Hurtigruten: Original Coastal Express vs. Signature Voyages

If you’ve been looking into Norway cruises, you’ve probably stumbled across Hurtigruten — and then immediately gotten a little confused by the options. Original? Signature? Coastal Express? North Cape Line? What does it all mean, and which one is actually right for you?

I’ve sailed both, so let me break it down in plain English.

First, a Little History (Because It’s Actually Really Cool)

Hurtigruten literally means “the fast route” in Norwegian. It started back in 1893 when Captain Richard With sailed his ship DS Vesteraalen along the Norwegian coast, connecting remote communities that had no other reliable way to receive mail, goods, or passengers. Think of it less like a cruise line and more like a postal route that happened to go through some of the most stunning scenery on earth. Those stunning views made him realize that people might pay to see them as well as for transportation and mail.

That heritage is still very much alive today. The Original Coastal Express still operates as a working ferry service — carrying locals, cargo, and yes, tourists — up and down the Norwegian coast year-round, just as it has for over 130 years. That’s not a marketing line, that’s literally what it is.

In recent years, Hurtigruten introduced something new: Signature Voyages. These are a different animal entirely — more like a traditional small ship cruise experience, designed for travelers who want a curated, all-inclusive journey with longer port stays and more classic cruise experience. Same stunning Norway; very different vibe.

So What’s the Difference? The Short Version

Think of it this way:

Original Coastal Express = authentic working ferry + tourism. You’re traveling like a local. Lots of ports, real communities, some stops are 15 minutes, some are several hours. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s incredible.
Signature Voyages = small ship boutique cruise. Fewer ports, longer stays, all-inclusive food and drinks, more guided experiences. It’s Norway, elevated.

Neither is better. They’re just different trips for different travelers.

The Original Coastal Express — Travel Like a Local

This is where it all started. The Coastal Express runs Bergen to Kirkenes and back — 34 ports, 2,500 nautical miles, 12 days roundtrip. It sails every single day of the year, rain or shine, Northern Lights or Midnight Sun.

Because it’s still a working ferry service, you’ll share the ship with actual Norwegians hopping between ports for everyday life. That’s part of the charm. Some stops are in the middle of the night. Some are only 15-30 minutes. You may not even get off the ship at every port — and that’s totally fine, because just watching this coastline glide by is a trip in itself.

The Ships

Seven ships rotate on the Coastal Express route depending on your departure date. They range from the classic and intimate MS Vesterålen (274 guests, freshly refurbished in 2025) to larger ships like MS Richard With. All have similar amenities: fitness rooms, saunas on most ships, hot tubs on select ships (MS Nordnorge, MS Nordkapp, MS Polarlys and MS Richard With), onboard shops, and laundry facilities.

Food & Drinks

All three meals are included — breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the main restaurant Torget. Tea, filter coffee and water are included throughout the day. Beyond that, drinks are extra unless you upgrade your fare. Speaking of which…

Fare Tiers (Coastal Express):

Basic — cabin assigned at check-in, meals included, drinks extra
Select — choose your cabin, complimentary tea and coffee, basic Wi-Fi
Platinum — full drinks package, all dinners à la carte at Kysten (the onboard fine-dining restaurant), two seasonal excursions included, priority airport transfers in select ports

There’s also a paid bistro (Brygga) for casual bites and a bakery (Multe) for pastries, smoothies, and Lofoten ice cream. Yes, brown cheese ice cream is a thing. You should try it!

Excursions

Excursions are NOT included and are booked separately. The options are genuinely great — dog sledding, kayaking, sea eagle safaris, Viking history tours, cathedral concerts in Tromsø, ice fishing, king crab experiences in Honningsvåg… the list goes on. Because the ship visits multiple ports per day, you can sometimes stack more than one excursion on the same day.

Pre-book when you can — popular ones sell out. You can book up to 4 weeks before departure or grab remaining spots onboard.

Port to Port

Here’s something a lot of people don’t realize: you don’t have to do the full voyage. The Original Coastal Express allows port-to-port travel, meaning you can board in one city and disembark in another. You can even bring your car! This makes it a great option for travelers who want to use the ship as scenic transportation between two Norwegian destinations rather than committing to a full roundtrip.

I did the port to port from Tromso to Kirkenes because I wanted to go to the Snow Hotel!

Signature Voyages — Norway, Elevated

The Signature Voyages launched in recent years as Hurtigruten’s answer to travelers who want something closer to a traditional boutique cruise experience. Currently there are two main options: The North Cape Line and The Svalbard Line, both sailing on the flagship MS Trollfjord.

