Travel
He said, she said: Did both husband and wife warm to Norway and the Arctic Circle?
A winter cruise along Norway’s coast into the Arctic Circle was Andrew’s dream. Leonie wasn’t so sure. So just how cold did it get for this husband and wife team?
By Leonie Jarrett and Andrew Jarrett
Andrew was desperate to visit Norway in winter, to venture inside the Arctic Circle and experience all there was to offer at that time of year. Leonie wasn’t so sure. She was hesitant about holidaying in the cold and the long hours of darkness did not appeal at all.
“I was keen to see the northern lights, but nervous about the polar night,” explains Leonie. “I had read differing reports from ‘no light whatsoever 24/7’ to ‘some light for some hours’. But, as the saying goes, ‘adventure before dementia’, so I said, let’s give it a go!”
‘Give it a go’ they certainly did, much to Andrew’s delight: “The Arctic Circle and Norway have always fascinated me; the concept of endless snow, the polar night where the sun never rises, seeing the fjords and picture-postcard Norwegian towns dotted along the coastline… plus the opportunity for snow-play adventures like dog sledding, snowmobiling and king crabbing ticked all of my boxes.
“I was super excited for this trip and my expectations were very high.”
The couple cruised the 11-night Round Voyage in Norway during November. The Round Voyage starts in Bergen, travels north to Kirkenes and then south to Bergen. The route is actually a coastal ferry that has been in operation for over 130 years, with the ship stopping at 34 ports. It’s not a ‘ferry’ in the traditional sense of a cargo ship which also carries passengers, but neither is it a standard cruise. Intrigued?
After finishing the Round Voyage, Leonie and Andrew next flew to Tromsø in the Arctic Circle and saw snow, snow and more snow – and reindeer and huskies. But did they see the Aurora Borealis?
Read on to find out both husband and wife’s honest experience of this memorable trip.
What made you decide on a Havila Norwegian Coastal Express voyage?
Andrew
I was searching online for Norway winter options and I found the Norwegian Coastal ferry route. There are currently 2 operators, Havila Voyages and Hurtigruten. One of their ships calls in at each of the 34 ports once a day, weather permitting.
We travelled with Havila who is the new kid on the block. Havila boasts a fleet of 4 brand-new, identical, custom-designed vessels with some serious eco-friendly credentials. I would describe the 12 days as a voyage rather than a cruise in the traditional sense.
The voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes is called the Voyage North and the voyage from Kirkenes to Bergen is called the Voyage South. If you sail the whole voyage – Bergen to Kirkenes to Bergen (BKB) – it’s called the Round Voyage, which is the option we took.
You can sail any part of the voyage in a cruise ship cabin like we did, or you can book a seat and travel to just 1 or 2 ports. Apart from day and overnight passengers, the ships also carry freight and mail. The route truly connects the coastal communities from Bergen in the south all the way into the remote communities in the Arctic Circle in the north and back again.
The experience was nearer to an ‘expedition’ experience than the kick-back-and-relax cruise we are used to. We were on the go the whole time, which is just how I like it. The ship was calling at ports day and night throughout the 12-day voyage, which does take some getting used to as often the port stops are no more than 10 minutes. Once a day, there is a longer port stop of 2-3 hours.
Leonie
I had never heard of this trip until Andrew mentioned it. My first comment was something like, “A ferry? No thanks. I’m not going on one of those cargo ships that carry passengers.” Andrew assured me that the cruise was not like that and sent me the link to explore.
I took one look at the cabins, communal lounge areas and restaurants, saw they all looked exactly like a cruise ship (and a modern one at that) and said, “Let’s go!”
We’re almost sold, but what were the cabins and food like?
The cabins onboard were comparable, if not better, than cabins on a dedicated cruise ship. We had a Superior Seaview Double cabin which had a large porthole, queen-size walk-around bed, double sofa, desk, lots of cupboard space for clothes and coats and a small but well-designed ensuite with shower and unlimited hot water.
The cabin was toasty warm and the bathroom had a heated floor which had the added benefit of being a drying room for our coats, etc. (Conveniently, there was also a free self-service laundry on board, with 3 washers, three dryers and an iron.)
The regionally-focused food was a star and an unexpected highlight of the voyage. We tasted everything from reindeer stew, Cod and Arctic Char (a species of salmon unique to the area), right through to the comfort staples of burgers and pizzas. All the food on board was included in our round-trip BKB voyage fare.
Leonie
Andrew has said it all regarding our cabin – it was new, good-sized (15m2), had mod-Nordic design and was very clean. Nothing to fault other than there was nowhere in the bathroom to stow toiletries (but this is a regular minor gripe of mine on cruise ships and in hotel rooms).
There were a lot of communal lounge areas on the ship with floor-to-ceiling windows. Since we cruised in winter, there were many hours of darkness but, if you cruised this route at a different time of year, you could literally station yourself in a comfy armchair or sofa and stare at the jaw-dropping scenery all day (and night!).
