MS Richard With

What really makes the Explorer Bar stand out is the atmosphere of the surrounding lounge and the panoramic views through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Order from a range of hot and cold beverages, relax in a comfortable armchair, chat with a drink in hand, and watch the world go by.

The Explorer Bar serves premium coffee, organic teas, hot chocolate, fruit juices, various Norwegian beers, red, white, and rosé wine, and a collection of Norwegian aquavit that would make any spirit lover jump for joy.

Enjoy along with a selection of snacks, such as grilled sandwiches using local ham and cheese, or even a Norwegian speciality: dried fish! 

Selling souvenirs, knitwear, books, postcards, postage stamps and a limited supply of toiletries.

The books are in a variety of languages including Norwegian, German and English, also there are game tables available to play cards and chess.

A basic fitness centre for passengers to enjoy.

Head to the sauna and relax in luxury.

Relax in the hot tubs whilst floating past the scenery.

Good news, parents! If your child is aged 6-13, they can join our complimentary Young Explorers activity programme on board our ships (except MS Vesterålen) during July and August.

We warmly invite families with young children to come and experience the Norwegian coast together with us. Through a range of activities on and off the ship, our team will feed your children’s curiosity and nurture their sense of adventure. It’ll be a family holiday full of fun memories that they and you will cherish for years to come.

Please note: the Young Explorers programme is available only on our 12-day Classic Roundtrip Voyage.

Forming friendships

The programme has been designed to be interactive and engaging for young minds. Art workshops, creative challenges, competitive games, and quick-fire quizzes add to a stimulating pace that grabs their attention.

The tasks and activities also naturally lend themselves to team building and bonding. The children therefore often make new friends, playing together outside the programme, beginning friendships that could last a lifetime.

Minds of the future

Below are some examples of topics your children might learn about as part of the Young Explorers programme.

Each is taught in a way that will activate your child’s imagination and increase their awareness of the world they’ll eventually inherit from us.

History

• Learn how the ancient Vikings lived and explored
• Get to know famous Norwegian polar explorers and their journeys
• Learn about polar exploration during a mountain hike
• Hear about key moments in Norway’s history

Nature

• Discover the science and myths behind the Northern Lights
• Learn how to identify bird species along the Norwegian coast
• See how we recycle on board the ship
• Join a clean-up on a local beach, removing plastic and litter

Culture

• Explore Northern Norway’s indigenous Sámi culture
• Learn about the Norwegian concept of friluftsliv - outdoors life
• Practise speaking a few Sámi words and counting to ten
• Craft works of art using everyday items 

Many of our Coastal Experience Team members are Norwegians, born and raised on the coast and elsewhere in Norway. They’ll be able to tell you their childhood memories of our ships, what our service means to their coastal community, and perhaps how generations of their family have been connected to Hurtigruten, either as crew or as passengers.

Other team members have lived in Norway for several years. You can learn about what drew them to Norway and to working on our ships. See the coast through their eyes as they pick out details about life here and share interesting anecdotes about their experiences of Norwegian culture. 

Enhance your voyage with our wide range of optional excursions that allow you to delve deeper into the dramatic landscapes, rich history, and charming culture of Norway and Svalbard. We offer more than 130 excursions up and down the coast, each run by local suppliers who are ready to showcase the wonders of their home.

Take your pick from a palette of active adventures such as kayaking along Ålesund’s waterways, quad biking to the North Cape or snowshoeing in Tromsø. If you’re interested in history, you can join a World War II tour in Kristiansund or explore the hidden rooms of Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.

There are plenty of opportunities to sample the delicacies of the Norwegian coast, too, with visits to the world’s northernmost brewery and boat trips to go king crab fishing with locals. We also recommend cultural visits that introduce you to Sámi culture or to the workings of a family-run dairy farm in Lofoten.

An excursion for every season

While many excursions are offered year-round, some are season specific. Summer is a glorious time to be in Norway and Svalbard, with a variety of activities that make the most of the long, leisurely days of the Midnight Sun. Why not enjoy a RIB safari in search of Sea Eagles or a guided e-bike tour around the island of Senja?

