This Cruise Line Brought Back a Decades-old Route — With Visits to Beautiful Islands and the World's Northernmost Town

There was no Broadway show, no ice-skating rink, no go-kart track. My suite, comfortable as it was, didn’t even have a balcony — something that’s commonplace on cruise ships these days. But, after a few days aboard the Trollfjord, I didn’t miss any of those things.

Over the years, I’ve sailed on more than 30 ships, mostly in the Caribbean. So I was intrigued by the Trollfjord, not because it can compete with the latest mega-vessels, but rather because of the way it connects with the past. The Hurtigruten ship, which was refurbished in 2023, has resumed service on a route called the Svalbard Express. First offered in 1968, the journey, which starts in Bergen, Norway, was a critical link to the far northern reaches of the country for people, mail, freight, and the occasional tourist. Last June, Hurtigruten relaunched its signature service to Svalbard, the high Arctic archipelago, aiming to shine a spotlight on the islands as well as other small communities along Norway’s long, rugged coast. (The company has also launched a new journey with a similar focus, the North Cape Express, which connects Oslo and Honningsvåg, the northernmost city on the mainland.) 

I dove in to my Svalbard Express voyage, literally, when we arrived at our second stop, Træna, a collection of more than 500 islands that are home to about the same number of people. It’s Norway’s oldest fishing community, situated at the edge of the Arctic Circle. I took the chance to go for a dip in the exceedingly clear, exceedingly frigid waters, knowing that a few short steps away was a rustic boathouse-turned-sauna where I could warm up while sipping beer and swapping stories with islanders and other Trollfjord passengers.

Farther north, in Tromsö, a small group of us set out for a 90-minute hike, which started with a quick cable-car ride to a trailhead 1,400 feet above the city. Despite the mid-60s temperatures, snow was spilled like confectioner’s sugar on the mountainside — something of a revelation for a Miami resident like me. 

A few days later, in Longyearbyen, one of the northernmost settlements in the world, I joined some fellow travelers in boarding a day-tripping catamaran with whisper-quiet hybrid-electric engines for a half day of sightseeing. We traveled through narrow channels until we came face to face with the enormous Nordenskiöld Glacier. The minty-blue ice floe struck me as impossibly huge, but our guides detailed how, because of climate change, Nordenskiöld is actually retreating at an alarming rate. 

That night, Hurtigruten arranged for a candlelit dinner ashore for 10 of us at the Longyearbyen restaurant Huset. Served in the 15,000-bottle wine cellar, the extravagant 14-course meal was brimming with local specialties such as reindeer, sea urchin, and seal.

I found plenty to enjoy aboard the ship, as well. It has 270 perfectly comfortable cabins (including 21 spacious suites, five of them with balconies). Mine, an Arctic Superior, had a sleek, neutral look, with a compact bathroom and a picture window above the bed. The main dining room, Flora, leans heavily into Scandinavian flavors — salmon is served many ways — and has numerous à la carte choices. Brasserie Árran is influenced by the culture of the Indigenous Sami people, with hearty dishes such as braised reindeer, chopped steak burgers, and roasted bone marrow. A third restaurant, Røst, does a formal New Nordic–inspired lunch and dinner. It’s included for suite guests; cabin guests can pay extra for a reservation. There’s also a bar, plenty of lounge space, a gym, and a small sauna.

During my sail, I felt comfortable and cared for at every turn, even if the vibe wasn’t fully five-star. Think of the Trollfjord as the fanciest of ferries and you, like me, will be delightfully surprised by where it can take you.

A version of this article first appeared in the February 2024 issue of Travel + Leisure, under the headline "All Points North."