MS Nordlys sailing in Trondheimsfjorden, Norway.
Photo: Bloodworx | Licence: CC0 1.0; crop by CruisePing.
MS Nordlys is a strong Coastal Express choice for travellers who want hybrid propulsion without moving into Hurtigruten’s Signature product. Its 2024 refurbishment is recent, its 505-guest maximum is manageable and its Northern Lights-inspired interior suits the route. I would still choose date and cabin before paying extra for Nordlys specifically, because the Coastal Express experience is intentionally consistent across the fleet.
MS Nordlys is a good example of why Hurtigruten ship choice needs restraint. The ship has its own character, but the Norwegian coast remains the main event. It follows the same working Coastal Express pattern as its six route partners, calling at communities day and night while carrying local passengers and cargo alongside holidaymakers.
The practical attraction is a useful combination of size and recent engineering work. Nordlys entered service in 1994, received a major interior refurbishment in 2019 and returned from dry dock after hybrid and environmental upgrades in 2024. That gives the ship a newer technical story than its build year suggests without pretending that the accommodation has become a new-build product.
MS Nordlys at a glance
| Cruise line | Hurtigruten |
|---|---|
| Ship class or type | Hybrid Coastal Express ship |
| Entered service | 1994 |
| Last major refurbishment | 2019 interior refurbishment; hybrid and environmental upgrade in 2024 |
| Gross tonnage | 11,204 GT |
| Length | 121.8 m |
| Guest capacity | 505 maximum |
| Crew | No fixed current guest-facing complement published |
| Passenger decks | Main passenger accommodation and public areas span Decks 2-7 |
| Cabins or suites | 200 cabins, including 20 suites |
| Accessible cabins | Cabins 331, 333 and 335 plus suite 643; automatic doors and wheelchair storage in designated rooms |
| Dining venues | Torget, Brygga and Kysten, plus Multe bakery and café |
| Bars and lounges | Panoramic lounge and Explorer Lounge & Bar |
| Pools and hot tubs | No conventional pool; Nordlys is not among the Coastal Express ships currently specified with outdoor hot tubs |
| Library | No large traditional library; the lounges are the practical quiet-reading spaces |
| Spa and fitness | Sauna and fitness room |
| Children’s facilities | No resort-style children’s club; limited crib-compatible cabins and a destination-led family experience |
| Adults-only facilities | No dedicated adults-only enclave |
| Wi-Fi | Free Wi-Fi available throughout the ship |
| UK departures or deployment | Year-round Coastal Express departures in Norway; UK guests normally join in Bergen, Kirkenes or another Norwegian port |
Best suited to
- Travellers wanting one of the recently upgraded hybrid Coastal Express ships
- Couples and independent travellers who value scenery and a quiet Nordic interior
- Passengers who want English-language lectures without a large cruise-ship entertainment programme
Think carefully if
- Outdoor hot tubs are a must-have part of your Norway plan
- You expect a large spa, theatre or broad family-entertainment programme
- You are very sensitive to overnight port operations and cannot choose a suitable cabin
The booking decision
Nordlys makes a persuasive shortlist because there is little obvious compromise. It is not the smallest ship, the newest ship or the most facility-rich ship, but 505 guests is a comfortable middle ground and the hybrid conversion gives the vessel a tangible technical refresh. For most buyers, that is enough reason to feel confident rather than enough reason to rearrange the whole trip around it.
Use Nordlys as a tiebreaker when two departures are similarly priced and timed. Do not reject a better itinerary date on MS Nordnorge or another close sister just to secure hybrid propulsion. The Coastal Express succeeds when the coast, season and cabin align.
The 2024 hybrid upgrade matters
Nordlys went into dry dock for hybrid engines and wider green upgrades, making the environmental work far more substantial than a soft-goods refresh. It now sits alongside Kong Harald and Richard With among Hurtigruten’s hybrid Coastal Express ships. The route itself is demanding, with daily port calls and a fixed transport role, so efficiency improvements are particularly relevant here.
