Brønnøysund Adds Hands-On Cruise Excursions for 2027

Brønnøysund will introduce participatory art, traditional craft and small-group coastal geology excursions in 2027 following a two-day visit by cruise industry representatives on Sept. 10-11, 2026. The Norwegian port expects about 25 cruise calls next season, compared with approximately 20 in 2026.

That would be a 25% increase in calls. AIDA Cruises operates the largest ships currently received at Brønnøysund, while Aqua Expeditions’ Aqua Lares is the smallest vessel to visit.

Hands-on excursions planned for 2027

The Brønnøysund visit concluded Cruise Norway’s Northern Norway familiarisation trip through the Helgeland archipelago. The delegation included representatives from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Windstar Cruises, Saga Cruises, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and Ambassador Cruise Line, as well as tour operators and destination management companies.

Book North Travel presented two new concepts that will involve passengers in local creative and cultural projects. “Be Part of the Art” will take guests to artist Orjan Elias Ebbesen Eikemo’s studio and EE Gallery at Stavarsodden, a restored smallholding overlooking Torghatten. Participants will create individual pieces, leave elements for larger artworks and receive locally produced work to take home.

Under “Be Part of the Culture,” passengers will work with local organizations on projects that are expected to change annually. The first program will use local wool and traditional felting techniques to produce collaborative artworks based on the Helgeland shoreline, with guests making elements such as seaweed, shells and sea urchins. Neither concept requires previous artistic or craft experience.

A third confirmed excursion, “Seashore Secrets,” will examine plants, algae, bedrock, peatland, lichens and marine life within Trollfjell UNESCO Global Geopark. Group size will be capped at 19 passengers per guide to limit the impact on privately owned grazing land. The content will vary with the season, weather and tides.

Torghatten anchors the existing portfolio

Torghatten mountain remains one of the destination’s main excursion sites. The mountain is about 40 minutes by coach from either cruise quay, and a typical visit takes 2.5 hours. Visitors climb approximately 120 meters to reach the opening through the mountain, with some sections of the gravel route suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

A smoother path built by Sherpas in 2024 improved access, although the entire route is not wheelchair accessible. The opening is generally available to visitors from April 15 to Oct. 15. Torghatten forms part of Trollfjell, which received UNESCO Global Geopark status in 2019 and spans six municipalities along Norway’s central coast.

The Norwegian Aquaculture Centre can handle two groups of 20 to 25 people at the same time, rotating visitors through displays on salmon farming, fish vaccination, antibiotic use and feed research. Tours are offered in Norwegian, German and English and conclude with a salmon tasting. The upstairs exhibition area has no elevator and is not wheelchair accessible.

Hildurs Herb Garden, 6.5 kilometers north of Brønnøysund, offers two-hour visits that include its medicinal and heritage plant collections, a replica Stone Age hut and coffee and cake for cruise groups. The garden can also be combined with a panoramic tour, church visit or concert for a program lasting up to three hours.

Other options assessed during the trip included private concerts at the 400-capacity Brønnøysund Church, fishing experiences from King’s Pier and town walks covering the stone at Norway’s coastal midpoint. The wider Helgeland itinerary also included the International War Cemetery at Tjøtta, where approximately 7,500 World War II victims are buried, including victims of the Rigel sinking and Soviet prisoners of war.

Port plans for ships up to 300 meters

Brønnøysund’s main cruise berth at Gårdsøya is 100 meters long and currently accepts ships up to 260 meters. Additional mooring bollards installed as part of a new freight pier have allowed AIDA and Viking vessels to berth there. The quay provides fresh water, ISPS security and space for coaches, while a two-kilometer path connects it with the town center.

Shore power is not available to cruise ships. “We’re in a waiting queue to get more power out to the coast,” Port Director Solvi Helen Kristoffersen said.

The port plans to construct a mooring dolphin north of the existing berth, which would let it handle ships up to 300 meters. Brønnøysund’s central quay can receive vessels up to 160 meters and offers direct pedestrian access to town, while ships at anchor have a tender journey of about five to six minutes.

Trollfjell and Visit Helgeland are also developing a geological history and visitor center near the Gårdsøya arrival route. Existing buildings have been secured, and the center is scheduled to open for the 2027 cruise season.

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