Cruise port guide · Northern Norway
A small fishing town, and your way to the North Cape. Book your seat on the bus before you arrive.
Nobody comes to Honningsvåg by accident. The town itself is small and easy on foot, but what you came for is the North Cape, about 34 km away across a bare, windy island. You can't walk there, and transport can be limited on cruise days. So the only real plan you need is to have a seat on a bus, and a clear idea of when it gets you back.
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by road to the North Cape plateau
on the road each way
for the whole North Cape trip
on foot gets you to most of the town
The reason most people get off the ship here. Some trips include the entrance ticket and some don't, so read before you book.
Find a North Cape tripYour ship's daily programme tells you.
Walk · 10 min to the centre
The town is small, and most of it is within about 10 to 15 minutes on foot.
Time in port, minus the trip into town and back, and 30 minutes' margin before all aboard.
| Quay | 4 h stop | 6 h stop | 8 h stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honningsvåg cruise quay | 3h 10m | 5h 10m | 7h 10m |
About 3 h 45 min of sightseeing. Works from every quay.
About 6 h 45 min of sightseeing. Works from every quay.
The plateau is about 34 km from town, or 30 to 40 minutes each way by road. Allow three to four hours in total with the bus. On a four-hour stop, only go on a bus with a fixed time that gets you back well before all aboard.
Local tip
Bring warm, windproof clothes, even in July.
A little harbour town at the top of Norway. Take a walk along the water and have a coffee. It doesn't need a plan.
Thousands of puffins, gannets and cormorants gather on the cliffs at Gjesværstappan. This takes a trip out of town, and it only works if the birds are there and the boat runs that day, so check first.
See the wildlife tripsCheck the length of the trip, and whether the entrance ticket is included.
Find a North Cape tripLook for a boat or wildlife trip that fits your stop, and check that it runs on your date.
See the wildlife tripsMost shops in Norway close on Sundays and public holidays. Museums, cafés and restaurants in the centre usually stay open, often with shorter hours. Here are the public holidays for the next twelve months:
You can do this on your own, but only if you've booked transport ahead, because there isn't much of it on cruise days. The ship's excursion costs more, but the ship knows where its buses are. On a short stop, that's worth a lot.
Last checked November 2026. Sources: Visit Norway, the North Cape, Adventour Begins, Honningsvåg cruise port guide, Bucket List Guides, Honningsvåg cruise port guide, CruiseBe, Honningsvåg.