The three villages included in the "Open Village" programme are Traena, Bessaker and Saebo, which can be visited on the line’s Signature Line voyages, which run until September. The progamme will be expanded in 2026.

Hurtigruten claims its smaller ships "are the only cruise vessels visiting these remote coastal villages during the summer season, offering access where larger ships cannot go". With up to 500 passengers on each ship, Hurtigruten says it will directly contribute 250 Norwegian kroner (around £18) per guest to each community every time it visits.

In Bessaker, guests can take in a festive village parade and have access to historic buildings where hosts share personal stories and traditions. These experiences sit alongside opportunities to take in live music and woodcarving, and enjoy local coffee, cakes and traditional meals like sodd, a meat soup.

Meanwhile, in Saebo, visitors can attend a live concert at a church featuring local musicians, explore the Avalanche Centre and engage with guides to learn more about the area’s history, while in Traena – one of Norway’s oldest fishing communities – guests can tour the Traena Local Museum, the Petter Dass Chapel and also the village church thanks to a booklet outlining a self-guided cultural experience.

Odd Tore Skildheim, head of product development at Hurtigruten, said: "As some of Europe’s best-known destinations struggle with the pressures of overtourism, our approach is deliberately different: slower, more meaningful travel rooted in genuine connection. These villages, with a combined population of fewer than 1,000, are not just points on a map.

"Through our Open Village concept, there is no cost to our guests. Instead, for every visit we make there is a direct financial contribution made by Hurtigruten to each community based on the number of guests onboard, ensuring the benefits are felt by the people who live there. Our aim is for guests to feel truly welcomed and for locals to feel genuinely supported.”

Knut Johan Monkan of Coastal Host Bessaker said local businesses in Bessaker "would not have managed to keep going" if Hurtigruten’s Open Village had not launched this year. "The ripple effects are wide-reaching, and Hurtigruten’s presence is essential to creating a sustainable, living village and district," Monkan said.

This year, Hurtigruten ship Finnmarken, sailing from Hamburg, will visit all three villages, while Trollfjord, sailing from Bergen, will visit all but Bessaker. In addition, Midnatsol will call in all three villages when it’s included in the programme next year.