Nordkapp Cabins

The nicest cabins on Nordkapp are all on Decks 5 and 6, as these were more recently refurbished and then those on Decks 2 and 3, with new upholstery, carpets and decor. Note: None of the 214 cabins -- including the suites -- have a balcony.

Cabins are functional rather than luxurious and fall on the small side compared to industry standards, particularly in the lower categories. The lower cabin categories don't even have "regular" beds; instead they have pull-down beds or sofa beds. To get a double bed, you'll have to book a cabin on Deck 6. Despite their size, all cabin categories have room versions that are capable of holding two to four people making them suitable for families.

Solos travelers should note, there is no single supplement on two-person cabins.

All cabins have a phone, a bed of some kind, wardrobe, two-pin plug socket and a fixed desk (though these vary in size, depending on category). One interesting quirk is lettering above the beds and above the glasses in the bathroom, indicating which belongs to which passenger, a leftover from the days when strangers would share rooms.

All bathrooms, whatever category cabin you are in, are the same: All have showers with clingy curtains, a toilet and a basin. Hurtigruten got rid of all single-use plastics, so you won't find any mini-bottles of shampoo or gels -- products are dispensed via fixed containers above the basin and in the shower. However, unlike most cruise ship generic gels -- we recommend the lovely "Arctic Pure" brand hand wash, shower gel/shampoo and conditioner -- made with cloudberry and birch.

Two more things in the bathroom we loved: nonsteam mirrors and heated floors -- so lovely on a chilly polar night.

Interior: The 21 inside cabins are tiny and spread out on Decks 6, 5 and 3. The most basic are on Deck 3, of which there are 13, clustered toward the front and aft; none of these have TVs. The remaining insides are on Decks 5 and 6 (four apiece) and include TVs. All are just 54 square feet in size.

Ocean View: The vast majority of cabins are ocean view and consist of two types: Arctic Superior and Polar Outside.

Polar Outside: Rooms within this category vary greatly depending on their location. Those on Decks 2 and 3 are larger, coming in at 75 square feet, but they have not been refurbished in years. The Polar Outside rooms on Decks 5 and 6 were more recently refurbished and include a TV and new furniture but are much smaller, at just 53 square feet. Most of the rooms have a picture window, though those on Deck 2 toward the front of the ship have a porthole window. Many Polar Outside rooms are triples, with a pull-down bunk, so would suit families; those on Decks 2 and 3 have single, fixed beds that cannot be configured as doubles. All Polar Outside rooms on Deck 6, midship, have a restricted view due to the lifeboats hanging outside the window.

Accessible: There are three accessible cabins on Deck 3 (331, 333 and 335) which are all classified as Polar Outsides, but are of course considerably bigger to allow for a wheelchair in the bedroom and bathroom and come in at 139 square feet. Each has a wide entrance with no lip, an electronically adjustable hospital-type bed, a chair, a table and a pull-down bed for a caretaker or spouse. The bathroom has a wide door and a fully accessible bathroom, as well as an oblong window.

Arctic Superiors and above all include a kettle, two mugs and tea and coffee sachets.

Arctic Superior: All the Arctic Superiors are on Decks 5 and 6, are 86 square feet and are configured as doubles (though can be split). They have more closet space and extra shelving above the bed. They look and feel fresh, with modern, light wood fittings and decor.

Mini-suites: There are eight 215-square-foot mini-suites on Deck 6. They come in two distinct layouts: the ones toward the back have a sofa bed and can sleep four; the ones toward the front have chairs instead of a sofa. All feel roomy and consist of two distinct spaces with a curtain to separate the spaces within the room.

The mini-suites toward the aft are oblong-shaped and have a living room with a large sofa bed, a glass table and a cabinet with a TV on top, and a large fixed mirror. There is also a shelf with a phone and two plug sockets, plus a closet with plenty of hanging space and drawers. The shower room adjoins here, with a basin and a toilet. You'll find an unstocked mini-fridge in the bedroom, along with a kettle for making tea and coffee; there's room under the bed for storing luggage, plug sockets and a bedside table with reading lights on each side of the bed. The large picture window has blackout blinds.

The four mini-suites toward the front of the ship have a different design; the living area is smaller, with chairs, a small table and a closet, while the bedroom is larger and you'll find the TV perched at the end of the bed. There is also a desk and a mini-fridge below. As in the aft mini-suites you'll find a kettle in the bedroom. There are no bedside plugs.

Suites: There are two suites on Nordkapp, both at the front of the ship on Deck 5 -- 501 and 502 -- which are 322 square feet. They consist of a living area with a sofa bed (which can sleep two), a large TV, a coffee table and two cupboards, one with extra storage space and second housing the kettle. The picture window in these rooms affords some of the best views on the ship; however, it overlooks the Promenade Deck, thus inviting other cruises to look into the room and also effectively blocking the view when the deck is crowded. The bedroom, which can be separated from the living space by a sliding door, has a large bed with space underneath for suitcases, an unstocked mini-fridge and another desk with plug sockets. Again, there is a large picture window with great views but also looking out over the forward deck.