Thanks so much for this walkaround. We're booked to take a 4 day cruise with them this year and you've helped a lot building our anticipation and planning.
You’re welcome! Havila is actually the latest in at least 10 different companies to operate on the route over 130 years. Hurtigruten was the sole operator for the last 30 years or so though.
@@lifeinnorway1 Nope...... only since 2006. The first company that started the route in 1893 was VDS (Vesterålen Dampskipselskap) and since then has there been a range of companies to serve ...and share.... the coastal route ...called hurtigruten / hurtigruta (the fast route)... ....and all those companies has been located along the coast ..... The company Hurtigruten and it's name has only existed since 2006, when the two last companies with local ownership TFDS (Troms Fylkes Dampskipselskap) and OVDS (Ofoten og Vesterålen Dampskipselskap) merged. A couple of rich investors from Oslo bought a controlling part of the company ....just for a time later to sell their shares with good profit to a British investment company ....TDR Capital ...plus a bunch of other smaller institutional investors. It's all about money and they have no clue...and couldn't care less about the history of this route. One of my ancestors (1 of 2 persons) started the coastal route in 1893 ....and I'm quite pissed that our history has been sold out of the country. The name/term hurtigruten was given in a time when Danish language still had a strong grip on the official Norwegian language. With time the Norwegian language has changed and the -a ending (instead of the -en ending of the word) has become more the standard. Most of the dialects along the coast has -a ending and has always called it hurtigruta. So when the current company was formed in 2006 they simply stole the name/term of the coastal route ....and called it Hurtigruten. The Norwegian state authorities just went with it and renamed the route ...in stead.... ....to kystruten (coastal route). For coastal people that is a move devoid of history and coastal culture ....but Oslo isn't a coastal city ...and that shows in their way of acting. Hurtigruten has only had monopoly for a few years. But due to the EEA agreement Norway has with EU the contract for serving the coastal route must be open for competition. So I'm pleased to see that a new fully Norwegian company....with coastal roots.... has entered "the chat". Right now all 4 of Havila's ships are in service.
@@lifeinnorway1 Naaah.... The company named Hurtigruten Group ASA has only existed since 2005. Hence having a monopoly until 2021 when Havila Kystruten was awarded 4 of the 11 slots on the route. Hurtigruten was the result of the merge of the two existing hurtigruten (general name for the coastal route) companies TFDS ( Troms Fylkes Dampskipselskap) and OVDS (Ofoten og Vesteraalen Dampskipselskap). OVDS was itself a result of a merge in 1988 by ODS (Ofoten Dampskipselskap) and VDS (Vesteraalen Dampsselskap which was the original company that started the hurtigruten (coastal route) in 1893). When the company Hurtigruten was established in 2005 they simply stole the general name hurtigruten ....and not everybody of people on the coast was happy about that. But the Norwegian state authorities who own the right for the route did nothing about it and just renamed the general route from hurtigruten to kystruten (coastal route). But I guess it was not much else to expect from the authorities that is sitting in Oslo remote from anything that has to do with coastal history or coastal culture.
Hey! I'm Raj from Mumbai, India. I was planning Northern Lights tour in Norway this year in December and had some queries with regards to the cruise. Would you mind to clear some of them? Thank you!
They are very comfortable for a short hop. I hope to take the full roundtrip voyage soon too, and I'm sure they will be perfect for that. Watch this space!
Was on both cappela and castor in febuary on a work trip (Harstad-solvær-Harstad) and on cappela in last weekend of august (Harstad-Tromsø) and can say it is somting defently worth it.
Very informative video! Thank you!!! Just a quick question. We are interested in doing a trip from Tromso to Lofoten or Senja? Do you think we can do a day trip without having to book a room overnight? Thanks
Thank you SO much for this video! going on this exact ship next week and didn't know what to expect. Also, would you care to comment on the age group in the cruise? I'm a bit nervous that we are in our late 30s and early 40s and might find it a bit boring. Great thorough video!