There were also open deck areas which, in the warmer months, have seating. While we were there in winter, they were great for a quick photo before retreating to the cosy and warm lounges inside.
I found the food on offer to be an unexpected highlight – there was an ‘everyday’ restaurant, café and fine dining restaurant and we tried and enjoyed them all. The food was delicious, ever-changing and beautifully plated and at any of the venues you could elect to sit on your own or share a table.
In addition, Havila prides itself on offering sustainable cruise tourism. Part of that effort is to minimize food wastage. Consequently, there are small plates and no buffets. Very impressive is the Havila food wastage goal – they aim to limit food waste to 72 grams per passenger per day. This is not just puffery – in 2023, the average amount of food waste generated per passenger per day was only 58 grams.
Their 4 new ships are also loaded with one of the world's largest battery packs ever installed on passenger ships, so they can sail for up to 4 hours without noise or emissions. The batteries are charged with clean hydropower on shore and, when the batteries are low, they switch to natural gas. That might sound a bit too technical, but I can tell you that it makes for silent gliding into and out of ports.
What were the onboard amenities like?
Andrew
On our voyage, there were about 265 passengers (numbers vary as passengers embark and disembark along the route). At no time did we ever struggle to find a space next to a panoramic window to take in the awesome views of the coastline.
This was a serious voyage well inside the Arctic Circle to the northernmost towns in the world and the ship has been designed with this climate in mind. That’s not to say that the ship is austere in any way - rather that the focus is on smart, functional Nordic-design that looks and feels good too.
There were two outdoor jacuzzis (heated by surplus power generated by the ship). There are saunas (separate male and female) and a gym (both a cardio and a weights room).
Leonie
In a word: fabulous!
I especially loved the lounge and bar at the front of the ship on Deck 9 (the top deck) with its glass ceiling and bountiful windows. There are also lots of power points around so you don’t need to leave if your electronic device needs charging.
I mention electronic devices deliberately; there’s a lot of sea time on this voyage and no entertainment other than daily 30-minute briefings on things like where you’re going, the weather and the excursions offered. These talks are given in Norwegian (if there are Norwegian speakers onboard – our trip didn’t have any), German and English.
Tip: BYO entertainment whether it be reading material, iPad or smartphone, or games. Because you will be bored if you come unprepared – especially if you cruise during winter it’s dark out a lot of the time. There is WiFi onboard and it is great for email and social media scrolling but not powerful enough for downloading anything.
How was the weather during the voyage?
Andrew
The weather wasn’t the best but I am delighted to report that, when the seas got too rough, the ship stayed in port and redesigned its itinerary in the interests of safety and the comfort of its passengers.
Off the North Cape of Norway, we experienced a sea swell of up to fifteen metres which meant many passengers chose to stay in their cabin and skipped the evening meal. At no time did I personally feel seasick or uneasy with the weather or performance of the ship.
Although we missed a couple of ports and a couple of excursions, I honestly am glad Havila chose safety over keeping to the schedule as it made the voyage so much more comfortable than it would have been out in open water with huge seas. A 15-metre sea was more than enough for me (and I love boats).
Having said that, for 90% of the voyage, the seas were flat and very calm as the ship sails within the protection of the majestic fjords. For me, a little bit of a lumpy sea only added to and enhanced my feeling that we were experiencing a true voyage to a part of the world that is very wild, untamed, unique and truly special.
Leonie
I’ll start by saying that the water was glassy nearly all of the time as we sailed through the fjords.
But, when it was rough open water, it was rough. I took preventative measures by wearing sea bands on my wrists and taking travel sickness tablets when the seas swelled. Even so, I skipped dinner twice. I was never especially unwell but I was definitely queasy.
That said, I would hate anyone to avoid this voyage because they were apprehensive about being seasick. The fact is the ship is new and this route has been sailed for 130 years, so there’s a lot of experience dealing with the conditions.
For instance, when weather conditions were predicted to be bad, Havila kept the Pollux in Trondheim and flew all passengers from Bergen to Trondheim so as to escape the bad weather. Then, when winds were worse than predicted off the North Cape during the night, the Captain steered us as best he could around the wind, delaying the schedule but protecting our comfort.
It wasn’t about the robustness of the ship. As one of the waiters told us the next morning (we both blissfully slept through the worst of the seas), “The passengers will break; not the ship!”
Did you see the northern lights?
Andrew
The aurora borealis was something I really hoped we would see as we met multiple folks during our stay in Norway who didn’t enjoy the same luck as us because we go to see the spectacle on 2 consecutive nights whilst onboard Havila Pollux.
The photos we took with long exposure (iPhone only though) feature the northern lights in all their splendour, with the vivid, dancing green lights being quite mystical. However, to the naked eye, the lights were more of a slightly green haze or cloud. Some of our fellow passengers were a little disappointed, but we were thrilled!
