Oslo to the North Cape and back aboard MS Trollfjord, all-inclusive, through the heart of the Northern Lights season. Sailings for 2026 and 2027 with fares from £2,899 per person.
An all-inclusive winter voyage to the top of Europe
The North Cape Line is Hurtigruten's Signature winter voyage, and it is a different proposition from the Coastal Express. Rather than working the whole coast port by port, it takes a fortnight to sail from Oslo to the North Cape and back, lingering a full day in each of thirteen handpicked ports so that you see them properly. Stavanger, Ålesund, Svolvær, Tromsø, Honningsvåg, Alta, Narvik, Åndalsnes, Bergen and Kristiansand each get their own day.
The voyage sails only in winter, which is the point. From late September to early April the ship is under the aurora for the northern half of the route, and the whole itinerary is built around dark skies, snow and the long Arctic night. On board, MS Trollfjord runs all-inclusive: three restaurants, selected drinks throughout the day, and a Signature Expedition Team lecturing and guiding as you go.
£2,899per person, from
Northern Lights Promise included on departures 20 September to 31 March
On any departure between 20 September and 31 March, if the Northern Lights do not occur within sight of the ship during your voyage, Hurtigruten will give you a new 6 or 7 day voyage free of charge. The promise applies to voyages of 11 days or more, so every North Cape Line sailing in that window qualifies. See the Northern Lights Promise for conditions.
The Ship
MS Trollfjord
MS Trollfjord carries the North Cape Line, refurbished for Signature sailings and considerably more comfortable than her working life on the Coastal Express required. There are no casinos and no cabarets. Instead there are three restaurants, Røst for Arctic fine dining, Flora for buffets and à la carte, and Brasserie Árran for traditional Norwegian cooking, along with a two storey panoramic lounge and bar, an Observation Deck, a panoramic sauna, a fitness room and a library.
The Signature Expedition Team are on board throughout, giving lectures, running photography guidance and arts and crafts sessions, leading guided walks ashore and advising on excursions. It is a small ship approach to a long voyage, and the coast stays the point of it.
Your Voyage
Day by day, Oslo to the North Cape and back
Thirteen ports over fifteen days, each with a full day alongside. Optional excursions are listed under each day and are booked and paid for separately; call us and we will arrange them with your booking.
Day 1 · Oslo
Ports today · Oslo
Your North Cape voyage begins in Oslo, a capital that wears its contradictions well. Glass and steel along the Bjørvika waterfront stand a short walk from a medieval fortress, and the whole city is hemmed by forest and fjord. If you arrive with hours to spare, the centre rewards a wander on foot: the twin towers of the Rådhuset where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded, the Royal Palace at the top of Karl Johans gate, and Oslo Cathedral, all within easy reach of one another.
Embarkation comes in the afternoon. Once you have found your cabin and unpacked, you will meet the Expedition Team, the specialists who will lecture, guide and point out what matters over the fortnight ahead. As evening settles, gather in the two storey panoramic lounge and watch the lights of Oslo slide astern as the ship heads down the Oslofjord and turns for the Arctic.
Optional excursions
Oslo Discovery Tour, bus sightseeing The city's highlights in one circuit, taking in the centre, the fjord views from the Holmenkollen ski jump and the sculptures of Vigeland Park, finishing on the Bygdøy peninsula at the Fram Museum and your choice of the Norwegian Folk Museum or the Kon-Tiki Museum.
Day 2 · At sea
Ports today · At sea
A full day at sea with nowhere to be is a rare luxury, and it is the making of this voyage. Find your bearings, work out which corner of the ship is yours, and start on the food. Three restaurants and a bar between them cover Arctic fine dining at Røst, buffets and à la carte at Flora, and hearty traditional cooking at Árran.
Norway's southern coastline slips past all day, best watched from the Observation Deck, the two storey lounge, or the panoramic sauna if you would rather take your scenery warm. The Expedition Team fill the day with lectures and presentations on the coast, its history and the ports ahead, so that by the time you reach the Arctic you know what you are looking at.
