Hurtigruten promise a free second cruise if the Northern Lights don't come out to play

The Northern Lights are a natural spectacle that everyone wants to see, but they can prove elusive, as Joanne Lumley discovered when she set out to make a TV documentary about them.

Hurtigruten – operators of the cruise-cum-ferry service that operates a scheduled service up and down the Norwegian coast – are now so confident that their ships offer the best chance of observing the lights that they are offering a free cruise to anyone who does not see them.

How does it work? All you need to do is book an 11-night Classic Round Voyage before 30 November 2014, for departure between 1 October 2014 and 31 March 2015. The ships’ crews will be scouring the night skies for an appearance of the dancing light show and if they come out to play, an announcement will be made from the bridge.

If the lights do not make an appearance, Hurtigruten will give passengers a choice of a 7day Classic Voyage North, or 6-day Classic Voyage South in an inside twin cabin (full board basis), departing between 1 October 2015 and 31 March 2016. Flights are not included.

Dr John Mason MBE, aurora-hunter and principal lecturer at the South Downs Planetarium in Chichester, explained: “For the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights, you need to stay in the auroral zone or be near to it. This is a narrow ring, roughly around the Arctic Circle, that passes right over northern Norway. Hurtigruten's voyages spend seven days within or close to the auroral zone - no one else offers that. I have been incredibly fortunate that even when the weather forecast has been rather poor, I have never failed to experience the magical Northern Lights on a Hurtigruten voyage." 

Hurtigruten’s Philip Price said: “It has been a truly spectacular couple of years for sightings of the Northern Lights in Northern Norway. We cannot guarantee that you will see the lights during your voyage, but we can do the next best thing which is to promise that if the lights prove elusive, we will give you another opportunity to see them next year.”

The 12 day Classic Round Voyage hugs the Norwegian coastline from Bergen up to Kirkenes, where it turns around and starts its journey south.  Fares start from £999 per person in an inside cabin, on full board (based on two sharing), departing on a wide choice of dates in November and December 2014. Flight and transfer packages start from £330 per person.

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Hit The Dance Floor On A Saga Voyage

Stop, Look, Listen – to Motown music as you sail away on the Portugal, Madeira and the Azores cruise with Saga Cruises this winter. 

Sandy beaches, lush landscapes, wine-tasting and dolphin-spotting will fill the day and, in the evening, gusts can dance to the best sounds from Berry Gordy’s Motown music machine. Better still, this cruise is all-inclusive. Priced from £1,899 for the full 15 nights, it departs from Southampton on November 8.

Saga Pearl II

There will be a Venetian masked ball on the "Adriatic Homecoming" all-inclusive classic cruise. Saga Pearl II (above) sails from Southampton and, on this melodic voyage, there will be plenty of star names, including soprano Hayley Westenra, The Operababes, The Three Tenors tribute act and The Gondolier Trio. The cruise itself visits the ancient ruins of Cartagena, Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, mythical Corfu, historic Split and, of course, the beautiful city of Venice. There is also the option to take an 11-night outward journey or 13-night return.

Prices start from £1,679 for 11 nights (Nov 22-Dec 3), £1,999 for 13 nights (Dec 3-16) or £2,749 for 24 nights. There is an optional three-night stay in Venice from £399, including breakfast.

Saga Pearl II also celebrates the magic of Motown with a cruise through the Norwegian Fjords next year. Guests can hit the dance floor when they hear tracks by Stevie Wonder, The Jackson Five and the Temptations, plus celebrate Berry Gordy’s record label in style when a Supremes tribute band brings those memories flooding back. Priced from £909 for 7 nights, it sets sail from Dover on May 1, calling at Bergen, Geiranger, Skojolden and Haugesund.

Saga Sapphire

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Dance ‘til you drop to the sounds of the 60s on the four-night "A Taste of the Continent" cruise to Guernsey, Belgium and Holland. Tribute band the Mersey Beatles will be topping the bill on what promises to be groovy long weekend. Priced from £519, it departs from Southampton on May 2.

Or smooch to the laid-back sounds of The Rat Pack while on the "Fjordland Gems" cruise on the chic Saga Sapphire. Visit Olden, Flam and Stavanger by day and in the evenings sing along and dance to the Kings of Cool. Priced from £876 for seven nights, it departs from Dover, on May 6 and July 1.

All holidays include UK door-to-door travel service, all meals, entertainment, gratuities, room service and travel insurance and cancellation cover. All-inclusive cruises also include house branded alcohol and cocktails and soft drinks.

To book, call free on 0800 056 8986 or visit saga.co.uk/cruises.

