I must have missed the fine print on the travel web site. “You will be offered fish, three meals a day, for twelve consecutive days. But don’t worry, the scenery will be worth it.” You know what? They were right, on both.
Kathy and I have just returned from a twelve-day trip, aboard the MS Richard With, that sails the coast of Norway.
This Coastal Express Cruise (https://www.hurtigruten.com/en-us/voyages/coastal-express-roundtrip) is part ferry, part cargo ship, part no-frills cruise, and sails from Bergen to Kirkenes, about 4 miles from the Russian border, and back to Bergen. Along the way, there are 34 stops, many in the middle of the night, for 15 minutes, to drop off and pick up passengers and cargo. Other daytime stops are much longer.
On the third day, we crossed the Arctic Circle, which was pretty amazing. As a kid, this was beyond my dreams.
The star of this journey was the scenery, of course. As we glided in and out of fjords, and skirted many of the country’s 50,000 islands, the topography varied from rolling, alpine hills where farms dotted the landscape, to mountains of ragged rock.
Daytime stops had several excursions to choose from (at a cost) to offer a closer view of local communities. All of this was enhanced by ten days of sunshine, unseasonably high temperatures, and smooth waters. Even the crew remarked about the weather.
Along the way, we had daily programs that helped us learn more about the history and culture of Norway, including the Sami, Norway’s indigenous population. Norwegians love their space and their isolated living. This helped me understand the houses in remote areas we’d see. It was also rare to see people outside in the small towns we visited.
Our trip started with 400 passengers from 19 countries and ended with 250 passengers. Many folks left in Kirkenes and flew back to Bergen or Oslo. Tromso and Trondheim, two larger coastal cities also saw a large exchange of passengers. At small ports, a handful of passengers would get off, and others, on. As an FYI, Kirkenes used to have a thriving economy due to a marine vessel building and repair industry. Russia was their biggest customer, but since the sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine, it is now almost a ghost town. I’ve posted a link at the bottom if you’re interested in learning more about this.
There were more Germans than any other group and just a few from the US. Most came from throughout Europe. We noticed that many of the people on the ship were very stoic in nature, and lacked cordiality. Even when we gathered to watch the Olympics, there was little emotion displayed when their teams won or lost, much different than in the US. The day we gathered to celebrate crossing the Arctic Circle was a morning of music and fun, but when Kathy tried to lead them in the YMCA that blared from the loudspeaker, she was met with blank stares and a total lack of engagement. It was actually quite humorous to us.
At the start of the trip, we had approximately 18 “sofa sleepers” – our term for them. Young people with backpacks and sleeping bags who have abandoned basic hygiene as they “find themselves.” They sprawled across floors and couches in common areas. That was a surprise for us, but then again, this is a ferry. They got off on the next day.
About the food.
Everyone wants to know about the food. Yes, I expected fish. And there it was, front and center. Mostly cod, followed by salmon. I like cod, when it’s dredged in batter and deep fried. Like everyone else from Wisconsin, I grew up on Friday night fish fries. Steamed or baked without tartar sauce to camouflage the taste? Not so much.
But there were always other choices and I never left the table hungry, plus this was my opportunity to try reindeer and ox. Breakfast and lunch were buffets with many hot and cold choices. I had smoked salmon each morning until I discovered the bacon. So long, salmon. Potatoes were also served for every lunch, in at least three forms, but never French Fries. And carrots and beets, and somehow, couscous salad with eggplant and peppers found it’s way on to my plate almost every day. There was no fried food. Also, they served all meals on what I consider a lunch size plate – helps reduce food waste. Great idea!
Desserts at the buffet were almost always some type of whipped concoction, often mounds of whipped cream on top of some other creamy something. Of all my food vices, whipped cream has never made the list.
Evening plated dinners offered three options for starters, entrees and dessert. The starters and entrees always offered one fish, one meat, and one vegetarian. We had the menus ahead of time and one day, I was so excited for Beef Bourguignon, only to find out I’d misread it. It was BEET bourguignon. Good thing I like beets. The plating and presentation was first-class.
Friends we made
The people you meet can make or break a trip like this. Our table mates for dinner were a wonderful couple from Tasmania, Australia. We looked forward to dining with them every evening.
We also met a great couple from Newcastle, England that we spent much time with. As luck would have it, they had a suite and invited us to enjoy their bottle of champagne. Thank you, Willard and Carole, for making this such a fun trip.