Day 3 · Stavanger
Ports today · Stavanger
The ship spends the day in Stavanger, a harbour city with an international outlook and a lively cultural scene, thanks in large part to the North Sea oil that transformed it. The contrast is the appeal. Gamle Stavanger, the old town, holds the finest collection of preserved wooden houses in northern Europe, some 170 of them lining narrow cobbled lanes, while a few minutes away the Norwegian Petroleum Museum tells the story of the industry that paid for modern Norway.
Stavanger Cathedral is the country's oldest, begun in the twelfth century and still in use. Beyond that there are boutiques to browse, galleries to dip into and a waterfront made for sitting with a beer and watching the harbour work.
Optional excursions
On the trail of the Vikings Norway's Viking past through a virtual reality experience at Viking House, the Swords in Rock monument marking the battle that unified the country, and the enigmatic Domsteinene stone circle.
Walking tour in the old town of Stavanger A guided walk through Gamle Stavanger and its preserved wooden houses, the Valberg Tower, the painted street of Fargegaten, and a café stop for coffee and traditional hjertevafler.
Day 4 · Ålesund
Ports today · Ålesund
Ålesund is spread over a chain of islands and looks like nowhere else in Norway. In January 1904 a fire destroyed almost the entire town in a single night; it was rebuilt at speed in the Art Nouveau style then in fashion, and the result is a townscape of turrets, spires and ornamented facades all of a piece. The climb up Mount Aksla, 418 steps from the town park, gives the view that explains the place.
The Atlantic Sea Park, Norway's first marine science centre, is among the largest saltwater aquariums in northern Europe, with seals, otters, crabs and, improbably at this latitude, Humboldt penguins.
Optional excursions
Ålesund on foot A guided walking tour through the rebuilt Art Nouveau streets, the spires and turrets, and the working waterfront at Brosundet where fishermen still sell their catch from the boat.
Saga Islands bus tour to Alnes, winter By bridge and subsea tunnel to the islands of Giske and Godøy, visiting the twelfth century Giske Church and Alnes Lighthouse, returning for a sightseeing tour of Ålesund's architecture.
Architecture and breweries, Ålesund on foot The Art Nouveau streets and the Brosundet waterfront on foot, finishing with a tasting at a small local brewery.
Day 5 · Rørvik
Ports today · Rørvik
Rørvik is small, and carries more history than its size suggests. Set in the Vikna archipelago, the town's museums cover ten thousand years in a morning, from terrain shaped by the Ice Age through carefully preserved nineteenth century interiors to the engineering behind Norwegian salmon farming.
In the afternoon the ship threads north through the archipelago, a scatter of more than six thousand islands, islets and reefs. The maritime climate is mild enough here that gardens carry plum and apple blossom in spring, at 65 degrees north. As night falls the Helgeland coast drops astern and you cross the Arctic Circle, the first real milestone of the voyage.
Optional excursions
Time travel through the coastal town of Rørvik A guided town walk and museum tour taking in the Norveg Coastal Museum, Berggården and Telemuseet, from Ice Age settlement and Viking history to shipwrecks and modern salmon farming.
Nærøya, the island of the gods By boat to the remote island of Nærøya for a guided visit to the medieval Nærøykirka, on a privately owned island once central to religious and community life.
Day 6
Svolvær and Stokmarknes
Ports today · Svolvær, Stokmarknes
Few coastlines announce themselves like Lofoten. Peaks rise straight out of the sea and fishing villages hold on wherever the ground allows, which is not often. The ship docks at Svolvær, on Austvågøya at the heart of the archipelago and the largest town in the islands, busy with shops, cafes, galleries and restaurants. Look up for the Svolværgeita, the Svolvær Goat, a rock formation with two horns that climbers jump between, which is exactly as alarming as it sounds.
