Havilavoyages Reviews 49

I paid USD 12K as a gift to my parents for a premium balcony cabin. I then asked them to split the payment and provide a present certificate. They said no to both

⭐️⭐️ Disappointing customer service overshadowed the experience
We travelled on Havila Polaris and, while there were genuinely positive aspects, a modern ship, beautiful scenery and friendly onboard crew

Our overall experience was let down significantly by poor customer service and lack of accountability.
We were fortunate to receive a suite upgrade ( after a significant payment) which was appreciated. However, we were not informed of the included perks, such as complimentary access to the coffee shop, and as a result we missed out on benefits we were entitled to. Something as simple as a written list or a verbal explanation at check-in would have avoided this entirely.
The biggest issue, however, was the Geiranger excursion. This was the highlight of our itinerary and the reason we chose the trip. Due to ice in the fjord, the boat could not proceed, which is understandable from a safety perspective. However, in winter in Norway, icy conditions are entirely predictable, and it is reasonable to expect robust contingency plans.

Instead, the excursion was significantly altered. We were initially told we would continue by bus, but this was later abandoned, and the experience became an extended fjord cruise. While the scenery is stunning, this was not what we paid for and did not deliver the core experience advertised.

What was most disappointing was the response afterwards. Despite clearly explaining the situation, the replies from customer service were scripted, dismissive, and focused on internal “guidelines” rather than the actual experience delivered. A small onboard credit was offered, but there was no meaningful acknowledgment that the excursion had not been delivered as sold.

Having since read other reviews, it is clear that we are not alone in experiencing frustration with Havila’s customer service, which is also reflected in their low Trustpilot ratings. This suggests a broader issue rather than an isolated case.

At this price point, customers expect not only a quality product, but also fairness and accountability when things do not go to plan. Unfortunately, that was lacking here.

A real shame, as the voyage itself had so much potential but customer service is what ultimately defines the experience.

Two guests, same meal, both acutely ill within hours — and yet zero accountability and no reimbursement offered.

The response? Apparently unless multiple people report it, it didn’t happen. And the fact we managed to eat something the next day was somehow used as “evidence” against us… as if guests are expected to simply stop eating altogether?

A very dismissive approach to what was a pretty clear and unpleasant experience.

Now escalated through my card provider and the relevant consumer authority.

Expected far better from a “premium” cruise line.

Very bad experience. I had a reservation for 12:45 with departure. The boat left at 11:20 without sending me a notification or email with a different time! If I wanted the boat to return or pick me up at another port, they told me that it was not possible! Very arrogant person at the reception. It is very stressful and irritating when you arrive almost an hour early to the boat and the boat is not there anyway and you can only see the back of the boat floating on the sea.
This has never happened to me with any other company in my life.

We recently returned from our Havila Polaris 12 day cruise which was fabulous. The great weather helped ! The ship is wonderful and small which allows it to visit fjords the larger ships can't reach. The staff were exceptional. The cabins (we had a suite with balcony) were beautiful. Minor complaint was the size of the beds. But not a spot of dust to be seen. The restaurants were excellent and if one had enough of Reindeer meat etc...then the cafe was on hand to offer hamburgers, fish and chips etc. The viewing decks were great both inside and outside. With only a maximum of approximately 380 on board when full.....it makes for a lovely atmosphere. No issues at all checking in and out with luggage on the conveyor belts. Prompt service always on hand to assist. The excursions on offer are varied to suit one's capability. They are expensive but worth it, I received refunds quickly on those that were cancelled due to lack of numbers. Drinks on board are expensive....but that's Norway. Don't expect on board entertainment. This is a cruise for those seriously keen to enjoy the spectacular locations and tranquillity on board. Our experience was top class. If you can afford it book a balcony suite ! Inside cabins are small but modern. Havila was everything we had hoped for and loved every minute of our 12 day cruise. The service both on board and on the phone when booking was exceptional. Only minor complaint is the gangway on deck 4 when used for excursions which is a bit steep for those that suffer any lack of mobility. But crew where always on hand to assist.

