The opportunity for destination immersion on a familiarisation trip is doubly productive for a journalist. A personal perspective of cruise destinations delivers stories and experiences that can be told countless times in print, online and in person. And with good fortune, your travelling companions can enrich the experience and become friendly contacts for these stories, adding an invaluable alternative perspective and teasing hints about future cruise itinerary possibilities.
Prompted by Carnival Corporation’s chief strategy officer Josh Lebowitz, I recently sent a DNA sample to ancestery.com and apparently I’m 32% Scandinavian. Small wonder Norway feels like a second home, it is. Or at least it was for my forefathers. The seasonal changes in Northern Norway are particularly pronounced, yielding four very different and remarkable vistas. Locals truly appreciate the variety, but cruise passengers have yet to fully catch on. The spring and summertime joys of cruising the Norwegian fjords are well documented but visits slow dramatically as the autumn breeze picks up. However, the autumn colours are spectacular, laying a kaleidoscopic blanket on the ground during the day that is magnified in the sky at night by aurora borealis.
Narvik has a big personality, setting a befitting tone for the first leg of our Cruise Norway tour. Plans have started in earnest on a city pier development that will transform Narvik’s appeal, particularly among the luxury lines who prefer to avoid bus transfers. The city’s shore excursion programme is particularly well-developed, offering good variety and combinations to suit every age and taste. The war museum has recently undergone a significant makeover and is a staple on any city tour that should conclude 656 metres above sea-level at the mountain restaurant to enjoy views of the Ofotfjord. But the two big hitters for me are still the Polar Park for a close-encounter with a wolf pack, and the Ofotbanen Railway, for the spectacular views while listening (or reading) to navvy tales.
Port planning activities are underway in Alta too, where a new facility will be developed across the bay at the foot of Komsa. I suspect ratings will rise further in this more picturesque setting – ICFR will share developments online as updates are released. Alta cleverly plays on its natural assets as the apparently premier destination for chasing the northern lights (with success during our visit), but there is a lot more to this city. The thousands of prehistoric rock carvings and paintings at the Alta Museum in Hjemmeluft provide a rare insight into artic hunter-gatherer life from 7,000 years ago. It is a special place and is rightly winning accolades from international visitors. It’s hard to narrow down an itinerary for a day in Alta, but cruise operators won’t go far wrong if theirs includes Nordlyskatedralen (the Northern Lights Cathedral) and a visit to one of the husky camps.
There’s a new SeaWalk in the village of Lakselv, home of the Sami people, and that’s enough to turn a place into a cruise port. A wilderness arrival at the southern end of Porsangerfjorden disguises a secret turnaround opportunity. A well-appointed barn and nearby airport have already served in this purpose and the Samis provide a naturally warm welcome, even in the coldest months.
Honningsvåg is a slick port with the infrastructure and services to efficiently disembark passengers and get them on a tour with minimum fuss. This is no small feat with so many guests eager to make the journey to one of Northern Norway’s headline acts. North Cape Hall is a glorious facility to take shelter and nourishment, before or after taking in the views from Europe’s supposed northernmost point (the honour actually belongs to neighbouring peninsula Knivskjellodden). Back in Honnigsvag, Destination 71o North treated our group to an exhilarating ATV ride up the mountain and alongside a Nato facility for the majestic panoramic views of Magerøya. Back at sea level, an evening watching the charming ‘Our Northernmost Life’ show or getting sticky fingers during King Crab Experience will not to be forgotten.
Not content to live on a strong reputation, Tromsø is investing heavily in its maritime infrastructure. The new ferry terminal is now operational, and plans are afoot nearby, just a short walk away from the city centre, to develop a large warehouse into a new cruise terminal. Our group was buoyed at the news – passenger satisfaction ratings dictate itineraries and cruise terminals are the first and last impression that guests have of a port. The shore excursion product in Tromsø is well-developed, but further investment is already paying off. Fjellheisen, the cable car from Solliveien up to the Storsteinen mountain ledge, now takes just four minutes with the new cars carrying 28 passengers each. Flip a coin to decide whether this or a cathedral concert will be more popular on the day, but passengers can do both, and much more, in a call that will never disappoint. Our visit included the most incredible northern lights show that I’ve ever seen.
An airport software crash prevented us from getting to Spitzbergen and trying out the new Slow Cruise Isfjord concept. The theory is sound for cruise lines able to accommodate a two- or three-day visit. Longyearbyen demands a full day and so a one-day call would miss the chance to visit the Russian settlements and call into some of the more remote and exclusive landings. For a destination that boasts strong shore excursion sales, this concept has legs. While passenger expectations must be managed about the odds of being able to take a selfie with a wild polar bear, the adventures available on Spitzbergen will thrill guests and profit cruise lines.
Notwithstanding our airport crisis, Cruise Norway always delivers, but the association’s role is made significantly easier by an outstanding landscape and compelling shore excursion product, come rain or shine and whatever the season. Cruise lines’ itinerary planners should try the later seasons themselves before assuming that passenger satisfaction will be negatively impacted by a little wind and rain. Like this would-be adventurer, many would love the ride.