I traveled with Hurtigruten on the Midnotsol to Antarctica. It was such a wonderful experience, I couldn't wait to travel with them again. This time to the Arctic. I booked this trip 18 months in advance. It took 3 days of travel to reach the ship and the trip cost more than my first house but it didn't matter. I wanted to go to the Arctic and have a chance to see the Eastern Greenland National Park--the least visited national park in the world.
Imagine my disappointment when, after only one stop in the park, the Captain informed us that because Hurtigruten did not arrange for a pilot to be on board, we would not be able to make any additional landings in the park and would instead spend 2 full days at sea to arrive at the nearest point a pilot could be acquired.
We were able to see polar bears--that was a plus--but saw no walruses, very few seals, no puffins, and some whales but when a pod of narwhals appeared off the bow one morning, no announcement was made so I missed them.
My cabin was lovely and my cabin steward, Sol, was wonderful. The beds are the most comfortable I've experienced in my travels.
The one negative was the television which was supposed to be used to get announcements broadcast in one's cabin except that it automatically turned off after an hour or two so you had to keep turning it back on. Very frustrating.