The cooler weather in autumn, winter, and spring turns Norway into a wonderland of snow, best enjoyed by dog sled or on cross-country skis. You could also try your hand at snowmobiling, hopefully with the Northern Lights dancing above.

Activities that are right for you

Our diverse excursions cater not just for varied interests but also for different mobility levels, so you can choose the activity that’s right for you.

We offer four distinct physical levels that cater to all - from accessible museum visits to challenging hikes that require a good level of fitness. Certain activities are even wheelchair-friendly, ensuring inclusivity for all.

Caring for the community

We work with on-the-ground suppliers to offer you a truly authentic experience with every excursion. These local outfits have a wealth of knowledge about the area, and they’re passionate about sharing their expertise and unique offerings with visitors like you.

Not only that, but your bookings help to preserve the local culture and heritage of the Norwegian coast. It feels great to know that your support directly benefits the people and communities who call this beautiful place home.

Hikers’ heaven

Feel a sense of friluftsliv, the Norwegian word that encapsulates a love of the outdoors, on optional hikes guided by your Coastal Experience Team.

You can purchase hikes individually, as a seasonal bundle of four, or as a pass that gives you access to all hikes.

How to book an excursion with Hurtigruten

It’s easy to book an excursion. To book online, go to our excursions hub and either input your booking reference or select your voyage from the drop-down menu. Choose the excursion you want and then click the ‘Add to Reservation’ button. A member of our team will then contact you to arrange payment and confirm your booking. 

Our Coastal Experience Team enhances your voyage with in-depth knowledge of the local culture, nature, science, and history; an understanding they’ve nurtured over years.

Each team member has a range of specialist, well-researched topics in their repertoire, ready to share with you in lectures and presentations on board, on deck, and ashore. 

We also warmly welcome guests with reduced mobility. If needed, our sales consultants will also search for and book suitable hotel rooms for you. You will have to bring along your own standard-sized collapsible wheelchair. If you’re able to get around the ship in a wheelchair unaided, you do not need to travel with a companion. Guests who require assistance will most likely need to travel accompanied. Talk to your travel agent about this.

When the ship stops in a port along the Norwegian coastline, there is always a ramp or a gangway to get you on and off the ship. The only exception is Urke, where we do not dock. Access to this town is only for guests who are going on an excursion. Disembarkation takes place by tender boat, and is therefore not suitable for wheelchair users.

These excursions are not specifically adapted to guests with reduced mobility. Ask our coastal experts when you are on board and they’ll be able to advise you as to which excursions are suitable.

It’s important that you inform us of any mobility challenges when making your booking, so we can make the best possible arrangements for you.

You will need to bring along your own standard-sized collapsible wheelchair, which should be stored in your cabin when not in use. If you’re able to get around the ship in a wheelchair unaided, you do not need to travel with a companion. Guests who require assistance will most likely need to travel accompanied. Talk to your travel agent about this.

On board, dress is informal. Although some passengers choose to change for dinner, the dress code is casual rather than formal. The weather in Norway can vary during the course of each voyage or even during the day. To cater for these variations, we recommend the layered-dress approach that enables you to adapt to changes in temperature, wind and precipitation conditions easily.

For all voyages, we advise you to take breathable rain and windproof clothing. A warm hat, gloves, scarf and thermal clothing can be useful, together with thermal underwear, during the winter months. On land, where it may be icy, sturdy shoes are important for shore excursions and a walking stick/trekking pole may be useful.

Special diets (e.g. vegetarian) can be catered for if requested in good time. Passengers on strict diets may find that there is a limited choice.

We now offer a 3-course vegan menu option for the evening meal on our 12-day voyages.

Hurtigruten ASA cannot accept children under the age of 5 to travel with us to Antarctica. There is no age restriction∘ on our other destinations. For safety reasons, children under 12 years of age will be considered on each landing. It is entirely at the Captain’s discretion to allow children on shore landings.

There is no doctor or pharmacy on board. However, officers are trained in first aid and can provide emergency medical assistance. The ships are also close to land should urgent medical assistance be required.

It is a safety requirement that all Hurtigruten passengers attend a compulsory safety briefing in Bergen and Kirkenes before the ship leaves port. After embarkation, the crew will greet you and conduct the mandatory safety brief at intervals. This will last between 10-15 minutes.