Good experience overall but tricked and lied to by staff about “free” mead tasting

We were left with a sour taste after the main staff presenter and head waitress encouraged us to sign up for a mead tasting activity that they both confirmed was free, and in fact wasn’t. The head waitress, a dark haired lady with a pony tail, enrolled us on the computer and she must have seen then that it was a paid activity, so she lied to my face. She told me the activity was happening that day, when it wasn’t and there was only a music quiz, which we weren’t interested in. Other staff members told us the mead tasting would happen in 2 days time, but there were no further announcements.

We had an unexpected bill of 795 NOK, which we asked to be removed. My parents also had this bill on their account. The head waitress tried to confuse them, saying they had signed up for an activity that they didn’t attend, which in fact never happened. My parents had the bill removed from both of our statements.

The next day, to double check it was gone I went to confirm it with the head waitress. When I said to her that she’d confirmed it was free to me, she went back on her word and tried to tell me off, saying you can never get alcohol tasting for free in Norway. I told her she had also told me the activity was happening on the wrong day, and she didn’t apologize at all. I made her confirm that the activity had been removed, she tapped in her computer for a bit and then said it was “all gone.”

Funnily enough, we checked our statements before disembarking the ship. The activity had been added again, on a different day! It had been removed and added back the day I went to confront the head waitress. Not sure if it was added back out of spite, and the date changed in the hope we wouldn’t notice.

We received the refund but did not like having to check 3 times that the statement was correct, and have to be lied to and tricked by staff members. Would hate to think that they take advantage of senior citizens on the boat and get a commission from adding activities onto people’s bills.

The trip from Trondheim to Bergen was pleasant, we enjoyed the experience and the food served... The only negative note: after a couple of hours of disembarking, the invoice arrived by email and I saw two unjustified charges:

BGOS100 Transfer Hotel-BGO Transfer
200 NOK per person: 2 people --> 400 NOK

This is a fee for a transport service that we never requested and obviously never used. We arrived in Bergen to spend 2 more days and never requested any transport to the airport or elsewhere, reaching our accommodation by ourselves, simply by foot.

As soon as I saw the receipt with this incorrect charge, I immediately wrote an email and used the complaint form, but to date I have not received any refund or transfer of the amount unfairly charged.

Probably two other passengers requested the transport service but the Havila operator linked the request to our cabin number instead of theirs, I hope it is a human error, I do not want to think that it is a voluntary action.

I do not want to speak badly of Havila and I will be happy to change my review by giving 5 stars as soon as I see correct behavior and the refund of the amount that was unfairly taken from me.

Invoice number: HCPS 2023/017973
Account: 40049544

After filling out the complaint form, I received an email with ID: 159244686568

2025-06-26: Havila gave me back the correct amount. Thank You to customer service.

We started our trip on the Havilla Polaris. The Seaview cabin was very comfortable, the food and the waiters were excellent, the decks 8 and 9 were immaculate with a great all-round view; apart from not enjoying two terrible! and expensive cocktails on the deck 9, there was no reason to complain at all. However: when we left the Polaris with our heavy suitcases via the steep ramp with very narrow stairs on 30.01., I had a bad fall on the ramp. We were initially not offered any help with carrying the suitcases! The staff only became active when one of my fellow travelers asked for help, but at this stage I was already nearly half way down the ramp before I fell. We had a lengthy email contact with the customer consultant, who did not believe our description (4 guests as witnesses!), only the description of the staff was taken into consideration, which was certainly not correct. This experience really spoiled our stay, although we had a very positive impression until then.

We were on the Nov 5th sailing Bergen Kirkenes round trip. I left a USB memory stick plugged in the cabin tv. I asked them to see if it was still in the tv in our cabin. It was and they wanted me to pay for the postage to send it back to me. This took untill Jan 15th to find out the cost which with the exorbitant bank fees to send money to Norway meant that it wasgoing to cost more to get it back than the cost of a new memory stick. Talk about a company that acts tighter than a ducks behind. Would it realy break the bank to put it in an envelope and mail it. The cruise was a dissapointment altogether with the lack of daylight (we knew this going in but was not prepared for the effect on our mood). The food was ok but not spectacular. The staff on board were super nice. The excursion times were in my mind too short. I know this is a ferry/cruise but it is obvious where the priority is.

The easiest and most comfortable way to explore Norway coast and reach the northern cape!

A small size morden ship, beautifully designed with advanced equipment and technology.

