Built in 1993,
Kong Harald from Norwegian Coastal Voyage is an 11,200-ton, 490-passenger ship providing cargo and passenger service from Bergen in the south to 35 ports along the Norwegian coast as far north as Kirkenes, Norway.
Thirteen ships maintain this year-round service, and they fall into four categories: the millennium ships, new ships, mid-generation ships, and two traditional ships, the last category operating only in the off-season. The trend is moving increasingly toward a cruise operation. However, most oceangoing cruise itineraries visit just a few Norwegian ports while also calling in other countries.
This daily domestic coastal service dates to 1893 when steamships began carrying the mail, cargo and passengers between the more settled Norway in the south and the remote islands and coastline in the north.
On this ship, as with others in the fleet, officers and staff are Norwegian, and passengers are mostly European, with Norwegian, German and British predominating. Americans, too, appear more often on these newest vessels—often in groups. All ages wil be aboard especially in the summer months when more families appear and the backpacker set begins vacation travel.
The complete round voyage from Bergen, Norway takes 12 days. One-way segments are popular and can be combined with rail, coach and air travel. Packages are available, including air from the U.S. Time in port, geared to cargo and mail handling, varies from 15 minutes to several hours, and shore excursions are arranged. Some of these have passengers disembarking at one port and rejoining the ship at another by traveling inland and along the fjords.
Most passengers prefer the round-the-clock daylight of mid-May through July, but the northern lights are best early in the year, and Christmas jaunts attract those who do not mind long, dark nights. Passengers should prepare for some rough seas, as several relatively short passages traverse open waters.
Public rooms, including two named after Norwegian explorers Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen, have thick carpeting, rich matching fabrics, plenty of brass, glass and sheen, and lovely art reflecting Norway's seagoing heritage. The highest of the six passenger decks has a wraparound lounge and an adjacent cocktail lounge.
The middle deck has a second cocktail lounge with light entertainment, a library, card room, conference room, 24-hour cafeteria, small souvenir shop, playroom, video arcade, and a long gallery leading to the 240-seat dining room.
All ships have cafeterias for port-to-port passengers, whereas one-way and round-trip cruise passengers have all meals included in the fare. Service ranges from friendly to blunt. Breakfast and lunch are buffet-style, while dinner is from a set menu at reserved tables. The fresh Norwegian fare emphasizes seafood, with lunch the most popular meal and the one that offers the most varied selections.
Enjoying good conversation and gorgeous scenery and watching cargo move on and off are the main diversions, but an elaborate event marks the crossing of the Arctic Circle. The ship also has a gym, sauna and laundry. Cabins are light, airy and spare, with audio channels, automated wake-up calls, good stowage, tiled showers and hair dryers. Most cabins are outsides with sofa and rollaway beds, and many have upper berths. Some are inside without any view.
Thee amenities are numerous and sophisticated and the experience is now closer to being a cruise though happily on a smallish scale that fits in with the coastal towns visited. The Alaska Marine Highway along the Inside Passage would be the closest equivalent to this now unique service.
