Hurtigruten vs Havila

At the start of the year I travelled up the Norwegian coast. Mum and I used port to port bookings to travel from Bergen to Tromsø on both the Hurtigruten and the Havila. Although we didn’t spend the whole 12 days aboard either ship, I feel I have gathered enough information to write on my opinion of Hurtigruten Vs Havila.

We sailed on the MS Nordlys with Hurtigruten and the MS Polaris with Havila. Both were very different experiences with pros and cons for each. To save you the time, my preference was the Hurtigruten but both are great options. Below I will go into the pros and cons of each relative to one another.

Hurtigruten

Pros

• The best buffet breakfast by a country mile. We thought it was potentially one of the best breakfasts we had the whole trip.
• Dinner service (buffet) was also yummy and widely varied.
• There was a well set out coeliac toaster and plenty of gluten free options.
• Although I didn’t get in it, the hot tub was on the back of the boat so you could look out and admire the view. I assume hot tub location varies from ship to ship.
• The cocktail area had more of a pub vibe but felt very cosy and I LOVED the chairs in the viewing area. They tilted back and were very comfortable to sink into.

Cons

• The cheapest cabin was small and on the waterline which made for exceptionally rocky first night out of Bergen (which is apparently to be expected but it still took me by surprise).
• I loved the vibe of the ship we were on! The crew and passengers were all fun and good natured and it felt communal. This is probably part luck but it had that holiday vibe.
• We figured out once we got onboard that you couldn’t upgrade to full board once aboard. So, by the time we figured out we wanted to upgrade (which we figured out would have been cheaper) it was too late. I’d recommend doing the math on dining before your voyage and deciding ahead of time. Even with some lunches in port, it would have been cheaper for us (and the food was yum!).
• If you didn’t pay for full board, you weren’t allowed to drink the tea and had to pay full price for both tea and coffee.
• The casual pizza place closed quite early when we went, so one night we only figured out it was closed when it was too late. Triple check the restaurant timings!
• Booking a port to port booking was less intuitive on the Hurtigruten website than it was on the Havila website. I had to find a sailing date for a full cruise up the coast and then email to ask about port to port.

Havila

Pros

• We had an accessible room at the cheapest price. It was mid way up the ship (so less rocky) the beds were bigger and more comfortable. It felt like staying in a mid tier hotel chain. I imagine (with both companies) that the fancier rooms would be lovely.
• The cocktail bar was very sleek and the margarita was yummy! It felt like being in a cocktail bar at sea.
• The Polaris had plenty of different outside viewing decks and levels so you could see things from different perspectives.
• You could also walk around the front of the ship in front of the viewing cabin. A pro for a nice view but a con for the people sitting inside behind you lol.
• The ship felt modern and was very quiet.
• It was very easy to book a port to port booking on the Havila website.

Cons

• The size of the ship and the large capacity for ‘hop on and off’ guests made it feel less intimate and more anonymous.
• I understand the breakfast was engineered to minimise waste but it was extremely underwhelming. The hot items ordered from the waitress were absolutely tiny and the buffet options were not expansive.
• Elements of the deck outside were super slippery! A bit spooky when you are in arctic freezing waters.

Caveat

We spent 3 days on the Hurtigruten MS Nordlys and only one night + one full day on the Havila MS Polaris. As such, we didn’t have the opportunity to try more meals on the Havila. As we were a port to port booking, I can’t compare the onboarding process at the start, nor can I compare the activities and meetings.

On the Hurtigruten, we went to the evening meetings and spent time in port with our fellow passengers. Because we boarded the Havila at Svolvær and got off at Tromsø (with no port stops) I can’t compare the time in port.

Another caveat is that we spent New Year’s Eve on the Hurtigruten. Although most of the evening was quiet, we did stand on the back of the boat with champagne, sparklers and ABBA music at midnight. Sometimes I think a fun and memorable occasion like this shrouds your experience with a bit of nostaglia, hence the caveat.

Comparison

In my experience, the Hurtigruten is like staying in a boutique older hotel while the Havila is like staying in a mid tier chain hotel. Personally, I preferred the charm and the history of the Hurtigruten, which has been sailing the Norwegian coast since 1893. The Hurtigruten felt a bit more like an experience and the Havila felt a bit more like a hotel on the sea. Again, though, we didn’t join the meetings so that may have been what I was missing.

I will say that both are great options and you should book what works best for your dates. I am sure that if we had only sailed Havila, I would have been very happy.

From my experience:

• If you are booking a short port to port, Havila was easier to book
• If you are booking the cheapest cabin possible, Havila’s cheapest offering was more comfortable and spacious
• If you love a buffet breakfast, book the Hurtigruten
• If you have dietary requirements (coeliac, dairy free) book the Hurtigruten (but email them to confirm)
• If you are looking for holiday camaraderie, book the Hurtigruten (depends on your group of course)
• For sleek, book the Havila. For character, book the Hurtigruten

More Norway resources

• Tromsø, Norway
• Best coffee in Tromsø, Norway
• Bergen, Norway
• Best coffee in Bergen, Norway