Later the ship calls at Stokmarknes, where Richard With founded the Coastal Express in 1893. The Hurtigruten Museum stands on the waterfront, and its centrepiece is the former MS Finnmarken, preserved whole inside a glass hall like a ship in a bottle.
Optional excursions
Lofoten scenery and Henningsvær, winter A scenic tour from Svolvær past the Svolværgeita and Vågan Church to the fishing village of Henningsvær and its art galleries.
Winter fishing in Lofoten Deep sea fishing from a traditional boat, casting for pollock and Arctic cod and learning how to prepare the catch.
Kayaking in Lofoten, winter A beginner friendly guided paddle on the Arctic sea from Svolvær, with the Lofoten peaks above you.
Lofoten RIB and sea eagle adventure A fast RIB safari among remote islands and hidden beaches, watching for white tailed eagles overhead.
Day 7
Tromsø
Ports today · Tromsø
Tromsø sits 350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle and is far livelier than that fact prepares you for, with good restaurants, cafes and shops selling local crafts and produce. The ship stays in port for eight hours, which is enough to do something properly rather than at a trot.
The Polar Museum covers the town's history of Arctic hunting, trapping and expedition, and Tromsø earned it: Amundsen and others recruited crew and loaded supplies here. Polaria is an interactive aquarium with seals and Arctic marine life. Across the bridge stands the Arctic Cathedral, a wedge of white concrete and glass whose east window is one of the largest stained glass works in Europe. This is also the base for dog sledding and other Arctic trips.
Optional excursions
Tromsø, the Arctic capital Three highlights in one tour: the cable car to Mount Storsteinen for the view over the city and sound, the Arctic Cathedral, and Arctic life and research at Polaria.
Explore Tromsø by e-bike A guided small group ride to Bukta, Prestvannet lake and the Tromsø Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden.
Cross-country skiing in Tromsø The basics of cross-country skiing on gentle trails through birch and spruce on Tromsøya, finishing at a bonfire with a hot drink and lefse.
Dog sledding in a winter wonderland A husky drawn sled from Breivikeidet through snowy forest with the Lyngen Alps in view, then a hot drink and cake in a traditional gamme hut.
Day 8
Honningsvåg
Ports today · Honningsvåg
The ship arrives early and stays all day at Honningsvåg, on the island of Magerøya, where long winters and heavy snow make the backdrop for the Arctic at its most uncompromising. Walk out on snowshoes with the Expedition Team, try ice fishing, or eat king crab, hauled from the cold water around the island and served year round.
The reason most people come is the North Cape itself, a plateau standing some 300 metres above the Barents Sea and one of the northernmost points of mainland Europe. In winter it is stripped back to snow, rock and an enormous sky. In the evening, having reached the top of the voyage, the ship turns south.
Optional excursions
The North Cape Across the Finnmark plateau to the North Cape to photograph the globe monument, take in the Arctic views and visit North Cape Hall for its panoramic film and exhibitions.
North Cape and king crab experience, winter To Sarnes for fresh king crab from the Barents Sea, then on to the North Cape for the cliff top views, the globe monument and North Cape Hall.
Quad biking to the North Cape A small group ride across Magerøya by quad bike to the North Cape, with Arctic views and a visit to North Cape Hall.
Arctic ice fishing Snowshoe to a frozen lake, drill your own hole and fish for trout or Arctic char, then cook the catch over a fire in a lavvo tent.
Day 9
Alta
Ports today · Alta
At 70 degrees north, Alta has a serious claim on the aurora. The town gave its name to a generation of Northern Lights research: the observatory on Haldde mountain above Alta was the first permanent aurora observatory in the world when it opened in 1899, and the exhibition inside the Northern Lights Cathedral tells that story. Keep the camera to hand.
