MS Polarlys sailing in Geirangerfjord, Norway.
Photo: Ethan79 | Licence: Public domain; crop by CruisePing.
MS Polarlys is a strong classic Coastal Express choice when you will use its large sun deck, panoramic spaces and two outdoor hot tubs. Its 2023 refurbishment is useful, but I would still let sailing date and cabin beat a small difference in ship hardware.
MS Polarlys is the classic Coastal Express ship I would shortlist when open-deck scenery matters. Its two hot tubs, large sun deck, observation saloon and panorama lounge give the upper decks a clear purpose, while the 2023 refurbishment keeps the 1996 ship from feeling like an untouched period piece. None of that changes the central Hurtigruten rule: the route date still matters more than small differences between sisters.
Polarlys carries up to 580 guests, so it is not the smallest Coastal Express option. It works best for travellers who are comfortable with the route’s working rhythm and who will actually use the outdoor and panoramic areas. If you intend to spend most port calls ashore and most sea time sleeping, paying extra for this particular ship makes little sense.
MS Polarlys at a glance
| Cruise line | Hurtigruten |
|---|---|
| Ship class or type | Coastal Express ship |
| Entered service | 1996 |
| Last major refurbishment | 2016 Arctic-inspired refurbishment; further refurbishment in 2023 |
| Gross tonnage | 11,341 GT |
| Length | 123 m |
| Guest capacity | 580 maximum |
| Crew | No fixed current guest-facing complement published |
| Passenger decks | Main passenger accommodation and public areas span Decks 2-7 |
| Cabins or suites | 211 cabins, including 6 suites |
| Accessible cabins | Cabins 321, 323 and 325 with automatic doors |
| Dining venues | Torget, Brygga and Kysten, plus Multe bakery and café |
| Bars and lounges | Explorer Lounge & Bar, panorama lounge and observation saloon |
| Pools and hot tubs | No swimming pool; two outdoor hot tubs |
| Library | No large traditional library; panorama and observation lounges are the practical reading spaces |
| Spa and fitness | Sauna and fitness room |
| Children’s facilities | No resort-style children’s club; family appeal comes from the route and shared exploration |
| 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 who want excellent open-deck and panoramic viewing
- Couples and solos who enjoy an informal destination-led ship
- Cold-weather passengers likely to use the hot tubs and sauna
Think carefully if
- You expect English-language stage entertainment or children’s clubs
- Working-ship noise and overnight calls would spoil the holiday
- You would pay a large premium over a close Coastal Express sister
| Question | Why it matters | CruisePing view |
|---|---|---|
| Best reason to choose Polarlys | Large sun deck, panoramic spaces and two outdoor hot tubs | Strong when scenic deck use is central |
| Video note | Selected full tour is useful visually but narrated in German | Caption warns before playback |
| Closest alternatives | Nordkapp and Nordnorge cover similar classic ground | Let date, cabin and price decide |
The booking decision
Book Polarlys when the sailing date is right and you want a conventional Coastal Express layout with two reliable open-deck attractions: a large sun deck and hot tubs. The ship gives you several ways to watch the coast without pretending to be an expedition yacht or resort vessel. That clarity is a strength.
I would not move a holiday by several days merely to obtain Polarlys. MS Nordkapp and MS Nordnorge offer closely related experiences, while MS Richard With brings hybrid hardware into the comparison. Fix the season and cabin first, then use Polarlys as the tie-breaker.
See the ship before you decide
The upper decks are the reason to care
Polarlys has a strong scenic setup. The large sun deck, observation saloon and panorama lounge create several layers of viewing space, while the hot tubs offer a warmer way to remain outside. On clear summer days, that can make the ship feel far more generous than its tonnage suggests. In winter, the indoor panorama areas become the fallback when wind and snow make long periods outside unrealistic.
Crowd flow is rarely about mass-market numbers. It is about where everybody wants to be at the same moment. A narrow scenic passage, wildlife sighting or northern-lights alert can pull passengers towards the same windows and doors. Knowing two or three alternative viewing positions early in the voyage makes a bigger difference than chasing a suite purely for status.
Cabins and why six suites are not the whole story
The ship has 211 cabins, including six suites. That modest suite count can create scarcity, but it should not push you into overpaying. Arctic Superior cabins and well-positioned outside cabins may be the smarter buy for a route where the landscape is outside the room for most waking hours.
Use the current Polarlys deck plans to inspect the exact cabin. Check proximity to lifts, service areas and vehicle or loading spaces, then consider what happens during overnight calls. A beautiful view is less valuable if machinery repeatedly wakes you. Conversely, a lower fare can be excellent value when you sleep well and reach the panorama lounge in a minute.
Dining: four useful choices, not a floating restaurant district
Torget, Brygga, Multe and Kysten cover the day in different ways. The main restaurant handles the core full-board meals, Brygga gives you a flexible bistro, Multe is the coffee and bakery stop, and Kysten is the more polished à la carte option. That is enough variety for a small ship without creating the reservation management of a mega-ship.
