The Pollux sailing out of the Geiranger Fjord. Photo Credit: Barbara Redding

A splash of Arctic ice down my back and a hug from a hairy Norse sea god confirmed my initiation into the Arctic Explorer's Club after our Havila Voyages ship crossed the Arctic Circle.

For seasoned sailors, the crossing is a milestone. For my fellow passengers aboard the Pollux off Norway's coast, it was a lively deck party that ended with a sailor's rum drink known as black magic, a concoction that warms the soul and energizes the spirit.

The Arctic Circle crossing was just one highlight of my seven-day June voyage through Norway's glorious fjords, from Bergen to Kirkenes near the Russian border.

Other memorable moments included feasting on local seafood, gliding silently on battery power and savoring the spectacular scenery beneath the glow of the midnight sun. Also, some adventurous ship tours introduced us to puffins, reindeer and Norway's Indigenous Sami people.

Many cruise lines list Norway on their itineraries, but Havila's four ships stand apart in that they sail only to Norwegian ports, and each vessel carries no more than 640 passengers. That's small enough to navigate the country's 1,000 fjords and 320,000 islands.

The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union, Germany's oldest environmental association, ranks Havila's ships among the world's most environmentally friendly vessels. A combination of liquefied natural gas and battery energy powers its ships, resulting in a 35% reduction in carbon emissions.

Havila is a family-owned company that began sailing in 2021 after Norway opened the coastal route to competition, ending Hurtigruten's long domination there.

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Congxiao

Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong