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Quizzes & Puzzles15 mins ago
Hurtigruten Cruise Ms Nordkapp
Hi, i`ve booked an 11 night northern lights cruise in December on the above ship,has anyone been on it,did you enjoy and is it well worth getting a drinks package,i looked on the website but find one ? Thanks
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There are 37 (often quite detailed) reviews on Cruise Critic, with high prices for food and drink on board being one of the main gripes. Having to pay large amounts of money to join any of the excursions was also a reason for some complaints. However 28 of those 37 reviews rated the cruise as either 'excellent' or 'very good' so, as long as you're not on a tight budget, you'll probably enjoy the trip. (Remember the sea sickness tablets though, as there are some references to some very rough seas at times):
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I guess it depends on how much alcholic drink you normally drink! I recently went on a Hurtigruten presentation for this and the rep said quite openly that drinks were expensive on board with a bottle of wine starting at 50 pounds!
I'd love to do this cruise even it meant going dry for 11 days!! Good luck.
I'd love to do this cruise even it meant going dry for 11 days!! Good luck.
I got this answer back from my friend. She also says that she has been on this ship only once and she was one of only three passengers!?
The 11 night round trip includes all meals - buffet breakfast and lunch, (i.e. keep going round and getting refills until you can't move or don't fit the chair anymore), then table service three course evening meal, set menu but as it is posted by the entrance to the dining room at breakfast time if there is anything you don't like you can let them know and they'll do their best to produce something you do like. The drinks package is expensive, but Norway prices for alcohol are sky high where ever you buy it. I've never done the drinks package but I have bought a bottle of wine to go with the evening meal - if you don't empty the bottle it will be labelled and you get the number to reclaim it at the next meal. Bar prices on board are high but it's all part of the Norwegian system with alcohol.
The excursions are also expensive. Some places you have time to explore on your own (Alesund, Trondheim, Bodo, Tromso, Kirkeness on the way north. Hammerfest, Svolvaer, Bronnoysund, Molde on the way south), However I'd highly recommend the 'Taste of Vesteralan' excursion starting in Harstad on the way south. The North Cape (Nord Kapp) is also a good one and if you like birds of prey the Sea Eagle Safari on the way south is amazing - birds with an eight foot wing span and seriously scary tallons coming in right over your head 'WOW!!'. All the excursions are good if you've not been before. I've not been on any of the recently introduced 'Explorer' ones
If going out on deck to see the northern lights in December take plenty of very warm clothing and a woolly hat, and if you plan to photograph it do turn off the flash as it will only annoy photographers next to you and the thing you're photographing is about 60miles away. I've seen some pictures taken by a phone and they've been good but a DSLR camera is better. Try Googling 'Photographing the Northern Lights' for advice. Tripods are recommended but I've had some good results usingg the ship's rail to steady the camera - bear in mind you're on a moving ship on a moving sea so, if you can hold it steady, the rail is probably as good as a tripod and you won't trip anyone up if they're trying to walk round all the photographers in the dark - the deck lights are turned off so you get the best look at the dancing lights.
Hope all, or at least some, of this is helpful.
The 11 night round trip includes all meals - buffet breakfast and lunch, (i.e. keep going round and getting refills until you can't move or don't fit the chair anymore), then table service three course evening meal, set menu but as it is posted by the entrance to the dining room at breakfast time if there is anything you don't like you can let them know and they'll do their best to produce something you do like. The drinks package is expensive, but Norway prices for alcohol are sky high where ever you buy it. I've never done the drinks package but I have bought a bottle of wine to go with the evening meal - if you don't empty the bottle it will be labelled and you get the number to reclaim it at the next meal. Bar prices on board are high but it's all part of the Norwegian system with alcohol.
The excursions are also expensive. Some places you have time to explore on your own (Alesund, Trondheim, Bodo, Tromso, Kirkeness on the way north. Hammerfest, Svolvaer, Bronnoysund, Molde on the way south), However I'd highly recommend the 'Taste of Vesteralan' excursion starting in Harstad on the way south. The North Cape (Nord Kapp) is also a good one and if you like birds of prey the Sea Eagle Safari on the way south is amazing - birds with an eight foot wing span and seriously scary tallons coming in right over your head 'WOW!!'. All the excursions are good if you've not been before. I've not been on any of the recently introduced 'Explorer' ones
If going out on deck to see the northern lights in December take plenty of very warm clothing and a woolly hat, and if you plan to photograph it do turn off the flash as it will only annoy photographers next to you and the thing you're photographing is about 60miles away. I've seen some pictures taken by a phone and they've been good but a DSLR camera is better. Try Googling 'Photographing the Northern Lights' for advice. Tripods are recommended but I've had some good results usingg the ship's rail to steady the camera - bear in mind you're on a moving ship on a moving sea so, if you can hold it steady, the rail is probably as good as a tripod and you won't trip anyone up if they're trying to walk round all the photographers in the dark - the deck lights are turned off so you get the best look at the dancing lights.
Hope all, or at least some, of this is helpful.
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