Hi again! So the trip was AMAZING. And you were right, mostly elder Germans and other European nationalities. However, I was very happy to see Norwegian couples and younger couples (quite a few) in our age range so it was a lovely surprise. Most people were very keen on starting conversations. Totally recommend it. @@lifeinnorway1
They are both great options for the northern lights. But they are completely different concepts with very different experiences, so make the choice based on those things. That way you'll have a much more enjoyable experience overall. Thanks for watching!
I'm torn now. Always have been 'loyal' to Hurtigruten, and we are taking a first expedition with them, on MS Maud, in December, but this ship looks great!
They both operate the coastal route and hands down the Havila ships are better. But the expedition company is a different thing entirely. Have a great trip!
Impossible to say because prices vary on so many things. Because Havila has more capacity at the moment (less brand recognition) my guess is you’ll get better deals there, but as I say it depends.
I have booked a trip with Havila, we're sailing on 25th of December on Havila Castor. Before booking I obviously compared Havila with Hurtigruten. Hurtigruten would have sailed on the 26th (the two companies can't sail on the same days otherwise what would be the point of having two operators on the route? 😊). The price was 3800€ PER PERSON (7600€ per cabin!) in a Polar Outside cabin. I booked with Havila before the 31/03 (they had an offer on) and I paid 2700€ for THE CABIN (two people). The cabin is a Seaview superior, so it has a window and it's considerably bigger than Hurtigruten's Polar Outside. The trip they offer is exactly identical (12 days round trip from Bergen, stopping at the same ports). They both offer full board and water/juice. Excursions prices are almost identical. So for us it was a no brainer! Can't wait to sail with Havila on Christmas Day!
@@eleonora.adriani My husband and I are thinking of the Christmas one as well. Like you, I researched, and clearly, Havila is less expensive. The drinks package, though seems high, but as the narrator said, Norwegian prices are in effect. Happy sailing.
That’s up to you and also dependent on the time of year you visit of course. In the summer you’re unlikely to need anything out of the ordinary. When I travelled in the winter I did meet one American couple who bought warm winter clothing on eBay and intended to sell it again once they returned home. Seemed like a good solution!
I travelled on Havila Castor in November 2023 on the 12 day voyage and didn’t pay a single supplement. A fantastic trip if you get the chance to do it. I saw the northern lights 3 times. I’d love to go again.
I have no idea, sorry! I only took a short hop along the coastline. There was a poster about upgrading somewhere on the ship, so I'm sure you can ask about it when you board.
@@lifeinnorway1 thanks! I booked a cabin with a window after all, particularly after your remark in the video on the fact that inside cabins were more of an overnight affair. Going in late October from Bergen to Kirkenes🙂 one more item crossed on my bucket list!
@@rajrijhwani6889 I must say that the segment on the Barents sea was quite rough, with waves 3/4 meters high. I was sorry for the people who boarded in Tromso and didn’t have their sea legs 😅
thank you for your detailed video. hoping to this voyage in 2025 January with my wife. The winter and cold weather adds to the risk of travelling all the way from India for this trip. have contacted Havella and awaiting their reply.
It will be quite dark in January, so you may want to consider later in the winter. March is a beautiful time with much more light. You should also check my latest video which is all about the full voyage in February: Norway Coastal Cruise in Winter | Havila Voyages Daily Diary ruclips.net/video/6Io-HNfZvPo/видео.html
Isn't Norway one of the coldest places on earth? Why would this be a desireable cruise location when you have warm places in the Asia, Africa and the Carribean to cruise around? If an America goes on these curises is it the choice of midwesterners who went to state school without graduate degrees and think this is what people who seek luxury do? They also buy or lease used luxury cars which is such a turn off.
Hi guys, we are thinking about booking the 12 days cruise for our honey moon. The only thing holding me back is, that I am scared we will feel the wavea and become sea sick or wont be able to sleep… can someone please give me an honest review on this? Thanks!🤍
It’s a small ship and the coastline of Norway is vast, so yes you’ll feel movement at some point. There are only a handful of open sea crossings though, as for much of the time you are sailing between islands. No one can tell you how it will be for you as it depends on what time of you travel, how susceptible you are to motion sickness, and so many other things.