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Celebrity's Norwegian Voyaging

Marvel at the famous mountains in Molde, historical architecture in Bergen and cosmopolitan Stavanger on board Celebrity Cruises’ beautiful Celebrity Eclipse (above) with an eight-night Norwegian Fjords cruise from just £639 per person in 2013. 

With the benefits of round-trip sailing from Southampton (i.e. with no flights involved), this wonderful voyage sails from the south coast and and calls at Molde, Alesund, Flam, Bergen and Stavanger before returning home. Also included are all meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. 

The price is based on a May 3 departure and on two people sharing a balcony stateroom.

To book, follow this link to the Cruise Line, the UK's leading cruise-agent specialists.

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Big Savings In 2013 With Hurtigruten

The Norwegian coast is world famous for its beautiful scenery and, on a tour with Hurtigruten, there are places that will take your breath away as you pass through 34 ports, some with only a few hundred inhabitants. 

As well as the stunning landscapes you pass, the rich variety of sights, sounds and smells are what make a Hurtigruten coastal voyage truly unique. Even better - the company is offering 25 per cent off selected voyages in 2013 when booking by September 30.

Experience three seasons on a journey - from winter to summer in Kirkenes to Bergen - and discover the beauty of Norway's coastline where every season provides an ever-changing backdrop to a journey of matchless wonder. 

After a long winter, warmth returns to the shores of Norway and sunlight rejuvenates life along the coastline. The sun works to thaw the frozen land, rising higher and higher each day, hence there is the chance to experience three seasons in five days and "The Arctic Awakening" of the coastline. 

Or take time to enjoy the coast and the Midnight Sun on a summer trip. The Land of the Midnight Sun truly lives up to its name as the intense extended daylight above the Arctic Circle lasts around the clock, making every Norwegian 'night' a joy to behold. In fact, you may have to force yourself to go to bed!

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's adventure-cruise specialists.

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Hurtigruten's New Year's Eve Fiesta

Guests on board two of Hurtigruten’s ships can enjoy a double celebration this New Year as both MS Trollfjjord and MS Midnatsol dock together in Tromsø to ring in 2013. The sister ships will unite under a firework-filled sky while guests are treated to a special banquet, dancing and champagne toast. In addition, those sailing over Christmas can expect a truly Norwegian affair with traditional food, music and dancing as they journey along Norway’s spectacular coast.

On Christmas Eve, all Hurtigruten ships will moor in their respective destination ports for 24 hours. Guests are invited to attend Christmas mass at the local churches before coming back on board to celebrate with fellow guests and crew members while ‘Julenissen,’ the Norwegian Father Christmas, will also pay a visit.

Those wanting to not only enjoy the festive atmosphere on board but also experience a true Norwegian winter on shore should join a special excursion to Camp Tamok. Equipped with warm winter clothes, participants can then take off for a winter safari through the Arctic from Finnsnes to Tromsø on dog sleds, snowmobiles and reindeer sleds.

Choose from:

Christmas In Norway In Search Of The Northern Lights: Enjoy a traditional Norwegian Christmas on a Classic Voyage North departing from Bergen in the south and sailing up to Kirkenes by the Russian border. The eight-day voyage (normally seven-day) costs from £946pp and includes full board on the ship. Price based on two sharing (flights are extra).

Christmas With New Year in Tromsø: Depart Bergen with MS Trollfjord on December 23 to enjoy both Christmas on board and New Year spent in Tromsø, alongside sister ship Trollfjord. Prices for this 13 (normally 12) day Classic Round voyage start from £1,363pp including full board on the ship and are based on two sharing (flights are extra).

For bookings, follow this link to our sponsors The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's adventure-cruise specialists.

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Hurtigruten Opens Up Northern Lights

With demand for the Northern Lights so strong, Hurtigruten has made it easier for people around the UK to search for them this winter with more direct flights to Norway than ever before. The winter just gone saw some incredible Northern Lights sightings and this winter is expected to see similar solar activity, fuelling excitement from customers eager to catch a glimpse. Overall prices lead in at just £744pp for a five-night ‘Voyage South’.

A total of 41 direct flight departures are being offered this winter, with the introduction of 10 new dates from October to December, the first time Hurtigruten has committed to them for this period. The flight-inclusive packages are available on two itineraries, the ‘Arctic Highlights Voyage’ from Tromsø to Kirkenes and back and the ‘Classic Round Voyage’ from Bergen to Kirkenes and back. In addition, new flights from Bristol and Belfast have been added, as well as a brand new five-day ‘Taste of the Arctic’ itinerary from Tromsø to Bergen, departing on various dates between January and March.