The engineering upgrade does not erase the ship’s 1994 origins. Cabin proportions, corridor widths and the overall plan remain those of a mature coastal vessel. That is not a defect if you want an authentic small ship, but it matters if the word hybrid has led you to imagine a contemporary luxury yacht.
Interior, lounges and viewing
The Northern Lights theme is restrained rather than theatrical. Colour, artwork and materials give Nordlys its identity without competing with the scenery. The panoramic lounge is the key room because the best Hurtigruten days involve repeatedly moving between a warm seat and the open deck as weather and light change.
The lack of a giant atrium is a strength here. Navigation is simple, and the ship never asks you to walk through shops or entertainment zones to reach the view. Peak scenic moments can still fill the forward windows. When that happens, go outside or find a side-facing position rather than assuming the first-row lounge seat is the only worthwhile place.
Cabins and suites
Nordlys has 200 cabins, including a relatively generous 20 suites. Most passengers do not need a suite. The route gives you so much reason to leave the cabin that a well-positioned outside or Arctic Superior room can be the smarter purchase. Tea and coffee facilities are included in higher categories, while the basics such as Wi-Fi, hairdryer and toiletries are widely available.
Position deserves more attention than category. The ship operates through the night, and the sound of thrusters, gangways or cargo can reach rooms near working areas. A Select fare can be worth the difference simply because it gives greater control over cabin number. Look vertically on the deck plan as well as horizontally before paying.
Dining without resort complexity
Torget is the main full-board restaurant, Brygga offers a casual bistro menu, Multe handles coffee, pastries and light food, and Kysten is the paid or upgrade-oriented à la carte experience. This is enough variety for a route-led voyage because passengers are not trapped on the ship for long strings of sea days.
The more important question is what your fare covers. Full board secures the main meals, while drinks, excursions and optional dining upgrades can sit outside the headline fare. Basic is the cheapest way onto a full voyage. Select is often the better fit when cabin location, dining time, tea, coffee and Wi-Fi inclusions matter.
No hot tub is a real difference
Hurtigruten groups the Coastal Express ships as broadly similar, but the outdoor hot tubs are not universal. Nordnorge, Nordkapp, Polarlys and Richard With are the ships currently identified with them. Nordlys is therefore a weaker choice if soaking outside while watching the coast is one of the images driving the booking.
That should not be exaggerated into a major ship deficit. The sauna, fitness room, panoramic lounge and open decks are more important for most days. Still, if two departures are equal and hot tubs genuinely matter, Nordnorge is the more logical choice.
The Coastal Express experience
A full round trip takes 12 days from Bergen to Kirkenes and back, with 34 unique ports and calls throughout the day and night. The route is a living transport system rather than a sequence of staged cruise destinations. Locals join for short sectors, cargo moves, and some stops are measured in minutes rather than hours.
That operating pattern is the reason to book, not something to tolerate in exchange for Norway. If you prefer fewer, longer calls, compare Hurtigruten’s Signature product on MS Trollfjord or MS Midnatsol. If you enjoy the idea of the coast unfolding continuously, Nordlys is exactly the sort of ship that makes the route feel coherent.
Lectures, language and quiet evenings
The Expedition Team runs talks and seasonal presentations on Norwegian history, wildlife, geology, the Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun. English and Norwegian are the official languages for announcements and lectures, with written information also available in German and French. That makes Nordlys easy for a British passenger to use fully.
Nightlife is minimal by mainstream standards. The bar and lounges are social, but many evenings revolve around the scenery, the next port or waiting for an aurora alert. Anyone who regards a theatre show as essential should choose another line. Anyone who enjoys a lecture followed by a quiet drink may find the simplicity refreshing.
Accessibility
Nordlys has step-free access to key public areas and wheelchair-accessible toilets on Decks 4 and 7. Designated accessible accommodation includes cabins 331, 333 and 335 plus suite 643, with automatic doors and wheelchair storage in those rooms. The extra suite option gives Nordlys a useful advantage for some accessible bookings.
