MS Nordkapp

The 1996-built MS Nordkapp cruise ship is one of the six “contemporary” Hurtigruten ships, together with Kong Harald, Nordlys, Nordnorge, Polarlys, Richard With. Together with her fleet mates, Nordkapp serves Hurtigruten’s Norwegian Coastal Voyages (NCV) program for cruiseferry travel by cargo-passenger ships.

The vessel (IMO number 9107772) is currently Norway-flagged (MMSI 259330000) and registered in Tromso.

History - construction and ownership

The shipowner Hurtigruten is a Norwegian passenger shipping company specializing in cruise and ferry services. The "Norwegian Coastal Express Route" (Bergen-Kirkenes) is a cargo-passenger ferry service along Norway's western and northern coast. Hurtigruten's cruise ferries sail nearly the entire length of Norway and complete this roundtrip itinerary in 11 days. The route also includes Lofoten Islands and Vesteralen Islands.

The 700-passenger ship Nordkapp was built for Ofotens og Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab by Kleven Verft AS for the ferry service along Norway's coast. MS Nordkapp is a sister ship of MS Nordnorge and MS Polarlys, one of the 11 ships sailing the Norwegian coast. MS Nordkapp was named after North Cape, the northernmost point of mainland Europe, which has always attracted explorers after being named in 1553 by Richard Chancellor. The ship has been upgraded with Jacuzzis and Junior Suites. Norway's Queen Sonja is the godmother of Hurtigruten's Nordkapp.

• 29 November 2001: MS Nordkapp just outside Henningsvær, in Lofoten, suffered both main engine failure. In order to avoid running aground, both anchors were dropped. People on board were prepared for evacuation. Happily, 2 hours after the incident ship engineers started the engine and the vessel was able to reach Bodø, Norway.
• 2005: It was decided MS Nordkapp change its route out of the Norwegian coast and enter service in the Baltic Sea before cruising Antarctica to Chile.
• 2005-2006: The cruise ship took the western coast of Norway during spring, summer, and part of fall before going back to the Chile/Antarctica route in the winter (summer in the southern hemisphere).
• May 2007: MS Nordkapp went again to Norway's coastal route.
• January 2007: Incident history, MS Nordkapp ran aground off Deception Island without injured passengers.

Decks and Cabins

MS Nordkapp staterooms (218 total, in 8 grades) include 10 Suites, 184x Outside, 21x Inside. Cabin sizes vary from 55 to 325 ft2 (5-30 m2). Wheelchair-accessible cabins are 3. Most staterooms are outside and sized 85-140-ft2 (8-14 m2). There are no balcony cabins.

Standard cabin amenities include lower and upper bunk beds, bedside reading lamps, foldable table with chair, LCDTV, radio, phone, mini-fridge, electronic safe box, wardrobe with dressers and cabinets, en-suite bathroom (WC-shower, bath products, hairdryer), individual air-conditioning, blankets (for sitting outside).

The boat has 7 decks, of which 6 are passenger-accessible and 4 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

MS Nordkapp features some qualities which separate her from the traditional cruise ships. The everyday conveniences are offered in a large ship setting. The main restaurant offers a relaxed informal atmosphere in the evenings, and all menus use locally-sourced fresh ingredients. Hurtigruten dining boasts authentic Norwegian specialties and international cuisine.

Torget Restaurant (Deck 4) is the Nordkapp ship’s Dining Room with floor-ceiling windows and a large buffet station in the middle. Here are offered buffet-style Breakfast (7-10 am) and Lunch (11:30 am - 2:30 pm). Dinner is waiter-served, with 4 seatings, a 3-course menu (plus a la carte menu with light snacks). In the Torget Restaurant are also sold Hurtigruten wine packages.

Multe Bakery (Deck 7 midship) is a patisserie/ice cream bar with a knitting corner and jigsaw puzzles. It offers freshly baked cakes and pastries along with a range of local ice creams. Guests can try the stockfish, brown cheese, and cloudberry ice cream.

Brygga Bistro (Deck 4) offers cafe-style food and is perfect for a light lunch. It serves beverages, sandwiches, and burgers throughout the day.

Kysten Arctic Fine Dining (Deck 4) offers a more private, intimate setting. This exquisite restaurant serves some of the world's best seafood, exotic meat and other produce directly sourced from the Arctic.

Unlike most Hurtigruten ships, Polarlys has no 24-hour open Cafe Restaurant (Cafeteria with a la carte menu for hot/cold meals, snacks, beverages). The only 24-hours open venue is the Reception, offering guest assistance and information, along with a reduced variety of beverages, packed snacks, and sandwiches.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The onboard entertainment is low-key as most of the time is spent in discussions with fellow passengers. Occasionally, there may be live music performances in the evenings at the Bar Lounge. The ship has a small Fitness (gym room), two spa pools (outdoor jacuzzies), Infirmary. However, the small hospital is not served by a resident doctor/nurse. In cases of emergencies, the crew asks among passengers if there is medical personnel, and the ferry is always navigating close to land to deliver sick passengers to a hospital if needed.

