Hurtigruten plans $64M in ship upgrades

Hurtigruten will be doing major renovations and upgrades to four of its ships in 2016.

All four of the mid-1990s built ships are being upgraded with new interiors and furnishings reflecting a modern Scandinavian design inspired by Norway’s scenic fjord-indented west coast. Hurtigruten, represented in Canada by GLP Worldwide Expedition Travel and Tours, is the world leader in exploration travel.

The four ships will be rotated through the Norwegian based shipyard with work expected to take less for each of the four ships: the MS Polarlys (completed by Feb. 2); MS Kong Harald (Feb. 7); MS Nordkapp (April 19); and MS Nordnorge (Nov. 18). The new MS Spitsbergen, undergoing a more major upgrade to fit in with the current fleet, will launch in spring 2016. Hurtigruten is expected to invest more than $64 million U.S. in the renovations.

The updated look for these ships has been named New Arctic Interior and all of the ship’s common areas, reception foyers, cafes and bistro areas and the aft deck will be renovated, with colours derived from the coast and the sea, while making use of many natural materials, such as wood, slate and leather. Designs and shapes are expected to bear a resemblance to those found in nature.

The ongoing transformation of the restaurants and menu items will also continue to evolve.  Hurtigruten has partnered with dozens of local food suppliers to develop the Coastal Kitchen concept, featuring seasonal ingredients, often harvested the same days