The allure of maritime exploration beckons to us all at one time or another with the promise of a seafaring voyage to lands afar, perhaps the same charted courses followed by the Vikings and other legendary explorers from the past. I have long dreamed of sailing upon the cresting waves of the North Sea along a rugged Norwegian coast; a majestic setting where spectacular fjords carve their way between the mountains and the only sounds breaking this idyllic silence is the crashing of the waves, thundering waterfalls heard on high, and perhaps a cacophony of seagulls flying alongside my vessel. This is the stuff of dreams, the voyage of a lifetime.

Tracing its roots back 1893 when a fledgling shipping line began operations along the hurtigruten or "swift route," the Hurtigruten line sailed along the western coast of Norway from Trondheim to Hammerfest, far above the Arctic circle. More than a century later, Hurtigruten expeditions venture beyond the Norwegian coast—Spitsbergen, Svalbard; Iceland; Greenland and even to ends of the earth—Antarctica!

Sail upon a Norwegian vessel designed not only for maritime trade and transport but for leisure travel as well. While the ship's operations get underway each day, you and your fellow travelers are off on your next adventure to explore and discover the rich heritage and traditions of each new port of call. And when you arrive, be sure to take a good long look at your surrounds. What sets this port apart from the last? How has the landscape changed? What indelible impressions from the past will you discover? "Connect with your inner explorer" is Hurtigruten's hallmark and it's easy to understand why!