Hurtigruten is not your average cruise line. It grew out of the mail boat and cargo service that serves the remote towns and villages along Norway’s coast – but that doesn’t mean that today’s passengers have to rough it! As Hurtigurten cruises have become more popular among nature-lovers and cruisers wanting to escape the glitz of more modern cruise ships, it has invested more in its ships to offer the sort of creature comforts that passengers like. Until recently, the company was called Norwegian Coastal Voyages, but changed its name to Hurtigruten (which means fast route in Norwegian) as its ships were increasingly sailing away from Norway’s shores to offer exploratory cruises to destinations such as Antarctica and Greenland.

Hurtigruten cruises rely on nature to provide their thrills and spills and, as a result, tend to attract an older audience of passengers who are generally independent and well travelled. But some younger cruisers are attracted by the line’s adventure voyages which include killer whale safaris and dog-sledding adventures plus sailings to see the Northern Lights. In summer, Hurtigruten cruises that sail north into the Arctic Circle are popular among cruisers wanting to experience the Land of the Midnight Sun. The line has 15 ships, some of which carry only around 200 passengers and the largest – and newer – ships which can carry around 1,000 passengers. These include the Midnatsol, the Trollfjord, the Finnmarken, which ply the routes along Norway’s coast, calling at remote settlements. The line’s newest ship is the Fram, which was launched in 2007 and was specifically designed for exploration cruises in the world’s Polar regions. The ship spends summers in Greenland before heading south to Antarctica for the Southern Hemisphere summer.

Life on a Hurtigruten cruise is relaxed, intimate and informal. There are no black-tie gala dinners, lavish shows or brash casinos – nature calls the shots here. This is a different cruising experience than you will find elsewhere, with its emphasis on natural attractions and voyages to places that would otherwise be inaccessible. Musical interludes will be offered on some sailings, but there is no set programme. However, there are themed voyages which include expert lecturers. Passengers on a Hurtigruten cruise can expect to fine on-board facilities such as a restaurant where meals are served in two sittings, lounges, bars, 24-hour café and an internet café. Some also have fitness rooms, Jacuzzis and the Finnmarken even has a swimming pool.