Splendid isolation: Honningsvag, at the top of Norway, in polar twilight.Credit: Getty Images
Ronelle Adams, a veteran of more than 100 cruises, marked the northern summer solstice in Norway.
WHAT
Zodiac and king crab photo tour, Norway.
Delicacy: Ronelle Parker with a king crab.
WHERE
Via Honningsvag, the northernmost settlement of the Norwegian mainland.
THE SHIP
Ronelle, who books with Ecruising (ecruising.com.au), took a summer solstice cruise on Caribbean Princess. She cruised for 12 nights on a round trip from Southampton, Britain, via Bergen and other ports on the Norwegian coastline.
THE EXPERIENCE
"Honningsvag is at the very top of Norway, inside the Arctic Circle, so it was quite amazing to be up that far.
"We were there for the summer solstice in June and it made me realise how isolated it would be in winter, when the area is not accessible; you wonder how they survive.
"The people who live there spend four months of the year in total darkness and apparently they get a bit depressed during the winter.
"On the excursion we were fitted out with wet weather gear and then did a Zodiac tour up the coastline, which was so beautiful.
"They pulled up the nets and there were about 35 giant crabs, which gave us all an opportunity to hold one and have our photo taken.
"Crabs are an expensive delicacy in Norway but in the Honningsvag area they're considered a bit of a pest, having come from Alaska and bred to the extent that the area is losing some of its fish species.
"Crab sells for about 750 krone ($140) per kilo in southern Norway but you can buy it for about 120 krone a kilo in Honningsvag.
"On our way back to Honningsvag we had a high-speed boat trip, a bit like a jet boat tour, which was great fun.
"I loved the whole experience and it's something I'd really like to do again."
VALUE FOR MONEY
Ronelle paid $165 for her two-hour excursion and says it was money well spent.
"I spend a lot of money on excursions because that's how you get the facts, experiences and photos," she says.
"There's no point in going if you're going to stay on the ship."
As told to Jane E. Fraser
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