Hurtigruten Cruises. Coastal Express. North or South

I did my Norway Coastal cruise on another line, but I have never heard anyone complain about Hurtigruten. Usually all I hear are very happy travelers. The Norwegian Coast is beautiful from a ship and the changes in geography dramatic.

They stop in different ports at different times of day - so I think you’d want to look at the routing to decide. It also varies some by time of year. I went in March and went south to north, but that was just an organizational preference. I didn’t feel like I needed both directions.

But I did really enjoy it.

I absolutely loved it, mid summer about 10 years ago. I went from Bergen north to Kirkenes, where most passengers disembarked to the airport. Personally, both directions would have been too long. The shore excursions were pricey but well worth the expense.
It's a really special way to experience the beautiful coast and fun to see the wide range of travelers.

We traveled the Southbound coastal route from Kirkenes to Bergen as part of a 2½ week Norway trip in 2023.

Keep in mind that these are not mainline cruise ships. There are no casinos, bingo, trivia contests or shows onboard. The scenery is your entertainment. The included meals are very good and the staff is warm and friendly.

You'll want to pay attention to the timing and length of port stops in both directions to see which itinerary you prefer. Some ports stops are only 10 or 15 minutes long- just enough time to drop off cargo and pick up passengers. Some ports are easily explored on your own. Some of the ship excursions begin at one port and return you to a later port further along the coast. This allows you to see a bit more of Norway.

Hurtigruten usually has a very good Black Friday sale every year.