The Svalbard Line – South

Your High Arctic experience begins by arriving in Spitsbergen, the largest of Svalbard’s three main islands. Gaze in awe as magnificent brown and green mountains rise and ripple up from the High Arctic tundra while rivers of snow-melt trickle through the valley plains, glistening under the summer sun.   

Take a moment to just be here, now, in Svalbard. You’re at a latitude more than 78°N and under 820 miles / 1,500 kilometres from the North Pole itself. The air is fresh and pure, and the overall temperature in summer is mild thanks to a warm northern branch of the Gulf Stream.  

You'll make your own way to Longyearbyen, Svalbard's biggest settlement, home to some 2,000 inhabitants from across the world. It originally sprang up as a coal mining colony in 1906. Today, it is a hub for adventure travellers, as well as scientists and engineers attached to local research projects, like the famous Global Seed Vault.  

Your home at sea for the next week, MS Trollfjord, awaits in the harbour. Come evening, the ship will sail further even north towards your next destination: Ny-Ålesund.

Arise early today to enjoy impressive views of Kongsfjord, one of the largest fjords in the area. Its entrance is guarded by two colossal creaking glaciers that regularly deposit ice into the fjord.  

This stretch is also a good place to look out for walrus basking on the shores and for many different species of migrating birds, including puffins, king eiders, pink-footed geese, and guillemots.  

Arctic fox and Svalbard reindeer can sometimes be spotted on land while the white beluga whale has been known to surface in the waters here too. If we’re very lucky, we might even see a polar bear prowling the coast for bearded and ringed seals. 

At the tip of Brøgger peninsula, on one of Kongsfjord’s shores, is Ny-Ålesund. Like Longyearbyen, it began as a coal mine but became host to scientific stations from the mid 20th century. During the summer, there are over a hundred researchers based in the town, representing 20 glaciology and climate institutes from more than 10 countries. 

Wander around what is one of the northernmost settlements in the world, drop in at the local museum and souvenir shop, or send a far-flung postcard back to friends and family from the small post office.  

You can also take a guided tour of the Amundsen monument, erected here in honour of the great Norwegian explorer’s record-breaking flight to reach the North Pole in 1926. Amundsen flew the airship Norge from Ny-Ålesund and landed in Alaska three days later, successfully doing so via the North Pole.

Unfortunately, it’s time for us to say farewell to Svalbard and Spitsbergen and sail south back to mainland Norway.  

On board the ship, use the day to relax. If skies are clear, enjoy some summer sun out on deck and keep on the lookout for whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Or if it’s not too warm out, head to the sauna for a soothing steam.  

For some fascinating insights into local history and wildlife, catch a lecture delivered by the Coastal Experience Team. They may also offer a photography workshop to help sharpen your eye to capture stunning shots in the days to come. 

Enjoy the sumptuous food and drinks on board, courtesy of our Norway’s Coastal Kitchen concept that features the finest, most flavoursome, local Norwegian produce. As a treat, there might be tastings of regional specialities or demonstrations by our skilled onboard chefs in the show kitchen. 

You can also simply curl up with a good book in the lounge or chat with new-found friends in the bar while reminiscing together about your favourite experiences of the voyage so far.

After a day at sea, we arrive back to mainland Norway.

Our first stop of the day is Tromsø, to drop off any cargo from Svalbard and pick up cargo bound for ports to the south, before we continue south to Senja. The island is one of the country’s largest, and northern Norway’s fast-rising star destination, as you’d expect for a place ranked among CNN’s top ten most beautiful islands in the world.

Often proudly described by locals as a ‘mini Norway’, Senja has a concentration of diverse landscapes that mirror different parts of the Norwegian coast, from the sandy beaches, turquoise waters and lofty mountains of its northern coast to the rocky coastline and pine forests of southern Senja and Ånderdalen National Park. You'll find rolling hills and birch forests to the east.

Disembark in the charming fishing village of Torsken and explore by bus, e-bike, on foot, or take to the fjords on a wildlife safari on one of the optional excursions.