The five-day ‘Arctic Highlights Voyage’ from Tromsø to Kirkenes and back departs on various dates from November to March with direct flights from Gatwick, Edinburgh and Manchester. An extended six-day stay is also available. Prices are from £949pp, based on two sharing and including flights and half-board on the ship.

The five-day ‘Taste of the Arctic’ voyage from Bergen to Tromsø, and vice-versa, has been introduced on various dates between January and March, October and December with direct flights from London. Prices start from £180pp and are based on two sharing, including flights, transfers and half-board on the ship.

The 12-day 'Classic Round Voyage' from Bergen to Kirkenes and back has fares from £1,299pp and features direct flights to Bergen from Manchester (Nov 8), Bristol (Nov 19r), Gatwick (Nov 30r) and Edinburgh (Dec 11).

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's adventure-cruise specialists.

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Famous Explorer Aboard Fred Olsen's Arctic Voyage

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' Balmoral will have a very special guest lecturer aboard the 16-night ‘Arctic Mountains, Fjords & Polar Bears’ cruise, which departs Southampton on July 26 - Sue Stockdale, the first British woman to ski to the North Pole, who will be aboard as part of the Vistas enrichment programme.

After leaving Southampton, the cruise calls first at Ǻlesund in Norway. This pretty town was destroyed by fire in 1904 and completely rebuilt in Art Nouveau style and is one of the most picturesque places in the country. After this call, Balmoral heads north into the Arctic Circle. She calls at Tromsø, surrounded by snow-capped peaks even in summer, then on up to Honningsvǻg for the North Cape – the very ‘top of Europe’. 

The next two ports are even further north. Longyearbyen, Svalbard, enjoys daylight around-the-clock in the summer months. The town has 1,600 inhabitants and reindeer can be seen roaming the streets. Originally a mining town, it has a museum dedicated to its mining and whaling history. Next port, Ny Alesund, is the most northerly permanent settlement in the world and is home to a scientific research centre.

Balmoral then begins her journey south, visiting Kristiansund, famous for its Klippfish (dried cod) Museum, and, finally, the pretty fjord land village of Olden, before returning to Southampton.

Prices for this memorable voyage start from £1,879 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin, Grade ‘I’. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board and port taxes. There is no extra charge for taking part in Vistas activity.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's cruising specialists.

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Cunard's Sisters in Norway

Norway saw two of Cunard's liners together in the country for the first time this week as both Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria sailed through the Fjords, and are pictured here at Flaam, near Sognefjord, where they called for a day. In true Cunard style, the sisters saluted each other several times with the echoes of their whistles reverberating through the mountains for long periods after the initial blasts.

Queen Victoria is currently on a 14-night 'Norwegian Fjords and North Cape Discovery' voyage (which will include a maiden call at Ny-Alesund in Spitsbergen and in Trondheim) while Queen Elizabeth completes her one-week 'Fjords and Waterfalls' voyage by returning to Southampton tomorrow.

For more information about Cunard cruises, follow this link to The Cruise Line the UK's cruising specialists. 

 

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Last-Minute Bargains From Voyages Of Discovery

For those looking for a great last-minute cruise this month, this little offer has just arrived in our Inbox...

Join Voyages of Discovery for a selection of summer cruises from as little as £56 per person per day.

The 9-day 'D-Day, Normandy, Dunkirk and Beyond' voyage starts from just £499 per person, departing from Portsmouth on June 5 and calling at Cherbourg, St Peter Port (Guernsey), Rouen (overnight), Dunkirk, Heligoland and Ijmuiden before arriving at Harwich.

Or how about...

The 'Spitsbergen and North Cape' cruise starts from £999 per person and includes the full 16-day voyage departing from Harwich on June 13 and calling at Trondheim, Leknes, Honningsvag, Magdalenafjord (cruising), Ny-Alesund, Longyearbyen, Barentsburg, Tromso  and Bergen before returning to Harwich.

The prices include all gratuities, service charges and port/airport taxes, a comprehensive Guest Speaker programme, all meals and entertainment on-board and complimentary car parking at Harwich is available (no single supplements apply on both cruises).

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's adventure cruise specialists.

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Latest Offers from Hurtigruten

Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten have announced the following special offers for April and May:

PEARLS OF THE BALTIC SEA VOYAGE – now from £1261pp (save over £975pp) – Depart Oslo on April 25 and take advantage of a great offer from Hurtigruten on an 11 day voyage that departs Oslo and calls at Copenhagen, Helsinki, St Petersburg, Tallinn, Gudhjem and returning to Oslo on board MS Fram. Book either and Inside or outside cabin and take advantage of great savings. Prices now start from £1261 per person for an inside cabin, including 10 nights full board on the ship and transfers. Based on two sharing. Flights to Oslo are extra and can be booked through Hurtigruten.