Where the Coastal Express is about breadth — seeing as much of Norway as possible — the Signature experience is about depth. Fewer ports, but you actually stay long enough to explore them. No cargo operations. No local passengers hopping on for a quick run between towns. Just you, the ship, and Norway.

I sailed the North Cape Line and I’ll be honest: it felt like a completely different company even though it’s the same brand.

The Ship — MS Trollfjord

The Signature voyages operate on MS Trollfjord (and the recently added MS Finnmarken). The Trollfjord is stunning — panoramic lounges, a two-story observation deck, three dining venues, a spa and sauna, and some of the most gorgeous suites I’ve seen on a small ship. It’s sleek and modern while still feeling very Norwegian.

Note: hot tubs are NOT on MS Trollfjord, so if that’s a must for you, keep that in mind.

Food & Drinks — Fully All-Inclusive

This is where Signature really shines. Everything is included:

Flora — the main restaurant, buffet breakfast and lunch, plated dinners
Brasserie Árran — Nordic dishes with Sámi cultural influences, available for lunch and dinner
Røst — upscale fine-dining à la carte (included for suite guests; others can book at an added cost)
Unlimited selected drinks at meals and in the 1893 Bar throughout the voyage

We decided to splurge at Rost on the last night to try King Crab and Tomahawk steak!

No nickel-and-diming. No calculating what your wine is going to cost you at dinner. It’s all in.

About 80% of the food is sourced from producers along the coastline during peak season — so what you’re eating genuinely changes depending on where the ship is. Cod from Vesterålen, cheese from Lofoten, craft beer from Bergen. It’s a whole vibe.

Excursions

Like the Coastal Express, excursions are an add-on — but the Signature experience comes with a much larger Expedition Team with double the guides, which means more curated options, more expert commentary, and a more immersive on-shore experience. Think: guided hikes with naturalists, Sami cultural encounters, igloo hotel visits, dog sledding, Northern Lights photography sessions.

The Sea Eagle Safari was one of my faves!

For the Signature Astronomy Voyage specifically, you get access to up to 40 guests sailing with Tom Kerss — literally the world’s first Chief Aurora Chaser — who runs eight dedicated lectures and gives real-time Northern Lights updates throughout the voyage. If the aurora is your main reason for going to Norway, this is as good as it gets.

Port to Port

Cars are NOT permitted on Signature ships, and port-to-port travel isn’t part of the Signature model. These are designed as full journey experiences from start to finish. If you need flexibility to hop on and off, the Original Coastal Express is your friend.

Which One is Right for You?

This is my favorite part — and honestly, it’s very much a “choose your own adventure” situation (you know how I feel about those!).

You want the Coastal Express if:

You want to feel like you’re actually IN Norway, not just looking at it from a ship
You love the idea of authentic port towns, locals on board, and a more unscripted adventure
You want maximum ports and maximum Norway
You’re traveling with more flexibility on budget
You want to bring your car or do a point-to-point journey

You want Signature Voyages if:

You want a more relaxed, curated experience without having to think too hard
All-inclusive (especially drinks!) matters to you
You want longer time in each port to actually explore
The Northern Lights or Midnight Sun are a bucket list moment and you want the best possible setup to experience them
You’re celebrating something special

You want BOTH if:

You’re me 😄

Honestly, if you have the time and budget, doing both is the ultimate Norway experience. Start with the Coastal Express to get the real, raw Norway and follow it up with a Signature voyage for the elevated version. I’ve done it and I’d do it again in a heartbeat!

I actually started in Oslo and took the Signature North Cape Line up to Tromsø, then did a port-to-port over to Kirkenes so I could visit the Snow Hotel — which was incredible. That’s the beauty of Hurtigruten: it’s incredibly flexible depending on where you want to go and what you want to see.

The snow hotel I snuck off to after the port to port!

Ready to Sail Norway?

Whether you’re drawn to the romance of the original mail route or the all-inclusive polish of the Signature experience, I’d love to help you figure out which one (or both!) is the right fit.

Reach out here and let’s find your perfect Norwegian adventure! ⚓

Carly is a travel agent and the founder of PACE Destinations, specializing in G Adventures and expedition travel. She has sailed both the Original Coastal Express and Hurtigruten’s Signature North Cape Line.

Hurtigruten: Original Coastal Express vs. Signature Voyages — Which One is Right for You?

First, a Little History (Because It’s Actually Really Cool)

So What’s the Difference? The Short Version