HURTIGRUTEN Cruises has marked a milestone in sustainable cruising, with the new MS Roald Amundsen undertaking her maiden season in the northern Arctic Ocean this month. The ship features 264 outside cabins and suites, 50% of which have private balconies, with a fully ice-strengthened hull and a comprehensive expedition crew....
HURTIGRUTEN Cruises has marked a milestone in sustainable cruising, with the new MS Roald Amundsen undertaking her maiden season in the northern Arctic Ocean this month.
The ship features 264 outside cabins and suites, 50% of which have private balconies, with a fully ice-strengthened hull and a comprehensive expedition crew.
The first of a new class of vessels for Hurtigruten, Roald Amundsen’s debut coincides with a concerted push by the company into the Australian market, including the establishment of a new Melbourne office.
“We believe the Hurtigruten expedition product resonates strongly with the Australian and New Zealand market,” according to Hurtigruten’s regional MD, Damian Perry.
He told CW the company believes setting up its own office will make it easier for industry partners to engage with the brand, simplifying the former GSA model which had been in place for some years.
“We wanted to be the master of our own destiny,” Perry said, flagging opportunities for travel agents – small or large – to work with Hurtigruten to capitalise on the opportunity afforded by the company’s fleet transformation.
As well as newbuild expedition ships, Hurtigruten is also revamping its existing fleet to expand expedition capacity and install new, environmentally friendly propulsion systems.
The MS Roald Amundsen is pictured – in the 3am “midnight sun” from the air – as she waited to pick up passengers in Svalbard early last Sat morning.
