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Bergen Line

MS Richard With

Your Rating:
Reviewed by:Lloyd Mildon
# previous cruises: 6
Date of Trip: September 15, 1999
Itinerary: Hurtigruten

Fantastic as they can be, most cruises are the same old stichk. Huge ship, shows, casino, eat until you bust. The 'Hurtigruten' trip from Bergen north to Kirkness and back to Bergen breaks all the rules, but it was the best cruise I have ever been on. The ship is big but not huge, and the lower half of it is reserved for cargo anyway. There is no organized entertainment and there's an obvious reason for that...just look out the window and you'll see the the greatest show ever. The food is good in a top-notch dining room, but it is not 'spectacular' in the big-cruise sense. And the casino is three video-poker games in a room the size of a large closet. If you are one of those people who is looking at their watch at about 5pm wondering to yourself "what time does the band start?" this cruise is NOT for you. But, if you want to see the most unbelievable scenery in the world and have a few days to do it in, this is without a doubt the trip for you.

When I found out the trip along the Norwegian coastline was on board a working ferry, I thought "Great trip, lousy ship". I could have not have been more wrong. The Richard With ( and it's identical sister ships ) are new, large, clean, and very, very well appointed. The basic design of the ship tricks you into forgetting you are even on a working ferry.

The bottom half of the ship is where the cars and cargo ride, and the passenger portion sits on top of the cargo portion of the ship like one box stacked upon another. You would never know you were on a ferry unless you looked over the side.

The design of the public areas is great and there is a room for everything. The most spectacular is the forward lounge, a huge room that takes up almost half of the uppermost deck and is enclosed all around with floor-to-ceiling windows. The room is filled with chairs and tables and they are needed. During some of the more scenic portions of the trip it's standing room only.

The Dining Room is also large, (but there are two seatings) and it's very bright with lots of glass, mirrors and bright metal to lighten the place up. Breakfast and lunch are buffet style with table service in the evening.

There is a small 24-hour cafeteria which has an equally small sitting area nearby. This is not a problem because the only people who use the cafeteria are the few passengers who are using the boat to go from one port to the next (there's that 'working ship' thing again).

The gift shop is as big as a bathroom (really) and mainly sells t-shirts and pins. There is a nice large lounge / bar in the stern area and at the very back is a tiny library. On the Richard With there was not a single good book to be found,..bring your own. On the same upper level as the forward observation lounge there is - amidships - one of the nicest bars I have ever seen afloat. It is small, high up and has the same floor-to-ceiling windows. Nicely appointed, it can sometimes be difficult to get a seat, but it is worth it.

At the stern of the upper deck is an open-air deck with reclining loungers which probably get used 10 days out of the year, considering the average climate. t is worth it. At the stern of the upper deck is an open-air deck with reclining loungers which probably get used 10 days out of the year, considering the average climate.

The food was really good, and there was lots of it. This is Norway, so as you would expect there was a lot of fish on the menu. But if fish is not your thing there are other choices. All meals are taken in the dining room (the included ones that is, you can get snacks at the 24-hour cafeteria, but they charge for that) and there is no room service. Service from the Norwegian dining room staff was as good as any I have has on any cruise ship. One thing to note. If there is lamb on the menu at dinner, then you can bet that at the following lunch there will be lamb quiche. And why not? We all do it. This use of 'leftovers' never once left me feeling that I was getting an inferior meal

When you and your companion enter the cabin hauling your bags the first thought you'll have will be: "They've got to be kidding." Not real big, folks. But, if you use the cabin the way it's designers intended and use all the closet, drawer and oddment space that has cleverly been tucked here and there...suprise! Even the worst over-packer will be able to make it all fit. Nearly. Compact but adequate bathroom. No TV, who would want one?

Entertainment, Part one: Look out the window.

Entertainment, Part two: Talk to the staff and passengers. They are terrific company. I spent many hours walking the decks at night with the first officer. The people in Norway are among the friendliest and most pleasant I have ever met. This is not the insincere fawning you get on the big cruise lines. These people really mean it.

No child care, babysitting, beauty parlour, pool, health club or any of that nonsense. It is not that kind of cruise. These ships stop in some of the most beautiful towns in the world. Each one is unique. Some very working class fishing towns and others industrial or government centers. The further north you get the harder the edge of the town, but they are all a treat. My only complaint, while some stops are five to six hours long, others are 30 to 40 minutes, long enough for you to run ashore and post a letter and nothing else.

I was on a trip with some of the finest people I have ever met. A dentist from Indiana, a rather well-off widow from Arizona, Businessmen, A Surgeon. All of them fascinating conversation at dinner. All of them friends of mine by the end of the trip. All of us felt this was the trip of a lifetime.