Fijn dining/ high quality food is served every day. What we got is more values than what we paid for!

Beyond our expectations, we will definitely come back.

Enjoyed the Havila Kystruten from Tromsø to Trondheim. I had taken only car ferries in the past (Dover to Calais, Portsmouth to Cherbourg), so this was my first overnight experience aboard a ship.

First, the disclaimer: I'm not a cruiser, not a traveler who wants to be led around on a leash, not somebody who has any interest in cosplay dining experiences or all the flimflam of mega-ship cruising. I'm an American from the Midwest who has been to Norway a few times and was looking for a way to see the country's spectacular west coast, see some new and smaller cities, and enjoy a couple of excursions.

With that background, I will say that the experience was just magical. I interacted with the crew in scheduling dining, in booking excursions, and in ordering a drink or two. In all respects, they were competent, responsive, knowledgeable, efficient, and authentically friendly. Just what I would have expected from Norwegians.

The accommodation itself was superb. The cabin (exterior but without balcony) was spacious and extremely comfortable. The desk area allowed me to get some work done very efficiently, and the wifi was flawless both in my cabin and on deck. The heated bathroom floor was a nice plus, though hardly a necessity during August. Closets and drawers were spacious, and the bed was a dream.

The ship was extremely quiet. During the entire trip of 3 days, I never felt a bump, tilt, or vibration. It glided serenely along the coast, past what must be simply the most beautiful scenery on the planet. We had two sunny and warm days that could not possibly have been more hospitable. The whole thing was just beguiling.

I booked two excursions. One (to the Vega Islands) was superb. The other (to a Lofoten fishing village) was pretty unremarkable. (It involved a bus tour, and I am definitely not a bus touring type.)

In short, I have only superlatives to offer. The experience was peaceful, restorative, and really all that I could have hoped. A very fair value. And I will definitely take Havila again--next time, I hope, from Bergen to Kirkenes.

I recently did two port to port segment with Havila and two port to port segment with Hurtigruten so i think i can compare the two services quite well. Havila has a nicer ship and better cabin but that's the only thing superior to the Hurtigruten offer. Price obviously is cheaper and that's a thing, but food is no match compared to Hurtigruten. Also during rough sea our cabin was really noise due al the plastic covering on the walls.
In the end i think that between the two companies this is the inferior experience, nevertheless it's also an overall overrated experience i think that for the price a more turistic cruise is the best choice for this type of travel.

It was good to travel on a modern fuel sustainable ship. Cabin accommodation more spacious than recent river cruise. Public areas never felt overcrowded. Restaurant staff managed to deal with allergies with some prompting. Cabin 5305 was over cargo door which woke us up to 3 times each night. Chose not to seek move but wished we had after 4 nights. Ended up staying awake between opening and closing as electric motor and mechanical noise very loud. Even the beds vibrated. Advise future travelers to avoid 5305 and surrounding cabins on check in.

I had booked this cruise and was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately I had an accident and require surgery, making me unfit to fly/travel and I have to cancel my booking. I asked if the company would allow me to rebook alternative dates given my situation. The company was absolutely inflexible and unhelpful. I would book with Hurtigruten instead!!

Havila voyages is trying to compete with Hurtigruten with modern ships. Therefore, they must face this comparison.
We travelled the Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen route with Havila voyages in June 2024 and with Hurtigruten in February 2023. We would like to summarise our findings before we go into detail.
Havila voyages is unfortunately just an inferior copy of Hurtigruten and lags miles behind in all respects. Apart from the cabin!
It started with the check-in: without any indication, the check-in was started an hour later. Then, one floor up, you had to queue again for ages to get a mealtime for lunch and dinner. This meant that if you were not one of the first guests, even if you booked a balcony cabin for €7000, you would only get a bad time and a bad seat. In our opinion, those who book an inside cabin are not entitled to a window seat.
There was also little emphasis on safety. I didn't see anyone watching the safety video!
Havila voyages boasts about its economy concept. This means that no food is thrown away unnecessarily. Unfortunately, bread rolls from the previous day also taste old there. The food at lunch and dinner is boring and of average quality at best. No typical local food and hardly any variety.
Even the fine dining restaurant is only of average quality. Apart from that, there are only two different menus. Meat or fish!
The selection of drinks is large and good. Be careful with the beverage package on offer. There is no overview of the consumption, and we suspect that we consumed less than was billed.
The balcony cabin we booked was very modern and, in contrast to Hurtigruten's superior outside cabin, very spacious.
The expedition team does the bare minimum but provides no further information about the area. E.g. "We're about to drive into the Trollfjord." That's it!
So, if you don't need a large cabin on your cruise, Hurtigruten is much better than Havila voyages.
Addition: On the Geirangerfjord + Trollstigen excursion, you should take the German/English bus, as the guide (Dominic) was great and the lady on the other bus, Norwegian/English, was probably very borderline.

