News

Hurtigruten to offer year-round Norway cruises from Dover, Hamburg and Bergen from 2021

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 11 June 2020 11 June 2020

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.

Exclusive: Residential cruise vessel differs quite a bit from ordinary cruise ship

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 10 June 2020 10 June 2020

To design a vessel with residences onboard differs quite a bit from work on a cruise ship, summed up Nahal Kadora, Senior Designer at Tillberg Design of Sweden (TDoS).

“The initial approach is similar, with some of the same facilities onboard, but the operational aspect is somewhat different,” she explained. On a cruise, people spend a limited amount of time onboard, mostly about a week or two. On a residential cruise vessel, such as the projected Narrative of Storylines that TDoS has been involved with, the time can be a lot longer.

The ship and its facilities, including the residences themselves, need to accommodate the fact that people using them are more active on some days wile on others, they want a more relaxed pace, quite as they would do at a land based home.

Perhaps the most striking difference between a cruise cabin and accommodation on a residential cruise ship is the Residential Lounge with a kitchen that forms part of the private quarters on the last-named ship type. “You can enjoy a home cooked meal together with friends,” Kadora said.

“People can also invite friends and family for a stay onboard,” she continued, adding that the residents themselves would be part of a community of people who live onboard. As modern technology allows it, many people will probably also work for part of the time they spend on a residential cruise ship, so it is not just a pure leisure pad," Kadora pointed out.

A residential cruise ship will also need to provide a range of facilities for people to keep fit – Narrative is projected to feature not just gym, spa and fitness facilities, but also a marina that can be used when the vessel is e.g. at anchor offshore. Again, as the residents are expect to have varied preferences and lifestyles, the vessel has to cater for a broad range of tastes and interests. This also goes for the entertainment onboard: a range of public rooms that can be used for this purpose will also be provided.

Concern for the environment is a matter that many people share these days and Narrative is planned to feature a 5,400sq ft kitchen garden, where e.g. vegetables are planned to be grown – pesticide free. As Kadora pointed out, interest in locally produced food is also a major trend all over the world these days and Storylines plans to be the first passenger shipping company to start producing food onboard.

You can read more about Narrative and a number of other residential cruise ship projects in the next issue of CruiseBusiness.com magazine, which has been just published.

Silversea welcomes Silver Origin to its fleet with first in-person cruise ship delivery since the lockdown

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 05 June 2020 05 June 2020

Silversea Cruises has taken delivery of its first-ever destination-specific ship, Silver Origin, from Dutch shipyard De Hoop. An intimate ceremony, held on Wednesday June 3, 2020, marked the first in-person cruise ship delivery since the pandemic prompted a global lockdown.

Select Silversea top executives – including Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Chairman; Roberto Martinoli, President and CEO; Damien O’Connor, SVP Hotel Operations & Onboard Revenue; and Barbara Muckermann, Chief Marketing Officer – attended the ceremony in Rotterdam. Joined by representatives from De Hoop Shipyard, Silversea’s executives took a tour of the completed ship for the first time and were present for the official flag ceremony.

“It was a very proud moment for me to attend Silver Origin’s official delivery ceremony in person, and to welcome Silversea’s first-ever destination-specific ship to our fleet. I am very grateful to all involved in the build, especially the professionals at De Hoop Shipyard,” says Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio. “In September 2013, Silversea became the first cruise line to launch an ultra-luxury ship in the Galapagos Archipelago. We have invested our accrued know-how into the design of Silver Origin. Every element of the ship has been designed with the destination in mind and tailored to enhance the experience for travelers, while fostering a deep sense of respect for this magnificent ecosystem and everything that inhabits it.”

“We welcome the beautiful Silver Origin to our fleet as the first ship since the start of our collaboration with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.,” says Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s President & CEO. “The ship demonstrates how fruitful our collaboration has been, while providing an indication of the great success to come. With Silversea’s destination expertise and the invaluable support of the RCL group, we have pushed the boundaries of ultra-luxury travel in the Galapagos with Silver Origin. I want to extend my gratitude to all those involved, including my colleagues at both Silversea and RCL, but especially to the De Hoop Shipyard who overcame many challenges to complete the ship.”

“It has been extremely rewarding to work on this project, and we are proud for having been able to deliver the ship in spite of the external challenges,” says Patrick Janssens, CEO of De Hoop Shipyard. “The delivery ceremony marked a momentous moment for both parties, and delivering Silver Origin to Silversea’s Executives here in Rotterdam was a great pleasure. We wish the cruise line every success for the future and we look forward to seeing this beautiful ship in the Galapagos Islands where she belongs.”

Integrating the latest state-of-the-art technology and designed with a focus on the pillars of sustainability, destination on board, expedition experience, authentic local culture, and comfort and service, the all-suite, all-balcony, 100-guest Silver Origin will welcome travelers year-round in the unique Galapagos Archipelago. The ship will provide guests with the ultimate destination experience, inspired by Silversea’s accrued expertise and founded on a deep respect for the fragility of the natural environment, while maintaining the cruise line’s trademark quality of service.

Each of Silver Origin's spaces has been designed specifically with the Galapagos in mind by Hirsch Bedner Associates Miami. Silversea’s executives visited each to experience first-hand how they will create unique synergies between the destination and the ship.