MS Nordkapp

The 1996-built MS Nordkapp cruise ship is one of six “contemporary” Hurtigruten vessels, together with Kong Harald, Nordlys, Nordnorge, Polarlys and Richard With. Together with her fleetmates, Nordkapp serves Hurtigruten’s Norwegian Coastal Voyages (NCV) program, providing cruiseferry travel on 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 service along Norway's western and northern coasts. Hurtigruten’s cruise ferries sail almost the entire length of Norway and complete the roundtrip itinerary in 11 days. The route also includes the Lofoten Islands and Vesteralen Islands.

The 700-passenger Nordkapp was built for Ofotens og Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab by Kleven Verft AS for ferry service along the Norwegian coast. She is a sister ship to MS Nordnorge and MS Polarlys and one of 11 vessels sailing the coastal route. MS Nordkapp was named after North Cape, mainland Europe’s northernmost point, long admired by explorers since Richard Chancellor named it in 1553. She has been upgraded with Jacuzzis and Junior Suites. Norway’s Queen Sonja is her godmother.

• 29 November 2001: Just outside Henningsvær in Lofoten, MS Nordkapp suffered failure of both main engines. To avoid grounding, both anchors were dropped. Passengers were prepared for evacuation. Two hours later, engineers restarted the engines and the vessel continued to Bodø, Norway.
• 2005: It was decided that MS Nordkapp would leave the Norwegian coast route and enter service in the Baltic Sea before cruising from Antarctica to Chile.
• 2005-2006: The ship operated along Norway’s western coast during spring, summer and early fall, then returned to the Chile/Antarctica route during winter (summer in the Southern Hemisphere).
• May 2007: MS Nordkapp returned to the Norwegian coastal route.
• January 2007: MS Nordkapp ran aground off Deception Island; no passengers were injured.

Decks and Cabins

MS Nordkapp staterooms (218 total, in 8 categories) include 10 Suites, 184 Outside and 21 Inside cabins. Cabin sizes range from 55 to 325 ft2 (5-30 m2). There are 3 wheelchair-accessible cabins. 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, LCD TV, radio, phone, mini-fridge, electronic safe, wardrobe with drawers and cabinets, and an en-suite bathroom (WC/shower, bath products, hairdryer). All cabins have individual air conditioning and blankets for outdoor viewing.

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

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

MS Nordkapp combines modern comforts with the atmosphere of a working coastal ship. The main restaurant offers a relaxed, informal setting in the evenings, and menus feature locally sourced fresh ingredients. Hurtigruten cuisine highlights authentic Norwegian specialties alongside international dishes.

Torget Restaurant (Deck 4) is the ship’s main Dining Room, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and a central buffet station. Breakfast (7-10 am) and lunch (11:30 am–2:30 pm) are buffet-style. Dinner is waiter-served, with four seatings and a 3-course menu (plus an à la carte menu with light snacks). Hurtigruten wine packages are also available here.

Multe Bakery (Deck 7 midship) is a patisserie and ice cream bar with a knitting corner and jigsaw puzzles. It offers freshly baked cakes and pastries, along with a selection of local ice creams, including stockfish, brown cheese, and cloudberry flavors.

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

Kysten Arctic Fine Dining (Deck 4) offers an intimate setting and serves premium seafood, exotic meats and other produce sourced directly from the Arctic.

Unlike most Hurtigruten ships, Polarlys has no 24-hour Café Restaurant (cafeteria with à la carte hot/cold meals, snacks and beverages). The only 24-hour venue is the Reception, providing guest assistance along with a limited selection of beverages, packaged snacks and sandwiches.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Onboard entertainment is low-key, with most time spent enjoying the scenery or socializing with fellow passengers. Occasionally, evening live music is offered in the Bar Lounge. The ship has a small fitness room, two outdoor jacuzzis and an infirmary. However, the small hospital is not staffed by a resident doctor or nurse. In emergencies, crew members ask if any passengers have medical training, and the ship always sails close enough to shore to disembark sick passengers if needed.

