Daily life on the MS Polarlys

Outside our room on deck 5 of the MS Polarlys

We are traveling on a “working” ship called the MS Polarlys – one of twelve ships owned and run by a Norwegian company called Hurtigruten. The ships travel up and down the coast of Norway carrying locals from point to point, ferrying cargo, and acting as a cruise ship for tourists. Our ship can carry over 600 passengers and has cabins for about 400 people. Some who travel overnight do not have a cabin, but spend their time in the public areas.

We are in a cabin on the fifth floor (there are seven decks). It is an outside cabin with a window, two single beds (one a pull out couch, the other like a Murphy bed). There is a fairly large closet, a small desk, and a bath with shower. It is very cozy, but comfortable. The fourth floor is where they have the dining room and other amenities. The upper or seventh floor is where the lounge area with large viewing windows is; the library and sun deck are also there. They have two elevators and a great variety of art work in the public areas. Our deck is also the exercise deck. You can make a complete circuit of the ship on the outside deck (5 rounds make a mile). So, our window looks out on this walkway, but the windows are darkened, so we do have privacy.

Breakfast is a buffet with a variety of cheeses; cold cuts; rolls, breads, and crackers; fish (mainly herring, sardines, and salmon); some egg dish; hot and cold cereals; all sorts of interesting sauces and condiments; etc. Lunch is also a buffet with similar variety. It is often a rehash of the previous night’s dinner (so if you like something in particular, come early, and you may get it again). Dinner is a set menu including an appetizer, a main course, and desert. They try to be accommodating If they are serving something you cannot have and will make substitutions.

The ship stops at 34 ports coming and going. In addition to our tour group there are many Germans and other tourists who make the same round trip. The ship has a tour manager and they sell some excursions from the ship. They may take you somewhere by bus and then bring you back to the ship at a different port. Some stops are only five minutes, others are up to three hours. You can get off at any port – but they will not wait for you to come back. They leave quite promptly!

They do not offer entertainment like on a regular cruise ship. There is a piano bar in the evening, and some ship "extras." We had a competition to name the time when we would cross the Arctic Circle. I put in a guess on a whim and came in second. My prize was an ice cube down my back (by King Neptune), a tiny glass of cloud berry wine, and a lovely book on Norway.