Northern Lights Cruise: A Norwegian journey high above the Arctic Circle

My husband and I had always hoped to revisit the scene of our summertime Scandinavian honeymoon. While other newlyweds were off to Hawaii or the Caribbean, we traveled to Denmark and Norway for two weeks in 1974, complete with backpacks and no credit cards. But over the years, other destinations got in the way, and our return never happened. So when I had the opportunity to go on Hurtigruten's Northern Lights Cruise in Norway in February '08, I didn't hesitate.

The six-day southbound cruise was aboard the MS Polarlys, which would make 32 stops along the way, taking us from Kirkenes down the coast to Bergen. Other options are to take the seven-day northbound voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes or the full 12-day, round-trip excursion. I had never been as far up as Kirkenes, which is 240 miles north of the Arctic Circle. It's in the extreme northeastern corner of Norway, near the Russian-Norwegian border. For two days before our ship's departure, we enjoyed outdoor activities in and around Kirkenes.

Arctic Adventure Resort is a family-run business in Jarfjorden that offers everything from snowmobiling to floating in a fjord. Our group donned flotation gear topped off with bright orange waterproof garb, and soon we were doing our "synchronized starfish" routine in the chilly fjord. The waters were teeming with King Crab, and afterwards we enjoyed the freshly caught harvest along with bread and wine. We also went dog sledding at BIRK in the Pasvikdalen Valley, followed by lunch of reindeer stew and vanilla custard with cloud berries.

Departure day arrived and it was time to meet our ship. The MS Polarlys is not your typical cruise ship, but a working ship. Built in 1996, it's stylishly furnished with mahogany paneling, polished brass and Norwegian contemporary art. Its 482 berths are compact and cozy, with no TV's, although the Nature Channel is right outdoors. Other amenities include a small workout room, 24-hour cafeteria and an Internet Cafe. And of course lounges and dining rooms, with no shortage of tasty food on board. It's festival seating for meals, and very casual. The ship holds 50 cars and plenty of cargo, and drops off and picks up goods along the route. In the "old days," it took three weeks to go from Hammerfest to Bergen. Now it only takes three days. Our 1,243 mile voyage was soon to begin!

Although some of the ship's stops are a quick 15-minutes, others give you ample time to stretch your sea legs and explore. It was snowing in Hammerfest when we disembarked shortly before lunch. A group of us met at a local bakery, while others strolled the wintry streets. Later that afternoon, we stopped briefly in Oksfjord, home of the majestic Oksfjord Glacier. That evening, the Northern Lights appeared as streaming white waves of light across the sky. Much later, three of us descended upon the university town of Tromso, where we sang karaoke with the locals (and didn't win any prizes). The days and nights soon had a rhythm of their own. Special shore excursions are offered for the long stops, and are worth the extra expense. I went on a bus tour from Harstad, where we visited the nearby Trondenes Kirke and then ferried across the Gullesfjord while enjoying lefse, cake, waffles and goat cheese on board. Later that evening, a group of us visited Magic Ice in Svolaer on the Lofoten Islands. It's an ice gallery and bar where we quaffed fruit flavored vodka out of ice glasses.

The landscape gradually started changing as we crossed the Arctic Circle between Ornes and Nesna. Soon I spied the spectacular Seven Sisters, looming high above the isle of Alsten. Take time to explore inside the ship, too. The Polarlys is a virtual floating gallery, complete with 100 paintings by Norwegian artists. Don't be surprised to find passengers sleeping in the library -- it's "legal" from those sailing from one town to the next. This is more of an upscale ferry than a cruise ship, and therein lies the charm. One of the highlights for me was the city of Trondheim, where my father's parents hailed from. Snow was falling lightly as our shore excursion bus took us to Utsikten for an overview of the second oldest town in Norway; we finished with a visit to the Gothic-style Nidaros Cathedral.

The vitality of the cruise comes not only from the stunning scenery, but from the passengers coming and going. It's a nice ebb and flow, and you're not stuck with the same people all week! In Trondheim, we were "invaded" by dozens of university students who were off to a music festival in Bergen. The various groups entertained us on board and at the quays of the stops along the way. During our final night aboard the Polarlys, we enjoyed a farewell dinner of reindeer meat, potatoes, Brussels sprouts and rhubarb compote. And a little bit of aquavit in the bar.

Skal!