The rock art at Alta is the other reason to come, thousands of carvings made over several millennia and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. When the snow is deep there is dog sledding across it, and when it is not, dog sledding on wheels. The climate also sustains the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel on the Alta River, rebuilt each winter from ice and snow, the northernmost ice hotel in the world, complete with carved walls and sculptures.
Optional excursions
Dog sledding in Alta Your own team of huskies across the snow, or on wheels outside the snow season, with a hot drink to finish.
Alta rock art and the Northern Lights Cathedral The UNESCO listed rock carvings at Alta Museum and the striking Northern Lights Cathedral in the town centre.
The Igloo Hotel A visit to the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel beside the Alta River, rebuilt from ice each winter, with its ice bar, sculptures and carved rooms.
Day 10 · Narvik
Ports today · Narvik
Narvik occupies a peninsula where three fjords meet, and exists because of iron. The ore comes by rail from Kiruna in Sweden to a harbour that stays ice free all winter, which is why the town was fought over so bitterly in 1940. That history is well told at the Narvik War Museum, and the town is now equally a base for skiing, dog sledding and hiking.
The cable car up Narvikfjellet lifts you out of the town in minutes for a panorama over the fjords and the peaks around them.
Optional excursions
Wonders of wildlife at Polar Park The world's northernmost wildlife park, with bears, wolves, lynx and other Arctic animals in large natural enclosures, and a guide to explain the ecology.
Self-drive dogsled adventure Mush your own team through the Gratangen forest, then hot drinks and Sámi hospitality in a heated lavvo.
Sámi cultural encounter Sámi tradition at Husky Isogaisa, with joik song and storytelling in a lavvo, including the beliefs surrounding the Northern Lights.
Snowshoe trek with panoramic views The cable car up Narvikfjellet then a guided snowshoe walk on mountain trails above the fjord, finishing with a warm drink at the lodge.
Day 11 · At sea
Ports today · At sea
South from Narvik the ship takes the inner leads, the sheltered passage inside the islands that generations of Norwegian skippers have used. Windswept islands, quiet bays and fjords open and close all day, and white tailed eagles are a fair bet overhead.
When the Coastal Express first pushed north of Trøndelag in 1893, much of this water was properly uncharted and the run was made on local knowledge and nerve. More than 130 years of it later, the ship threads the skerries and islets as a matter of routine, which is its own kind of impressive.
Day 12 · Åndalsnes
Ports today · Åndalsnes
The ship berths in the centre of Åndalsnes, at the head of the Isfjord where the Romsdalsfjord ends and the mountains begin. The town is small; the walls above it are not. The Troll Wall is the tallest vertical rock face in Europe, roughly 1,000 metres of overhanging granite in the Romsdalen valley, and it draws climbers and base jumpers from everywhere.
The Romsdal Gondola climbs to the summit of Nesaksla at 708 metres for a full circle of views over Romsdalshorn, the Rauma river and the town below, with a restaurant at the top. The other draw is the Rauma Railway, the line down the valley that Lonely Planet named the most scenic rail journey in Europe.
Optional excursions
Åndalsnes town walk and Romsdal Gondola A guided walk taking in the Train Chapel, then Norway's first sustainable gondola to 708 metres for the panorama, a mountaintop walk and coffee at the Eggen restaurant.
The Golden Train, winter The Rauma Railway through Romsdalen past cliffs, waterfalls and the Kylling Bridge, with the story of the Norwegians who moved 50 tonnes of the national gold reserve out of reach of the invading army in 1940.
Day 13
Bergen
Ports today · Bergen
Bergen was Norway's capital, and for four centuries one of the great harbours of the Hanseatic League, which is what gives Bryggen its character. The rows of narrow wooden trading houses along the quay are UNESCO listed, leaning at angles that no spirit level would forgive, and the lanes behind them are worth the detour. The fish market is a short walk on, and will cook the day's catch in front of you.
