Fjord Line and Frode Harring launch Whisky Cruise in Norway
We have just learnt that Norway will get a Whisky Cruise! This new festival at sea will set off from Bergen on October 24, 2015, at 1.30 pm. The Whisky & Beer Cruise 2015 will follow this route: Bergen - Stavanger - Hirtshals (Denmark) - Langesund - Hirtshals - Stavanger - Bergen. The cruise will last for 48 hours from start to finish, but whisky fans may board and disembark at any port during the cruise. They might then miss out on parts of the festival, but it does add a lot of flexibility for the whisky fans out there. The organiser of the cruise is Fjord Line AS, but they are leaning heavily on Frode Harring for ideas and all whisky related content for the festival. Frode Harring should be well known by most whisky fans in Norway, and many outside of Norway as well. He runs a great whisky bar in Bergen (The Tasting Room), and is also the man behind the Bergen International Whisky & Beer Festival.
Whisky cruises are quite unique and can be great fun. Being 'trapped' on a ship with hundreds of whisky fans sets a very special atmosphere. It is a great opportunity to try new whisky, get to know other people passionate about whisky and just 'get away' for a day or two. My wife and I have attended the Cinderella Whisky Fair from Stockholm the past two years and found this to be great fun (see here and here).
Here are the facts on the Whisky & Beer Cruise 2015 as far as we know (this might still change):
- Depart from Bergen: Saturday 24. Oct, 2015, at 13.30
- Arrive back in Bergen: Monday 26. Oct, 2015, at 12.30
- Opening hours (festival): Sat 14.30 - 21.00, Sun 12.30 - 20.30
- Capacity: 1100 festival attendants
- Masterclasses: 8-10 master classes planned, no further details yet
- Price: Starting at NOK 590 per person including inside cabin and access to festival
- Pay extra for whisky tokens, masterclasses, whisky dinners, workshops, upgraded cabin etc.
Frode and Fjord Line are still working on finalising the programme. They can promise well-known whisky names for the masterclasses, great whisky to try at the festival area, and they are looking into arranging fun pairings of food and whisky/beer.
More details will follow as soon as we know more. Looks like we will be sailing in October! Just have to remember to bring my accu-pressure armbands...I do not have sea legs!
Sláinte! - Thomas