Start the day with a few hours in Stokmarknes, an historic town with a special place in our hearts. It’s the birthplace of Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express.

It’s a fitting place for the Hurtigruten Museum, where you are immersed in the atmosphere of a different era on our retired 1956 ship, MS Finnmarken, proudly encased in glass on the waterfront. 

After Stokmarknes, we’ll sail via Raftsundet and Trollfjord to Lofoten. The rest of the day is all about exploring this breathtaking archipelago. Hailed as one of the most spectacular areas in all of Norway, you’ll understand why as you see its jagged green cliffs rise dramatically out of the ocean, climbing high into the sky like giant teeth. 

The beating heart of the archipelago is the town of Svolvær where your ship will be based. There are shops and restaurants to enjoy, and the hours can be spent exploring and getting to know the town yourself. 

To experience the mountains, islands, and villages around Svolvær, choose from a variety of handpicked top Lofoten excursions. You can go fishing, kayaking, or sit back and enjoy the incredible scenery on foot or on a bus tour.

The ship continues south and reaches the midpoint of the Norwegian coast. This is the Helgeland Coast, a well-known stretch full of distinctive mountains that have inspired many a charming myth and local folklore.  

As we sail, look out for the Vega archipelago, a cluster of some 6,500 islands, skerries, and islets. There’s a UNESCO World Heritage Centre on the island of Gardsøy which showcases how highly prized eider down is harvested from the local eider ducks by providing little huts for them to build their nests in. 

We will base the ship in the town of Brønnøysund which features a lovely marina and a Neo-Gothic stone church from 1870. Spend your time exploring the town or joining optional excursions such as kayaking, cycling, or a cruise by RIB. 

Further along from Brønnøysund is the unique Torghatten Mountain. The first thing you’ll notice about Torghatten is the hole that pierces right through its centre. Legend states that the hole is the work of an arrow fired by a spurned troll at his would-be lover and that Torghatten Mountain itself is the fossilised hat of a Troll King who attempted to block the arrow.  

At an easy pace, it takes about an hour to reach the hole in Torghatten on an optional excursion. The panoramic view of the trees and islands stretching out before you is well worth it.

The ship will make a brief stop in the town of Ålesund, known for its Art Nouveau architecture and picturesque position on a peninsula below Mount Aksla. We’ll offload any cargo here as well guests who are joining excursions. 

Near to Ålesund, cutting through the peaks of the Sunnmøre Alps, some 1,700 metres high, is magnificent Hjørundfjord. Its picture-perfect position embedded in the Sunnmøre Alps means it is the area’s hidden gem and a secret from most other ships. 

Those who do discover Hjørundfjord rank it as a serious contender for their favourite fjord in Norway. Its deep blue waters and verdant mountainsides seem perfectly proportionate and aligned, as if sculpted deliberately by nature’s artistry. 

On the western banks of one of Hjørundfjord’s branches is the idyllic village of Sæbø. This is where the ship will pick up guests who had previously left the ship at Ålesund to go on an excursion. 

We are fast approaching the last day of our voyage. While bittersweet, what better way to celebrate our Svalbard Line experience than a merry farewell dinner on our last night. It’ll also be an opportunity to look back fondly at the many highlights of this journey we’ve all shared together.

We arrive in Bergen in the morning, a beautiful city on the west coast of Norway. Majestic peaks famously surround the city, giving Bergen its nickname, “The City of Seven Mountains”. 

It’s time to disembark the ship and make your own way to the airport, but not before saying fond farewells to your fellow passengers and to the crew of MS Trollfjord who made your Svalbard Line journey such a comfortable one. Alternatively, you could choose to extend your stay in Norway. 

You’ve travelled as part of this historic, iconic voyage to pieces of paradise along the Norwegian coast you won’t soon forget. If you’ve engaged in optional excursions, will you have photos to share of you kayaking, hiking, fishing, cycling in some of the most beautiful scenery ever seen?  

We know you’ll take fond memories home with you and we wish you a safe onward journey. This has been the Svalbard Line. We hope to see you back here with us soon.