In closing, what I liked best about this trip was its authenticity. It was Norway, straight-up, high costs and all. The menu and food choices never apologized for what they were. There were no German add-ons to the selections, or French or American or Italian. The villages we stopped at were not cookie-cutter, charming coastal towns, but rather working class, hard scrabble communities, fishing villages, or mid-size cities. So, thank you Hurtigruten, for giving me what I signed up for – a chance to see the real Norway, even when I wanted a slice of pizza, a taco, or a chef salad.
For more information on Kirkenes and Russia: https://time.com/6301782/tk-russia-norway/
Loved seeing your photos from the trip. Many of them could be made by into jigsaw puzzles. The houses reflecting in the water. I could almost hear the seagulls when you were pulling into a port. Thank you for sharing and broadening our horizons at the same time!
Teresa, this is so nice. Thank you. And you’re right – maybe a puzzle someday.
Sounds like a wonderful journey. I almost wish I would have been there, however I do not eat much fish, nor beets, so I would have been hungry and cranky😉
(Athough losing a few pounds would have been ok!)
I do like traveling with you two
ladies, vicariously!
Thanks, Kathy and trust me, there was plenty of food to choose from. Pork neck confit – simmered pork, tender as you can imagine. Chefs like fancy words. I appreciate you coming along with us.
WHat a wonderful way to see the world. You are very lucky to travel with such a good friend!
What’s next?
I am lucky and I never forget that. Glad to be home and back in routine, including hanging out with friends. Like you.
I so enjoy wherever your travels take you! Thank you for journaling your daily experiences and your great photos. You are so lucky to have such a fun travel pal!
Thank you, Linda. What I’m really lucky for is that we travel so well together. That takes some effort.
I always look forward to your blog at the end of your trips. You tell it like it is! And you do it with an interesting touch. Thank you for sharing. The pictures along the way were beautiful. The trip was amazing.
Thanks, Jan. This traveling takes much out of me, but the relaxation on this trip was different than we’d normally experienced. Im glad you enjoyed this.
What an unforgettable trip! I can just smell the fish (& maybe those backpackers). I loved your vivid descriptions and observations. I would definitely have joined in Kathy’s YMCA! You know I would 😁
It was unforgettable, and we learned so much. It was also nice to experience being surrounded by people from different countries, and having things not Americanized.
Thanks, Pam, for another wonderful post. You and Kathy sure find the most interesting and fun excursions! Ferry travel is the way to go every time!
Thanks, Barb. We are always in search of unique experiences. Appreciate your comment.
Thanks for sharing another amazing trip! The adventures the two of you take on are inspiring! Way to go! Beautiful pictures as always and I always learn so much from the places you’ve been.
Thank you, Deb. We’ve had our eye on this trip for several years, and it was wonderful.
First time reading one of your travel blogs Pam, and it didn’t disappoint! Loved it all (especially the bit about that lovely couple from Newcastle 👍🏻😂). Willard definitely met his match in you, and you both rubbed along nicely together making Kathy and I laugh.
Meeting you and Kathy was a huge bonus on this trip. We loved spending time with you both.
FYI, your Jeremy Clarkson books are winging their way to you both as I type. Also, can’t wait for the next ‘instalment
of ‘Carpool Karaoke’, maybe from Norway. Until we meet again, take care.
Love Carole xx
Oh Carole, thank you so much. It’s funny how we all connected as well as we did. Lucky us. Don’t wait for any more karaoke though. Like the Richard With, that ship has sailed.
Thank you for the wonderful peek at Norway as at this age, I will not get to on my own. I like fish–even baked cod–so would have been happy. The best part of all this is the “real” Norway sans luxury hotels, etc. which gives one a better understanding of the country and its’ people…..a refreshing respite from our constant diet of political ads and news coverage. I enjoyed your trip. Thank you again.
Thank you, Joanne. I’m glad you enjoyed it and could get a good flavor for the country.
I LOVE traveling vicariously with my friends. What a great way for me to learn about places I will never get to. And I really enjoy seeing your pictures! Thank you
Thanks, Kathy. I like to travel that way, as well. So much cheaper! Glad you enjoyed this.
So glad to have traveled with you, it reminded me of my much shorter trip on the Alaska Marine Highway, a ferry from Bellingham Wa to the Smaller towns on the Alaska Peninsula, a much closer look at the people and places that are not on the “cruise” tours.
Thanks, B. Great point – I’m not familiar with that ferry route but wow, what another great experience. Maybe I need to look into that.
Thank you so much for always taking us along on your trips. The pictures help to tell your story and they are always stunning, fascinating, beautiful, but some of the pictures on this trip rally struck me. As you can tell, we all need you and Kathy to keep traveling so we can tag along. Besides, you two always seem have such a good time.
Thank you! We do try and make the most out of our travel endeavors. Glad you enjoy reading about them.