Hurtigruten
MS Kong Harald, MS Midnatsol, MS Nordkapp, MS Nordlys, MS Nordnorge, MS Otto Sverdrup, MS Polarlys, MS Richard With, MS Trollfjord, MS Vesterålen
Description
Offering a unique combination of local travellers, goods and international tourists since the very first departure almost 130 years ago. Connecting 34 communities along Norway’s rugged coastline, the Norwegian Coastal Express’ 8 ships bring you closer to nature and the local communities – on what is referred to as ‘the most beautiful voyage in the world’.
Discover the Original Norwegian Coastal Express
We’ve sailed the Norwegian coast since 1893, faithfully serving communities and showing international guests our home for almost 130 years. Come with us to experience the authentic, everyday life of the coast.
Our comfortable ships are small enough to maneuver through fjords, close to the coastline, giving you exceptional views of the passing landscapes. With a couple of hundred passengers at most, your ship is intimate, the atmosphere informal, and the dress code casual.
You’ll sail together with local Norwegians who have relied on our ships for transport, post, and cargo for generations. Coastal Experts on board will also share their insights of the coast with you, whether about history, culture, science, or photography.
Ships
MS Kong Harald |
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| Launched: | 1st January 2016 | |
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| Tonnage: | 11,204 | |
| Length: | 396 feet | |
| Total Crew: | 70 | |
| Occupancy: | 590 | |
| Rating: |  stars |
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MS Kong Harald was refurbished in 2016 and now features a modern, Arctic-inspired interior. On board are three different restaurants, the Multe bakery and ice cream bar, a sauna and fitness room. Out on deck you can enjoy the view from one of our two hot tubs. There is a comfortable bar at the front of the ship where you can enjoy a nice traditional drink. |
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MS Midnatsol |
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| Launched: | st December 2003 | |
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| Tonnage: | 16,151 | |
| Length: | 445 feet | |
| Total Crew: | 150 | |
| Occupancy: | 532 | |
| Rating: | stars |
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One of our best-known ships, MS Midnatsol (previously MS Maud) is named after the Midnight Sun, the phenomenon that occurs in northern Norway every summer when the sun doesn’t set for 24 hours. |
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MS Nordkapp |
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| Launched: | 1st January 2016 | |
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| Tonnage: | 11,386 | |
| Length: | 403 feet | |
| Total Crew: | 76 | |
| Occupancy: | 590 | |
| Rating: | stars |
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MS Nordkapp is named after the northernmost point on mainland Europe: North Cape (71ºN) - one of the geographical highpoints you can visit on a Hurtigruten voyage. |
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MS Nordlys |
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| Launched: | 1st January 1994 | |
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| Tonnage: | 11,204 | |
| Length: | 396 feet | |
| Total Crew: | 70 | |
| Occupancy: | 590 | |
| Rating: | stars |
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Both the name and the interior design of this modern expedition ship are inspired by the spectacular Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). |
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MS Nordnorge |
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| Launched: | 1st January 1997 | |
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| Tonnage: | 11,384 | |
| Length: | 403 feet | |
| Total Crew: | 70 | |
| Occupancy: | 590 | |
| Rating: | stars |
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MS Nordnorge is aptly named for northern Norway, most of which lies above the Arctic Circle. |
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MS Otto Sverdrup |
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| Launched: | 1st January 2020 | |
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| Tonnage: | 15,690 | |
| Length: | 452 feet | |
| Total Crew: | 150 | |
| Occupancy: | 526 | |
| Rating: | stars |
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MS Otto Sverdrup (formerly MS Finnmarken) is named after a great Norwegian polar hero. Together with Fridtjof Nansen and three other Norwegians, Sverdrup was among the first to ski across Greenland. He was also a key member of polar expeditions and the captain of the legendary arctic ship 'Fram'. He also served as the Hurtigruten Expeditions captain on board the M/S Lofoten, which sailed from Norway to Svalbard. |
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MS Polarlys |
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| Launched: | 1st January 2016 | |
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| Tonnage: | 11,341 | |
| Length: | 403 feet | |
| Total Crew: | 64 | |
| Occupancy: | 619 | |
| Rating: | stars |
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Polarlys is Norwegian for `polar light´, and refers to the natural Arctic phenomenon we pursue in winter. |
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MS Richard With |
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| Launched: | 1st January 2018 | |
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| Tonnage: | 11,205 | |
| Length: | 396 feet | |
| Total Crew: | 70 | |
| Occupancy: | 590 | |
| Rating: | stars |
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MS Richard With proudly carries the name of Hurtigruten's founder. |
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MS Trollfjord |
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| Launched: | 1st January 2002 | |
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| Tonnage: | 16,140 | |
| Length: | 442 feet | |
| Total Crew: | 75 | |
| Occupancy: | 822 | |
| Rating: | stars |
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The ship is named after the spectacular Trollfjord in Vesterålen. Inside she provides spectacular |
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MS Vesterålen |
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| Launched: | 1st January 1995 | |
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| Tonnage: | 6,261 | |
| Length: | 354 feet | |
| Total Crew: | 50 | |
| Occupancy: | 490 | |
| Rating: | stars |
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MS Vesterålen is named after the first Hurtigruten ship that sailed along Norway´s rugged coastline in 1893. She is one of our smaller boats and has an intimate on-board atmosphere. |
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Further Information
About Hurtigruten
When seasoned Norwegian Sea Captain Richard With came up with the idea of starting a year-round steam ship service to link northern and southern Norway, the local Governor asked his associates, "Is this captain a dreamer, or can it be done?"