BIRDWATCHING THEMED CRUISE IN NORWAY - £1043pp – Depart Bergen on May 20 for a six-day birdlife-themed voyage along the Norwegian coast from Kirkenes in the far north to Bergen in the south. May is a time when millions of rare migrating birds return to the Arctic coast during their nesting period. Species like puffins, kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills, cormorants and sea eagles are numerous in this area and the voyage is accompanied by two Norwegian specialists in this field and an RSPB lecturer to give passengers the chance to learn more. Priced from £1043 per person for a six-day voyage including full board on the ship. Flights are extra and based on two sharing.

SPECIAL OFFER ON NORWEGIAN FJORDS OFFER - £655pp – Head to Norway and take advantage of a special offer from Hurtigruten. The ship calls at over 30 ports of call along the way, taking passengers much closer to the heart of the country, with many ports not visited by the larger ships. As the country enjoys the start of Spring and the changing seasons, see the scenery for yourself. Take the Voyage South from Kirkenes in the far north to Bergen in the South on April 22, 25 or 26, which now costs from just £655 per person. This price includes five nights half-board accommodation on the ship in an unspecified cabin (simply choose inside or outside). Flights are extra and can be booked through Hurtigruten. NO single supplements apply. Book by April 20.

For more information, vist http://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/ or contact the adventure-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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New Year in Norway with the Northern Lights

By guest blogger Steve Newman

How about ringing in the New Year in Norway with the Arctic landscapes as the backdrop? Hurtigruten are offering a New Year's banquet which can be enjoyed with dancing in the bar after dinner, before heading up on deck at Midnight where there will be fireworks and a toast for the New Year. Depart on December 30 for a five-night ‘Venture into the Arctic’ voyage onboard MS Midnatsol travelling from Bergen in the south to Tromsø in the north and hopefully seeing the Northern Lights along the way. And what better way to kick off 2011 than with a dog-sledding excursion or snowmobiling, which can be added to the trip.

Prices start from £895 per person and include four nights half board on the ship, one night B&B accommodation in Tromsø at the end of the voyage and return flights from Gatwick. No single supplements apply.

To book, log on to http://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/ or visit cruise specialists The Cruise Line.

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From Whale Watching to Staying in a Fisherman's Cabin!

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Fancy seeing nature's gentle giants, the sperm whale, in their natural habitat and under the Midnight Sun? Exploring small fishing villages whilst staying in a traditional fisherman's 'Rorbuer'? Or taking a voyage that combines Norway and Spitsbergen and the chance to see Polar Bears?

All this, and much more, is now possible with new itineraries introduced for 2011 by Hurtigruten, which aim to bring passengers even closer to all that Norway has to offer. Alongside the traditional daily departures from Bergen that travel up and down the coast, the new voyages offer something a little different, combining time onboard and time on land.

Giants of the Deep - Vesterålen Whale Watching Adventure (from £2380pp)
This 12-day trip combines a voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes and back to the Vesterålen Islands with two nights in Andenes for a whale-watching safari. This is the first time Hurtigruten has offered whale watching in the Summer. Just an hour north-west of Andenes is Bleik Canyon, part of the continental shelf and home to a rich supply of deepwater squid, cuttlefish and plankton; the staple diet of the sperm whale.

The trip departs on 31 July, 2011, and includes the 8-night voyage on a full board basis, one night in Bergen and two nights in Andenes on a B&B basis, whale-watching and tour lecturer and tour guide (based on two sharing and price includes early booking discount if booked by December 21; flights are extra).

Classic Norway and Spitsbergen (from £2814pp)
A new 11-day itinerary combining the coast of Norway and the north west of Spitsbergen with internal flights between. This trip takes in northern Spitsbergen, including Ny Ålesund, the world's most northerly permanent occupied settlement and hopes to cross the 80th parallel to visit Moffen Island.

There will be the chance to see a wealth of different wildlife and animals, including, hopefully, the Polar Bear. Four dates are available on July 25 and August 1, 8 and 15, 2011, and the price includes 10 nights full board on the ship, flights between Kirkenes and Longyearbyen and from Longyearbyen to Oslo (based on two sharing).

Themed Voyages with experts - these once again feature prominently, with themes including Polar History, Edvard Grieg, Birds of the Nordic Coast and Norway's National Day. Also new for 2011 is a New Year themed voyage that includes celebrating seeing in the New Year actually on North Cape, with prices from £1328pp.

For more information, look up http://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/ or the dedicated Hurtigruten section of The Cruise Line Ltd.

You can also learn more about Hurtigruten cruises at The Cruise Show at Birmingham NEC on October 16-17 and at London's Olympia next March (26-27).

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