Mu and Abs go Arctic!
Abi, my daughter, was desperate to do these things too, so we decided on a mum and daughter trip and headed off to join our ship, the MS Versteralen, in Tromso for our short break.
For those of you who are not familiar with Hurtigruten, they offer a daily passenger and freight shipping service along Norway's western and northern coast between Bergen and Kirkenes. They are working ships so forget about traditional cruises - these are anything but! Our ‘Arctic Highlights’ voyage involved a 3-night round-trip from Tromso to Kirkenes followed by a night in beautiful Tromso.
We stayed on-board one of Hurtigurten’s oldest and smallest ships, the MS Vesteralen. For those like me who don’t like crowds, this was the perfect choice! The ship is basic but the staff are so lovely, helpful and have a great sense of humour! We stayed in an inside cabin, so no luxury involved – it was ‘cosy’ to say the least but our little cabin was the perfect home for a few nights away!
On arrival, our guides took us for a drive around Tromso to show us the main sights, stopping for a photo opportunity along the way. On arrival at the ship, check-in was quick and easy and before long, we were unpacked and off exploring Tromso.
Later that day, we set sail for our next stop at Skjervoy.
Dinner sittings are confirmed at check-in and you’re on the same table for the duration. We were on a table of 8 fellow Northern Light hunters who were all on the short 3-night trip. The food was amazing – all locally sourced and very fresh. Most of the meals were fish with some reindeer making an appearance, so if you’re not a fish-eater, you may find your choices a little limited, but as we're both seafood lover, we thought it was incredible!
One of the best things about the ship is that they make announcements when the Northern Lights are visible, so you’re guaranteed never to miss them. You can also switch on your speakers in your cabin so you’re woken up at night if they make an appearance. As we were finishing dinner on the first night, they announced that the lights were out! I’ve never seen so many people clear a restaurant so quickly! After donning our warm gear (thermals definitely required as it was VERY cold!), we headed up to the top deck and were greeted by the amazing phenomenon that is the ‘Aurora Borealis’!
The day we were looking forward to the most was our day in Kirkenes where we had booked a visit to the Snow Hotel and a husky-sledding excursion. It really didn’t disappoint and this is a day that Abi and I will always remember.