Our generally lovely trip on the Havila cruise ship has turned sour due to the horrible customer service experience after our trip with the Havila office.

Our recent interactions with the booking team left us thoroughly disappointed and dissatisfied. Despite our excitement to explore Tromso and Kirkenes through pre-booked excursions, our experience was marred by exorbitant pricing practices and abysmal customer service.

Our initial shock stemmed from discovering a significant variance between the official excursion prices in Norwegian Krone (NOK) and the inflated amounts billed to us in Euros. For instance, the official price for the Tromso reindeer ride for two people was 4180 NOK, equivalent to approximately 365.50 Euros at the prevailing exchange rate. However, we were confused to find that we were charged a staggering 392 Euros for the same excursion, far exceeding any reasonable conversion rate adjustment.

Similarly, the official price for the Kirkenes dog-sledging excursion for two people stood at 5420 NOK, approximately 473.50 Euros according to the exchange rate. Yet, we were appalled to see a whopping charge of 536 Euros on our bill, again significantly inflated beyond any justifiable conversion.

Despite our weeks-long efforts to seek clarification, the customer service team failed to provide any explanation for the unjustifiable price hikes.

After several friendly emails and phone calls, we were held up for weeks with our enquiry, ultimately ignored and dismissed with patronising one-sentence answers.

I am not going to write the same as the previous reviewers because I would only be repeating the same complaints.
This is a ferry/mail boat, providing vital services to locals . It is not a cruise ship in anyway. You are not pampered and led by the hand. Your cabins are only minimally serviced every second day. Our sheets were not changed the whole 6 day voyage, towels every second day. I cannot speak for anyone in the suites, but the majority of the guests are in sea view or inside. There is next to no service. You are served your meal and you go to the bar and get your own drinks. Outside this you fend for yourself.
We cruise regularly in a suite on the lovely Oceania line. The Havila experience was a shock to the system, and will never be repeated. However all was not lost.
The good stuff……..
We returned yesterday 10th March.
Weather was out of this world. Spectacular cloudless sky's, flat calm seas. The ship glides silently into over 30 ports during the voyage. Many stops through the night( there is a bit of noise here for passengers on the port side). REMEMBER ITS A FERRY! The journey was extremely picturesque . Mother Nature at its best. The journey is the Havila experience. If your expectations are more than enjoying the wonderful scenery you will be disappointed. Take a proper cruise ship if you need more. The big ships give you a kind of journey, better service etc, but Havila more interesting.
. We like good food, great service and more comfort, Havila does not provide this. Its is poor value for money. Seriously consider your options before taking this kind of trip.

