Nordic Cruise: Arctic Circle & Fjords — 11 Nights (Part 4)
Date: 2019-10-01
Part 4 of 5: Shore Excursions (Ålesund, Honningsvåg, Tromsø, Trondheim, Molde)
Ship: MSC Preziosa — Fantasia class, 139,072 tonnes, 333.3m length, capacity 4,345 passengers + 1,388 crew. Launched 2013. Cruising speed: 24.21 knots.
Port 1: Ålesund
Latitude 62°N — just short of the Arctic Circle. Population: 45,000. A small city set in the fjords.
In 1904, a fire destroyed 850 homes in the city centre, leaving 10,000 people homeless. The German Kaiser, who often holidayed in the fjords, provided funding for reconstruction. The city was rebuilt in the then-fashionable Art Nouveau style — which now constitutes the main tourist attraction.
City Sightseeing Bus: The red open-top tourist buses that operate in cities worldwide also run in Ålesund on days cruise ships are in port — the bus comes directly to the pier. We had pre-booked online at 315 NOK per person (~¥3,925), but discovered at the bus that day-of-purchase tickets from the driver were only 158 NOK — roughly half the price. In Ålesund, buy your ticket from the driver on the day.
The route is a single loop — the town is compact. We stayed on the bus throughout due to heavy rain, and got off at the Ålesund Aquarium at the end of the route.
Ålesund Aquarium: The aquarium draws directly from the adjacent fjord. Contents: mackerel with beautiful blue stripes, flatfish buried in sand, hermit crabs in glass shells (showing the interior clearly), snow crab, and at the outdoor pool — a thoroughly relaxed seal, apparently perfectly content in conditions we found extremely cold and wet. The fish on display are largely the same species fished commercially in these waters: cod, crab, herring, sardine, mackerel, plaice, and flounder. Whaling also occurs here as in Japan. A notably edible aquarium.
On departure: the harbour police escort the ship to the port entrance — standard procedure at each Norwegian port.
Port 2: Honningsvåg
Said to be the northernmost inhabited town on Earth, deep inside the Arctic Circle. The ship continued north into permanent daylight — the ship's newspaper weather section showed sunrise at 3:25am with no sunset.
MSC Preziosa is too large for the pier; disembarkation required tender boats. Tender tickets available from Deck 7, 8am–11:30am.
The weather: all-day rain, cold (below 10°C), wind, and a feels-like temperature near 0°C. We collected tender boat tickets but did not use them — decided to rest on board and preserve energy for the Tromsø excursion the next day.
At midnight, photographed from the cabin: still light outside, though overcast. The midnight sun tour (to the North Cape globe monument) operated that day, but those who went reported clouds blocking the sun and a quick photo at the monument before retreating to the bus.
Port 3: Tromsø
Arrival: approximately 1:30pm after departing Honningsvåg at 2am (still light). The largest city in the Arctic Circle, with an international airport and Tromsø University — described as the world's northernmost university, with around 10,000 students and a focus on Arctic research.
Excursion: Husky and Nature Walk (€200/person)
A 30-minute bus ride from the pier to a husky farm on the island across a long bridge from the city centre. The farm keeps 300 huskies — mid-sized dogs suited for sled pulling. 6 to 12 huskies pull one sled; they eat raw red meat rather than dog food, which produces better musculature and coat condition.
The farm owner is a Norwegian woman — the first female competitive sled dog racer in the country. Now in her 60s, she still races the Iditarod in Alaska annually with her son.
The puppies: A litter had just been born. After getting permission from the mother (petting the mother first to show the pups were safe to handle), we held 2–3-month-old puppies — one black, one grey. The farm manager also showed us 2-week-old pups, still trembling. Rare to see.
The hike: Waterproof rubber boots provided; waterproof jackets recommended (loanable). Each pair of hikers was paired with one husky. Ours: a 3-year-old male named Twitter. Fit a harness to the dog, attach to a waist belt — and immediately get pulled forward with surprising force. Twitter weighed less than either of us; a full sled team of six would be unstoppable.
The terrain: tundra bog. Looks like grassland from above; feels like walking on a very thick, very wet sponge. Occasional deep pools — we were briefed on how to extract a boot from a suction trap.
90 minutes total, with a coffee and chocolate cake break midway. The fjord panorama was visible in the distance; we were too busy keeping up with Twitter to look at it properly.
The guide's parting comment: "Come back in winter. The huskies will take you to the aurora viewing point — you just sit on the sled."
Port 4: Trondheim
Former medieval capital of Norway; located at approximately the country's midpoint on the map. Arrived 10am in light drizzle.
Walked from the cruise terminal (beside the train station serving both north and south Norway) through the old waterfront warehouse district — some buildings renovated into shops and cafés — to the main shopping street and the Nidaros Cathedral.
Nidaros Cathedral: First built in 1152. Rebuilt, repaired, and restored after fires, lightning strikes, and age; the present façade is largely restoration work but imposing. The city's main landmark.
Espresso House café: Double espresso: 46 NOK (~¥525). Cashless payment accepted without difficulty; free WiFi fast enough for Skype calls. The Scandinavian reputation for digital infrastructure and cashless society is accurate.
H&M: Two stores within 5 minutes of each other — H&M's home country of Sweden is a short distance away.
Troll souvenirs: Norway's famous folkloric creatures appear in every gift shop — pottery, magnets, keyrings, figurines in Viking, football, surfer, and skier outfits. Every conceivable interpretation of the same hairy, big-nosed, occasionally multi-headed creature from Norse mythology.
Port 5: Molde
Arrived in perfect sunshine at 7am — the first clear-sky morning of the entire cruise (ports consistently had worse weather than sea days). Everyone flooded ashore.
Molde is sheltered by mountains to the north that block cold winds, giving it a milder microclimate than its latitude suggests. The town is famous for its roses — when we visited, roses were in full bloom in a garden directly beside the cathedral.
The view from the pier in the other direction: snow-capped fjord mountains visible even in summer, rising from the opposite shore.
MSC-UNICEF Partnership: MSC Cruises collects €1 per guest to fund a malnutrition relief programme for children in developing countries, with a 3-year target of €10 million. The programme operates independently of any specific cruise.
Time: 5–6 hours in Molde — not enough for the Rauma Railway (runs through fjord mountain scenery) or the Atlantic Road (a bridge series across the Norwegian Sea where spray hits cars in heavy weather). Both are recommended for longer visits.
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