Take time to relax and develop new skills playing Bridge on board. In between matches, savor the soothing effects of life at sea with Hurtigruten. And fear not: Whether or not you play your cards right, this is sure to be the cruise vacation of a lifetime.

Practice and perfect your Bridge-playing skills while your ship glides along the Norwegian coast towards Kirkenes. Beginning in Bergen on the northbound Norwegian Coastal Voyage, we gently sail through the wonders of winter Norway. Our experienced Bridge director will run duplicate Bridge sessions for players of all standards and while the rules of the game will be followed, the emphasis is on the enjoyment of the play rather than a highly competitive event. The program will be adapted to allow time for excursions when we call at Alesund, Trondheim, Tromso and Honningsvag.

We plan to play supervised Bridge every evening with sessions lasting between two and three hours depending on the numbers taking part and the general speed of play. A number of seminars will also be held on a range of related subjects in the mornings.

By the time we arrive in Kirkenes, you will have honed your skills and made new friends among your fellow players. The voyage is suitable for players with previous experience, equipment will be provided.

Bergen is the bustling capital of Norway's fjord region. Before boarding, stroll among the old wooden buildings in the Bryggen wharf, an ancient remnant from Bergen's days as a leading medieval port. You board the Norwegian Costal Voyage this evening.

When you awake, the ship will be crossing the stretch of open sea known as Stadthavet, heading for Torvik. Farther on, you'll stop in the beautiful Art Nouveau town of Alesund. After a call at Molde-its magnificent view of the Romsdal Alps made it a favorite vacation spot of famous Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen-the ship will carefully navigate the Hustadvika, a belt of islets and skerries, before docking at Kristiansund. Optional shore excursions available.

The ship arrives early this morning in historical Trondheim, Norway's first capital. Walk the charming streets, sit by the peaceful harbor or cross the old city bridge to see the restored wooden buildings in Bakklandet and the great Gothic cathedral of Nidaros, where the kings of ancient Norway once received their official blessings. From Trondheim, the ship sails on to Rorvik, where the southbound and northbound coastal ships meet. Optional shore excursions available.

Today you'll cross the Arctic Circle. Of course, you can't actually see this imaginary cartographic line, but on our portside, a globe on the island of Vikingen serves as a helpful marker. Ahead lie spectacular sights, such as islands and skerries of majestic rock formations, their origins the stuff of legend. After Bodo, the ship heads out to open sea, bound for the Lofoten Islands, with their picturesque cabins on stilts and weathered wooden racks of drying cod. In the evening, you'll navigate the narrow Raftsund Strait, passing the looming crags of the Trollfjord. Optional shore excursions available.

This morning, you'll pass medieval Trondenes church before calling at Harstad for breakfast. Afterward, you'll sail across the Vagsfjord, past the great island of Senja with its diverse countryside of farmland, pine trees, and plunging peaks. Later you'll stop at the city of Tromso, Norway's "Paris of the North." In the 19th century, Russian, British, Dutch, and German ships called here before heading off on Arctic expeditions for hunting whales, walruses, and seals. Optional shore excursions available.

Finnmark's landscape, austere in its beauty, teems with wildlife. Watch for rookeries of puffins and gannets along the cliffs, and pods of orca, or Killer whales, hunting for herring. After calling at Honningsvag, the capital of the North Cape, the ship heads east toward the pretty fishing villages of Kjollefjord, Mehamn, and Berlevag. On the seventh day, you'll arrive at Kirkenes, the journey's northern terminus and turning point. Optional shore excursions available for both days.

*Guests who wish to participate in the Bridge Program must purchase it as an additional stage based on the supplements noted.