The Fløibanen funicular climbs Mount Fløyen for the classic view over the city, its harbour and the fjord. Mount Ulriken, the highest of the seven, has the cable car and the bigger panorama, and pairs well with a visit to the Fantoft stave church, a careful reconstruction of the twelfth century original.
Optional excursions
Bergen city walk The compact centre on foot, taking in the UNESCO listed Hanseatic wharf, the Schøtstuene assembly rooms, Bergenhus Fortress and the old wooden houses.
Discover Bergen by e-bus An electric bus tour with a guide, visiting Bryggen, the Nordnes peninsula and Muséplassen, with minimal walking.
Heritage and highlights, the best of Bergen The Ulriken cable car, the twelfth century Fantoft stave church and a guided walk through Bryggen in one tour.
Day 14 · Kristiansand
Ports today · Kristiansand
The ship spends the afternoon in Kristiansand, on the southern coast where Norwegians go for their summer. The grid of streets in the Kvadraturen quarter was laid out by Christian IV in 1641 and survives intact, and Posebyen next to it is a district of small white timber houses.
The town's military past is written into Christiansholm Fortress on the waterfront, and it has become one of Norway's more determined cities on sustainability. This is your last call before the run back up the Oslofjord.
Optional excursions
Kristiansand city tour The Kvadraturen grid, the white timber houses of Posebyen and Christiansholm Fortress on the harbour front.
Day 15 · Oslo
Ports today · Oslo
The ship comes back up the Oslofjord overnight and berths in Oslo in the early morning, where the voyage ends. Disembark after breakfast with the Arctic behind you and, if the skies were kind, a memory card full of aurora.
If you are not rushing for a flight, Oslo repays another day. The Munch museum and the National Museum are both on the waterfront within walking distance of the ship, and we can arrange extra nights in the city before or after the voyage.
Fares
North Cape Line fares 2026 and 2027
All prices are in pounds per person, based on two people travelling together and sharing a twin cabin, voyage only. The ship departure date determines the price of your voyage. The price you pay for your cabin depends on when you book; early bookers get the from price shown, and as cabins fill the price rises, so booking early is strongly advised. There are eighteen departures in total, seven in 2026 and eleven in 2027.
Departure date
Polar Inside
Polar Outside
Arctic Superior
Expedition Suites
25 September 2026
from £4,115
from £4,517
from £6,837
from £16,296
9 October 2026
from £2,999
from £3,599
from £5,099
from £16,267
23 October 2026
from £3,299
from £3,959
from £5,609
from £8,506
6 November 2026
from £2,899
from £3,479
from £4,929
from £14,248
20 November 2026
from £2,986
from £3,479
from £4,929
from £8,054
4 December 2026
from £2,986
from £3,479
from £4,929
from £12,923
18 December 2026
from £2,899
from £3,479
from £4,929
from £8,577
Departure date
Polar Inside
Polar Outside
Arctic Superior
Expedition Suites
29 January 2027
from £2,899
from £3,479
from £4,929
from £15,087
12 February 2027
from £2,999
from £3,599
from £5,099
from £16,227
26 February 2027
from £3,099
from £3,719
from £5,269
from £9,599
12 March 2027
from £3,099
from £3,719
from £5,269
from £9,599
26 March 2027
from £3,099
from £3,564
from £5,269
from £9,106
9 April 2027
from £3,099
from £3,564
from £5,269
from £8,614
8 October 2027
from £3,120
from £3,588
from £4,992
from £12,354
22 October 2027
from £3,120
from £3,588
from £4,992
from £7,799
5 November 2027
from £2,951
from £3,394
from £4,722
from £7,377
19 November 2027
from £2,951
from £3,394
from £4,722
from £7,377
3 December 2027
from £2,951
from £3,394
from £4,722
from £7,377
Cabin single supplements available on request. Not all cabin categories are available on every departure. The North Cape Line sails in winter only; there are no sailings between late April and mid September.