Thanks so much for this walkaround. We're booked to take a 4 day cruise with them this year and you've helped a lot building our anticipation and planning.
You're very welcome! I have a few more recent videos about Havila if you're interested. Thanks for watching!
This is soooo cool! I love it. Thanks for sharing! 🥳👏🏼
Thank you for this video! I booked an 11 day cruise this december and your video definitely HYPED ME UP for the trip!
Fantastic to hear! Have a great trip!
how was the 11 day cruise?
Interesting. I thought it was always Hurtigruten and would always be Hurtigruten. This opens up possibilities. Thank you for this.
You’re welcome! Havila is actually the latest in at least 10 different companies to operate on the route over 130 years. Hurtigruten was the sole operator for the last 30 years or so though.
@@lifeinnorway1 Nope...... only since 2006.
The first company that started the route in 1893 was VDS (Vesterålen Dampskipselskap) and since then has there been a range of companies to serve ...and share.... the coastal route ...called hurtigruten / hurtigruta (the fast route)... ....and all those companies has been located along the coast .....
The company Hurtigruten and it's name has only existed since 2006, when the two last companies with local ownership TFDS (Troms Fylkes Dampskipselskap) and OVDS (Ofoten og Vesterålen Dampskipselskap) merged.
A couple of rich investors from Oslo bought a controlling part of the company ....just for a time later to sell their shares with good profit to a British investment company ....TDR Capital ...plus a bunch of other smaller institutional investors. It's all about money and they have no clue...and couldn't care less about the history of this route. One of my ancestors (1 of 2 persons) started the coastal route in 1893 ....and I'm quite pissed that our history has been sold out of the country. The name/term hurtigruten was given in a time when Danish language still had a strong grip on the official Norwegian language. With time the Norwegian language has changed and the -a ending (instead of the -en ending of the word) has become more the standard. Most of the dialects along the coast has -a ending and has always called it hurtigruta. So when the current company was formed in 2006 they simply stole the name/term of the coastal route ....and called it Hurtigruten. The Norwegian state authorities just went with it and renamed the route ...in stead.... ....to kystruten (coastal route). For coastal people that is a move devoid of history and coastal culture ....but Oslo isn't a coastal city ...and that shows in their way of acting.
Hurtigruten has only had monopoly for a few years. But due to the EEA agreement Norway has with EU the contract for serving the coastal route must be open for competition.
So I'm pleased to see that a new fully Norwegian company....with coastal roots.... has entered "the chat". Right now all 4 of Havila's ships are in service.
@@lifeinnorway1 Naaah.... The company named Hurtigruten Group ASA has only existed since 2005. Hence having a monopoly until 2021 when Havila Kystruten was awarded 4 of the 11 slots on the route. Hurtigruten was the result of the merge of the two existing hurtigruten (general name for the coastal route) companies TFDS ( Troms Fylkes Dampskipselskap) and OVDS (Ofoten og Vesteraalen Dampskipselskap). OVDS was itself a result of a merge in 1988 by ODS (Ofoten Dampskipselskap) and VDS (Vesteraalen Dampsselskap which was the original company that started the hurtigruten (coastal route) in 1893).
When the company Hurtigruten was established in 2005 they simply stole the general name hurtigruten ....and not everybody of people on the coast was happy about that.
But the Norwegian state authorities who own the right for the route did nothing about it and just renamed the general route from hurtigruten to kystruten (coastal route). But I guess it was not much else to expect from the authorities that is sitting in Oslo remote from anything that has to do with coastal history or coastal culture.
I'm going on the 12 day in November on the Capella. Can't wait!!
You’ll have a great time I’m sure! But take a decent raincoat!
Do you have a travel agent to recommend ?
Thank you for your review. My wife and I will book a Havila cruise after seeing your video.
I hope you have a great time!
