Hurtigruten, the Norwegian expedition cruise line, said it would offer a new way to explore the Norwegian coast - with full-year departures directly from Dover in the UK, Hamburg in Germany and plus Bergen in Norway.
The company will use three ships that will be completely rebuilt, including their propulsion system, and renamed prior to their entry into service on these itineraries.
“Powered with biofuel and packed with green technology, three small, custom-built Hurtigruten expedition cruise ships will operate expedition voyages along the Norwegian coast – with year-round departures from Dover, Hamburg and Bergen starting from January 2021,” the company said in a statement.
“We have seen an increasing demand for closer-to-home departures. We expect this to further increase in the wake of COVID-19. To give our guests even more flexibility, we have decided to expand our offering with year-round expedition cruise programs from both UK, Germany and Norway,” Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam says.
From Dover, Maud, currently Midnatsol, will offer guests a special winter itinerary, maximizing time above the Arctic circle to enjoy spectacular northern lights – including an overnight stay in Tromsø.
During the summer months, Hurtigruten’s Norway expedition cruises will take guests to North Cape and back, exploring fjords, mountains and the Lofoten Islands. In addition, Hurtigruten offers two brand new summer itineraries from Dover: One exploring the British Isles, the other to off-the-beaten-track destinations in Southern Scandinavia.
Also to be fully upgraded, Otto Sverdrup, currently Finnmarken, will take guests from Hamburg on two different summer- and winter itineraries to the North Cape and back. Maximizing time above the Arctic circle during the winter means guests can enjoy spectacular Northern Lights, while tender pits and small boats means guests can explore off-the-beaten track destinations year-round – in addition to favorites such as Lofoten and Norwegian fjords.
From Bergen, Hurtigruten will offer year-round departures with Trollfjord, one of the most popular ships in Hurtigruten’s fleet. Sailing directly from the fjord capital of Bergen, Trollfjord will maximize the time spent exploring the Norwegian coastline to North Cape and back, including off-the-beaten-track destinations such as Reine in Lofoten, Fjærland and Træna.
Operating the Norwegian coast continuously since 1893, Hurtigruten has longer and more in-depth experience on the spectacular Norwegian coastline than any other cruise lines. Hurtigruten is also the only operator to offer year-round cruises on the Norwegian coast.
The new itineraries are handcrafted by Hurtigruten experts, with flexibility in mind. Offering more time in port for more in-depth experiences, the itineraries change with the seasons to take best advantage of the unique experiences offered in different times of year, either under the Midnight Sun in the seemingly eternal summer days, or below the colourful Northern Lights on dark polar nights.
“We put a lot of pride into handpicking the destinations and crafting the itineraries. We wanted to make sure guests can enjoy Norway like never before, to go deep into fjords, enjoy remote nature, see amazing wildlife and charming coastal cities, towns and villages while avoiding the mass tourism crowds,” Skjeldam said.