All-Inclusive
What is included
The North Cape Line is an all-inclusive voyage, and the table below sets out exactly what that covers. The cabin column applies to the Polar Inside, Polar Outside and Arctic Superior categories, which bring enhanced comfort and a good range of included benefits. The suite column applies to the Expedition Suites, which add premium dining, a further set of inclusions and the most comfort on board. Anything shown as an upgrade can be added to your booking for an extra charge, so just ask when you book.
What's included
Cabin Polar Inside, Polar Outside and Arctic Superior
Suite Expedition Suites
Food and drink on board
All-inclusive meals Breakfast, lunch and dinner at Flora, plus lunch and dinner at Brasserie Árran
Included
Included
Unlimited selected drinks Selected beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks, served in Flora, Brasserie Árran and the 1893 Bar during opening hours, not available at breakfast
Included
Included
Afternoon snack at the 1893 Bar Tea, coffee and homemade pastries served daily
Included
Included
Fine dining at Røst Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner at the award winning fine dining restaurant. Reservations required
Upgrade
Included
Unlimited selected drinks and cocktails A premium drinks selection including cocktails, served in Flora, Brasserie Árran, Røst and the 1893 Bar during opening hours, not available at breakfast
Not included
Included
Afternoon tea Tea, cakes and sparkling wine served in the afternoon, on occasion
Not included
Included
Accommodation on board
Cabin or suite selection Choose the location and grade of your cabin or suite. Choice of cabin number is included only on voyages of more than 11 days, so it applies on this one
Included
Included
Daily minibar refill Your minibar kept stocked at no extra charge
Not included
Included
Daily turndown service
Not included
Included
Life on board
Free WiFi In your cabin and throughout the ship
Included
Included
On-deck food tastings A taste of Norway with live culinary demonstrations and tastings
Included
Included
Onboard pianist Music each evening in the 1893 Bar
Included
Included
Fitness room and sauna The panoramic sauna and fitness room on the top deck
Included
Included
Access to the Photo Programme and app Share your photographs with fellow passengers and enter the daily competitions
Included
Included
Onboard credit 2,500 NOK, roughly £180, per cabin to spend on board. Can be used in the gift shop and for excursions, drinks, laundry and the à la carte restaurant
Not included
Included
Exclusive visit to the bridge Behind the scenes access when the ship is in port, at the Captain's discretion
Not included
Upgrade
Clothing pack A Scandinavian inspired welcome pack, contents vary by voyage category
Not included
Included
Equipment for outdoor activities A selection of equipment for activities off the ship
Upgrade
Included
Free use of binoculars For a closer view of the coast and its wildlife
Not included
Included
Not included: flights and transfers unless booked as a package, travel insurance, optional excursions, gratuities and luggage handling. You can arrange travel insurance online here.
Flights & Packages
Arrival, departure and flight options
Hurtigruten can arrange flights with several scheduled airlines, including SAS, Norwegian and KLM, from a wide choice of UK and Irish airports; connections and airlines vary depending on your departure and arrival airports. Booking a complete package gives you the advantage of having everything organised from start to finish, and you benefit from protection under Hurtigruten's ATOL licence.
Because the voyage starts and finishes in Oslo, the flight arrangements are simpler than on the Bergen voyages. If you choose not to book flights with us, you can still book transfers, as well as pre and post voyage hotels in Oslo.
Package
Starts / Ends
Included in price
Price
North Cape Line Flight Package
Oslo / Oslo
Flight UK to Oslo, transfer to ship, then transfer ship to airport and flight Oslo to UK
Call
North Cape Line Extension Package
Oslo / Oslo
Flight UK to Oslo, transfer to hotel, 1 night B&B in Oslo, transfer to ship, then transfer ship to airport and flight Oslo to UK
Call
All package prices are in £s per person based on two people travelling together and sharing a twin room. Extra nights in Oslo can be booked, prices on request. Call 0333 405 0194 for a package quote for your preferred dates.
