Hurtigruten invests in new ship

Norwegian coastal cruise expert Hurtigruten is to acquire a new ship as part of its expansion plans.

The vessel, which will hold 320-passengers, will be the first ship that Hurtigruten has added to its fleet in almost ten years.

The new ship was built in Portugal in 2009 and has been given the temporary name “MS Norway Explorer”.

“The new ship’s manoeuvrability and optimal size will bring Hurtigruten’s guests even closer to nature experiences. We invest in our fleet to ensure that Hurtigruten remains a world leader in sustainable explorer travels along the Norwegian coast and in polar waters,” said Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten.

The vessel will replace Midnatsol, which will be sailing to Antarctica for the winter 2016-17 season.

Norway Explorer is due to sail on its first Hurtigruten voyage this week, from Portugal to Scandinavia. From there it will go into drydock to be brought within Hurtigruten’s brand guidelines.

Skjeldam added: “This investment gives us increased flexibility and opens great opportunities to enrich our guests’ unique polar experiences. The vessel complements our fleet of expedition ships and also opens a window of opportunity to expand our service and offers at destinations such as Greenland, Svalbard and Antarctica.”

Hurtigruten now has a fleet of 13 vessels.

More details are expected in the coming weeks.

To read more CRUISE ADVISER stories about Hurtigruten, including the company’s appointment of Cecilia Albert to country director, please click here.