From next year, taking Hurtigruten’s Svalbard Express will be possible again. At the same time, there will also be a cruise from Oslo to the North Cape.
Hurtigruten celebrates its 130th anniversary next year and will offer cruises on the Svalbard Express again from June. The cruise was last in operation from 1968 to 1982. From June next year, people will once again be able to sail from Bergen to Svalbard.
At the same time, Hurtigruten will launch cruises with the North Cape Express from Oslo to Honningsvåg and the North Cape during the winter season.
The ship MS Trollfjord will be used on both voyages. It is one of the ships that has sailed between Bergen and Kirkenes in the traditional Hurtigruten voyage.
Important route
Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten Group, says that the route between Bergen and Svalbard was an important lifeline between the island community and the mainland.
“We are now recreating this iconic sailing route, and the trips will traditionally transport both people and goods between the mainland and the fantastic islands,” Skjeldam said.
The new routes are part of what Hurtigruten calls a completely new offer in Norway.
MS Trollfjord will also transport goods between the ports on both routes, including to Longyearbyen on Svalbard.
The Svalbard Express passes Lofoten, Senja, and Bjørnøya on the way to Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund on Svalbard. It will run from May to September.
From Lindesnes to the North Cape
The winter route between Oslo and the North Cape will run from October to April. It will be the first Hurtigruten voyage with a regular start in Oslo.
“Then travelers will be able to experience the coast from Norway’s southernmost to northernmost point, all the way from Lindesnes to the North Cape,” Hedda Felin, CEO of Hurtigruten, said.
“It is extra gratifying that we are hiring over 100 new seafarers, among them chefs, waiters, sailors, and crew,” Felin added.
The North Cape Express will stop at several ports that Hurtigruten does not currently serve. Among others, these are Farsund, Kristiansand, Åndalsnes, Alta, and Lødingen.
Longer stops planned
Longer stops are planned in each port on both routes. On average, there will be a stop of six hours per port.
“Tourism will benefit local communities. These routes provide the opportunity to have longer stops than the Coastal Route, and we use that to let our guests experience even more of the wonderful places where we’ll stop – and shop, eat, and enjoy themselves there,” Felin noted.
The summer route will spread over 14 nights, while the winter route will take up 13 nights.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayTravel
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