Another Hurtigruten question.

That first trip is only done once, departing Bergen on May 28. This is when MS Nordstjernen goes up to Svalbard for the summer season. It makes a return trip (slightly different) on August 20. It's quite likely these are fully booked by now, especially the return trip which will be the very last trip (ever) for Nordstjernen.

The "standard" coastal trip takes 11 days and can absolutely be recommended. For a first time visitor I'd say this is better. And you don't have to take it all in one go, it's also worth making a few stops if you have time and you don't have to go all the way in both directions. I'd say June can be just as good as August: more midnight sun. :-) It'll probably be less busy too, but generally less warm than August.

Thanks, bjorn, for your advice. I was aware that the Nordstjernen was a very old ship and near retirement, but will there be a new ship to replace her? I was thinking of a 2013 trip, so hopefully there may be a space.
It is hard to choose between the two voyages, both have so much to offer.

I don't know what they're planning for 2013, whether they will have a ship to use for Svalbard. But if they do, the long trip from/to Bergen will only be done once. And it doesn't provide the option of stopping along they way (I think you'd have to book all the way). So I would probably aim for the regular round trip which departs every day and provides much more flexibility.

Actually, the Svalbard trip does have some stops along the way. I have the itinerary and they say that you get off at Alesund, Trondheim, Reine, and Honningsvag. In Svalbard, stops are at Barentsburg, and finally Longyearbyen.
There is lots of cruising among the fjords. There is a flight out of Longyearbyen at the end, but I am not sure where it goes --- Bergen?

Yes of course the Svalbard trip stops for sightseeing along the way, what I meant is that you can't get off, spend a few days, and then continue on the trip.

Flights from Longyearbyen are not included but they can apparently assist with booking. There are year-round direct flights to Tromsø, and summer only flights to Oslo.

We did two weeks in Norway last August. It was a great time to be there. We didn't use the Hurtigruten exclusively, though--only for Trondheim/Alesund and Alesund/Bergen. Alesund is an amazingly beautiful place. It's certainly worth the 24 hours between ships.

Dav, would you please give me some more details of your trip. The itinerary and the different ships you travelled on.

We traveled on the Kong Harald+ from Trondheim to Alesund and +Lofoten from Alesund to Bergen. We didn't specifically pick those ships--they were just the ones scheduled on the days we were traveling.

Kong Harald is a fairly modern ship, with fittings and lounges similar to cruise ships. We boarded at 10:30 AM in Trondheim and debarked at Midnight in Trondheim. We traveled as "deck passengers," which means we didn't have a cabin. It was a pleasant trip, very scenic. We did manage to get a little shut-eye in one of the lounges.

Lofoten is one of the oldest ships in the Hurtigruten line. It is a mixed passenger and cargo ship, and it's fittings are kind of elderly. We thought it had a charming retro feel to it. We boarded around 1:00 AM and debarked early in the afternoon in Bergen. Again, we were deck passengers, managing to sack out a bit in the lounge, although it got noisy when the cargo crane was in use. Once the sun came up, everyone crowded into the outside seating areas to enjoy the view.

It was an interesting adventure. I think it was the easiest way to get to and from Alesund, given our itinerary. Both ships have cafes and restaurants, which you can use for meals, on a cash (or credit card) basis.

Lofoten is the next oldest ship in Hurtigruten's fleet and is also, I believe, soon to be retired.