Travel with Hurtigruten to Norway's far north, fjords, and other destinations

Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten recently announced several new adventures to go along with its already exciting catalog of expedition cruises. The company's 2010-2011 brochures include expanded offerings in Greenland, Spitsbergen, and the Antarctic, along with established Norwegian highlights such as the west coast and the fjords.

The traditional Hurtigruten cruise along Norway's west coast to the land of the midnight sun is offered in several variations: one-way cruises between Bergen and Kirkenes (7 days northbound or 6 days southbound) and a 12-day round-trip voyage from Bergen. The round-trip cruise calls at 34 ports. (Click here for pricing.)

If Norway's far north just isn't Arctic enough for you, Hurtigruten's Spitsbergen cruises will take you even further. Spitsbergen is the largest island in the Svalbard Archipelago, which lies between 76 and 81 degrees north latitude, about halfway between Norway and the North Pole. The northermost land in Europe, the islands have been part of Norway since 1925. Hurtigruten offers three different 9-day itineraries around Spitsbergen, as well as a 6-day version. The cost for the 9-day trips ranges from $3,532 to $8,887 depending on the itinerary and dates; the 6-day cruise starts at $1,145.

Hurtigruten also offers a 10-day Norwegian fjords cruise ($1,254 and up) that begins in Dover, England, and crosses the North Sea to Stavanger before visiting several of the country's most famous fjords, including Hardangerfjord, Sognefjord, and Geirangerfjord. The voyage calls at several coastal cities including Alesund and Bergen before ending in Oslo.

From Oslo, Hurtigruten also runs a 10-day round-trip Baltic Sea Tour that visits Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, and Gdynia, Poland (from $3,335).

If you've got money to spare, there are also 11- and 18-day cruise to Greenland, starting at $7,257 and $11,541, respectively (round-trip flights from Copenhagen included). New this year is a one-way cruise from southern Greenland to New York City, with stops in Newfoundland, Labrador, and Massachusetts. Prices start at $4,249 and include flights from New York to Copenhagen and Copenhagen to Greenland.

In the southern hemisphere, Hurtigruten also offers 13- to 22-day itineraries to Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia Island.

Visit the Hurtigruten website for more information on their 2010-2011 expeditions.

Photo: Hurtigruten "Nordlys," by Terje Rakke/Nordic life/Innovation Norway