In November, 2022, I booked a 16 May 2023 cruise with Havila, not knowing that Havila was selling tickets for cruises for which they had not had ships delivered. Subsequently, I booked all of my accommodation for Sweden and Norway.
In late February, 2023, my travel agent advised that the cruise was cancelled. The only comparable cabin I could obtain for another cruise was more expensive. Havila not only charged me the difference, but at the maximum rate. Between that and having to amend airline bookings and cancel and rebook accommodation, this cost me in excess of AUD$5K, apart from the great stress involved. No offer of compensation was made by Havila. While in Sweden in May, I suffered a severe hay fever attack, as did many of the locals. Tests by a GP in Oslo confirmed that it was not Covid – apart from the fact that I had none of the symptoms. Medication managed the symptoms. On the 7th day of the 12 day cruise, I finished the medication and the next day, the same symptoms returned. I was so ill, I stayed in the cabin. Apart from an initial and 2nd Covid test (both which were false positives) and taking my blood pressure, no care was afforded me. I informed the staff that I did not have Covid, as I was suffering with the exact same symptoms, from several weeks prior. I simply had a reoccurrence of hay fever. I was not able to go to the restaurant for the luke warm meals that they served. Unless I rang for food, no one checked on me. At one stage, I did not phone for over 24 hours and no one checked on me, despite how ill I was. Twice, I asked that electrolytes be obtained and this was ignored. One night when the ship was in open, rough seas, I had a bad fall and hit my head and body on both sides, when falling to the ground. The phone was too far from the bed to get help, so it wasn’t until the next morning in calmer seas, that I could phone to let them know I’d had a bad fall and hit both sides of my head. No care was offered.
On returning to the final port, Havila allows crew off first, cleaners to come on board, 2nd, and finally, the paying passengers may disembark. This astounded me, despite the previous shocking lack of care that I’d received.
Another passenger informed me that her cruise had also been cancelled and Havila told her to keep track of expenses and they’d be reimbursed. No offer had been made to me. On arrival back in Australia and regaining my health, I commenced the tortuous process of trying to obtain reimbursement from Havila, the same as what they’d offered the other passenger. Direct emails to Havila were ignored, so I had to enlist the assistance of their Australian agent. Even she had difficulty obtaining responses. I provided them with requested copies of invoices, to substantiate my claim. All I requested was for reimbursement of the extra airfare charge and the extra 3 nights accommodation I had to purchase, because I could not obtain flights, to fit in with the change of dates. This was approximately ½ of the expenses that I’d incurred. After months of dragging this out, they only refunded the AUD$1.2K for the airfare and told me to claim insurance for the rest. No discussion, despite having asked for accommodation invoices, previously. Insurance will only reimburse for cancellation for natural disasters. My disaster was booking with Havila. From the initial attempt to book, their deceit in not reimbursing me to the extent previously advised, their very slow responses, or no responses to queries, to the trauma of the cruise, it was my worst travel experience in over 50 years.

I am sad to write this review as I have had many good voyages with Hurtigruten on this route and looked forward to a trip with its modern competitor.
The voyage was on the MS Polaris from Trondheim to Tromso (07/12 to 09/12). The ship looked great when we walked up to it. Modern and clean. Note; no one helped us with our cases up the steep gangplank!. Check in was straight forward and on initial impression our cabin was modern and well designed, but after a while we perceived a strong smell of sewage. Could not find anyone to complain to. We walked around the deck with friends. The walkways were encrusted with ice that looked like it had not been cleared for days. A terrible health and safety issue. When booking in for our meals we were told that there were no options but the early breakfast Apparently another ship had broken down and there was no choice. The restaurant did not seem that full to our small group of 4.
The food; I get the idea of reducing waste - well done but it was bland and not much choice. A real shame as this was a golden opportunity to highlight local produce. Its the poorest food I have had on a Norwegian ship.
We were lucky to see the Northern lights on the first night. We had to take very great care as the deck was still covered in ice.
Second day - Room was not cleaned neither were my friends room. No one around to complain to. The ship appeared to be late for every port. Maybe I have been lucky in the past in Winter with very bad weather on this route where I could set my watch by arrival times. This meant that our Viking evening was completely spoiled as there was hardly anytime at the venue. A shame as I had booked this having had great experiences before.
That night we enjoyed a cup of gluck wein but decided against being on deck. There were still ice cubes from the arctic crossing ceremony on deck and also still a lot of black ice! The next day we left and I can say that we were glad to leave. There was a feeling of an unhappy crew which I can only surmise was due to the management (always seemingly absent)
Try this company if you want to. The ships are new and environmentally friendly. Personally I will never travel with them again. My overall impression was that the management did not care less about their passengers.

Forgot to say in my original review that everytime we had a shower, the bathroom flooded (in harbour not in rough sea). Same thing happened to our friends in their cabin. I suspect that the company does not read any of these reviews or otherwise I should have got some response. Pity I cannot give 0 stars.

Date of experience: December 2023

They booked us the wrong day Excursions and were unable to change this unboard.
Day Excursions are much cheaper to purchase once on board, and they shouldn't be paid for before sailing.
Also upgrades are far cheaper on board. Always book the cheapest cabin and upgrade once onboard.