Below is the complete list of MS Nordkapp lounges, clubs and onboard facilities for guests of all ages.

• Car Deck (capacity 45 cars)
• Two Lecture Halls / Conference Rooms (Deck 4) hosting multimedia presentations, lectures by scientists/wildlife experts and Norway-themed films. No staged show program is offered.
• Explorer Lounge and Bar (Deck 7 forward) – a Panorama Lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows and bow views; also serves as the ship’s Library (books, board games, cards).
• The Shop (Norwegian souvenirs, Hurtigruten merchandise, jewelry, toiletries, clothing)
• Promenade Deck (full-circle open-air deck)
• Observation Lounge and Bar
• TRIM Fitness (exercise bikes, treadmills, free weights); two saunas (men/women).

The Sun Deck hosts Hurtigruten’s special “Arctic Circle baptism” ceremony, featuring a Neptune-costumed crewmember, icy seawater and a warming shot.

The ship does not have a Kids Playroom, Nursery, Video Arcade or Internet Café.

Itineraries

MS Nordkapp’s itinerary program is based on Norwegian Coastal Voyages. Her routes include Norway’s iconic fjords.

Nordkapp is used primarily as a ferry for both passengers and cars. However, some guests sail on full 12-day roundtrip itineraries from Bergen and Kirkenes.

The vessel (built by Kleven Verft) has a volume of 11,386 GT, a deadweight tonnage of 1,104 tons and a maximum draught of 5.2 m. Her powerplant consists of MAK Maschinenbau marine diesel engines (model 6M552C) with a combined output of 18 MW. The registered shipowner is HURTIGRUTEN COASTAL FLEET AS, and the vessel is managed by HURTIGRUTEN COASTAL AS.

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

Nordkapp was built as part of a class series introduced in the 1990s. Her onboard experience reflects diverse themes of Norwegian coastal culture, and she resembles a floating art gallery, featuring numerous works by renowned Norwegian artist Karl Erik Harr.

MS Nordkapp sails along Norway’s coastline between Bergen and Kirkenes (a mining town near the Russian border), visiting 35 ports along the route. Many travelers use her as a means of transportation (ferry service), while cruise passengers remain on board for the full roundtrip, booking her as a cruise ship. Norwegian Coastal Voyage passengers can book 5- to 11-night sailings, with the full 12-day itinerary traveling from Bergen to Kirkenes and back. Most ports of call offer Hurtigruten-organized excursions and tours. A traditional “Crossing the Arctic Circle” ceremony welcomes first-time travelers. On Norwegian Coastal Voyages, Hurtigruten also offers flight-cruise packages protected by an ATOL Certificate. ATOL (“Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing”) is issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

Drydock refurbishments review

By Q4 2023, all seven Hurtigruten “Norwegian Coastal Express” vessels (Nordkapp, Richard With, Nordlys, Kong Harald, Nordnorge, Polarlys, Trollfjord) had completed drydock upgrades for powerplant conversions (from diesel-only to diesel-electric/battery-hybrid). These refits included installation of new low-emission diesel engines and large battery packs.

• For this ~EUR 100 million project, Hurtigruten Group signed a contract with Kongsberg Maritime on May 11, 2021, to supply the hybrid equipment packages.
• Each vessel received 2× SAVe Energy storage systems (1120 kWh lithium-ion batteries), controlled via SAVe CUBE (drive switchboards controlling the thrusters), and 2× Bergen B33:45V diesel engines (generator sets with SCR–Selective Catalytic Reduction for optimized CO emissions control).
• Kongsberg’s scope of work also included re-blading the propellers, installing new thruster motors (retractable 360-degree azimuthing stern thruster), AC switchboards, new safety and communication systems, new gears, a redesigned bulbous bow (to reduce drag), new boilers (improving engine heat recovery) and a new wastewater treatment plant.
• The drydocks were carried out by Myklebust Verft AS (shipyard in Gursken, on Norway’s Gurskoya Island).

All Hurtigruten vessels are now equipped with shoreside-power capabilities (allowing electricity supply at port berths).