BKB: 12 Days … How Many Ports!?

BKB, in the vernacular of Havila passengers, refers to the Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen roundtrip coastal voyage. It’s the itinerary we booked.

Over the 12-days it will take M/S Havila Castor to complete the route, we will be stopping at 34 different ports.

No, that’s not a typo.

There will be 34 ports of call on the way up north. And 34 again on the way down south.

How is this possible?

Well, remember, m/s Havila Castor is not a cruise ship. Rather, it is better described as a ferry that conveys everything from mail to people from one place to another.

While there are stops of 3-4 hours in some ports … and occasional 1- to 2-hour stops as well, most are just long enough to drop off or pick up mail and goods, and embark or disembark passengers … 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes. Also, stops are made at all hours of the day and night. The ports you miss while you’re sleeping in one direction you stop at during daylight in the other direction.

You get the idea. Essentially, we will be passengers on a working ship.Read more