Food is strongest when viewed as part of the Norway experience. Norway’s Coastal Kitchen uses regional ingredients and suppliers, reinforcing the sense that the ship belongs to the route. If waiter-service choice and late-night dining are central to your idea of cruising, the Coastal Express is likely to feel restrained.
Hot tubs, sauna and fitness
The two hot tubs are a real advantage for passengers who like being outside in cold conditions. They are not a thermal suite, and there is no conventional swimming pool. Their value is experiential: warm water, cold air and the moving coast. On a busy sailing you may have to pick quieter times rather than assume immediate access.
The sauna and fitness room cover the basics. For many passengers the sauna will be more relevant than the gym after a wet or cold port call. Do not price the ship as a wellness holiday, though. MS Finnmarken and some luxury alternatives offer a more developed wellness proposition.
The working route changes how you use the ship
The Coastal Express is a scheduled coastal service. Polarlys can arrive at small communities late at night, load cargo, take on local travellers and depart again before many holidaymakers would expect to leave a conventional port. That is not background inconvenience. It is the operating model.
Travellers who engage with that rhythm often find it fascinating. You begin to notice which calls are commercial, which give time for a walk and which are best watched from the rail. Travellers who expect a silent hotel at night can be frustrated. Cabin position and attitude both matter.
Expedition Team, language and evening life
English and Norwegian are used for announcements and lectures, with written material also available in German and French. Some Expedition Team members speak German. The programme centres on the coast rather than on stage entertainment, so talks, deck commentary and destination information matter more than headline acts.
Evenings are informal. The Explorer Lounge & Bar gives you a social base with panoramic views, but there is no need to plan an entertainment schedule. If you enjoy reading, talking, watching the weather or stepping outside whenever the coast becomes dramatic, the simplicity works.
Accessibility and daily movement
Accessible cabins 321, 323 and 325 have automatic doors, and key public areas have step-free routes. Wheelchair-accessible toilets are available on Decks 4 and 7. The ship’s manageable dimensions reduce long corridor walks, but shore access still varies by port and conditions.
Anyone relying on a wheelchair or mobility aid should use the current accessibility information and confirm assistance before booking. Snow, gangway angles and short port calls can be more limiting than the ship itself. I would also choose a cabin around the lift route you expect to use most, rather than selecting solely by cabin grade.
Cars and port-to-port use
Polarlys has a vehicle deck, with more spaces in summer than winter. Vehicle carriage applies to eligible port-to-port journeys and not to the full Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen round trip. That restriction is easy to miss when building a combined road and sea itinerary, so confirm the current car rules before committing hotels or ferries.
For a short sector, Polarlys can function as transport with excellent scenery. For the full route, the ship becomes a base for almost two weeks. That difference should shape how much you spend on cabin space and how much time you devote to learning the public areas.
Summer versus winter on Polarlys
Summer is when the sun deck earns its name. Long daylight gives you huge amounts of usable exterior time, and the landscape becomes the continuous entertainment. Winter shifts value towards the panorama lounge, hot tubs and quick access to outside decks when aurora activity appears.
A winter inside cabin can be economical, but it makes checking conditions less intuitive. An outside cabin can help you wake into the scenery, while a quiet location matters because darkness and early port calls can complicate sleep. In summer, blackout effectiveness and operational noise may matter more than view.
Polarlys versus Nordkapp, Nordnorge and Richard With
Nordkapp is the closest intuitive comparison because it also has two hot tubs and a similar classic feel. Nordnorge currently carries fewer guests at its published maximum and also has hot tubs. Richard With is smaller in length and brings a hybrid system plus a generous suite count. None is an automatic winner.
I would choose Polarlys when its large upper-deck viewing setup and 2023 refurbishment appeal and the departure fits. If price or date is materially better elsewhere, switch. The Hurtigruten fleet selector is designed to stop small hardware differences from distorting a much bigger itinerary decision.
Solo travellers, couples and families
Solo travellers can enjoy the informal rhythm because nobody needs to arrive at a formal dinner with a partner or group. The route supplies constant conversation material, and the lounges make it easy to be among people without joining organised activities. Solo pricing still needs careful comparison because cabin supplements can dominate value.
Couples who value scenery over nightlife are a natural fit. Families can enjoy the sense of movement and geography, but there is no resort-style children’s club or attraction deck. Parents should choose Polarlys because their children will engage with Norway, not because the ship will entertain them independently.
Before you book
- Compare Polarlys with Nordkapp and Nordnorge on the same season before paying extra for the ship name.
- Open the exact deck plan and reject cabins exposed to the operational noise you are least willing to tolerate.
- Treat the hot tubs and sun deck as practical scenic assets, especially if you will use them in cold weather.
- Remember that the video tour is in German; use it for the visual walkthrough rather than expecting English narration.
Related CruisePing guides
- Hurtigruten cruise line guide
- Which Hurtigruten Ship Is Best for You?
- MS Nordkapp cruise ship guide
- MS Nordnorge cruise ship guide
- MS Richard With cruise ship guide
- MS Vesterålen cruise ship guide
- MS Kong Harald cruise ship guide
- Bergen cruise port guide