Follows the complete list of ms Nordkapp lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• The Car Deck (capacity of 45 cars)
• Two Lecture Halls / Conference Rooms (Deck 4) host multimedia presentations, lectures by scientists/wildlife experts, Norway-themed films. A show program is not offered.
• Explorer Lounge and Bar (Deck 7 forward) is a Panorama Lounge (with scenic bow views from floor-ceiling-windows) that also serves as Library (shelved books, board games and cards playing).
• The Shop (sells Norwegian souvenirs, Hurtigruten logo merchandise, jewellery, toiletries, clothing)
• Promenade Deck (full-circle open-air deck space)
• Observation Lounge and Bar
• TRIM Fitness (equipped with exercise bikes, treadmills, free weights); 2 Saunas (separate for men/women).

The Sun Deck is the place for Hurtigruten’s special ceremony “Arctic Circle baptism”, including a Neptune-costumed crewmember, icy seawater, and a shot for warming up.

The cruise ship doesn't have Kids Playroom (indoor playground), Nursery (babysitting facility), Video Games Arcade, Internet Cafe.

Itineraries

MS Nordkapp itinerary program is based on Norwegian Coastal Voyages. Ship's routes include the beautiful Norwegian fjords.

Nordkapp is mostly used as a ferry for both passengers and cars. However, some guests stay on board for roundtrip 12-day itineraries out of Bergen and Kirkenes.

The vessel (Kleven Verft yard-manufactured) has volume 11386 GT-tons, DWT-deadweight tonnage 1104 tons, max draught 5,2 m. The powerplant is based on MAK Maschinenbau marine diesel engines (model 6M552C) with combined output 18 MW. The registered shipowner is HURTIGRUTEN COASTAL FLEET AS, the manager is HURTIGRUTEN COASTAL AS.

The Nordkapp ship was christened on March 23, 1996, and named after the North Cape (cape on Mageroya Island) in Northern Norway. North Cape (71-degree North) is the northernmost point of mainland Europe and has attracted explorers since 1553 when named by Richard Chancellor. The godmother of the Nordkapp ship is Norway's Queen Sonja.

The vessel was built as part of a class series created in the 1990s. Nordkapp's onboard experience is marked by varied themes of coastal culture. The ship is just like a floating art gallery (including artworks by the famous Norwegian artist Karl Erik Harr). 

MS Nordkapp cruises along Norway's coast departing from Bergen to Kirkenes (a mining town near the border with Russia) and the reverse, visiting 35 ports along the route. Many use the vessel as transportation (ferry). Cruise passengers stay on board for full round trips booking it as a cruise ship. Norwegian Coastal passengers can opt for 5-11-night stays, with the full 12-day sailing from Bergen to Kirkenes, then going back southbound. In most ports of call are offered Hurtigruten-sponsored excursions and tours. A ceremony "Crossing the Arctic Circle” welcomes newcomers. On Hurtigruten Norwegian coastal voyages, the line offers flight-cruise package deals. Bookings are protected with ATOL Certificate. ATOL stands for "Air Travel Organisers' Licensing" (Civil Aviation Authority, UK).

Drydock refurbishments review

By 2023-Q4, Hurtigtuten's all 7x "Norwegian Coastal Express" ferryboats (Nordkapp, Richard With, Nordlys, Kong Harald, Nordnorge, Polarlys, Trollfjord) were scheduled to complete drydocks for powerplant conversions (from diesel-only to diesel-electric / battery-hybrid), during which new low-emission diesel engines and large battery packs were installed.

• For this project (budgeted ~EUR 100 million), on May 11, 2021, Hurtigruten Group signed a contract with Kongsberg Maritime to deliver the hybrid equipment packages for the boats.
• Each ship was fitted with 2x SAVe Energy storage systems (1120 kWh lithium-ion batteries) controlled via SAVe CUBE (drive switchboards that control the thrusters) and 2x Bergen B33:45V diesel engines (diesel generator sets with SCR-Selective Catalytic Reduction to optimize CO emissions control).
• Kongsberg's equipment also included re-blading of the propellers, installing new thruster motors (retractable stern 360-degree azimuthing thruster), AC (switchboards/current switches), new safety and communication systems, new gears, bulbous bow (the hull was optimized to reduce drag), new boilers (improving heat recovery from the engines), new wastewater treatment plant.
• The drydocks were conducted by Myklebust Verft AS (shipyard in Gursken, Norway's Gurskoya Island).

All Hurtigruten ships now have shoreside-power capabilities (plugs for electricity supply at port berths).