The ship is only one part of an accessible Norwegian coast trip. Winter surfaces, ramps and small ports can create barriers even when the onboard route works well. Ask Hurtigruten to confirm the exact cabin and any assistance needed before payment, then examine the planned excursions independently rather than assuming ship accessibility carries ashore.
Vehicle deck and independent Norway trips
Nordlys can carry cars, but capacity is small and changes by season. The vehicle must fit the published dimensions and needs to be reserved. Campervans, minivans and trailers are excluded under the current rules. Vehicles are accepted on eligible port-to-port Coastal Express journeys, not on the full 12-day Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen round trip. This is a functional ferry-like feature, not a cruise novelty.
For independent travellers, it creates flexible combinations. You can sail one sector and continue by road or rail, or use the ship to bridge difficult coastal distances. A full holiday booking is different: once accommodation, meals and excursions matter, the through-voyage fares are usually easier to compare than a collection of port-to-port tickets.
Season before ship
Nordlys is named for the Northern Lights, but the ship is not inherently a winter choice. Summer gives long daylight and more time to use open decks. Winter gives dark skies and snow, with more weather sensitivity. Spring and autumn can produce a calmer passenger load and dramatic transitional landscapes.
The Northern Lights guarantee applies on eligible long voyages in the defined aurora season, but no ship can manufacture clear skies. Choose winter because you want winter Norway even if the aurora is elusive. Choose summer because you want daylight and coastal colour. Only then decide whether Nordlys is the best departure on the calendar.
Medical support and day-to-day practicality
Nordlys has basic medical facilities rather than a shipboard doctor. For most passengers that is enough reassurance for a coastal route, but anyone with a serious condition should discuss fitness to travel and carry essential medicines rather than relying on the next port to solve a problem. The repeated harbour calls keep the ship relatively close to shore, yet weather and distance can still complicate an urgent transfer.
Daily life is refreshingly uncomplicated. Free Wi-Fi, a laundry room, contactless payments and a compact layout make a long voyage easier to manage. Those practical features are more valuable here than another entertainment venue. Pack for rapid changes between heated interiors and exposed decks, and keep a small bag ready for short calls so you are not repeatedly returning to the cabin for gloves, waterproofs or a camera.
Nordlys compared with other Hurtigruten ships
MS Kong Harald is a near-size hybrid alternative with a 2023 upgrade and a slightly higher guest maximum. MS Nordnorge is smaller at 452 guests and has outdoor hot tubs, but it is not hybrid. Richard With combines hybrid propulsion with hot tubs and is therefore worth checking when both features matter.
Vesterålen is the meaningful outlier for people who want the smallest, most heritage-led Coastal Express experience. The Signature ships are a different product altogether. Use our complete Hurtigruten ship selector to separate those decisions rather than ranking the fleet by age alone.
Before you book
- Choose the season and departure time before paying extra simply to secure Nordlys.
- If outdoor hot tubs matter, compare Nordnorge, Nordkapp, Polarlys and Richard With instead.
- Use the exact deck plan to reduce exposure to overnight operational noise.
- Confirm accessible cabin 331, 333, 335 or suite 643 early if mobility needs dictate the room choice.
MS Nordlys compared with alternatives
| Ship | Main difference | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| MS Kong Harald | Similar size, hybrid, upgraded in 2023 | Choose by departure, cabin and fare |
| MS Nordnorge | Smaller capacity and outdoor hot tubs, non-hybrid | Choose it when outdoor relaxation matters more than the hybrid upgrade |
| MS Richard With | Hybrid Coastal Express ship with outdoor hot tubs | Compare it when both environmental hardware and hot tubs are priorities |
Related CruisePing guides
- Hurtigruten cruise line guide
- Which Hurtigruten Ship Is Best for You?
- MS Kong Harald cruise ship guide
- MS Nordnorge cruise ship guide
- MS Trollfjord Signature ship guide
- MS Midnatsol Signature ship guide
- Bergen cruise port guide
- Kirkenes cruise port guide