It was the late 19th century, and though the Industrial Revolution had brought all kinds of comforts and technologies to Oslo and the ports of the south, the region beyond Bergen was still seen as a remote wilderness hemmed in by dramatic landscapes. Richard With's proposal for a service in daylight hours, from Trondheim to Hammerfest on a weekly basis, bringing mail, passengers and cargo was audacious enough, but he went further, claiming that in time, he would be able to sail this distance both day and night, both summer and winter. This was unheard of, as the first complete map of the Norwegian coast had yet to be made, and no pilot could possibly know all the topographical challenges.
The rugged landscape north of Bergen had for centuries only been accessible from the sea. From before the time of the Vikings, ships had sailed along the coast, exploiting the channels and harbours - kept free of ice by the Gulf Stream - in search of the best fishing grounds.
The route became a lively trading channel, as boats burdened first with dried fish and later flour, syrup and sugar provided isolated communities with commerce and provisions. The delivery of mail was the initial reason for the establishment of what was then known as the Coastal Express.
For ninety years, the Coastal Express was the most important communication link between south and north. It is from these times that the name Hurtigruten dates, translated as 'fast route', this was quite literally the quickest route to north Norway. Each ship had its own post office, its own stamp and its own post officer on board - indeed it was only in 1983 that mail delivery was transferred to planes and vehicles. Up until then, the Coastal Express was simply the most reliable of the alternatives, known for arriving on time all year around, regardless of weather conditions.
This symbiosis between the ships and the people may well account for the affection many Norwegians have for the route. Ask a coastal resident to tell you about Hurtigruten and they sometimes become emotional. The history and tradition of the route, and the epic endeavour of the captains and crews who have helped steer so many coastal communities into the modern age, have never been regarded with anything but admiration.
It is with this heritage and experience that the Hurtigruten fleet has moved forward to operate in Spitsbergen, Greenland and Antarctica, offering the most professional and proficient expedition voyage operation on the planet.
Let us take you there
As part of the Hurtigruten family you can be assured that we will provide the best in specialist knowledge, experience and expertise from your initial enquiry to your safe return. Offering voyages that will exceed all expectations, you are sure to bring home wonderful memories that will last forever. Discover how from the fjords of Norway to the waters of the high Arctic and the shores of the Antarctic Peninsula, Hurtigruten are the specialists in intimate and informal voyaging worldwide.
Norway
In our home waters of the Norwegian coast, our ships have been part of the country’s very
lifeline for over a century. Beneath the Midnight Sun or the mystical Northern Lights, daily
departures across the Arctic Circle from Bergen to Kirkenes, take us right to the heart of coastal Norway. Calling at 34 ports, most never visited by commercial cruise liners, our ships deliver freight, post and passengers to remote communities, some of which are home to just a few hundred people. Sailing along this beautiful coastline, through magical fjords to enchanted islands, we enjoy a genuine, friendly and unpretentious voyage which is truly Norwegian.
Cruises
Astronomy Voyage - Scandinavia
11 Nights |
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Classic Round Voyage: Bergen - Kirkenes - Bergen - Scandinavia
Complete Norway - Oslo-Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen - Scandinavia
Follow the Midnight Sun | Norway, Sweden & Finland - Scandinavia
14 Nights |
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Follow the Northern Lights: Northbound - Scandinavia
16 Nights |
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Follow the Northern Lights: Southbound - Scandinavia
14 Nights |
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Savour the Northern Lights - Oslo to Helsinki - Scandinavia
13 Nights |
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The Coastal Express - Bergen-Kirkenes-Trondheim - Scandinavia
The Coastal Express - North : Bergen - Kirkenes - Scandinavia
The Coastal Express – South : Kirkenes - Bergen - Scandinavia
The North Cape Express - Scandinavia
8 Nights |
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The North Cape Line - Scandinavia
The North Cape Line - Europe, Scandinavia
15 Nights |
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The North Cape Line - South - Scandinavia
8 Nights |
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The North Cape Line – Summer - Scandinavia
14 Nights |
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The North Cape Line – Winter - Europe, Scandinavia
15 Nights |
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The Svalbard Line - Bergen - Svalbard - Bergen - Europe, Scandinavia, Baltic
15 Nights |
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The Svalbard Line - North from Bergen - Scandinavia
7 Nights |
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The Svalbard Line - South from Longyearbyen - Scandinavia
7 Nights |
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