The briefing will include a demonstration of how to put on a life jacket and the instructions to be followed in the unlikely event of an evacuation or other emergency during the voyage. The briefing is compulsory for all passengers including those who have travelled with Hurtigruten before. There will be an opportunity to ask questions if you have any concerns.

Please familiarise yourself with the emergency procedures as shown in the cabins (there is a diagram on the cabin door and in public areas), and ask at reception if in doubt. In many ports, there may be a good deal of activity on the quay with cars joining/leaving the ships and/or goods being loaded or unloaded. Please be alert to such traffic when embarking and disembarking.

Take care during winter months when it is icy underfoot, particularly on the outside decks and when disembarking the ship or alighting from coaches. Ice spikes and other winter clothing can be purchased in the ships store. Do not carry large amounts of cash and keep valuable items, including mobile phones and cameras, out of sight.

Smoking, including e-cigarettes and vaping, is only permitted in designated areas on the outside decks. However, all forms of smoking are strictly forbidden even in designated areas when the ship is in port and refuelling. The crew will advise guests when this is the case.  

Wi-Fi is available throughout the ship. Note that it is limited connectivity, and that both internet and telephones from time to time will be out of range due to the ship's location.

Due to capacity limitations the provided, included Wi-Fi is limited to browsing and not streaming. Please contact the reception if you have any questions related to the Wi-Fi usage.

Vehicles onboard coastal voyages must fit the following dimensions:

• Max Length: 650 cm/ 21.3 ft
• Max Width: 245 cm/ 8 ft
• Max Height: 230 cm/ 7.5 ft
• Max Weight: 5000 kg/ 11,023 lbs

Campervans, minivans and trailers cannot be accepted.

We recommend pre-booking excursions to avoid disappointment. You can pre-book excursions up to four weeks prior to departure (2 weeks if paid by credit card) at the rates presented.

Any remaining excursion places will be sold on board. All bookings on board will be charged in Norwegian Kroner at the ship’s exchange rate. The price in local currency may differ due to exchange rate fluctuations.

Please note that all excursions are provisional and subject to change – current weather and sea conditions may affect the viability of certain excursions. Excursions may also be subject to minimum/maximum numbers.  

Norwegian and English are the official on-board languages. Some Hurtigruten Guides (or the Tour Leaders on board MS Vesterålen), personnel at the reception and service crew often also speak German.

Most of our excursions are guided in two or three languages. Please contact the Hurtigruten Guides or Tour Leader on board for further information.

Hurtigruten’s environmental efforts are tied to our strategic six-point policy;

• That environmentally-oriented measures are identified and implemented in day-to-day operations.
• That focus is directed specifically at the marine environment.
• That we specify requirements for subcontractors and contractual partners.
• That our communications concerning our own environmental performance are open and complete.
• That we ensure continuous monitoring and improvement of our environmental work.
• That we do not leave any permanent traces behind us in vulnerable areas.

As a traveller with Hurtigruten, your contribution to environmental care is welcome. We have garbage sorting aboard all ships, and we encourage you to turn off lights when leaving the cabin and unplug electrical transformers when not in use.

In 2018, we banned all single-use plastic on board our fleet. When ashore, bring your litter back to the vessel or dispose at designated places. We are often near wildlife on our voyages. Please heed the advice of your Tour Leader/Expedition Leader and excursion guide and strive to act in a way that does not alter the wildlife’s natural behaviour.

How can I book my child on to Young Explorers?

You can sign up onboard. Availability varies per ship and is based on a minimum number of participants.

How much does the programme cost?

The programme is free of charge.

How long is the programme?

The full programme is spread over 10 days of our 12-day Classic Roundtrip Voyage. Each day features a different theme, and children are welcome to join whenever they want during their voyage of any length.

What is the age range?

The age range is 6 to 13 years old, but older children are welcome. Younger children can attend if accompanied by a parent.

Which languages are spoken?

English and Norwegian

Do I need to accompany my child?

Our organisers can run the programme without parents or guardians present. However, parents are welcome to accompany their children during the programme and join in with activities. Depending on the number of children, we may need to ask a few parents to attend as well.