I have recently returned from the most incredible experience with HX Hurtigruten Expeditions - sailing the icy fjords of Disko Bay in Greenland!
I started my journey with a one night stay in Iceland, where I got to meet my lovely HX group! We walked along the coast of Reykjavik, where we saw the famous Viking longboat! Then, we headed up rainbow street to Hallgrimskirkja cathedral!
The next day, it was time to fly to Greenland! The views of all the icebergs in Greenland were amazing! Finally, we made it to the ship, and we boarded MS Fridtjof Nansen – my home for the next 12 nights. I couldn't believe how spacious my cabin was!
I stayed in a polar outside cabin and it has everything you could want – tea and coffee, hairdryer, TV with all your cruise information on and the curtains were brilliant at blocking the light out (very much needed for an expedition under the midnight sun!). Also, there was underfloor heating in the bathroom which was perfect to dry out your wet clothes!
I headed up to deck 7, where I spent a lot of time wildlife watching, for the sail away from Nuuk and I couldn't believe how light it was at 10pm!
The first day we were at sea, which meant it was the perfect time to explore the ship! Before that, we went to all the very important safety briefings and signed up for our exciting optional excursions on the HX app! On the app, you can book excursions and dining and most importantly it tells you which animal group you are in. Each animal group gets a time slot which tells you when you are going out on the zodiacs. It is important to respect the timings of this!
After this, I headed straight to the sauna where you can relax whilst watching the open waters, and I saw a seal bob his head up out of the water! To cool off, I headed outside to the hot tubs and pool area on deck 10. You can also find the explorer lounge on deck 10 which is where we spent most of our evenings. Here, you have panoramic views, so it is perfect for watching wildlife whilst sipping on a cocktail.
Our first port was in Ilulissat, where we did a boat tour around the ice fjords. The reflection from the water was unreal and it was so peaceful navigating around the icebergs. We were lucky enough to see humpback whales and one even went under our boat! Then we hiked to the ice fjords and got to see how vast they were from a distance!
The next day, we sailed towards a heart-shaped mountain – the town of Uuummannaq. Here, we hiked to ‘Santa’s hut’. This was one of the included excursions and was probably my favourite hike that I did! The views along the coast were so beautiful. On all hikes, there are at least two members of the expedition team who join you. One who leads the group and the second, who is always in front, scouts for polar bears! The terrain was quite rocky in places, but they give you hiking poles to use!
At around 10pm that night, I was about to go to sleep when they announced on the PA system that they could see some blows ahead! I quickly wrapped up and headed straight to deck 7 where I was lucky enough to see five fin whales! It was a very special moment, and I was very glad I got out of bed to see them!
The following day we were up early as we went kayaking around Uummannaq fjord! If you want to kayak, you MUST attend the briefing on the sea day as this is where you sign a waiver, and they teach you about how to stay safe in the water. The whole experience was great, and the guides really look after you when you’re kayaking! The same afternoon we got our first experience of zodiac cruising! In your cabin, you have a life vest which you must wear on the zodiacs. You also must wear boots which are given to you on your first day of sailing! Seeing all the different formations of icebergs was incredible and we saw many different bird species!
Over the next few days, the weather took a bit of a turn! It became a lot colder and foggier meaning we couldn’t get to do some of our landings! However, we still got to cruise in the zodiacs including visiting Eqip Sermia, Alluttoq Island and Avannaata. This is where I braved a polar plunge!! The outside temperature was 4C, and the sea temperature was 2.4C! It was very cold, but I am very glad I did it - not many people can say they have dipped their toe in the Arctic!
During our cruising days, we got to spend a lot of time on the ship and were taken to the bridge to meet the captain! I couldn’t believe how small the controls were to steer such a big ship! Also, we were taken on a tour of the all the different state rooms. All the cabins were beautiful and spacious with many have private balconies so you could spot wildlife from the comfort of your cabin!
That evening, we got to dine in the Lindstrom restaurant. If you are a suite customer, you can eat all your meals in this restaurant. As we were staying in a polar outside cabin, we had to pay a supplement of €35 per person for dinner. It was completely worth it as the food was incredible! Usually, we would eat all our meals in the main restaurant – Aune. At breakfast and lunch, it is buffet where the variety of food is huge, and dinner is a 3-course meal with waiter service. If you fancy more of a snack like burgers, tacos or hotdogs etc you can visit Fredheim restaurant. Here, they also have regular themed nights – Greenlandic, Indian, Italian and Asian. The Greenlandic night was delicious!
For our final two days, we visited the towns of Qeqertarsuaq and Sisimuit. Here, I did an optional excursion which was hiking 8km of the Arctic Circle trail. The Greenlandic landscapes surprised me with how green and mountainous they were! On the way back we saw many Greenlandic Sled Dogs – they were so cute!
On board, there is no entertainment but for the last night the crew treated us to some karaoke, and a farewell evening from the captain and entertainment team! It was such a lovely evening to end the cruise.
My HX trip to Greenland has been one of the best experiences of my life! If you love wildlife, nature, mountainous landscapes and incredible views then Greenland needs to be the next place on your list to visit! HX Hurtigruten Expeditions as a cruise line are incredible and all the staff are so knowledgeable and hardworking. They do expedition cruising properly, and I would highly recommend everyone to try out their cruises!