Leonie
YES! You can opt into receiving northern lights announcements while on board, which we did. When the first announcement came across the PA system, there was a rush to the outside decks on Decks 8 and 9.
To see the lights with our naked eye was a true bucket list item for me! To capture them with our iPhones, unedited and from a moving ship was amazing.
What were the excursions like?
Andrew
My favourite excursion was an ATV/quad bike safari at Honningsvåg (71 degrees north!) After donning the provided suits, boots and helmets and watching a safety and driving demonstration, we were off up NATO Mountain. I drove and Leonie was my passenger (we would have swapped but she was happy to be the photographer while I drove). It was one of the most fun and most exhilarating things I have ever done.
We had 2 excursions cancelled due to the ship staying in port when the seas were just too large for safe travel. This was disappointing as I was particularly looking forward to catching giant King Crab in the Barents Sea. So when the sea gods serve you lemons, we turned those lemons into lemonade when we selected King Crab off the menu at one of the local restaurants in port. I still got to taste my King Crab in Norway, albeit from the safety and warmth of a local restaurant.
Leonie
We booked all our excursions through Havila because that way we were assured that the ship would not leave without us. The excursions were all well-organised with coaches ready and waiting at port to take people where they needed to go.
The excursions are expensive but there is that guarantee of not being stranded and Norway, in general, is expensive. I think the excursions we did with Havila (and, later, when we had a few days in Tromsø) were absolutely worth every cent. The memories of riding an ATV to the top of the world, snowmobiling, feeding reindeer, hiking at night through the snow wearing a headlamp and driving a sledge pulled by Alaskan Huskies will stay with us forever.
My bucket list excursion was the reindeer experience offered in Tromsø. When I was a child, I treasured my Bambi stuffed toy and to stand in a herd surrounded by 300 reindeer, see the aurora borealis from the reindeer farm and then drink hot chocolate around a roaring fire watching the reindeer roam was my very own fairy tale come to life!
Would you recommend the journey?
Andrew
100% I would recommend the trip we took, it was brilliant. Havila offers a unique and customer-friendly product – I really appreciated their nod to safety and comfort.
Seeing the polar night is obviously a winter-only experience. Being able to experience life deep inside the Arctic Circle under snow was a privilege and something that I will never forget. I feel I now have Norway in my blood and I can’t wait to return and see it again at a different time of year.
Leonie
Absolutely! The ship was lovely, the food was great, there was a genuine focus on sustainable tourism, the excursions were amazing and the scenery was jaw-droppingly beautiful.
In fact, I’d love to return at a different time of year. I feel that there is a comfy armchair by a window that has my name on i
How about the five days you spent in Tromsø?
Andrew
I think pairing Havila’s Coastal Express voyage with an extra 5 days in Tromsø, the world’s northernmost city and capital of the Arctic, worked brilliantly. It gave us the time to really immerse ourselves in the Arctic experience.
Tromsø was under a good metre of snow during our 5 days. It barely stopped snowing for the five days we were in Tromsø which, as Australians, was something that we couldn’t have been more pleased about.
Tromsø has some great museums, most dedicated to polar exploration and polar animals. However the stand-out for me was the unique (albeit expensive) Arctic adventure activities that you can do from Tromsø. We went whale watching one day, seeing humpback whales and orcas. Another day, we had the privilege of learning how to drive our own husky sled whilst our final, magic Arctic experience was driving snowmobiles flat out in the dark through forest trails. This trip delivered in buckets in terms of fun and memories.
Leonie
We planned to spend five days in Tromsø and had packed a tripod and bought a new digital camera to take loads of photos of the northern lights. But it snowed. And it snowed. And it snowed some more! So, the Lights stayed hidden.
While my aurora borealis photos didn’t go to plan, the snow delivered. We loved every minute of the falling snow and its glittering brilliance. Together with the twinkling, golden fairy lights, Tromsø was a winter wonderland brought to life.
And the activities… I loved all of them but my personal favourite was the husky driving when Andrew and I took turns driving. As both a passenger and driver, it was a smooth glide across a picture-postcard, snow-covered valley. The feeling of serenity and gratitude will stay with me forever.
Andrew and Leonie cruised the Round Voyage as guests of Havila Voyages. Their visit to and excursions from Tromsø were self-funded.
About Andrew and Leonie
Married for 32 years, Andrew and Leonie are huge travellers with so much more to see.
Andrew is 56 and before retiring he trained in marketing and owned several businesses. His mission for the rest of his life is to have fun and catch as many fish as he can!
Leonie is 56 and semi-retired. She trained in law and has also owned several businesses during her working life. Her mission for the rest of her life is to write another chapter – she’s just not sure what that is yet.
Andrew and Leonie played tennis together as teenagers and have been married for 32 years. They have four grown children and two furbaby Golden Retrievers. They’ve travelled to all seven continents and over 50 countries. Their mission for the rest of their life is to make the most of every day and travel until they get tired of it!
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