A Christmas Voyage through the Norwegian Fjords, for the Armchair Traveler

by Judy M. Zimmerman (Member of SATW)

If you love the sparkling vistas of a winter wonderland, but prefer to snuggle up in your favorite chair by the fireside this Christmas, come along with me on the “world’s most beautiful voyage” through the Norwegian fjords.

Our coastal steamer sets out from Bergen for a festive, heartwarming journey to far above the Arctic Circle. The Norwegians have an unswerving faith in their Coastal Express Fleet (called “Hurtigruten”) because, for more than 100 years, they have always braved the elements to deliver milk, vegetables and other vital cargo to Norway’s remote coastal towns.

In addition, the steamers take children to christenings or newlyweds on their honeymoons. At many of the 34 ports, the Hurtigruten stop only long enough to pick up or unload goods; at others, there’s time for sightseeing and shopping.

The amenities on our ship, the Midnatsol (Midnight Sun) includes private balconies, bars, Internet cafes, an exercise room, library, and a conference center. The public areas are an art gallery of beautiful Norwegian paintings, sculpture and textiles.

From a comfortable chair in the panoramic two-story lounge we gaze out on breathtaking, ever-changing coastal scenery. Even the saunas and glass elevators have views of the idyllic narrow sounds and open seas.

In the south, near Bergen, the low winter sun spreads a golden glow over the islands along the route. Four days to the north, there is no sun at all. At any moment, fairytale Northern lights can arise at an incredible speed to dance across the sky, filling it with shimmering colors.

Tiny villages huddle everywhere along the rugged coast, their lights glistening like anendless string of pearls in the blanket of white snow. The rusty-red and mustard-yellow colors of the houses convey a sense of strength and vitality.

Despite the weather and prolonged darkness, Christmas draws this nation of strong-willed individualists together. Families decorate fragrant spruce trees indoors and out, then sit around the fire enveloped by the aroma of freshly baked bread and cookies.

“Aboard ship we all pitch in to create hand-made ornaments and decorate the tree together,” says Hild Hagen, the Midnatsol’s Cruise Director. “On Christmas Eve we’ll go to port and stay docked until midnight to join in with the local parish church. After church let’s gather for a drink and buffet feast, an extravagant smorgasbord of authentic Norwegian dishes.”

Our shore excursions provide more insights into Norway’s way of life: tobogganing, a dogsled outing, or a sleigh ride drawn by reindeer instead of horses. In the world’s northernmost medieval cathedral in Trondheim, there’s an organ concert.

But my favorite port is Svolvaer, chief town in the 119-mile archipelago of the Lofoten Islands, where my grandfather worked as a teenager on a cod-fishing boat before sailing to America.

In this realm of wind and seabirds, the scenery is straight out of a Nordic saga. Vertical granite cliffs rise up majestically from the sea, seemingly a solid, jagged mountain range.

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Norwegian Coastal Voyages; www.hurtigruten.us
866-552-0371

Every evening of the year a coastal steamer sets out from Bergen.

December 15, 2009   Posted in: Cruise Ships, Scandinavia