How to Visit the Vulkana Arctic Spa in Tromsø: My Experience

One of the most magical and little-known places you can visit in Tromsø, the MS Vulkana has transformed from its origins as a 1957 deep-sea fishing boat into a floating spa oasis.

The result of a passion project of two Norwegian couples, this group of four friends purchased a fishing boat during the pandemic, with the mission to convert it into the ultimate spa experience.

Now, the Vulkana Arctic Spa is one of the most unique things to do in Tromso, an extraordinary place where you can admire the stunning fjord from a panoramic window inside a wood-fired sauna, sit in a hot tub with snowy mountain and water views, or even take a polar plunge in the icy fjord if you’re feeling brave! 

Sounds too good to be true? Honestly, it’s just as dreamy as I’ve described it.

Here’s everything you need to know to plan your visit, including where it is, when it is open, what facilities they have, what you should bring, costs, and my personal experience visiting the Vulkana Arctic Spa (with honest pros and cons).

MS Vulkana Location & Hours

Address: Søndre Tollbodgate 17, 9008 Tromsø, Norway

Opening Hours:

• Tuesday to Satuday: Open from 11 AM to 10 PM
• Sunday: Open from noon to 8 PM
• Monday: Closed

How to Book: 

• To book a spa session or dinner & spa experience, you can book online directly here. Dinner is only offered once a month in winter, so look carefully!
• To learn about their special offerings (such as fjord cruises, fishing trips, and ski trips), check their website for contact information.

Vulkana Arctic Spa Facilities

The MS Vulkana is an actual working, sea-worthy boat docked right at the Tromsø harbor — you’ll have incredible views everywhere you look.

But despite being a converted fishing boat, it’s way more lush than you might think, and it blends several different culture’s wellness traditions all into one place (Nordic, Japanese, and Turkish), with Arctic charm and views on top of everything. 

Here, you’ll find the following facilities:

Wood-fired sauna

This spacious sauna is roaringly warm and the perfect place to relax until you’re so hot you can’t stand it, and the only logical solution is to go out into the crisp Arctic air (or even better, the frosty fjord waters!). The sauna is rather large and can easily fit a large group of people. 

We were lucky enough to enjoy a private session with just me and my friend visiting, so we had the sauna all to ourselves, but it would be comfortable seating several people. I especially liked the giant window that had incredible fjord views.

I could have stayed there all day (with breaks, of course). There’s also a shower attached to the sauna area so you can freshen up before and after your sauna, including body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. 

Wood-fired hot tub

On the upper deck, there’s a hot tub — wood-fired as well! As you sit in it, you can enjoy 360-degree views of Tromsø harbor and the mountains on the other side of the city, as well as sights like the Arctic Cathedral and Fjellheisen cable car.

However, I will note that it’s a bit hard for the wood fire to heat all the water to a truly hot temperature, especially because it’s outside and unsheltered. When I visited, the weather was about 28°F/-2°C outside, which meant that the water surface cooled rather quickly. 

It was more of a “tepid tub” than a hot tub, but I loved it nonetheless. I loved sitting in the water admiring the harbor views, contrasted with the Arctic wind nipping at my face while my body stayed (fairly) warm!

Turkish-style steam room and ice bath

While the other amenities are heated by wood-fired, their Turkish-style steam room is powered by an electric generator (the generator briefly faltered when we were there but was fixed quickly!).

You can alternate between breathing in all that lovely steam and getting your body nice and warm and then cooling down in the ice bath inside if you’re brave. 

For some reason, I found this ice bath so much colder than the actual icy fjord outside — maybe because the contrast between the air outside and the cold water made the cold water somehow seem warmer by comparison. But true ice bath lovers will be in heaven: it was extremely cold!

Ladder to the polar plunge

If you’re feeling gutsy, you can jump into the fjord from the boat or take the ladder down to the water for an icy shock to the system. Just inform the staff if you plan to do this so they can supervise for your safety! 

I did the plunge because I figured it would be an incredibly memorable experience and I was correct — it was one of the highlights of my time at the Arctic spa.

The blissful quiet that hit my mind as soon as I entered the water forced me to focus on all the sensations in my body; it was the most incredibly meditative experience and I was buzzing for a good 10 minutes afterwards. I lasted less than a minute in the water, but honestly, I wish I had done it again and tried to stay longer!

Indoor Zen lounge

Taking cues from Japanese design, this indoor space next to the steam room is the perfect place to sit and watch the fire and enjoy spa water and frozen fruits prepared by the staff.

