A cruise through time in Norway

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Picture the Norwegian coast of the late 1800s, peppered with remote fishing villages reliant on the ocean yet isolated by it, since travel between north and south was long and arduous.

That changed in 1893, when a new steamship began offering a speedy connection between these small coastal communities, carrying cargo, people and post. Named ‘hurtig ruten’ – meaning ‘the fast route’ – it gave rise to the cruise line we know today.

Within a few years, the company was venturing as far as the remote island of Spitsbergen – and more than a century and a quarter later, The Svalbard Line has been relaunched as a flagship route of Hurtigruten’s new Signature collection.

Our fam trip group of 11 agents and trade partners were among the first to get a glimpse of the premium voyages on refurbished ship Trollfjord, to see what clients can expect from this revamped route.