We can't wait for our 12 day trip this September thanks for the video !
You’re welcome! Have a great trip! 🚢
Thank you very much for this excellent guide to these ships !!! ❤😊💎
You're very welcome! I hope it was useful
Very nice presentation. Travelled to Norway last year and took 3 cruises incl one to Tallinn..
Tallinn is lovely :) Thanks for watching!
Hey!
I'm Raj from Mumbai, India.
I was planning Northern Lights tour in Norway this year in December and had some queries with regards to the cruise.
Would you mind to clear some of them?
Thank you!
Another wonderful video, so glad I found you!
And I’m very glad to have you as a viewer! Thanks for watching 🙌
A beautiful ship !!!!!! Would easily consider a trip on any of these ships!!!!!
They are very comfortable for a short hop. I hope to take the full roundtrip voyage soon too, and I'm sure they will be perfect for that. Watch this space!
Thanks you - choice at last - been up and down that coast for years on Hurtigruten and shall be making a change next time now
I really do recommend giving them a try. I'm doing the full voyage soon on Havila so keep watching for more videos :)
Woah that superior cabin 🤯
Yeah just like a Scandinavian hotel room, I loved them all 🤍
Great and informative, thanks -- good to see some competition. Any notes on quick comparisons with Hurtigruten? Ships, value, passengers, excursions?
The route and excursions are the same, so it’s just the physical ship and the arrangements for meals that are different. Thanks for watching 🙌
Brilliant video
Thanks!
Love your informative video. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching! 🙌
Was on both cappela and castor in febuary on a work trip (Harstad-solvær-Harstad) and on cappela in last weekend of august (Harstad-Tromsø) and can say it is somting defently worth it.
Thanks for the comment and for watching! 🙌
Beautiful ship
It sure is!
Very informative video! Thank you!!!
Just a quick question. We are interested in doing a trip from Tromso to Lofoten or Senja? Do you think we can do a day trip without having to book a room overnight? Thanks
You can book a recliner chair in the port-to-port lounge. The best thing to do is make a dummy booking to see the options available.
Thank you SO much for this video! going on this exact ship next week and didn't know what to expect. Also, would you care to comment on the age group in the cruise? I'm a bit nervous that we are in our late 30s and early 40s and might find it a bit boring. Great thorough video!
It skews older and quite a lot of Germans on my specific trip, but there were a range of ages. The Norwegian landscape is the entertainment!
Hi again! So the trip was AMAZING. And you were right, mostly elder Germans and other European nationalities. However, I was very happy to see Norwegian couples and younger couples (quite a few) in our age range so it was a lovely surprise. Most people were very keen on starting conversations. Totally recommend it. @@lifeinnorway1
Amazing overview! Thank u
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Thanks for sharing. Which one would you choose between Fred Olsen or Havala for the Northern Lights? And why? Thanks!
They are both great options for the northern lights. But they are completely different concepts with very different experiences, so make the choice based on those things. That way you'll have a much more enjoyable experience overall. Thanks for watching!
I'm torn now. Always have been 'loyal' to Hurtigruten, and we are taking a first expedition with them, on MS Maud, in December, but this ship looks great!
They both operate the coastal route and hands down the Havila ships are better. But the expedition company is a different thing entirely. Have a great trip!
Excellent video thank you
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching 🙌
Do you have a sense on general price comparisons?
Impossible to say because prices vary on so many things. Because Havila has more capacity at the moment (less brand recognition) my guess is you’ll get better deals there, but as I say it depends.
I have booked a trip with Havila, we're sailing on 25th of December on Havila Castor. Before booking I obviously compared Havila with Hurtigruten. Hurtigruten would have sailed on the 26th (the two companies can't sail on the same days otherwise what would be the point of having two operators on the route? 😊). The price was 3800€ PER PERSON (7600€ per cabin!) in a Polar Outside cabin. I booked with Havila before the 31/03 (they had an offer on) and I paid 2700€ for THE CABIN (two people). The cabin is a Seaview superior, so it has a window and it's considerably bigger than Hurtigruten's Polar Outside. The trip they offer is exactly identical (12 days round trip from Bergen, stopping at the same ports). They both offer full board and water/juice. Excursions prices are almost identical. So for us it was a no brainer! Can't wait to sail with Havila on Christmas Day!
