We have not tried a cruse before so did not know what to expect. We did the full 12 day round trip on the MS Trollfjord from Bergen to Bergen to see the Northern Lights and to see Norway in the Winter. We selected the mini suites and as a result got a number of extras, wine package, water package, free coffee, bathrobes, fruit and a complementary bottle of wine. Because we booked early we got 4000K allowance to spend on board.
The suite was well appointed and larger than we expected. The facilities on board were better than we expected. It’s not a cruise for entertainment, but our time just seemed to fly by. Just seeing the fantastic views, stopping off at the many stops and great food the time just disappeared. The breakfast and lunch were superb with a huge selection of local delights. I was worried that the menu would just be fish based as I was not a huge fish lover but the selection was extensive and of the highest quality. Other than the first night buffet, the evening meal was a 3 course set dinner. The menu was posted early on the day and was superb. The Service was top quality. Fantastic staff and very friendly and knowledgeable.
Drinks as its Norway are expensive. Wine per bottle costs about £50 a bottle, beer £8 a go. If you are a wine drinker buy the wine package as you get effectively 2 bottles free.
Most days there are excursions available. Some are pretty expensive so select carefully. Highlights for us was the visit to the North Cape. We went by convoy led by a snow plough. Dog sledding in Kirkenes was one of the best experiences I have ever undertaken. Simply fantastic. I would recommend the night concert in Tromso Cathedral and the walking tour of Tromso. However we found the coach tour of Trondheim was far too rushed.
On board, the panoramic lounge is a great place to see the superb fjords. The ship has a sauna, gym and 2 jacuzzis. Of course do not miss the Northern Lights. You can set your room telephone to get calls overnight when the lights start. We were lucky one night to see a superb light show which blew you away.
All the staff on board were fantastic and made this one of our best holidays ever. A really memorable experience. Well done MS Trollfjord.