It’s very cozy-looking, with wood detail and a warm, flickering fireplace that just invites you to gaze into it for hours. This is a great place to sit if you want to take a break from the constant hot-and-cold and just give your body some time to pause and take it all in while being indoors, away from the Arctic elements.

Changing rooms

We were given a little bunk room (which is actually slept in for overnight ventures, like their ski trips — more on that in a bit!) during our stay.

This was where we could change into and out of our swimwear in privacy, as well as store our belongings. It was small but cozy!

Bar and restaurant area

There’s a little bar (fully licensed, so you can enjoy a beer or wine if you like!) on the boat, as well as a dining table where they host dinners if you book one of their dinner cruises. 

If you just want a coffee, they have great drip coffee with free refills: I got a coffee there for about 50 NOK ($4 USD). 

Do I Recommend The Vulkana Spa Experience?

First things first: I’m definitely a spa kind of girl. I’ve had the privilege of staying in so many incredible spas at hotels over the last eight years of travel blogging. I’m obsessed with saunas (I even visited the self-appointed sauna capital of the world: Tampere, Finland) and all things relaxation.

So those are my credentials, and let me tell you: the MS Vulkana was one of the most unique (and best!) spa experiences I’ve ever had. I loved the heat of the wood-fired sauna and the contrast that the icy polar plunge provided—it was an exhilarating, never-forget kind of moment that I highly recommend.

I also loved the thoughtful touches, like frozen fruit and cold water they brought to us unexpectedly when we were in the lounge area. It was this hospitality that brought extra charm to this experience.

It wasn’t that obsequious kind of hospitality you sometimes find in spa experiences, but rather a genuine, warm hospitality that only comes from someone carrying out their own passion project and making sure others see their vision. It was really fun to speak with one of the co-owners and hear how their vision of a floating spa came to life. 

My main negative is that the hot tub, while cozy and incredibly scenic, didn’t quite reach the same level of warmth that the sauna can (probably due to how hard it is to heat that much water with the Arctic winds cooling it down constantly). But honestly, the setting more than made up for it. 

My only other negative was that the two hours went far too quickly! I also think that it would be nice if either a towel or robe rental was included in the cost, just so you don’t have to make that transaction on the boat when you’re trying to enjoy your spa experience. Even though the prices are reasonable, I much prefer to just pay a price up-front and enjoy the facilities without having to spend on extras. 

Costs and Options

Vulkana offers several packages to suit your preferences and budgets. Here are the main choices:

• Spa Sessions:
  • 1 hour: 690 NOK (~$64 USD) per person
  • 2 hours: 1025 NOK (~$95 USD) per person
• Tip: With so many facilities to enjoy, I recommend booking a two-hour session for the best value. One hour really isn’t enough, unless you’re not really the spa type of person, in which case I don’t think this experience would be super well-suited for you, anyway.
• Spa & Dinner Experience:
  • 3 hours, including a Nordic-inspired meal: 1900 NOK (~$176 USD) per person. Note that dinner capacity is limited to 14, so book in advance.
• Cruises & Expeditions:
  • Options include 4-hour fishing cruises, fjord spa cruises, and multi-day ski expeditions. Prices are not listed online, so you’ll need to contact them for details.
• Add-Ons:
  • Bathrobe rental: 100 NOK (~$9 USD)
  • Towel rental: 60 NOK (~$6 USD)
  • Waffle brunch: 249 NOK (~$23 USD)

Tips for Visiting the Vulkana Spa

Bring Your Own Gear: Be sure to bring a bathing suit, as wearing a bathing suit is compulsory — no nude sauna time here (which makes sense, as you’re in clear view of the public as the boat is docked on the harbor). If you can, you can bring your own towel and/or bathrobe to avoid some additional rental fees.

Book Early: Popular times and special experiences like the Spa & Dinner package can fill up quickly; if after reading this, you know you want this experience, be sure to reserve your spot to avoid any disappointments later down the road.

Consider the Time You Visit: Personally, I would suggest doing a daytime visit as I loved getting to see the beauty of the Tromsø fjord bathed in that soft Arctic daylight. But if you’re hoping to see the aurora while you’re in Tromsø, a spa session at night may be a great way to stay warm while looking for the lights, as the sauna window gives you a great view to the north and you can sit in the jacuzzi outside 

Plan for Two Hours: The facilities are extensive, and one hour might feel rushed; the whole point is relaxing, and if you only have an hour, you’ll be rushing to see every last corner of this incredible boat-turned-spa!

Allison Green

Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016, visiting 75+ countries in total. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. As a former educator, she merges her writing and educational experience to encourage ethical, sustainable travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and TBEX. Her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. When she’s not on the road, she lives in Bangkok, Thailand.