be served followed by celebrations & dancing. The ship leaves Tromsø at night.
Day 6 :
After an early call at Hammerfest you arrive in Honningsvåg, the largest fishing village in Finnmark, with an optional excursion to the wonders of the spectacular North Cape, mainland Europe's northernmost point at 71º north.
Day 7 :
Arrive at Alta, optional excursions including snow mobiling are available.
Day 8 :
Depart Alta and sail to Hammerfest, the world's most northerly town boldly claims to be the first in Europe to have electric street lighting. Starting point of Bill Bryson's journey described in Neither Here Nor There, this is the first major call. Continuing south, your night stop at Tromsø¸ offers the opportunity to enjoy the Midnight Sun summer concert in the Arctic Cathedral.
Day 9 :
The memorable sights of the Lofoten Islands will stay with you forever as the ship meanders gently through this stunning network of inlets and isles. It is possible to explore inland here by opting for the overland excursion from Harstad and rejoining the ship in Sortland. Moving on you reach what is the highlight of the voyage for many, where hopefully you can make a detour into spectacular Trollfjord.
As you venture into this dramatic fjord, you stand in awe of the Captain's prowess and skills of navigation, for the sheer sides of the cliffs seem close enough to touch. Sailing through the beautiful, mountainous island chains, rising to 1,000 metres in places, you can see fishermen's cabins built on stilts along the waterfront. This remarkable day is completed with an evening return to Svolvær and a farewell to the islands at Stamsund.
Day 10 :
Today as the ship crosses the Arctic Circle. Sailing past the famed peaks of the dancing Seven Sisters mountain range, folklore merges with the facts of nature - look out for Torghatten, which still bears the hole made by Hestmannen’s arrow in one of Norway's popular legends. The award-winning new museum at Rørvik celebrates the important part the sea has played in defining today's Norway.
Day 11 :
Early arrival in the fascinating medieval city of Trondheim. The voyage continues out of the Trondheimsfjord past Hitra Island to make brief calls at Kristiansund and Molde, known as the City of Roses and surrounded by 87 snow-capped mountains, before the midnight call at Ålesund and a last night at sea.
Day 12 :
The landscape becomes increasingly lush as the journey weaves through the islets and beautiful Bergen comes into view again. Before long it's time to say good-bye to the ship and ‘på gjensyn’ (‘until we meet again’) to friends, fellow passengers and our crew, as you disembark from your magnificent journey on the Norwegian Coastal Voyage. Arrive in Bergen early afternoon and disembark after brunch.
DEPARTURES 2010 :
27 December 2010 - 7 January 2011 - MS Trollfjord
VOYAGE FARES 2010 (PDF document will open in new window)
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