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Bergen Line

MS Trollfjord

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Reviewed by:William Bartsch
# previous cruises: 1
Date of Trip: August 22, 2004
Itinerary: Hurtigruten

Billed as "the world's most beautiful voyage", the Norwegian Coastal Voyage is no exaggeration. This was the first cruise my wife and I have taken and we picked the right one for a couple not wanting a mass-tourism type cruise with thousands of passengers and the entertainment that goes with it. We wanted a smaller ship with fewer passengers and featuring the natural beauty of the voyage as the attraction. We got it during our cruise up the west coast of Norway on this ship. The Trollfjord is only two years old and is run by a small crew of 72 Norwegians who were as helpful and friendly as they were efficient. At about $1800 per person (double occupancy) for a 7-day cruise in one of the best cabins, it was a bit pricey but well worth it!

The public areas included a magnificent panoramic inside gallery on deck 8 and an outside one on deck 9, each of which afforded fabulous views of the scenery. The inside rooms were beautifully decorated with Norwegian wood, stone, and artworks. We tended to hang around the bar area on deck 8 in the evenings, especially when meeting friends. On deck 6, one can walk all around the ship for exercise. There was also a library, an internet cafe, a large conference room, and a small lounge.

Breakfast and lunch were buffet style, with dinner a sit-down service at a reserved table for one's exclusive use. Meals were served in a single restaurant (on deck 5) during two sittings, adequate for the number of passengers. There was a wide selection of food at breakfast and lunch, but dinner was a set menu. However, one could have alternative dishes if requested in advance each day, important for a fussy eater like myself! The food was Norwegian-influenced, up to first class restaurant standards.

Our cabin was on deck 8, the highest deck for accommodations. It was an outside cabin with a round window and two lower berths, one of which folded up to make a sofa. While small, the cabin provided ample closet space and a shower stall large enough for an adult to move around in. A telephone was also provided. The cabin was quiet during the whole trip, even during the frequent unloading of cargo in the night at ports along the way.

The entertainment was almost exclusively provided by Mother Nature, as advertised, and that is what we wanted. In the evenings, a musician played popular tunes in the bar area that attracted us and others, but that was as far as organised entertainment went (fortunately).

The Trollfjord on its trip north up the west coast of Norway from Bergen stopped at some 33 ports, ending at Kirkenes at the extreme northeast of Norway. At the larger stops at Alesund, Trondheim, Bodo, Svalvaer, Harstad, Tromso, and Honningsvag, 1-3 1/2 hour stays allowed passengers to disembark and explore the localities, welcome breaks during the voyage. Organised excursions were provided at Alesund, Trondheim, Geiranger (drop off), Bodo, Tromso, and Honningsvag (two excursions) at reasonable prices, a popular activity for most passengers. For keeping fit, there is an exercise room on deck 9, along with a sauna. A playroom on deck 5 provides activity for small children (of which there were almost none on this trip). A small shop allows souvenir shopping, an internet cafe surfing the net and sending e-mails, and a library perusing a small collection of books and watching TV.

Of the 850-some passengers aboard, half were Germans in tour groups, many of whom were ill-behaved at mealtimes and on deck. About one-fifth of the passengers were Norwegians, with the rest mainly other Europeans as well as a sprinkling of Americans and a few Asians. Almost all the passengers were adults, most tending to the higher years (including ourselves). We made several acquaintances and are maintaining contact with them following our return home.