Originally the Hurtigruten cruise from Bergen to Kirkenes, at the Russian border, was the postal route. Not a postal route, but the postal route. During the 1800s, this was the only way to transport mail to the outlying towns along this coastal route. Hurtigruten ships still display the Norwegian postal flag by special permission, and today they transport vehicles, cargo, and the occasional piece of mail along with their rugged passengers.
So I remember when I was young, my grandparents would go on Scandinavia cruises aboard the so-called smaller ships. These are specialty ships, able to cruise into unique ports due to their size, and commanding hire fares due to their uniqueness. Generally they offer creative excursions and upscale learning experiences on board rather than the something-for-everyone concept of the traditional cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean. As a result, the itineraries are longer and the crowd tends to be older because, let’s face it, the old people are the only ones with the money and the time. Don’t worry, there aren’t any geriatric hairy leg contests, and grandpa isn’t getting jiggy with it anywhere that we can see. The passengers are under the careful governance of the cruise director, who dutifully points out sights not to be missed in 3 different languages, and, surprisingly, almost everyone is paying attention.
We joined a 7 day coastal cruise for just 8 hours, headed to Geirangerfjord and back, and had a chance to see the beautiful Norwegian landscape with about 300 international octogenarians. OK, they were probably septuagenarians, and let me tell you they were a rugged bunch. Sure, there were the select few that, when they awoke at 4:30 that morning, went up to the observation deck and installed themselves in the best indoor seats with a view. For the most part, though, the rest of the group was outside more than inside, despite the frigid wind whipping across the deck. These people could kick my ass for sure. I’d get so cold that I’d have to go inside for a bit, and sure enough, the same people were still outside when I got back. I’d see the tall, straight posture of their expensive parkas, the backs of their hooded heads held high to the wind, and I’d feel fine about having been inside for a coffee instead of watching the fjord roll by. I’d even get cocky for a minute, thinking about the rugged individualists that I am, until bam! One of the would turn around and, holy shit, it’s an apple doll! A shriveled up face, thin in the lips and tan but for the eyes, a living, breathing, apple head doll dressed in a 400 dollar parka. Scared the shit of out me.
Tomorrow we are planning on taking a coastal cruise from Ålesund to Geiranger to see the famous Geirangerfjord, and the Brudesloret, Friaren, and Seven Sisters waterfalls. The town of Geiranger, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the most visited sights in all of Norway, and we’ll be sailing on Norway’s own Hurtigruten cruise line.
Although the majority of the sightseeing excursions operate in the summer months only, we were lucky to learn about this round trip journey (starting tomorrow!!) from the tourist information office in downtown Ålesund. The ship leaves Ålesund at 9:30 and sails to Geiranger and back for a full day aboard the MS Polarlys. We’ve been lucky enough to go aboard two other Hurtigruten ships when they were docked in Ålesund harbor, and unlike the cruise ships we’ve been on in the Bahamas or the Caribbean, these ships allow guests to visit during their time at port. We’ll actually be joining a 7 day cruise already in progress, Bergen to Kirkenes. On day 2 of this cruise the ship arrives in Ålesund and regular customers can go ashore or stay on board for the trip to Geirangerfjord. We’re not going to have a cabin or anything, but we chose a day with the best forecast and we hope to find a couple of comfy outdoor chairs. Cross your fingers for a sunny day with not much wind – we’ll post pictures when we get back.
photo 1: elegantvoyages.net, photo2: hurtigruten.com