@@eleonora.adriani Great! Thanks so much for your thoughts. Have a great trip.
@@eleonora.adriani My husband and I are thinking of the Christmas one as well. Like you, I researched, and clearly, Havila is less expensive. The drinks package, though seems high, but as the narrator said, Norwegian prices are in effect. Happy sailing.
We only are interested in a one way due to limited holiday time. Can one rent arctic wear? Seems like a big investment for a one off experience?
That’s up to you and also dependent on the time of year you visit of course. In the summer you’re unlikely to need anything out of the ordinary. When I travelled in the winter I did meet one American couple who bought warm winter clothing on eBay and intended to sell it again once they returned home. Seemed like a good solution!
A great video, would love to go!
Wow, nice to see there’s more options for a coastal cruise. Did you have to pay a single supplement (not sure if you went by yourself)?
I didn’t do a cruise booking, I just travelled from Ålesund to Trondheim
I travelled on Havila Castor in November 2023 on the 12 day voyage and didn’t pay a single supplement. A fantastic trip if you get the chance to do it. I saw the northern lights 3 times. I’d love to go again.
Going on the Capella in October. You mention upgrading as the ship was 1/3 capacity, is there a discount if you upgrade onboard?
I have no idea, sorry! I only took a short hop along the coastline. There was a poster about upgrading somewhere on the ship, so I'm sure you can ask about it when you board.
@@lifeinnorway1 thanks! I booked a cabin with a window after all, particularly after your remark in the video on the fact that inside cabins were more of an overnight affair. Going in late October from Bergen to Kirkenes🙂 one more item crossed on my bucket list!
Hi
How was your experience on the Havila cruise?
Especially from Tromsø to kirkenes?
@@rajrijhwani6889 I must say that the segment on the Barents sea was quite rough, with waves 3/4 meters high. I was sorry for the people who boarded in Tromso and didn’t have their sea legs 😅
thank you for your detailed video. hoping to this voyage in 2025 January with my wife. The winter and cold weather adds to the risk of travelling all the way from India for this trip. have contacted Havella and awaiting their reply.
It will be quite dark in January, so you may want to consider later in the winter. March is a beautiful time with much more light. You should also check my latest video which is all about the full voyage in February: Norway Coastal Cruise in Winter | Havila Voyages Daily Diary
ruclips.net/video/6Io-HNfZvPo/видео.html
At last …. Somebody can pronounce Hurtigruten correctly. Fantastic ships and video 👍
Thanks for watching! 🙌 I’m making my way around all the ships, there’s more videos to come :)
can you bring your own food?
How can I go to work in Norway?
ben türkiyede tersan şipyard da geminizin inşasında calıştım mutluluklar dilerim
Thanks! 🫶
Northern lights seen
💚
Isn't Norway one of the coldest places on earth? Why would this be a desireable cruise location when you have warm places in the Asia, Africa and the Carribean to cruise around? If an America goes on these curises is it the choice of midwesterners who went to state school without graduate degrees and think this is what people who seek luxury do? They also buy or lease used luxury cars which is such a turn off.
😂 😂 thanks for watching 🙌
Hi guys, we are thinking about booking the 12 days cruise for our honey moon. The only thing holding me back is, that I am scared we will feel the wavea and become sea sick or wont be able to sleep… can someone please give me an honest review on this? Thanks!🤍
It’s a small ship and the coastline of Norway is vast, so yes you’ll feel movement at some point. There are only a handful of open sea crossings though, as for much of the time you are sailing between islands. No one can tell you how it will be for you as it depends on what time of you travel, how susceptible you are to motion sickness, and so many other things.
thanks for your answer :) @@lifeinnorway1