When solo travelers embark on a journey together, something remarkable tends to unfold. This was precisely the case for seven women who, although strangers before their Havila Voyages adventure, quickly forged a deep bond. The Havblikk Bar & Lounge on the Havila Capella became their regular meeting spot, where laughter and stories flowed as freely as the drinks.

One, two, three, four, five… In total there are seven women gathered around the table in the Havblikk Bar & Lounge this afternoon. They have met here almost every day during their trip so far, as well as at dinner in the Havrand restaurant on deck six. Seeing them for the first time, you would think that they had known each other for years because they talk so effortlessly, sharing their thoughts, smiling, and laughing. However, the truth is that most of these women met in Bergen a few days ago, just as they were about to board the Havila Capella. 

“For the last three years, I’ve been plucking up courage to travel on my own. I didn’t really want to, but I felt the need to travel”, one says. 

Her name is Chrissie Biddlecombe and although her accent is British, she lives in France. Most of them do.

“Then I saw Caroline’s post on Facebook”, Chrissie continues. “The northern lights were on top of my wish list, so I contacted her and said, ‘I like what I am reading’”.

That is how it all started – with a couple of posts in two Facebook groups for English-speaking people in France. They were both written by Caroline Davey, one of Havila Voyage’s most tenacious ambassadors. She went on a round trip with her father last year and was sold on it. 

“I can honestly say that after the voyage, I felt like a different person. I called it the ‘Capella bubble’, which enveloped me. I fell in love with Norway and the whole experience. I had to return to Capella”, she says.

Afterwards, she has voluntarily been promoting the company in the Facebook group, “Havila Kystrutens venner” (Friends of Havila Voyages), as well as in other Facebook forums. This time, she was alerting people about the Havila Voyages’ solo traveller offer, as she herself planned to travel solo a few months later.

And so she did, but as you might have already guessed, it all turned out a bit different than expected. 

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Spoke for two hours

Another woman, Lyn James, speaks up; “I was looking generally at Facebook, and then I noticed someone asking a question in a particular group; ‘Has anybody gone to see the northern lights?’ Then, I saw Caroline’s response to the question”.

Lyn immediately contacted Caroline in a private message, asking for more information.

“She said, ‘Shall I phone you?’, and I said, ‘Yes, please’. Next thing I knew, we were speaking for two hours. At the end of that, I said, ‘I’m in’”.

The network grew

Sitting close to Lyn, we find Barbara Smith, the only woman in the group who is living in the UK. She says she was at her computer being bored one afternoon when the phone rang. 

“It was Lyn saying, ‘I just heard about this wonderful trip. I know you’d love it’”. 

At the time, Barbara did not know that she would be part of a group of “solo travellers”. No one did. However, one thing led to the other, and suddenly Caroline found herself organising a trip for nine women who had either become intrigued by her Facebook posts or learned about the ships and the solo traveller offer through others who had already decided to go. The general interest was huge. 

“Forty-nine people were interested and got proper details, but then said, oh well, next summer, next year, and so on”, Caroline explains.

The only woman in the group that is not on Facebook is Janette Tindale. She heard about the offer one day when she was visiting Sarah Polley, a bed & breakfast owner in France, who already knew Caroline and had decided to go with her to Norway.

“I would probably not have gone by myself. It’s nice to go with someone who’s done it before and knows the ins and outs of what to do and not, Janette explains.

When we ask the women what they like the most about Havila Voyages, they cannot point to one specific thing. 

“It’s the total package that makes the product so good. The fact that it’s a small ship, the cabins being that bit larger, the lovely big windows, the landscape that you’re travelling through, a super bar, and the food on top”, Caroline enumerates.

The food concept seems to have astonished everyone.

“You all individually said how perfect it is”, she continues, half directed to the group. “It’s brilliant cuisine, but the idea of the small portions that make into a superb meal… I think we all buy into the fact that there is not a mass of food waste”.

“Yes, but you have to experience it to really appreciate how it works”, Chrissie continues; “because Caroline did mention it, but there was so much to think about, that rather went out of my head. It’s only sitting here, experiencing that way of eating, which I absolutely love, that you can truly grasp it. And I think one or two of us will be trying to emulate that at home”.

Again, the group agrees.

“And you can try something that you don’t know whether you like or not without wasting a whole meal”, Lyn interjects, “…because you can try it alongside other things you know that you do like. I think it’s a great way to try new food, and I love the concept that the menu changes each time we go through different regions. It’s lovely. Really well done”.

Learn more about Havila Food Stories

And at the end of the day ...

The group does not hang out together all the time. On the contrary, they like to do individual excursions or other activities during the day.

“You go off and do an excursion on your own, but you know you’re coming back to the girls again”, says Sarah.

 "To tell them about it and say, ‘hey, this has happened’”, Chrissie follows up. “It’s been a lot of fun doing that”.

Then it happens

We have enjoyed our conversations with the women and hope to see them again on this final day of our northbound journey to Kirkenes. And that is precisely what happens later that night on the outer deck, as the long-awaited Northern Lights finally make their awaited appearance in the brilliant night sky.