15-night Scandinavia cruise: Hamburg, Germany to Longyearbyen on MS Fram
The Sublime Svalbard – From Hamburg via Norway’s Springtime Fjords is a 15-night Scandinavia cruise aboard MS Fram, operated by HX Expeditions. Departing Hamburg, Germany on May 3, 2027 and arriving in Longyearbyen on May 18, 2027, the voyage visits 11 ports including Esbjerg, Haugesund, Sognefjord. Fares start from $10,167 per person.
Fixed editorial images from the places on this itinerary. They stay stable each time you return to this sailing.
Hamburg, Germany
Located between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, Hamburg will fascinate you from the moment you first set eyes on its elegant and austere buildings looking onto the port, one of the largest in Europe.
When you reach this destination on an MSC Cruise of Northern Europe, you can get a taste of its glorious history. Hamburg is a cosmopolitan, wealthy and fashionable city, with an aggressive economy, that still prides itself of the title “free Hanseatic city”.
It has, in fact, never cut its umbilical cord with maritime trade that has its heart in the port where your cruise liner will be waiting for you. Many tourist come here to visit the Reeperbahn, the red light district, but if you want to take in the atmosphere of the city, you shouldn’t miss an excursion to Speicherstadt (Warehouse Town), where the cobbled streets, gables and turrets combine to make the area on the other side of Zollkanal (Tax Canal) a world apart from the city opposite.
Another city icon, St Michaelis, at the western edge of the city centre by Ludwig-Erhard-Strasse, is Hamburg’s iconic church and no wonder. More than any other building, the “Michael” mirrors the city’s irrepressible spirit. Burned down after a lightning strike in1750, it was rebuilt in Baroque style under Ernst Georg Sonnin but it again accidently caught fire in1906.
In 1945, the Allies obliterated the roof and decor of church number three. Reconstructed again to Sonnin’s plans, it is now the finest Baroque church in North Germany. Probably the most gratifying attraction during an excursion on an MSC Cruise is the scenery you can admire from one of the best views over Hamburg: the 360-degree panorama takes in Speicherstadt, the container port and shipping on the Elbe, the Alster lakes, and the five spires of the churches and Rathaus.
Haugesund
With Norway possessing countless famous natural landmarks—its glorious fjords practically enjoy celebrity status—the town of Haugesund, in the southern county of Rogaland, can be overlooked despite its history as a center of the country’s Viking rulers. Norway’s first king, Harald Fairhair, whose rule began in the latter half of the 9th century, lived nearby, and he and several other early kings are buried in a mound here along the Karmsundet Strait. Today, Norwegians know the town as a cultural center with popular music and film festivals, as well as for being a beneficiary of Norway’s petroleum wealth. As in many Scandinavian port towns, a long row of handsome old commercial buildings line the Smedasundet waterfront; today, they house busy restaurants. A block inland, the Haraldsgata pedestrian street has a folk museum, the brick Our Savior’s Church and plenty of shopping. At the edge of town, a huge granite obelisk erected in 1872 commemorates the 1,000th anniversary of the seminal Battle of Hafrsfjord, when Harald Fairhair led his forces to victory and united Norway in the process. It is also easy to get from Haugesund to the massive glacier fields of Folgefonna National Park and to the 612-meter-high (2,008-foot) Langfoss waterfall.
Andalsnes
Åndalsnes is located at the mouth of the river Rauma, at the shores of the Romsdalsfjord, one of the fjords protected as a UNESCO world heritage site. Famous in the 19th century for salmon fishing, the Rauma flows through the Romsdalen Valley widely considered some of the most breathtaking scenery in all of Norway. Although the river’s salmon stocks are now being replenished, today Andalsnes is better known as a centre of excellenece for Norwegian alpine sports. Mountaineering, climbing, hiking and even base jumping are all readably accessible.
A newly opened Norwegian Mountaineering centre boasts Norway’s highest indoor climbing wall. Some 15 kms out of Andalsnes is the Trollstigen (Troll Road), a mountain road that climbs the pass between the Isterdalen and Valldal valley. It’s one of Norway’s major attractions due to the steep inclines and eleven hairpin bends, only open in the summer months. Equally exciting is a three hour round rail trip from Andalsnes to Dombas on the Rauma Railway line. A feast for the eyes from the comfort of a carriage, mountains, valleys and waterfalls come into sight, as the route follows the Rauma river. Trains thoughtfully slow down at the most photogenic spots. A feat of civil engineering the track passes over countless bridges and through tunnels, the train even performs a 180 degree turn underground. Easily missed, look out at the train station in Andalsnes for a chapel converted from an old red "Intercity Special" railway carriage. The only train chapel in Norway and perhaps the world!
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Follow the entire sailing from its first day to its last, with the route and schedule in one view.
Day 1·May 3, 2027
Hamburg, Germany
Located between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, Hamburg will fascinate you from the moment you first set eyes on its elegant and austere buildings looking onto the port, one of…
MS Fram was purpose-built as an expedition vessel with a superior ice class, chart drawing tools, a ship depth-sounding database, extractable forward sounding sonar, iceberg search lights, an autonomous tracking system, an oversized oil retention system for self-sufficiency, and a full ‘expedition tools deck’ equivalent to a car-deck that holds 25 vehicles. We believe that as an explorer, you need an ‘expedition base camp’ that is comfortable. It should combine ‘all oceans capabilities’ with safety, flexibility, and environmental friendliness. That’s MS Fram. She’s simply the best expedition ship imaginable.
This ship has passed stringent tests and is accredited by Bureau Veritas (BV), the leading independent certification body. BV’s strict and thorough safety audit ensures that every ship complies with industry and international best practices in health, safety and hygiene. Feel confident when you see the SafeGuard label, as this means your vessel met the highest standards to achieve certification. SafeGuard also entails following best practice guidelines with regard to hygiene, sanitation and limiting the spread of infectious diseases on board.
Fram means ‘forward’ — lifting our expectations of the cruise ahead. MS Fram was built in 2007 with one mission in mind: to bring her guests closer to nature, wildlife, and unforgettable experiences. The spacious outside decks include access to the very front of the ship, which is perfect for observing marine wildlife.
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