I read many Hurtigruten reviews before my trip but they did not prepare me well for what to expect, so I wanted to provide some helpful tips and observations:
Weather: I was on a 6 day north-bound cruise at the end of July, the height of the Norwegian summer. It was cold (45-55 degrees F), windy, and sometimes rainy. Dress warmly, with down jackets, raincoats, hats, scarves, boots, and light gloves, especially if you want to spend time outside on the deck to see all of the beautiful scenery. Don’t be fooled by the photos on the Hurtigruten website showing sunny, blue skies. It rains an average of 230 days a year in Bergen, and the rest of the Norwegian west coast is mostly rainy and cloudy. We had two days of partial sun, which was lucky.
Excursions: We took 3 excursions: Geiranger Fjord with Trollstigen Pass, Svartisen Glacier, and the bird watching safari near the North Cape. They were all excellent, with terrific guides, well-planned itineraries, and wonderful sights. They also get you off the ship for several hours for a nice change of pace. Caveat: do not book these excursions on line! They cost us $75 US more for each person by booking in advance. It is much less expensive to buy the excursions on the ship.
Bergen is a beautiful city, especially if you are lucky enough to see it on a sunny day. Take the cable car up the mountain for excellent views.
Trondheim is a beautiful town famous for its huge beautiful cathedral. Don't bother paying for an excursion - you can easily walk along the canals and tour the cathedral by yourself using the handy map from the excursion desk. Bring your camera!
Tromso is a gorgeous town. Again, there is no reason to take an excursion. We took a city bus across the bridge to the cable cars, and then rode up the mountain for an exquisite view of the city and its surroundings. We then walked to the famous church, then back across the bridge and back to the ship with plenty of time to spare.