Make sure you book the RIGHT Hurtigruten Norway cruise!
#Hurtigruten #NorwayCruise #CoastalExpress Hurtigruten Original vs Signature: which Norwegian cruise should you choose? You may have heard that Hurtigruten is “a ferry, not a cruise” – but that only tells half the story. In this video, we compare Hurtigruten’s Original Coastal Express with its Signature voyages and explain why the same spectacular Norwegian coastline can offer two very different holidays. The Original Coastal Express is a working coastal service, carrying local passengers, cars and cargo alongside holidaymakers. Its full 12-day round trip from Bergen to Kirkenes and back visits 34 ports, with calls ranging from brief harbour stops to several hours ashore. It’s an unusual way to explore Norway’s coastal communities, fishing villages, mountains and fjords while travelling on ships that are part of everyday Norwegian life. Hurtigruten Signature voyages take a different approach: fewer destinations, longer port stays and a more leisurely experience designed around holidaymakers. With dedicated ships, more inclusive food and drink arrangements, and itineraries such as the North Cape Line and Svalbard Line, Signature offers another way to discover the Norwegian coast and the Arctic. But does that make Signature the better choice? Or could the working Coastal Express be the more memorable experience? In this Hurtigruten cruise comparison, we cover: • The history of Norway’s coastal route, from Richard With and the steamship Vesteraalen in 1893 to today’s voyages. • What travelling on the Original Coastal Express is really like, including short port calls, overnight stops and sharing the ship with local passengers. • How Signature cruises differ in purpose, atmosphere, itinerary and time ashore. • The dedicated Signature ships MS Trollfjord, MS Finnmarken and MS Midnatsol, and why checking your ship and onboard language matters. • Life onboard, including cabins, observation lounges, Norwegian coastal cuisine, talks and activities. • Full-board meals versus more inclusive dining and drinks arrangements, including Flora, Brasserie Árran, Røst and the 1893 Bar. • Shore excursions and the trade-off between seeing more coastal communities and spending longer exploring individual destinations. • The Bergen–Kirkenes round trip, seven-day northbound and six-day southbound journeys, plus shorter port-to-port travel. • The North Cape Line, winter Northern Lights opportunities, summer Svalbard voyages and Norwegian fjord itineraries. • How to compare the total holiday cost, including drinks, dining upgrades and optional excursions. • Why Havila Voyages is another option for travellers interested in Norway’s working coastal route. Whether you’re researching your first Hurtigruten cruise, planning a Norwegian coastal voyage, considering a Svalbard cruise or simply curious about this historic sea route, this video explains the differences that matter before you book. Both Original and Signature put Norway’s scenery and destinations at the heart of the journey. The choice comes down to how you want to experience them: a working ship connecting coastal communities, or a cruise with longer visits and more included onboard. I also explain which Hurtigruten voyage I’d choose for my first trip – and why the transport service itself is a big part of the appeal. Which would you book: Hurtigruten Original Coastal Express or Hurtigruten Signature? If you’ve travelled on either, share your experience in the comments. Did the voyage match your expectations, and what would you tell someone considering it? Subscribe for more travel videos, cruise comparisons and practical ideas for choosing your next adventure.
#Hurtigruten #NorwayCruise #CoastalExpress
Hurtigruten Original vs Signature: which Norwegian cruise should you choose?
You may have heard that Hurtigruten is “a ferry, not a cruise” – but that only tells half the story. In this video, we compare Hurtigruten’s Original Coastal Express with its Signature voyages and explain why the same spectacular Norwegian coastline can offer two very different holidays.
The Original Coastal Express is a working coastal service, carrying local passengers, cars and cargo alongside holidaymakers. Its full 12-day round trip from Bergen to Kirkenes and back visits 34 ports, with calls ranging from brief harbour stops to several hours ashore. It’s an unusual way to explore Norway’s coastal communities, fishing villages, mountains and fjords while travelling on ships that are part of everyday Norwegian life.
Hurtigruten Signature voyages take a different approach: fewer destinations, longer port stays and a more leisurely experience designed around holidaymakers. With dedicated ships, more inclusive food and drink arrangements, and itineraries such as the North Cape Line and Svalbard Line, Signature offers another way to discover the Norwegian coast and the Arctic.
But does that make Signature the better choice? Or could the working Coastal Express be the more memorable experience?
In this Hurtigruten cruise comparison, we cover:
• The history of Norway’s coastal route, from Richard With and the steamship Vesteraalen in 1893 to today’s voyages.
• What travelling on the Original Coastal Express is really like, including short port calls, overnight stops and sharing the ship with local passengers.
• How Signature cruises differ in purpose, atmosphere, itinerary and time ashore.
• The dedicated Signature ships MS Trollfjord, MS Finnmarken and MS Midnatsol, and why checking your ship and onboard language matters.
• Life onboard, including cabins, observation lounges, Norwegian coastal cuisine, talks and activities.
• Full-board meals versus more inclusive dining and drinks arrangements, including Flora, Brasserie Árran, Røst and the 1893 Bar.
• Shore excursions and the trade-off between seeing more coastal communities and spending longer exploring individual destinations.
• The Bergen–Kirkenes round trip, seven-day northbound and six-day southbound journeys, plus shorter port-to-port travel.
• The North Cape Line, winter Northern Lights opportunities, summer Svalbard voyages and Norwegian fjord itineraries.
• How to compare the total holiday cost, including drinks, dining upgrades and optional excursions.
• Why Havila Voyages is another option for travellers interested in Norway’s working coastal route.
Whether you’re researching your first Hurtigruten cruise, planning a Norwegian coastal voyage, considering a Svalbard cruise or simply curious about this historic sea route, this video explains the differences that matter before you book.
Both Original and Signature put Norway’s scenery and destinations at the heart of the journey. The choice comes down to how you want to experience them: a working ship connecting coastal communities, or a cruise with longer visits and more included onboard.
I also explain which Hurtigruten voyage I’d choose for my first trip – and why the transport service itself is a big part of the appeal.
Which would you book: Hurtigruten Original Coastal Express or Hurtigruten Signature? If you’ve travelled on either, share your experience in the comments. Did the voyage match your expectations, and what would you tell someone considering it?
Subscribe for more travel videos, cruise comparisons and practical ideas for choosing your next adventure.
